280
Tales from Transylvania
Explore with Paulami
12 Days
12 Cities
Couple
20 Oct
Bucharest
București
București
21 Oct
Bucharest
22 Oct
23 Oct
Sinaia
Sinaia
Glod
24 Oct
Brașov
Brașov
Brașov
Brașov
Brașov
25 Oct
Râșnov
Bran
Bran
Moieciu de Jos
Moieciu de Sus
26 Oct
Brașov
Brașov
Brașov
Brașov
Brașov
27 Oct
Brașov
Brașov
Brașov
Brașov
28 Oct
Măgura
29 Oct
Sighișoara
Sighișoara
Sighișoara
30 Oct
Sighișoara
Sighișoara
31 Oct
Curtea de Argeș
Curtea de Argeș
Curtea de Argeș
20 Oct
Good
We started our much-awaited trip to Romania, to discover the picturesque region of Transylvania. Our first stop was Bucharest. It is 7 hours plus drive from Sofia, Bulgaria and hence we had decided to spend a couple of days in Bucharest before proceeding towards the grand Carpathian mountains.
20 Oct
Excellent
We were hungry and hence straight to the old town, where we stopped by at the Grand Café Van Gogh to grab some lunch. We had a cooler and some delicious food. The place is cute and colorful, with art pieces all around.
Excellent
This was a surprise stay for us. We had not expected it to be so beautiful and grand from inside at the price that we had paid for our room. And also in an excellent location. The stay was comfortable, and staff were super friendly. My favorite place was the classic lounge and bar area, where you can grab some drinks and sit with a book or just have some relaxing time with your partner over some hot coffee. The whole place looked like a little museum with gorgeous antique pieces. Oh, endnote to miss, the morning breakfast was simply awesome.
21 Oct
Good
Bucharest has a stunning old town and many more attractions to spend a couple of days. What else can you do other than chilling at a café or restaurant in the old town? - Of course, walk around and discover the many streets of the Old Town - Be amazed by the grandeur of the Palace of Parliament, considered as the most expensive administrative building in the world. But alas, 70% of which still remains empty. - Admire the Romanian Athenaeum. - Visit this beautiful Stavropoleos Monastery. - Check out the most ornate bookstore, Cărturești Carusel, and get lost in the sea of books. - Eat at the most beautiful restaurant, Caru’ cu Bere. Remember to reserve it in advance (a week will be best). - Check out the many beautiful gardens of Bucharest. - Visit the different museums, if that is something you enjoy. - Check out the Village Musuem situated at King Mihai I Park. - Be amazed by the opulence of the Ceaușescu’s House. - Admire the Arch de Triumph. - And of course the most important thing to do, spend some lazy hours sipping on coolers at the beautiful cafes in the old town of Bucharest. - Don’t forget to eat, drink and be merry.
22 Oct
Excellent
On day 3 we start for Sinaia. Sinaia is a gorgeous town in central Romania’s Bucegi Mountains. Known as “the Carpathian Pearl,” it's a lovely mountain town whose main attractions are castles, alpine activities like hiking and skiing, and a 17th-century monastery that is still inhabited. The town was named after the Sinaia Monastery of 1695, around which the town was built. The monastery, in turn, is named after the Biblical Mount Sinai. After the Romanian royal family chose the town for their summer residence, the place became the favorite resort of Romania’s upper class, and by the end of the 19th century, Sinaia turned from an obscure village into Romania's unofficial summer capital. Things do in Sinaia: - Spend a few hours exploring this beauty named Peleș Castle. - Also check the magnificent Castillo Pelișor just next to Peleș Castle. - Visit Sinaia Monastery which was built in 1695. - Take a stroll in Dimitrie Ghica Park - Visit Sinaia’s Museums - Walk around Sinaia town, it is beautiful beyond words. - Check out Cantacuzino Castle in the neighbouring town Bușteni. - Drive up to and hike a bit in the Bucegi Mountains. - Go for day trips..check out the next days. The first day was spent in exploring the town, walking around and absorbing the vibes of this divinely gorgeous town.
Excellent
Complex La Tunuri - Vila Economat is the former Royal Guard Office of Peles Castle, located on the Royal Domain directly opposite the castle and just 100 metres from Pelisor Castle. The hotel is almost inside the premises of Peleș Castle. The best perk to stay here was we could walk around the castle even at night and see its radiance in the darkness of the night. The hotel has a wonderful restaurant serving traditional Romanian dishes, and they offer excellent breakfast. Staff is also very friendly.
Excellent
Then there is café La Tunuri, just behind Vila Economat, overlooking the castle. Again a wonderful place to spend some cozy time over drinks and food. Sinaia is a very touristy place, and this part of the town is always brimming with life.
