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How many days in Romania? 8 days from Bucharest through Transylvania
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Romania is large, and most first visits focus on Transylvania, the hilly region inside the Carpathian arc, with Saxon towns, fortified churches and castles. Give it eight days: arrive in Bucharest, cross the mountains by train to Brașov, then move west through Sighișoara and Sibiu and fly home from Cluj-Napoca. One rule: trains are cheap and scenic but slow, so rent a car for the villages between Sighișoara and Sibiu.
Short answer
Six days covers Bucharest, Brașov with Bran, Sighișoara and Sibiu. Eight adds the Transfăgărășan mountain road or the ASTRA open-air museum, and Cluj with the Turda salt mine.
The 8-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Bucharest: Old Town and Calea Victoriei
Morning. Walk the Old Town (Lipscani) to the tiny Stavropoleos Monastery, built in 1724. Nearby are the ruins of the Old Princely Court from Vlad the Impaler's era, and the Cărturești Carusel bookshop in a restored 19th-century building.
Afternoon. Walk north along Calea Victoriei past the Romanian Athenaeum, a domed concert hall from 1888, and Revolution Square, where Ceaușescu gave his last speech in 1989. The National Museum of Art in the former royal palace costs about 30-40 lei.
Evening. Dine at Caru' cu Bere, a beer hall from 1879 with painted ceilings. A main costs 50-80 lei, and booking ahead helps on weekends.
Use the Bolt or Uber apps rather than hailing taxis, which sometimes overcharge visitors.
Day 2: Palace of Parliament, then Peleș Castle
Morning. Take the guided tour of the Palace of Parliament, one of the largest buildings in the world (about 60-80 lei). Book ahead and bring your passport; tours last about 1 hour.
Afternoon. Take a train from Gara de Nord to Sinaia (about 1h30-2h, roughly 40-60 lei). Walk 20 minutes uphill to Peleș Castle, the neo-Renaissance royal residence finished in 1914 (closed Mondays; about 50-100 lei).
Evening. Continue by train to Brașov, about 1 hour. Stay near the old centre, a 10-minute taxi ride from the station.
Peleș can have long queues in summer weekends; arrive before 11:00 or on a weekday.
Day 3: Brașov old town and Mount Tâmpa
Morning. Start at Piața Sfatului (Council Square) and the Black Church (about 25 lei), the largest Gothic church in the region. It takes its name from the soot of a fire in 1689.
Afternoon. Take the cable car up Mount Tâmpa (about 30 lei return) to the Hollywood-style 'BRAȘOV' sign, or hike 1 hour up. Then find Strada Sforii, one of the narrowest streets in Europe, and the Schei district with the first Romanian school.
Evening. Eat in the lanes off Strada Republicii, the pedestrian main street. Order papanași, fried cheese doughnuts with sour cream and jam, for about 25-35 lei.
Brașov's centre is walkable; the bus to Bran leaves from the Autogara 2 bus station.
Day 4: Bran Castle and Râșnov Fortress
Morning. Drive or take a bus 30 km (about 45 minutes) to Bran Castle, sold as 'Dracula's Castle' though Vlad III probably never lived there (about 70-90 lei). Arrive at opening, around 9:00.
Afternoon. Stop at Râșnov Fortress on the way back, a 13th-century peasant citadel on a hill (about 20 lei). From the walls you look across to the Bucegi Mountains.
Evening. Back in Brașov, try mici (grilled minced-meat rolls) with mustard and an Ursus beer, about 30-40 lei. Bars around Piața Sfatului stay open late.
Bran's queues in summer reach an hour by noon; a tour from Brașov combining Bran, Râșnov and Peleș saves planning.
Day 5: Viscri and Sighișoara
Morning. Pick up a rental car (about 150-250 lei a day) and drive about 1h30 to Viscri. This Saxon village has a white fortified church on the UNESCO list (about 15 lei).
Afternoon. Drive about 1 hour to Sighișoara, an inhabited medieval citadel. Climb the Clock Tower (about 20-30 lei) and the covered Scholars' Stairs, 176 steps up to the Church on the Hill.
Evening. Dine in the citadel. The house where Vlad the Impaler was born, beside the Clock Tower, is now a restaurant.
Stay inside the citadel walls for quiet evenings after the day-trippers leave.
Day 6: Biertan and Sibiu
Morning. Drive 30 minutes to Biertan, with one of the strongest fortified churches in Transylvania (about 15 lei). From there it is about 1h30 to Sibiu.
Afternoon. In Sibiu, walk between Piața Mare and Piața Mică, crossing the iron Bridge of Lies. The Brukenthal Museum (about 40-60 lei) is one of the oldest in southeast Europe. Look for the 'eyes' — dormer windows on the roofs.
Evening. Climb the Council Tower at sunset (about 5-10 lei). Afterwards, dine on Strada Nicolae Bălcescu, the pedestrian street below.
Sibiu's Christmas market (late November to early January) is one of the best in Romania.
