Discover 10 of the best places to visit on a trip to Brasov and surroundings

Surrounded by the houses of the Saxon merchants, plastered in all colours, the Council Square is a Saxon pedestrian space that represents one of the most imposing squares of Romania. Not only the charming architecture, but also the mountain panorama adds an impressive touch. It was the commercial centre of the city in the Medieval …

At number 14, the imposing Hirscher House is a conclusive example of the Transylvanian Renaissance, although it was destroyed by two fires in the 17th century. Still bearing the insignia of the Hirscher family, it was built in 1541-157 as a gift to Apollonia Hirscher, widow of the mayor and merchant Lukas Hirscher, to be …

Tucked away at the end of a baroque passageway, amidst the merchants’ houses on the northern side of the square, the Orthodox Cathedral offers a touch of exoticism, in contrast to the German air of the square. If other Orthodox cathedrals in Transylvania seem designed to dominate their surroundings, this one almost apologises. The Orthodox …

The Black Church (in German Die Schwarze Kirche) is the parish church of the Evangelical Lutheran community of Brasov, located in the centre of Brasov. Today’s Black Church stands on the site of an earlier 13th-century Romanesque church destroyed in the great Tatar invasion of 1241. The current construction began in 1383, when Brasov was …

In a neo-baroque building (1902) on 21A Eroilor Boulevard, the Art Museum presents works by international Romanian artists dating back to the 17th century. Almost every important Romanian painter has works on display here; we find works by Theodor Pallady, Stefan Luchian and Nicolae Grigorescu. In the basement is a collection of oriental art and …

Now housing the state archives of Brasov, the Blacksmiths’ Bastion (34 G. Baritiu Street) watched over the northern part of the city and dates back to 1529 or even earlier. At the beginning it had the shape of a pentagon, although almost the entire present structure is the result of a reconstruction from 1668-1709. The …

Like the Black Church, it is not black, but takes its name from the fire of 1599. Although the tower houses a small museum, there’s not much to see inside, with better views on offer for free from the Warthe Promenade at the top of the hill. A popular spot for Brasov lovers, the platform …

Built between 1460 and 1494, the White Tower still impresses today with the massiveness and slenderness of its architectural lines. Summing up its architecture in data we can say: open semicircular plan; more than 30 m difference in level from the city walls; height: 20 m towards the city and 18 m towards the hill; …

The Catherine Gate (in German Katharinentor, in Hungarian Katalin-kapu) was one of the fortification gates of Brasov, located in the middle of the south-west side, between the Bastion of the Weavers and the Bastion of the Blacksmiths. As part of the south-west wall of the city’s fortifications, the Catherine Gate is declared a historical monument. …

Next to the Catherine Gate, the Schei Gate, in Baroque style, resembles a trimmed arch. It dates from 1828, and stands on the site of an earlier gate. During the 13th-17th centuries, it was the only place of access for the Romans of Schei to the fortress. The Șchei Gate (in German Waisenhausgässer Tor, in …

Further on, the imposing Bastion of the Treasurers is one of the largest and best preserved of the seven bastions of the city, existing since 1421-1426 and rebuilt between 1570-1573. The lower floor also shows the remains of a stone entrance door and some Saxon tombstones. The small museum inside has several military relics from …

Above the bastion, a consolidated path through the hills of Tampa Mountain leads to the Tampa Gondola. Jumping to higher ground, the cable car offers one of the best views of the city, although if you’re well equipped you might prefer to traverse the trail on foot. Visible from the main square and most of …

An official district of Brasov but 12 km south of it, Poiana Brasov (altitude 1030 m) is located on the slope of the impressive Postavaru massif. The most popular ski resort, it is a common resort for foreigners who buy cheap tourist packages, but also for Romanians. Although it has better prices than Klosters and …

Continuing through the mountains, from Poiana Brasov you will reach Rasnov. Even if Bran, only 12 km to the south, attracts all tourists – especially those who come with organized tours – Rasnov is well worth a stop. Rasnov Fortress is at first sight so imposing and visible from afar that it could easily be …

Every historical episode is determined by two essential elements: time and space, constant factors that determine its place in the evolution of a human community. On a rocky road, near Bran, 30 km south of Brasov, the well known Bran Castle is not missing from the itinerary of organized tours in Romania. Being so strongly …

In a vast and panoramic garden above the town of Sinaia, Peles Castle, as if out of fairy tales, is the main attraction of Romania and the most romantic fortress of Romania. Built for royal Carol I as a holiday home between 1873 and 1883 in a spectacular German Renaissance style, it resembles a Bavarian …

Smaller than Peles a few hundred metres above Peles, it was built between 1899 and 1903 for Charles I’s grandson Ferdinand and his wife Marie. Ferdinand reportedly found Peles Castle too austere. As at Peles, visits to the Pelisor Palace are by guided group tour only, but the groups are smaller. Pelisor Castle is a …

Busteni - It is located on the Prahova Valley, at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains, which have a maximum altitude of 2,505 m. Surrounded by the peaks of Caraiman and Costila, Busteni is a small resort ideal for walks in the Bucegi Mountains. The town itself pales in comparison to Sinaia and is as crowded as Predealul by the busy road that runs right through its centre. The main attraction, the Cezar Petrescu Memorial Museum, is a 20th century peasant-style building on the northern edge of town.