23 Oct
Excellent
Peleș Castle - considered by many one of the most stunning palace in Europe - is a masterpiece of German new-Renaissance architecture. Commissioned by King Carol I in 1873 and completed in 1883, Peleș Castle served as the summer residence of Romania's royal family, until 1947. Peleș Castle’s 160 rooms are adorned with the fine European art: paintings by great artists, Murano crystal chandeliers, German stained-glass windows and Cordoba leather-covered walls. Each room is decorated in a different style or theme. There is a mini-Theatre, Music Room (India), Turkish Salon, Great Salon (Italy), Council Room (Switzerland), Moor Hall, and so much more.
Good
King Ferdinand, who succeeded Carol I, commissioned the smaller, art nouveau-style Pelișor Castle nearby. The Pelișor castle is part of the vast architectural ensemble created by King Carol I during the entire period of his reign. It was built between 1899 and 1902, as a residence for the Royal Heirs to the throne of Romania, Prince Ferdinand and Princess Marie. As opposed to the solemnity of the Great Castle, Castillo Pelișor, although on the exterior one can easily recognize the German Neo- Renaissance style, is decorated in a new, modern style. Pelișor's 70 rooms feature a unique collection of turn-of-the century Viennese furniture and Tiffany and Lalique glassware.
23 Oct
Excellent
Oh this beauty! This is a stretch of road from Sinaia to the Bucegi Mountains Plateau. It was a sudden plan, and we were so right about it. The whole drive is nothing less than heavenly. And when you reach the top of the plateau, oh my god! The drive and the views are out of the world, nothing like this might have been seen ever. This road is great for driving as well as hiking. There are quite many traditional tavernas on the way, to have lunch, sip on some hot coffee. The thing that we did was soaked some sun, lay there for hours and connected with Nature. T felt little weird initially to be the only humans in that wilderness, but after a few hours we realised it was totally safe.😃
24 Oct
Excellent
Brașov is a charming medieval city, located in the Carpathian Mountains and is a hot favourite destination in the Transylvanian region. Brașov is known for its well-preserved old town, beautiful architecture, and rich culture, alongside innumerable cafés and restaurants for a relaxing as well as interesting holiday. It is a place which you can visit many times, the city never bores. It is rather full of life and colours, like bubbling with energy.
Excellent
We loved our stay in this beautiful hotel. It was nice and cozy, the staff were very friendly. It had a cute sit out too. The breakfast is arranged at another hotel just a few steps away from the place of say, with whom our hotel had a tie up, and it is absolutely fabulous. Overall, the combination of stay and food is an excellent value for money. We were there for quite many days and the place felt like home.
Excellent
This is one of the best restaurants at the central square. Whatever we ate was amazing but unfortunately we missed the pictures because we were too hungry. 😃
Excellent
Get your favourite flavours from this chocolate store and go for this cliché click. 😃
Excellent
After some more wandering around, it was time to take a tea break. Remember to have some teatime at this very beautifully decorated tea house. It is like a mini museum. We would spend time here almost every day and loved chit chatting with the staff there. You can sit with a book in hand or over some cozy conversation.
25 Oct
Good
After exploring parts of Brașov on our day 1 there, next day we set out to see some interesting places around the city. The first town that falls on the way is Râșnov. Râşnov is famous for its citadel, which is located on a rocky hilltop in the Carpathian Mountains. You can take a stop here if you want, to check out the citadel which had at least 30 houses, a school, a chapel and other buildings inside it, like a tiny village inside the citadel for protection during sieges.
25 Oct
Excellent
We did not spend much time in Râșnov and instead headed towards Bran, which flaunts the famous Dracula castle. Bran is a commune in Brașov County, Transylvania, Romania. It may be famous for its castle but the tiny town is a delight to look at. We did a day trip from Sinaia but you can also choose to stay there as the place boasts of many beautiful and cozy stays. Other than Bran Castle, you may also check out Bran Village Museum, Valea cu Povesti, The Castle Of Horror, Monastère Bran and a couple of more museums.
Excellent
Perched high atop a 200-foot-high cliff, and surrounded by an aura of mystery and legend, Bran Castle owes its fame to its imposing towers and turrets as well as to the myth created around Bram Stocker's Dracula. The fact is, the castle is not remotely related to Vlad Draculea II - Tepes (the Impaler), ruler of Walachia. It has quite some history and seems the town of Bran was offered to Queen Maria of Romania in 1920, as a thank you for her efforts in uniting the country. The castle has dedicated rooms showcasing the belongings of Queen Maria and her husband King Ferdinand. The castle is very intriguing in its own way. The castle was built in 1377, and it retains that ancient charm. It is a national monument and landmark in Transylvania. The castle has been listed as one of the Seven Wonders of Romania.
25 Oct
Excellent
We moved further ahead with a destination in mind. On the way we crossed Moieciu de Jos, another picturesque village, where you can actually spend a couple of days as there are quite many places to stay, like b&bs and you can be actually closer to the heart of Transylvania.
