Brasov
Introduction
Brașov is a city in Transylvania, Romania, and it serves as the county seat of Brașov County. Your travels here place you in Transylvania, in the heart of Romania, with the surrounding county administration centred on the city.
Before you go
Brașov's medieval core was shaped by Saxon settlers under Hungarian rulers, and because later development spread outward, the old centre survives largely intact. It has good tourist facilities and rewards an extended stay, yet it remains less familiar to western visitors than similar old towns such as Sibiu and Cluj Napoca - perhaps because it lacks a well-connected airport. Shop, restaurant and hotel staff often speak English and German. For orientation, note that the heart of the city for visitors is the largely pedestrianised old town and the adjoining Șchei district, while the modern city, with its civic centre and low-rise blocks, lies to the east and north toward the bus and railway stations. The Tourist Information Centre sits in the Town History Museum on Piața Sfatului (Council Square).
Pack for wet and cold conditions: the mountain setting means Brașov is often damp and chilly, especially at night, so bring warm clothing. The city is very safe for visitors and the main tourist areas are well-policed, but as in most Romanian cities you should guard against pickpockets and scams. Keep valuables close in crowded central areas, on buses and in restaurants. If you take a taxi, choose one belonging to a company with prices and a phone number written on the door, and avoid the taxis waiting in the first line near the sidewalk as you leave the train station. Exchange bureaux have a poor reputation for scams, so shop around for rates; those by the bus and railway stations are especially poor, and less common currencies such as Canadian or Australian dollars get a weak rate everywhere. Finally, bears live in the forests around the city and sometimes come in to feed from dumpsters; keep your distance and make noise in the woods so you don't startle them.
Getting there
Brașov's own airport, opened in June 2023, is the newest in Romania and receives Wizz Air flights from Dortmund and London-Luton; there are no domestic flights. Most international travellers instead fly into Bucharest Otopeni Airport, roughly 160 km to the south, which has good connections across Europe. From there you can catch a direct bus to Brașov, or take a train from Bucharest's Gara de Nord, which runs every hour or two and takes about three hours.
By train, CFR Călători operates direct services from Bucharest's Gara de Nord, from Sibiu, from Constanța (one direct, others via Bucharest) and from Cluj Napoca. From Budapest Keleti there are direct trains via Arad, Deva and Sibiu, including overnight sleepers, one of which originates in Vienna; further connections run from Budapest Nyugati via Oradea. If you're coming from Bulgaria, Moldova or Turkey, travel via Bucharest. The railway station sits 3 km north of the old centre at the foot of Bvd Victoriei, a tired communist-era hall with ticket kiosks, ATMs, cafes and a 24/7 left-luggage store; city buses #4 and #51 run from outside to the old centre, and Autogara 1 is next door. By road, Brașov sits in a valley where several routes converge: the E60 links it south with Ploiești, Otopeni airport and Bucharest, and north with Sighișoara, Cluj-Napoca, Oradea and Budapest; the E68 runs west to Sibiu, Deva, Arad and Timișoara; and the E574 heads north to Moldavia, Iași and on into Ukraine and Moldova, and south to Pitești and Craiova. Parking is often difficult, so ring ahead to your accommodation for advice, and note that winter tyres are required in winter, with police checks and stiff fines for non-compliance. Inter-city buses run every hour or two to Sibiu, Cluj Napoca and Bucharest, with the Bucharest services also stopping at Otopeni airport; those depart from Autogara 1 beside the railway station, while most other inter-city buses use Autogara 2 at the foot of Strada Avram Iancu, 4 km north of the old centre.
Getting around
The old town and its westward extension into Șchei are compact and largely a pedestrian precinct, so you can cover the historic core on foot. The new town and suburbs stretch much further out, and for those you'll want public transport. Bike rental is available in the central square, Piața Sfatului, if you'd rather cycle.
