Europe
Romania is one of Europe's most underrated countries, a place where medieval Saxon villages, Gothic citadels, and some of the continent's last truly wild forests sit just a few hours apart. Transylvania, ringed by the Carpathian Mountains, is the heart of it: a region of fortified churches, painted monasteries, brown bears in the hills above town, and cobbled old cities most travelers fly right over on their way to Western Europe.
Things to Do
Wander the medieval old town of Brașov beneath Tâmpa mountain and visit the Gothic Black Church. Drive or hike up to Bran Castle, marketed as Dracula's castle but worth the visit for the views and the Carpathian foothills around it. Explore Sighișoara, one of the few inhabited medieval citadels left in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Take the Transfăgărășan or Transalpina highways through the Carpathians in summer for some of the most dramatic mountain driving on the continent. In Sibiu, sit in the Piața Mare with a coffee and watch the city watch you back through its famous "eyes", the eyebrow-shaped attic windows on the old houses.
Recommended Experience
Dracula's Castle, Peleș Castle & Brașov Day Trip
I did this tour and highly recommend it. You are picked up from Bucharest and taken into the heart of Transylvania, visiting the iconic Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle), the stunning Peleș Castle in Sinaia, and the charming medieval city of Brașov. It is the perfect way to experience the region's legends, architecture, and mountain scenery in a single day.
I visited on a day trip from Bucharest. On the drive up you pass through the Prahova Valley and the town of Sinaia, which sits in Prahova County (historically part of Wallachia, not Transylvania) and serves as the southern gateway into the region. It's a quaint ski town, serene and peaceful, a good option for anyone looking to get away from the city and closer to nature. In hindsight I wish I'd given myself more time in Brașov, which was truly stunning and deserves more than a few hours.
Recommended Experience
Bucharest Parliament Building Tour
If you are staying in Bucharest before or after your Transylvania trip, I highly recommend taking a tour of the Parliament Building, one of the largest administrative buildings in the world. It is an astonishing feat of architecture and a fascinating glimpse into Romania's history.
Best Time to Visit
Late May through September is the sweet spot, the mountain passes are open, the weather is warm, and the long evenings make the medieval towns glow. June and July are peak for wildflowers in the Carpathians; September brings cooler air and fewer crowds. Winter (December through February) is magical in the old towns and the ski resorts of Poiana Brașov, but mountain roads close and many rural guesthouses shut down.
Where to Stay
Brașov is the easiest base for a first visit, walkable, beautiful, and well-connected by train to Bucharest and Sighișoara. Sibiu is the cultural counterpoint: smaller, quieter, and arguably the prettiest old town in the country. For something rural, stay in a guesthouse in the Saxon villages around Viscri or Mălâncrav, where Prince Charles famously bought a house. Avoid building an itinerary around Bucharest hotels, Transylvania deserves its own days.
Budget: Casa Reims, well-priced guesthouse just outside the walls of Sibiu's old town, a five-minute walk to the main squares.
Mid-range: Casa Wagner Brașov, 15th-century building right on Piața Sfatului, central to everything in Brașov.
Luxury: Zalánpatak Guesthouses, King Charles III's restored Saxon and Székely cottages in a remote valley, the most distinctive luxury stay in Transylvania.
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Getting Around
Romanian trains are slow but cheap and scenic, the Brașov–Sibiu line is one of the prettiest rides in Eastern Europe. For more flexibility, rent a car: distances are short but mountain roads are slow, and many of the best villages and monasteries are off the rail network. Avoid driving in central Bucharest if you can; traffic is intense and parking is scarce. Buses (Autogari) connect smaller towns where trains don't reach.
Hidden Gems
The fortified Saxon village of Viscri, accessed by a dirt road through fields, feels like stepping into the 1700s, and the local sheep cheese is worth the detour alone. The painted monasteries of Bucovina, in the country's northeast, are covered inside and out in 500-year-old frescoes. And the Hoia-Baciu forest outside Cluj-Napoca, with its strangely twisted trees and local UFO legends, is one of the most atmospheric walks in the country, quiet, eerie, and almost completely empty of tourists.
