If you’re planning to visit Romania, Brașov is probably a city you’ve heard about. It’s the country’s 5th largest city, and well worth a visit!
I’ve now been there twice at the time of writing this— once last year and again this year. Both times, it has proven to be a worthwhile trip, in spite of how short a trip it was!
There’s a lot to see, and it was only a day trip for me. (I’m working at the English Cool Camp in Predeal, Romania, which is a summer camp focused on English immersion. We only get one full day off between camps, so not a lot of time.) Still, I can tell you what I saw of the sights and attractions and what I thought of them.
Where Brașov Is and How to Get There
Brașov is located in central Romania, almost as central as you can get. It’s the main big city in that part of the country, and likely a stopping point on any long-term train rides you’ll go on.
There are a lot of mountains and other popular tourist sites nearby, too, so there’s plenty to see!
That said, the camp where I’m working is only about 30 minutes away by train. There’s also an international airport in Brașov. It has flights to a few big European airports, so make sure you’ve got that all planned out before you go! Some of those options include:
- London, England
- Valencia, Spain
- Warsaw, Poland
- Budapest, Hungary
- Rome, Italy
Otherwise, flying into Bucharest and taking a train or taxi would be your best bet, but a taxi might get expensive and a train will be slow (2+ hours), so plan accordingly!
Sights and Scenery near Brașov
Like I said, Brașov has the nearby Bucegi Mountains and a lot of other popular tourist sites nearby, many of which are worth visiting!
I already wrote about Sinaia, which is only about an hour away and absolutely worth visiting! It’s one of my favorite cities in Romania so far! It has a large Victorian palace and is situated in a beautiful mountain valley.
Bușteni is right next to Sinaia, and also features a castle. This one serves as the filming location for Nevermore Academy in Netflix’s Wednesday, but there’s a lot more to it than that. I got to wear Roman armor and there’s a large garden outside, too!
Finally, Bran/ Bran Castle (also known as Dracula Castle) is equally close to Brasov. It’s a well-known tourist location, and worth visiting once, but I would definitely advise some caution. Because it’s popular, it’s also a tourist trap, rife with market stalls selling a lot of random trinkets that are just a waste of money. That said, I bought a ring that was supposed to be silver and turned out to be copper, but the guy selling it also offered free shots of țuica with every purchase. It’s a special kind of Romanian plum wine, and very strong, at that!
If you’re willing to travel a little further, you could also see Sighisoara, a medieval citadel and very colorful city! I’ll write about it soon!
Finally, maybe an hour or so from Brașov, is the Sphinx and Babele natural rock formations! Seeing images of it online made me think it was a large rock shaped like just the body of the Egyptian Sphinx but otherwise plain. I could not have been more wrong— there’s an entire naturally formed face in it!
City Attractions
In Brașov, I’ve visited a few places:
- The Black Church
- The Brașov Sign
- Strada Sforii
- Market
My Experience in Brașov
Having been to some of these places twice, I can give you some proper insight into what to expect from this beautiful city!
The Black Church
I’ve visited the Black Church twice, and it’s always worth seeing. It’s also hard to miss, as it stands quite tall in the main square of the old town! It was built in the gothic style by German Saxons who lived in the city during the middle ages. After many fires in the city turned its exterior to a black color, it got its now-popular name.
Upon heading inside, you can choose to take a guided tour or simply explore the church on your own. It features a massive organ high up on one side and benches whose backs can move to face either direction.
It’s beautifully decorated, with ornately carved concrete arches, pillars, walls, and ceilings and tapestries hanging everywhere they can. Of course, like any big church, it’ll echo a lot.
Personally, I really like getting the guided tour, because there’s a good bit of information you wouldn’t find out on your own. It’s also not a very long tour, nor are you forced to leave afterward. You can enjoy the cool, quiet atmosphere of the church, which is especially welcome on a particularly hot day like the one I visited on!
The Brașov Sign
Now, I’ve only been to this once, as the gondola that takes you to it was closed for repairs last year. But it was awesome, for the view at the very least!
This sign is modeled after the much-more-famous Hollywood sign, and overlooks the city in much the same way. Wait until you reach the top, though. You’ll be jealous of the view that sign gets to have of Brașov all the time— the city sprawls out before you, its orange-and-white buildings surrounded by lush greenery!
To reach the top, you’ll need to ride a cable car. You can buy tickets at the base of the mountain, and it’s well worth it for the view!
Strada Sforii
The Strada Sforii is the narrowest street in Romania, to the point that it’s the size of an alleyway while still having the designation of a street.
Honestly, you wouldn’t miss much if you skipped this, but it also doesn’t take that long. It’s also not too out of the way, either, and it’s free, so you might as well check it out while you’re here. I saw it last year, but unfortunately it was closed this time.
All that means is that you should seize the chance to take it if you can. It might be closed up tomorrow! Carpe diem!
Market
The main market, located in the same square as the Black Church, has a lot of stalls selling almost anything you could think of!
Of course, a lot of it is random tchotchkes for tourists that you could find almost anywhere (as is true of most street fairs and street markets at this point), but there’s a lot of genuine wares, too— handmade bags and leatherworks, baskets, and of course, food! There are restaurants and street vendors alike selling a big variety!
You could spend a lot of time shopping around here and looking into everything that’s available. With my group, we perused quickly, but didn’t take too long as we had limited time here.
Conclusion
Brașov is a beautiful city with an immediately noticeable cultural heart.
Both times I’ve been there, it was my first excursion from the English Cool Camp. Going there immediately pulled me into the culture and vibe of the region, and made me fall in love right away.
I’ve also only been there on day trips. There is certainly a lot more you could see if you took the time to do so. There’s a waterpark, a dino park, a mall, and so many more historical sites worth seeing!
The city would also serve well as a jumping off point for trips to Bran, Bușteni, Sinaia, Sighisoara, the Sphinx, or even Bucharest itself!
I have loved Romania on both of my visits so far, and Brașov has had a big part to play in that. Don’t skip this one, whatever you do!
I hope this post was helpful or at least enjoyable. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me know below or contact me directly! I appreciate your visit, whether you’re new or returning!