Day 7: The Transfăgărășan or the ASTRA museum
Morning. From roughly July to October, drive the Transfăgărășan (DN7C), a mountain road of hairpin bends. It climbs to Bâlea Lake at 2,034 metres, about 1h30 from Sibiu.
Afternoon. Walk around the glacial lake. You can return to Sibiu or continue down the southern side past Poenari, Vlad's fortress on its cliff.
Evening. If the road is closed, visit the ASTRA Museum in the Dumbrava forest instead (about 30-40 lei). It has over 300 traditional buildings spread around a lake.
The Transfăgărășan opens only in summer and closes in fog or snow; check the road status the day before.
Day 8: Turda salt mine and Cluj-Napoca
Morning. Drive about 2h30 north to the Turda Salt Mine (about 50-80 lei). Inside are a Ferris wheel and rowing boats on an underground lake 120 metres down.
Afternoon. Continue 30 minutes to Cluj-Napoca, Romania's second city. See St Michael's Church in Piața Unirii and the Botanical Garden (about 15-20 lei).
Evening. Have a final dinner in Cluj's student-filled centre around Piața Muzeului. Cluj airport is 15-20 minutes away by taxi.
Return your car in Cluj; one-way rental fees are often small within Romania.
Only have 6 days?
With 6 days, skip the Transfăgărășan and Cluj, and fly home from Sibiu airport. You lose Turda and the mountain road.
Got extra days?
Extra days go to the painted monasteries of Bucovina, such as Voroneț (about 5 hours from Cluj), or the wooden churches of Maramureș. The Danube Delta, reached from Tulcea, is a wetland with pelicans.
Where to stay in Romania
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Guesthouses (pensiune) in old towns | Family-run, often with breakfast; good value in Brașov and Sibiu. | 150-250 lei |
| Mid-range | Old-centre hotels | Walk to the main squares in Brașov, Sighișoara and Sibiu. | 300-500 lei |
| Mid-range | Restored Saxon houses | In Viscri and nearby villages, restored farmhouses with gardens. | 350-600 lei |
| Comfort | Boutique and heritage hotels | Bucharest's Belle Époque hotels and boutique hotels in Sibiu. | 700-1,500 lei |
Getting around
CFR trains connect Bucharest, Sinaia, Brașov, Sighișoara and Cluj, at about 50-120 lei per leg, but are slow: Brașov to Cluj takes 5-7 hours. Book on the CFR Călători site. A rental car is best for the villages and the Transfăgărășan; roads are improving but slow behind trucks. Bucharest has a cheap metro (about 5 lei a trip) and the airport express bus 783/780. Bolt and Uber work in all big cities.
What to eat in Romania
Romanian food is hearty: sarmale (cabbage rolls with polenta and sour cream), ciorbă (sour soups, including tripe soup), mici grilled meat rolls, mămăligă (polenta) and papanași for dessert. A canteen lunch (meniul zilei) costs 35-50 lei; a restaurant dinner with wine is 80-150 lei. Try țuică plum brandy and Feteasca Neagră red wine.
Best time to visit
May to June and September to October, with highs of 20-26°C and autumn colours in the Carpathians. July and August are hot in Bucharest (often 35°C) but best for the Transfăgărășan. Winter is cold, with skiing near Brașov and Christmas markets.
Month-by-month weather for Romania →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | 110 lei | 250 lei | 550 lei |
| Food & drink | 90 lei | 180 lei | 350 lei |
| Sights & tickets | 40 lei | 90 lei | 150 lei |
| Local transport | 30 lei | 70 lei | 150 lei |
| Total per person, per day | about 270 lei | about 590 lei | about 1,200 lei |
Approximate 2026 prices in Romanian lei (RON); some cities add a small local tourist tax per night, usually included in the room price.
Before you go
Common questions
Is Bran really Dracula's Castle?
Only in marketing. Bram Stoker never visited Romania, and Vlad III the Impaler, who inspired the name, probably never lived at Bran, though he may have passed through. The castle is still worth seeing for its rooms and the story of Queen Marie, who lived there in the 1920s. For a true Vlad site, see Poenari Fortress or his birthplace in Sighișoara.
Do I need a car in Romania?
Not for the cities: trains and buses link Bucharest, Brașov, Sighișoara, Sibiu and Cluj. A car is very useful for the Saxon villages, Bran, Râșnov and the Transfăgărășan, which have limited public transport. Rentals are cheap, about 150-250 lei a day, but drive carefully: overtaking on rural roads is often risky.
Is Romania safe?
Yes, with normal precautions. Violent crime against tourists is rare. Watch for pickpockets on Bucharest public transport and taxi overcharging at the airport and Gara de Nord; use Bolt or Uber. Stray dogs, once a problem, are now much less common in cities.
Can I use euros in Romania?
No, the currency is the leu (plural lei). Cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops, even in small towns. Carry some cash for village churches, markets and parking. Withdraw from bank ATMs and avoid independent cash machines, which charge high fees.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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