25 Oct
Excellent
Now we started moving further ahead towards our destination, to check this lovely place Amfiteatrul Transilvania or Transylvania Amphitheater. It is an ecological complex of 100 hectares at the top of a mountain, that looks like a distant paradise. It has been beautifully and carefully reconstructed from traditional houses from 200 years ago. The place is magical in one word. There are many ways to explore the place. You can spend a night and wake up to this majestic view. You can go there just for lunch. Or maybe hang out at the open air bar and spend a couple of relaxing hours. Choice is yours.
26 Oct
Excellent
From historical landmarks to natural attractions, Brașov has something to offer for every kind of traveler, both within the city and in and around it. So what to do in Brașov? Here are the main attractions, and I will talk about a few in details. - Town square, you will end up spending most of the time here. - Walk around the streets of Brașov, there is nothing more fun than that. - Try out the innumerable cafés, just pick any randomly, all of them are good serving delicious stuff. - Check out the Biserica Neagră or the gothic Black Church. - You can also visit some more churches like Franciscan Church, St. Nicholas Church dating back to the 14th century, Saint George's Church, Brașov - Visit The First Romanian School, a museum with the first Romanian printing press among many other firsts. - Have fun at Strada Sforii or Rope stree, one of the narrowest streets in Europe. - Check the various watch towers like Turnul Negru, Turnul Alb. - Visit Bastionul Tesatorilor or Weavers Bastion, a preserved fortress bastion built in the 15th century, now housing a medieval museum. - Check out the other historical gates built in the 16th century for defensive purposes like Catherine's Gate, (the only original city gate to have survived from medieval times), Șchei Gate, just next to Catherine's Gate, built in 1827. - Explore Tâmpa, a small mountain in the middle of the city, a sightseeing spot near the old city centre. - The "Brașov Citadel Fortress" if open, currently it is closed. - Do a half day trip to Poiana Brașov, mainly a ski resort but also a gorgeous sightseeing spot. - Visit the Râșnov Fortress, above the nearby town of Râșnov, is a restored peasant fortress - Do a day trip to Bran and explore the Bran Castle. We checked out almost all of them but will share specifics about a few of these.
Good
The Black Church was built by the local Transylvanian Saxon (German) community of the city during medieval times and represents the main Gothic-style monument in the country, as well as being the largest and one of the most important houses of worship in the region which belong to the Lutheran, i.e., Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession in Romania. It is an imposing structure that you may find quite fascinating. A guided tour of the church will let you know the minute details about its history. It is worth visiting at least once.
Excellent
Stop by at this tiny cafe for some delicious break. We bought the stuff and ate them relaxing at the town square.
Good
This was a very interesting and fun place to check in Brașov. Strada Sforii or Rope street is the narrowest street in the city of Brașov, Romania. It is believed to be one of the narrowest streets in Europe. It was initially built as a corridor that firemen could use, and it is first mentioned in 17th century documents. Strada Sforii is now a tourist attraction, also part of the guided tour. Its width varies between 111 and 135 centimetres (44 and 53 in), and it is 80 metres (260 ft) long. The street is signposted on both ends, and also features a number of murals and artwork on its walls. As a tourism initiative, it is allowed to leave a comment and your signature on this wall only in the specified space. Currently the wall is full of words from travellers all around the world. We went there twice in two years, second we went to check our names on the wall of Brașov. It was there.
Good
You will love this if you are a literature fan. Coffee break in this literati café can be fun anytime.
27 Oct
Excellent
Absolutely stunning place just 20 mins away from Brașov. It is a ski resort location, and is the most famous one in Romania. The idea is to do nothing but just drive to the place, absorb all the beauty that it offers, spend some relaxing hours, eat at a traditional taverna, and take a pause. Travelling is not only about ticking the check lists but also about taking a pause to appreciate the beauty around you. Once you go back to your mundane daily routine, this beauty is what will keep you feel energised for many days. In this place we did exactly what I wrote above.
Excellent
We found this restaurant on google map, drove up to the point and relished on some traditional delicacies. So, had lunch with a magnificent view.
Excellent
We drove back to Brașov and went to the town square again. This place had absolutely excellent autumn drinks. We spent some lazy time sipping and munching on the delicacies.
Good
One of the many restaurants around the old town centre. Very good food with a nice ambience. Romanian soup is the best soup ever, don’t miss to try it when in Romania, especially in the ones selling traditional cuisine.
