There’s a lot to explore, and a lot to take your breath away.

These are the fifteen most exciting things to do and places to visit in Transylvania.

1. Visit Bran Castle

Bran Castle is at the very top of everyone’s list of must-see places to visit in Transylvania, and for good reason!

This historic castle has stood since the 13th Century, was occupied by Romania’s most beloved queen, Queen Marie, and is tightly woven into the mythology of Count Dracula.

It’s a stunning castle that sits proud atop of a jutting rock and overlooks the invisible border between the provinces of Transylvania and Wallachia.

Inside you’ll find a museum of antique furniture owned by Queen Marie, and outside the castle stands beautiful and picturesque like a gothic beast, captivating and daunting.

2. Explore Rasnov Fortress

Rasnov Fortress is, like Bran Castle, a structure that dates all the way back to the 13th Century.

Unlike Bran Castle, however, which saw constant renovation over the centuries and was lived in by a queen as recently as a hundred years ago, Rasnov Fortress has remained an untouched sample of medieval history for centuries.

It’s a ruin, technically, but one that has remained in perfect condition. Rasnov Fortress also provides some of the best views in all of Transylvania.

The view from the fortress stretches out for miles and miles across the surrounding towns and flat plains, and is one of the most beautiful sights in the province.

3. Climb up to the Brasov Sign

Brasov, the central city of Transylvania, is one of the most dynamic and exciting cities to explore in Romania, and what really makes it unique is a Hollywood-style sign that sits on the side of a mountain which can be found within the city limits.

This sign is even lit up at night! You can take beautiful day and night shots of the sign, or take a cable car up there during daylight hours (9-5) and hike across to the sign to take in the view of Brasov from there.

The view of the sign and the view of the town from the sign are both essential and beautiful in their own way.

4. Eat Sarmale

Sarmale is the official national dish of Romania, and has been a cherished dish in Transylvania for centuries.

You can find it at every local restaurant in Brasov, Cluj-Napoca, and Sighișoara. Sarmale are, quite simply, cabbage rolls.

Cabbage is wrapped around pork meat and a variety of spices, including garlic (Romanians really love garlic) and it’s all baked together.

You can eat sarmale with sour cream or on its own.

It’s a hearty dish that’s full of nutrients but also delightfully indulgent and a must-try Transylvanian dish.

5. Eat Mititei

Known as mici in Wallachia, mititei is a local Romanian delicacy that’s popularly eaten in restaurants all across Romania. Mititei is somewhere between a sausage and a pork burger.

The story goes that a chef in the 19th Century one day ran out of skin for his sausages, so he just grilled some pork meat in a rough sausage shape and hoped his customers would enjoy it.

And they really do; so much so that it became a national delicacy.

The proper way to eat mititei is with a very generous helping of mustard to dip each bite in, which almost every restaurant will certainly provide.

6. Visit Prejmer Fortified Church

In a small town just outside of Brasov – a town that is largely unremarkable – there hides an incredible secret, and one of the most incredible places to visit in Transylvania: an untouched medieval fortified church.

Prejmer church itself can’t be seen from the outside.

Head in through the front gate, beneath enormous fortress walls and under medieval battlements, and you’ll come to an inner courtyard in which a huge, untouched church stands in all its majestic glory.

The fortifications can be fully explored, and were onced used as sanctuary to protect citizens from attack.

Today it is a museum that has remained completely untouched since the medieval period.

7. See the House where Dracula Was Born

In the heart of UNESCO World Heritage town of Sighisoara, found halfway between Brasov and Cluj-Napoca, you can find the still standing house where Vlad the Impaler (the man who inspired the vampire myth) was born.

While the downstairs is a gift shop and the first floor is a local restaurant, the exact room in which Vlad Tepes was born can be accessed with a ticket as you enter the restaurant area.

This was the house of Dracula’s father, Vlad Dracul, and is where Vlad the Impaler spent the first four years of his life.

8. Climb the Sighișoara Belltower

While you’re in Sighisoara, right next to the birthplace of Vlad Draculas is a beautiful belltower which overlooks the entire old town and beyond.

Pay a small fee and you can climb the belltower to the very top in order to secure one of the best photo opportunities in all of Sighisoara.

Inside the tower is also a small museum which the price of your ticket also covers.

With all the beauty that Sighisoara offers, seeing it all from the belltower is vital.

9. Visit the Church on the Hill in Sighisoara

Sighisoara is easily one of the best places to visit in Transylvania for how untouched it is.

History has been very kind to this town, and one of the coolest places in Sighisoara is the church on the hill.

Stroll through the central old town, past the belltower and the birthplace of Dracula, and you’ll come to a long wooden covered walkway.