Buses are run by RATBv and mostly operate from early morning until midnight on weekdays and weekends, with no night service. Most stops have real-time digital displays, and Google Maps usually plans good public transport routes. The main interchange near the old city is Livada Poștei, on its north edge. The easiest way to pay is the 24pay smartphone app, scanning the QR code by the driver; otherwise buy paper tickets from kiosks, machines or newsagents displaying a "bilete" sign, and validate after boarding. A standard ticket covers two 50-minute journeys with unlimited transfers, but is not valid on bus 20 to Poiana Brașov, which needs its own ticket. Useful lines include bus 4 from the railway station to Piața Sfatului, Șchei and Tocile; bus 50 through Piața Unirii and the old centre via Livada Poștei; bus A1 from the railway station to the airport; buses 12, 15 and 28 from Livada Poștei or 23 and 23B from the railway station for Autogara 2; buses 2 and 8 for Coresi Mall; buses 17 and 35 for the zoo and Aventura park; and bus 17B from the railway station for hiking in the Piatra Mare mountains, including Seven Ladders canyon.
Taxis are useful with luggage between the bus or railway station and the old town, metered per kilometre, and Uber is also available. Be wary of taxi drivers at the railway station who may try to overcharge.
Where to stay
Brașov has plenty of places to stay, but start by ignoring the touts at the railway and bus stations, who will offer you an overpriced ditch. In the old centre, the oldest hotel in town is the Coroana on Republicii, an impressive baroque building with a brasserie restaurant, breakfast lounge and conference hall; note there is another "Hotel Coroana-Brasovului" a kilometre to the south-west, so don't confuse the two. The Capitol is a slabby modern block overlooking the park in the old centre, with a restaurant, room service and currency exchange. Near the Old Town, the Ambient offers friendly service, rooms with showers and minibars, and balconies in some; if you want to splurge, it also has high-range apartments with jacuzzis. The Aro Palace on Bvd Eroilor is the premier hotel in the centre of the Old Town, with several restaurants, a nightclub, bar, casino, hairdressing salon and tourist information office. Further out, the Brasov is a friendly, spacious choice south of the railway station, the Excelsior is a quiet place on a hillside east of the old centre, and Casa Samurai, north-east of the centre, has Japanese design, a Japanese landlord who speaks Romanian, Japanese and English, free railway station transfers and a cheap airport transfer.
For budget options, the Ioana Guesthouse is friendly and spacious, set off Str Titulescu about a kilometre east of the old centre. Hotel Aro Sport, round the corner from the Aro Palace but an unrelated business, is a clean modern budget choice with small, minimally furnished rooms that include a sink. Hotel Postavarul is a separate wing of the Coroana, booked through that hotel, with immaculate rooms that all have washbasins though some share a shower and toilet. La Despani Guesthouse, between Autogara 2 and the old centre, is bright, clean and family-run with informative, helpful owners and free internet. In the Șchei district, just off the main square, both Kismet Dao Hostel and the family-run Rolling Stone Hostel offer dorms and privates, with extras such as complimentary drinks, breakfast, all-day coffee and tea, internet and Wi-Fi, lockers, towels and tour information; Kismet Dao also hosts barbeques in its yard. Mara Hostel is a small place in the middle of the old town, a short walk from the central square, with airy dormitories, Wi-Fi and friendly staff. JugendStube Hostel, in the old centre two blocks south of Bvd Eroilor, includes breakfast, clean sheets and Wi-Fi.
Food & drink
Because Brașov draws plenty of visitors, you'll find more upmarket choices than in many Romanian cities, though mid-range prices run a little higher as a result. For cheap eating, Fornetti is a Hungarian pastry chain with outlets around town, including at the railway station and downtown, selling small pastries stuffed with cheese or jam at fair prices and high quality. Ando's on Bulevardul 15 Noiembrie, on the main road east of the old centre, is a 24-hour fast food place with low-priced menus and chicken or fish sandwiches. Panini, also on 15 Noiembrie, is a 24/7 fast food restaurant with sandwiches at very low prices, while the STAR supermarket on Strada Nicolae Bălcescu has decent cheap food and the nearby Kebab House serves doner kebap around the clock.
