Brasov makes it onto almost every single Romania itinerary because of its close proximity to Bran Castle (more commonly referred to as Dracula’s Castle) and Peles Castle. It makes a great base for exploring the surrounding region, but there’s still a few things that you should do in the city itself. From iconic churches to beautiful squares to old fortress towers, there’s some great things to do in Brasov.
Best Things to See in Brasov, Romania
As always, this is not an exhaustive list of everything you can do in Brasov, but I think this list is a good starting point for anyone planning their trip. On a very fast trip to Romania, you might just stop in Brasov on a day trip from Bucharest. That doesn’t give you a lot of time, but you can still cover many of the things on this list with just a few hours.
City Walls and Towers
Around the outskirts of Brasov’s historic center, you’ll find some of its old walls. Sure, you can photograph the walls, but I want to draw attention to some of the towers. Along the eastern walls, you’ll see the Carpenter’s Tower and the Undertaker’s Bastian. On the western city walls, you’ll find the Black Tower and the White Tower.
While you can just look at these towers, some can actually be climbed. It’s free to do, but you’ll have to be willing to walk up some steep steps to get to top. From there, you have a nice view of the city of Brasov. I climbed the White Tower and while it was a steep set of stairs, I loved the view from the top.
Council Square (Piata Sfatului)
Every city in Europe has a main square and in Romania, this is where you’re going to find much of the best architecture of the city. In Brasov, that’s Council Square. You’ll find the Council Building and plenty of restaurants lining the square. Plus there’s some vendors selling all sorts of souvenirs.
It’s not my favorite square in Transylvania (I think the square in Sibiu is better), but I will say that this is the prettiest part of Brasov, even if it’s also the busiest. Here’s where you’ll find all of the tourists.
Black Church (Biserica Negra)
The Black Church has become an icon of Brasov, much like La Sagrada Família an icon for Barcelona or Notre Dame is an icon for Paris. The church dates back to the 1300s, when ground was first broke on this site. While it was originally built as a Catholic Church, it’s since been converted to a Lutheran Church.
While you can pay the fee to go into the church, this is one of the churches I decided to skip. Based on my research and photos online, the inside wasn’t as “wow!” as I would have hoped. Not only that, the church was undergoing some restoration works during the time I visited. So, I saved my money for other activities in Transylvania.
Regardless of whether or not you visit the inside of this church, I still think it’s worth visiting to appreciate the church from the outside.
Catherine’s Gate (Porta Ecaterina)
Catherine’s Gate marks what was once the edge of Brasov. It’s a medieval structure that provides a great photo opportunity as you learn about the history of Brasov. Don’t forget to look up as to see the artwork inside the passageway.
I just appreciated how it looked more like a fairy tale castle with its turrets than an actual gate to help protect the city.
St. Nicholas Cathedral (Cathedral Sfântul Nicolae din Șchei)
I’m including another church on this list, but my real reason is to get you off the main tourist path and into another neighborhood. Of course, you can visit the St. Nicholas Cathedral (though it was under some serious renovations during my visit and therefore I didn’t enter), but I think it’s still worth a visit. Why? Because most of the tourists to Brasov don’t go beyond Catherine’s Gate.
The city of Brasov is huge and while there are certainly parts of the city that feel just like any other city, I think that the Schei quarter is worth a short wander.
Cable Car/Brasov Sign
As you walk around the historical center of Brasov, you’ll probably notice the Brasov sign, sitting high on the hill of Mount Tampa. Did you know that you can go up into that area and get a birds’ eye view of the city below?
There are two ways to reach the top. The first is to hike up to the top, following some of the nature trails that weave their way across the hill. This is free to do, making it a good choice for budget backpackers. Option two is to take the cable car, which obviously comes with a fee but is much less physically demanding. And of course you can mix and match. Take the cable car up and then hike back down.
Dormition of the Mother of God Church (Biserica Adormirea Maicii Domnului)
I’ve already talked about two other churches in Brasov, but let’s talk about the Romanian Orthodox Cathedral of Formation of the Mother of God. From the outside, it can be easy to miss as the entrance feels hidden as it’s sandwiched between two restaurants. But head through the gateway to the back and enter into this church.
It’s free to visit, so step inside and admire the orthodox iconography lining the walls.
Nicolae Titulescu Park
It should come as no surprise that I’m including a park on a list of things to do in Brasov. I’ve really enjoyed wandering and sitting in parks lately and Nicolae Titulescu Park is a gorgeous one.
Located just on the edge of the historic center where all of the tourists seem to congregate, this park can provide a little bit of peace from the chaos that is tourism. Sure, there’s still plenty of people in the park, but it feels more like locals that tourists trying to get the perfect picture of Brasov.
How Long Do You Need in Brasov, Romania?
I’d recommend giving yourself one day in Brasov, Romania. I’ll admit that the city is bigger than I expected, but from a tourist perspective, the list of things to do is quite small and you can cover almost all of that in a day.
However, you’ll want to spend more than one night in Brasov, because it’s so easy to use Brasov as a base for exploring the surrounding area.
To the southwest, you’ll find the town of Bran and the famous Bran Castle, which served as inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It’s incredibly touristy, but it almost feels like no trip to Romania would be complete without visiting.
To the southeast, you’ll find the town of Sinaia which is home to the gorgeous Peles Castle and nearby Pelisor Castle. This is also very popular, but I’d argue that Peles Castle is superior to Bran Castle.
How to Get to Brasov, Romania
Brasov, Romania is very well connected. You’ll find buses and trains connecting Brasov with so many destinations in Romania. I took the train from Sighisoara to arrive in Romania and then took one of the many trains onward to Bucharest.
Beyond domestic connections, you’ll also find international connections. For trains, you can head as far west as Budapest and even Vienna. By bus, you can reach even more destinations. While waiting for my bus to Bran, a bus from Chisinau, Moldova arrived.
If you’re still struggling with nearby destinations, Brasov also has an airport. It’s a pretty small airport, but you can find a few flights, typically on budget airlines to Brasov. Honestly though, you’d be better off taking the train to Bucharest and then connecting to a flight.
How to Get Around Brasov, Romania
Brasov is a larger city than I initially realized, but I still found it walkable. In fact, I walked everywhere within Brasov, but I’ll be the first to admit that there were some long walks involved. My hotel was 10 minutes from the train station, 30 minutes from Bus Station 2 (where you’ll find the buses to Bran), and a 40 minute walk from the historic center.
For those who don’t want to walk, there are numerous buses crisscrossing the city that can help to cut down on those longer walks.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed my time in Brasov, but I’ll admit that it wasn’t my favorite city in Transylvania. Does that mean that it’s not worth visiting Brasov? Nope! I think Brasov is still worth a visit because of its close proximity to the famous castles in Transylvania. So, if you’re stopping here anyway because of a visit to Bran or Peles Castles, it’s worth giving yourself a little time to see the highlights of Brasov.