This leads up to a church that stands on a hill, the highest point in the city and a beautiful building to explore.

The church itself is captivating, but the view from the hill is also fantastic and gives you a whole new perspective of this UNESCO Transylvanian town.

10. See the Black Church

In Brasov there exists one of the most famous buildings in all of Romania: the legendary black church.

Heavily burned by a deadly fire which killed a third of Brasov’s population, and which occurred only a few years after the Great Fire of London, the church now carries the official name of The Black Church.

While photography is forbidden inside, it is nonetheless worth exploring for a painting of the Virgin Mary which survived the fire.

Legend says that the dress she wore in the painting was originally blue, but was turned black by the fire and represents a mourning for the lives lost in the fire.

11. Enjoy the Brasov Coffee Scene

Brasov town is a great place to shop, enjoy local foods like sarmale and mititei, but it’s also a place with a really great coffee scene.

There are so many unique cafes and coffee shops to enjoy, as well as late-night bars that serve delicious coffee if you’d rather that over a glass of wine.

Local coffee shops like Kafe Pub, The Pharmacy Cafe, Coffeol, and L’etage are all unique and delightful places to relax with a good coffee and while away an evening after a busy day exploring the city.

12. Eat Papanasi

Papanasi is to desserts what mititei is to savoury meals.

It is the one absolute must-try dessert in Transylvania.

Papanasi is sugary sweet indulgence in its purest form.

Order it and what you’ll receive is a large fried lump of doughnut, another smaller doughnut placed on top, and the entire thing then drizzled with sour cream and blueberry jam.

It is soft and crunchy at the same time, sweet and bitter all at once, and a truly delightful delicacy.

13. Visit Peles Castle

Peles Castle is a relatively new castle in Romania, built in the late 19th Century.

It was built in a neo-renaissance style and is perhaps the most aesthetically beautiful fairy tale castle in Transylvania.

In terms of outstanding beauty and photo opportunities, there is no better castle to explore in Romania, making this one of the best places to visit in Transylvania.

14. Visit the National Museum of Art

Found in the unofficial capital of Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca, the National Museum of Art is a beautiful building and a celebration of the great art that has defined Transylvania, and Romania as a whole, for centuries.

It is the best place to discover the art and culture heritage of this incredible country.

The galleries feature both historic pieces of art – both paintings and sculptures – as well as celebrations of contemporary Romanian art.

15. Explore Salina Turda Salt Mine

Salina Turda is a true hidden gem and easily one of the most unmissable places to visit in Transylvania.

It is a daunting and huge salt mine in Turda that has been in use for a thousand years!

Today it can be explored as an exciting tourist attraction but it also serves as a halotherapy wellness centre.

When you visit, feel free to explore the mine at your leisure or indulge in some halotherapy.

When visiting Romania, make sure you have travel insurance!  I highly recommend SafetyWing, which starts at $37 a month!

Other articles you will love:

• How to Get from Bucharest to Transylvania + the best stops!
• Traditional Romanian Food: 14 Must-try Dishes!
• 7 Castles in Transylvania That Will Blow your Mind

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Medieval, often gothic, dramatic stone beasts that rise up tall amongst the craggy rocks and snow-capped mountains of Transylvania.

Castles in Romania are the stuff of legend and myth.

When you think Transylvanian castles, you inevitably think of Dracula.

And, while the myth and the reality are quite different, the beauty and majesty of Romanian castles is still without question.

So, here are seven magnificent medieval castles in Transylvania that you absolutely must visit if you’re looking to have your mind blown when you visit Romania, from the most famous to the lesser-known gems of Transylvania.

1. Bran Castle

There’s no other castle to start this list off with than Bran Castle – easily the most famous and beloved castle in Romania. And why is that?

Well, for locals and for tourists there are two different reasons.

Locals typically love Bran Castle because it was a favourite building of Queen Marie, a member of the British royal family who married one of the last kings of Romania and spent much of her time in Bran Castle – and locals adored Queen Marie.

For tourists, it’s the thrilling myths surrounding Count Dracula that draw people to Bran Castle.

The real story of Dracula is pretty simple: Vlad Dracula was a medieval king of Wallachia, born in Transylvania, and he had a love for impaling people on large spikes.

Propaganda was spread about his lust for blood which eventually inspired the vampire myths made popular by Bram Stoker’s book.

While Dracula actually never visited Bran Castle, it was the castle’s aesthetics which inspired the castle described in the novel.

The Castle itself has grown and evolved since the 13th Century, and now a small and delightful town sits at its base.

Resting atop a rock as it does, Bran Castle looks as though it was born from the earth itself.