28 Oct
Excellent
Măgura and Pestera are two picturesque mountain villages, situated at the border of Piatra Craiului National Park, in Brasov county, Romania. They are considered to be one of the most beautiful and remote villages of Romania. It can be a day trip from Brașov OR you can also spend a few relaxing days here and experience slow living. The mountain village of Măgura, one of the most beautiful villages of Romania, is located at an altitude of 1000 m above sea level, right in the middle of Piatra Craiului National Park. Until 50 years ago the village could only be reached by foot or with horse and cart. Măgura is an idyllic village with rolling meadows, little huts and multi-coloured landscape. It still does not have roads, and the drive up to this village is completely off road. It’s a pristine village far from the madding crowd. Enjoy the view all around you and some off-road driving before getting blown away by the beauty of Măgura. It’s a perfect example of slow and sustainable living. Things to do: 🔸Go hiking in the Piatra Craiului National Park. 🔹Bike around to experience the place. 🔸Lay on the green meadows and soak in the warmth of the season. 🔹Enjoy healthy, local food. 🔸Go on a photo walk as it is a photographer’s delight 🔹Of course winter landscape will be white, so another adventure for snow lovers. Best time to visit is summer to autumn. Autumn gives this beautiful village a different kind of beauty.
29 Oct
Excellent
Sighișoara, the cute, little medieval town is located in Transylvania region of Romania. Yes, this is a fortified medieval town, built inside a citadel on the top of a hill in the 12th century by Saxon settlers. In 1999, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its 850-year-old testament to the history and culture of the Transylvanian Saxons, and each year, a medieval Festival takes place in the old citadel in July. In Eastern Europe, Sighișoara is one of the few fortified towns that are still inhabited. The town is made up of two parts - the Citadel on the top of a hill and the lower town. Both parts are a visual delight and fun to walk around, relax and enjoy good food and drinks while admiring its old world charm. Sighișoara old town lies in a fortified citadel at the top of a hill. In Eastern & South Eastern Europe, Sighișoara is one of the few fortified towns that are still inhabited. It is beautiful and worth visiting.
Excellent
Our stay at Casa Savri was very comfortable and memorable. The guesthouse is located in the oldest dated building in Sighişoara, as evidenced by the inscriptions on the facade fresco (year 1568). It is like a tiny museum, with an aura dating back in centuries. Travelers who love everything classic would love this place. Casa Savri is a class A historical monument building (of national interest), which is an integral part of the protected area of world value (UNESCO). This is also a true museum dedicated to craftsmen, with authentic, old, handmade pieces collected from the Transylvania area. Excellent breakfast in the morning and wonderful staff. The guesthouse is located at the foot of the medieval fortress Sighişoara, two minutes from the commercial and historical center. It was very convenient to reach the top of the citadel from Casa Savri guesthouse.
Excellent
Excellent food very close to the guest house, and fabulous decor.
30 Oct
Excellent
It is a beautiful medieval town and you should stay there for at least two days, to experience the place properly. Things to do in Sighişoara? - Visit The Clock Tower & Sighişoara History Museum - Walk To The Church On The Hill Via The Scholar’s Stairway - Visit Casa Vlad Dracul - Wander The Colourful Streets of Sighişoara - Check out all the watch towers of Sighişoara citadel - Relax and spend some lazy moments in the citadel square - Check out the rest of the town outside the citadel. - Visit a nearby village Biertan and explore the fortified church there.
Excellent
They have a delicious spiced tea. Don’t miss to try that out.
31 Oct
Excellent
The Transfăgărășan or DN7C is a paved mountain road crossing the southern section of the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. It is the second-highest paved road in the country after the Transalpina. The road is usually closed from late October until late June because of snow. So plan it in summer up till autumn but surely see it once in your life. The beauty of the 360 degree view is unimaginable and difficult to express. The Transfăgărășan was featured in a segment of the British TV show Top Gear. Host Jeremy Clarkson proclaimed that the Transfăgărășan was “the best road in the world”, and it is still amongst the top 10 most scenic roads in the world. Spend the just driving from one end of the road to the other and stop by at short distances to be amazed at the breath taking views. There are quite many things to see along the stretch, over and above cute bears. You may need to keep the whole day for experiencing Transfăgărășan Road. What to see along the Transfagarasan Road? * Balea Waterfall * Balea Lake * Capra Tunnel * Vidraru Dam * Poenari Citadel
Good
We stopped for dinner at this beautiful restaurant in the middle of the forest. Good food amidst a beautiful ambience.
Excellent
This was our choice of stay at the end of our trip just to spend the night. The stay was very comfortable. They also provided good breakfast the next morning. They have a little cafe inside their premises to soak some sun while sipping on hot coffee. Next day we enjoyed the view in the morning from our room’s balcony and set out for Sofia, to home sweet home.
Country Visited
romania
Month Traveled
October
Traveler Type
Couple
Trip Duration
12 Days
Lodging Cleanliness?
Social-distancing
Mask-wearing
How crowded it was?
Did you feel safe?
Drinking Water
Bottle
Rental Car
Yes
Mode of Payments
Cash
Tipping at Restaurants
Yes
English Speaking
Common
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