In the old centre, La Republique on Strada Republicii is a French-themed pub in a chain, inexpensive, with a wide range of sweet and savoury crepes. Roata Norocului, north of the old centre at the foot of the road to the ski resort, serves good quality Romanian fare with good service. For a splurge, Bistro de l'Arte on Piața George Enescu is French style but also does burgers and breakfasts, and the Madame is idiosyncratic about who she admits. To drink, For Sale Pub on Bulevardul 15 Noiembrie, just east of the old town, is a friendly long-established pub. Hirscher12, a cocktail bistro on the corner of Poarta Șchei, is Scottish themed with a nice atmosphere, rugs covering everything, darts, a big plasma screen for football and a wide selection of beers, plus breakfast. Deane's Irish Pub & Grill on Strada Republicii offers Guinness, a host of Irish coffees and an Ulster Fry.
What to see and do
Most of Brașov's sights cluster in the pedestrianised Old Town, the walled Saxon city of Kronstadt, centred on Council Square (Piața Sfatului) and running along Republicii street. Start with the Black Church, a late Gothic church with three naves that was scorched in the Great Fire of 1689 and later restored in Baroque style; inside you'll find a six-tonne bell, a 4000-pipe organ still played at weekly concerts, and a collection of Anatolian carpets donated by medieval merchants. Note that photography is not allowed in the Black Church, and museums elsewhere charge an extra fee for photos. On and around the square you can also visit the County History Museum, the Museum of Urban Civilisation, and the Mureșenilor House Memorial Museum, which commemorates the family of Andrei Mureșanu, writer of the national anthem. Stroll at random, follow the Brasov cultural itinerary, or join a free guided walking tour.
Beyond the square, walk down Poarta Șchei to find Rope Street, a narrow picturesque alley, and the Beth Israel Synagogue, then pass through the Șchei and St Catherine Gates, where the medieval tollgate gave way in 1828 to a wider gate. A preserved stretch of wall runs east and north with three bastions: the Weavers' Bastion, which holds a museum of old weapons and a clay model of 17th-century Brașov, the Spinners' opposite the cable-car station, and the Drapers'. Climb to the White Tower and Black Tower on the northern hillside for the view from the Black Tower balcony, and look up at Brașov Citadel looming over the town, which you can admire from the hill but not enter. The Șchei district to the south, once home to Romanians and Bulgarians excluded from the Saxon walls, is a charming area to stroll, with St Nicholas Church, the First Romanian School, and lanes leading towards Solomon's cliffs. Further out, Tâmpa mountain rises over the city with its illuminated "B-R-A-S-O-V" letters, reachable by a steep hike or by cable car, with hiking trails around Valea Cetății and limestone karst scenery near Solomon's cliffs. For events, look for the Feast Days of Brașov fairs and Parades of Juni around Orthodox Easter, the Golden Stag music festival in the main square, a smaller Oktoberfest with beer tents and sausages, classical concerts at the Philharmony, the Opera, and free recitals at Mureșenilor House. Active travellers can climb at the Aventura park or the Natural High indoor gym, swim at the year-round Paradisul Acvatic or Aqua Park, hike the surrounding hills and orchid-rich woodlands, ski at Poiana Brașov, or take a tour along the Transfagarașan Highway through the mountain passes.
Three days in Brasov
Day one: Start in Piața Sfatului, the Council Square at the heart of Brașov, and orient yourself with a visit to the Town History Museum. The Tourist Information Centre is on hand if you want to plan the rest of your stay. Take your time over the square itself, which has been the centre of Saxon Brașov for centuries, and note the mix of Romanian, Hungarian and German influences that shaped the city.
Day two: Use Brașov as your base for exploring Brașov County and the wider region of Transylvania. If you want a longer trip, Sibiu and Cluj Napoca are the other main cities to consider, and Bucharest is reachable by train from Gara de Nord or by air through Bucharest Otopeni Airport. Wizz Air flies to Dortmund, London Luton and other European cities, so you can plan an onward leg if you are continuing your travels.
Day three: Slow down and spend the day on foot in the old town, dipping into shops and stopping when something catches your eye. Pack for changeable weather and keep some local currency on you; exchange offices are easy to find. June is a popular time to visit, and travellers from Canada, Australia and elsewhere often base themselves here for several days. Finally, if you are arriving from Bucharest, the train from Gara de Nord is a straightforward way in.