Its dramatic and gothic beauty is truly mesmerising.

2. Rasnov Castle

More commonly known as Rasnov Fortress, Rasnov Castle is only a short drive from Bran Castle.

Like Bran Castle, it sits high atop a hill, but what makes Rasnov Castle even more impressive is that it is so much larger – in its time, it was a small town – and its views of the surrounding landscape are much more vast because of how high it is, and because the surrounding landscape is a wide valley surrounded by mountains.

Rasnov Castle has existed since the 13th Century, and has remained more-or-less untouched since then.

When you visit, you’ll find what are essentially wonderfully maintained medieval ruins.

Some of the untouched stone houses even has souvenir shops inside, selling local handmade crafts and snacks.

You’ll even find cats roaming about the fortress grounds.

The view from Rasnov Castle is easily its biggest selling point.

On a cloudy day, the view has a really gothic quality to it, and on a clear day you can see for miles and miles, past the endless forests and to the distant mountains.

Rasnov is one of the best castles in Transylvania!

3. Peles Castle

Built in the town of Sinaia, on a route which connects Wallachia – where the capital of Bucharest sits – and Transylvania, Peles Castle is actually a fairly new structure.

It was built in the late 19th Century in a neo-renaissance style and is arguably the most beautiful castle in Romania, thanks to how well maintained it is and its architectural style giving it a truly fairy tale quality.

Peles Castle looks undeniably like something out of a Disney film.

With sloping green hills falling away from it, tree-covered mountains in the background, and the castle itself being comprised of steep towers, wood panelling, high windows, and bright white walls, it is a magical sight to behold! Check out this awesome tour goes to Peles and Bran Castle from Bucharest.

4. Corvin Castle

Corvin Castle, far more than Bran or Peles, is the most purely gothic castle in all of Romania.

Built in the 14th Century, and renovated and built upon over time, Corvin Castle is another beloved tourist attraction in Transylvania.

Take one look at Corvin Castle and you’ll find yourself staring at the most complete representation of a medieval gothic castle in all of Europe.

From its perfect crenelations, to its red tiled towers, to the long bridge you must walk to enter under its battlements, everything about Corvin Castle is delightfully and brutally medieval.

It’s a sight to behold and an absolute treasure to explore.

This has to be one of the castles in Transylvania you have to check out!

5. Banffy Castle

Named after the family who built and owned it, Banffy Castle resembles more of an English palace than a medieval Romanian castle.

In fact, comparing this and Peles Castle with Corvin and Rasnov castles really demonstrates the breadth of style and beauty in Romanian castles!

Over the centuries, Banffy Castle has been built upon, with towers and ramparts being added over time.

Now, it is owned by the state and being renovated slowly by the Foundation Transylvania Trust.

But it is still a hypnotically beautiful place to visit, surrounded by flat and calming gardens and ponds.

6. Teleki Castle

Another castle named for the aristocratic family who built it, Teleki Castle somewhat brings to mind a French palace in the same way that Bannfy Castle resembles an English palace.

Teleki Castle is also a fairly new building, constructed in the 18th Century rather than as far back as the 12th Century, which is the case for Bran and Rasnov castles.

Teleki Castle is a piece of indulgence for its aristocratic family, and a charming piece of architecture to visit and explore.

7. Kornis Castle

While most of the castles mentioned have managed to survive in spite of the passing centuries and the turbulent political eras that have come and gone, Kornis Castle was not quite so fortunate.

The castle as it stands today is a ruin of what it once was.

But that ruin is still a beautiful thing, and a real piece of important renaissance history for Transylvania.

When you arrive, notice the two statues that greet you before the large gate: a pair of unicorns, beautifully crafted centuries ago and remaining poised to greet every visitor to Kornis Castle.

Beyond that, you have some dynamic ruins that today share their spot with the natural landscape in a truly gothic and picturesque fashion.

Tell me below which castles in Transylvania you would love to visit down below!

Other articles you will love:

• Is Romania Safe to Visit?
• 26 Unique Things to do in Romania
• Incredible Things to do in Sighisoara, Romania

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Across this, open and rugged terrain are big modern cities like the capital of Bucharest, as well as the hundreds of medieval towns and villages found in Transylvania.

On the journey from Bucharest to Transylvania, you’ll leave the big city behind and pass through historic towns and cities filled with medieval architecture, lined with cobbled streets, and surrounded by endless forests, fields, and hills.

But how do you get from Bucharest to Transylvania?

And, when you do set out on this journey, what are the essential stops along the way – the castles and historic towns that shouldn’t be missed? Here is how to get from Bucharest to Transylvania.

Photo by Alexandru G. STAVRICĂ on Unsplash

Travelling by Car

The first, and arguably the best way to get from Bucharest to Transylvania is by doing it yourself.

Rent a car in Bucharest and set out on the open road, stopping at all the places mentioned below and spending as much time at each place as you want.

Renting a car can be a little scary in a new country but the best thing about renting a car in Romania is that it’s cheap.

You can rent a car in Romania for just a few dollars a day, meaning it’s something you could afford to do for up to a few weeks.

And, while driving in the bigger cities can be a little scary because of aggressive local drivers, driving between the towns and cities and across the Romanian landscape is chilled and blissful.

A great option is renting a car in Bucharest and heading north to Brasov.

Along the way, you can stop at the towns of Ploiesti and Campina, as well as Bran Castle and Peles Castle.

Once you’re in Brasov, stay for a few days and use your rental car to take a day trip or two to nearby smaller towns in Transylvania.

In just one day you can reach Bran Castle and Peles Castle (in case you missed them on the way to Brasov).

Make sure you have insurance when hiring a car.  I recommend SafetyWing or World Nomads.

Travelling by Train

Another option is to travel by train from Bucharest to Brasov.

The journey by train takes a little under three hours, is cheap and direct.

This is the simplest, quickest, and most stress-free way of getting from Bucharest to Transylvania.

Brasov is the southernmost city in the Transylvania area and, from there, you are free to take a day trip to whatever town or castle you feel like.

The downside is that taking day trips is so much easier with a rental car.

So, while you can take a train from Bucharest to Brasov, you’ll still need to hire a car once you’re there in order to take a day trip to Bran Castle and the other great nearby towns.

There is a benefit to this: hiring a car in Brasov is easy, and it has the benefit of avoiding the aggressive drivers of Bucharest completely.

With that in mind, taking a direct train from Bucharest to Brasov and renting a car for day trips from there is perhaps your best option.

Best Stops

Now that we’ve discussed the two different ways of getting from Bucharest to Transylvania, where should you stop along the way?

Or, alternatively, which day trip journeys should you take once you’re in Transylvania?

Bran Castle

Inarguably, Bran Castle is the most famous, most popular, and biggest must-see castle in all of Romania.

And, luckily, it is en route from Bucharest to Transylvania.

But why is Bran Castle the number one stop on the way to Transylvania?

Well, Bran Castle’s fame comes from its connection to both Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the book’s original inspiration: Vlad the Impaler, medieval ruler of Wallachia.

Bram Stoker’s world-famous gothic novel took its name directly from Vlad the Impaler, whose true name was Vlad III Dracula. Beyond that, the castle that featured in the novel is said to be heavily inspired by Bran Castle itself, meaning that fans of Dracula have been flocking to Bran Castle for decades.

While its unclear if this is historically accurate, the fact remains that Vlad Dracula was a Romanian ruler with a taste for brutality in war, and Bran Castle is nonetheless a dramatic and powerful medieval Romanian castle.

The 14th-century castle is now an open-air museum that houses much of the furniture and valuables of Queen Marie a 20th-century member of the British royal family who married the king of Romania and became their queen.

As is clear to see here, Bran Castle has a wealth of cultural and royal history to explore, making it an unmissable day trip from either Bucharest or Brasov.

Peles Castle

Lesser known than Bran Castle but arguably more beautiful, Peles Castle is a neo-renaissance castle built in the late 19th century.

While Bran Castle is dramatically medieval, Peles Castle is grand, colourful, and noble in its appearance.

Like Bran Castle, Peles Castle is also a museum which has so many untouched rooms to explore and marvel at.

While it was a royal residence initially, Peles Castle is now publicly owned, and as such the museum is thriving and beautiful.

It’s also beautiful all year round, changing with the seasons in a magical manner.

Photo by Daniela Turcanu on Unsplash

Brasov

Brasov is the final stop on your journey from Bucharest to Transylvania.

Once you’ve arrived at Brasov, you’ve made it into Transylvania.

Brasov, as such, is a great base from which to take frequent day trips to other historic and picturesque parts of Transylvania.

Brasov is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains, and within the city is a wealth of gothic, renaissance and baroque architecture.

When you first arrive in Brasov, the first three locations to visit, explore, and photograph are the Old Town Hall, the Black Church, and Council Square.

These three locales together are a perfect representation of the charm and historic beauty of Brasov.

The town also has defensive fortifications that have stood for more than five hundred years and were originally built to keep invaders from all sides out of the city.

Brasov is, in short, one of the most historic places in Romania.

Other articles you will love:

• 26 Unique Things to do in Romania
• 10 of the Best Cities in Romania to Visit
• Incredible Things to do in Sighisoara, Romania

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