You might have heard of Brasov linked to Bran Castle or the story of Dracula from Transylvania, but there is much more to do and see here.
I’ve traveled to Brașov both in sunny summers and during snowy winters, and each time I’ve discovered something new to love. Below is my personal list of the 18 best things to do in Brașov, so that you can enjoy this amazing city like a local.
1. See the city from the Brasov Sign on Tampa Hill
One of the first things you’ll spot as you approach Brașov is its own version of the Hollywood sign perched on Tâmpa Hill.
This is located on the Tampa hill, and is one of the two such signs in Transylvania – the other one is at Rasnov, another small town next to Brasov, within the same County (more on it later).
Getting up there (and then back down) can be done in two ways:
Cable car: A quick, 1-minute ride that drops you next to the sign. This only works Tuesday to Sunday, starting at 9:30 AM, with the last ride up at 4 PM, and the last ride down at 5 PM.
Ticket prices are relatively high, in my opinion: €5 each way or €7 for a two-way ticket, per adult.
Hike: You can also hike up there (or back down), but it’s around 40 minutes from the top to the bottom. If there’s snow or it rained recently, you will need proper equipment and it will still be relatively dangerous, as the hill is very steep.
When we visited, we went up by cable car and returned on foot. It was great this way – and we got to explore a bit of the nature along the way. But the weather was nice and everything dry around us.
But it’s totally worth it, as you will get some of the most amazing views over Brasov from there:
2. Visit the Black Church
The Black Church is a massive Gothic cathedral built in the 14th century. In 1689, it survived a huge fire – hence the darker exterior.
Despite its somber exterior, the interior of the Black Church is absolutely fascinating. There, you can often catch concerts featuring its 4,000-pipe organ, as well as the largest church bell in Romania, weighing six tons.
It’s right in the heart of the Old Town, so you can’t miss it. Here’s what to look out for:
The Black Church can be visited daily between 10 AM – 7 PM and the ticket price is 5 Euros per adult (25 lei).
You should also check out the church’s concert schedule here (in 2025, every Saturday at 6 PM). I recommend booking one for an amazing experience. You must purchase a ticket, but the price is the same as visiting the church: 25 lei (€5)
3. Explore “Piata Sfatului” aka the Council Square
Council Square is the heart of Brașov’s Old Town. This is where the Christmas Market is set up yearly (read about the best Christmas Markets in Romania here), and where colorful historic buildings, cafés, and restaurants serving traditional foods mingle.
You might also stumble upon festivals or street performances here, so keep an eye on local schedules. If you’re looking for gifts, there are souvenir stands and shops close by too.
We’ve been here during the winter holidays and we enjoyed a nice, free concert, the arrival of Santa Claus and plenty of delicious mulled wine and traditional sweets, like Kurtoskalacs aka sweet chimney cake.
Recommendation: Book this Brasov Candlelight tour for an amazing guided tour of the area, showing you the most important attractions in the city (and a few ghost / vampire stories for good measure!) Great experience!
4. Take a Day Tour to Visit Impressive Attractions
If you’re spending several days in Brașov, be sure to take advantage of the various day tours available to explore some of Romania’s most important attractions:
- Peles Castle, Bran Castle & Rasnov Fortress Day Tour: The best option if you want to check out the most important castles in the area – Peles, Bran aka Dracula’s Castle, and the nearby Rasnov Fortress. Click here to check it out.
- Day trip to Sighisoara and Viscri: Sighisoara is the only inhabited medieval town in Southeastern Europe. Viscri is a nearby village with a fortified church that goes well with the medieval theme. The perfect mix for an unforgettable day tour from Brasov. Click here to check it out.
5. Stay at Safrano Palace Hotel
This is the place we book every time we visit Brasov – it’s right across the street from Piata Sfatului, offering amazing views of the area and the nearby Tampa Hill.
While it’s in the heart of the city, the hotel itself is quiet and nice, with amazing breakfast included in the price. Quite affordable too, with super-polite and friendly staff. I can’t recommend it more!
Check out rates for your dates here.
6. Eat Delicious Romania Food at La Ceaun
One of the best restaurants in Brasov for hearty and tasty traditional Romanian food is La Ceaun – Weiss (marked here on Google Maps). There’s another one nearby, by I recommend the one I marked on Google Maps.
The prices are decent, the service is impeccable, and the food is so good that you will come here again – guaranteed.
don’t miss the traditional bean soup served in bread (pictured below) or the meaty dishes – I had the deep-fried pork & sausages with polenta pictured above. Round it up with a delicious portion of Papanasi. You’ll be full, but satisfied!
If you’d like to check even more options, I recommend reading my previous article sharing the best pubs in Brasov.
7. Take Photos on the Medieval Walls
From the Weavers Bastion to the Waistcoaters’ Bastion, Brasov’s Southern Medieval Walls are at the base of Tampa City and make up for a perfect walk, ideally before or after going up the hill.
The walls once were 2m thick and 12m high, but now they’re a bit shorter – yet equally impressive.
There are six towers along the way, as the ones seen in the photos above and below.
Some towers are open to visitors, and occasionally, events or exhibitions are held there. Even if you see them from the outside only – as we did – you’re still up for a treat and a nice trip back in history.
The street along which you will see these walls is called “Aleea Tiberiu Brediceanu”, so note it down if you want to type it in Google Maps – or just click this link.
8. Schei Gate, White Tower & Black Tower
Another walk that I recommend you to take is from the Schei Gate at the Eastern side of the Old Town – and all the way to the Northern Walls, marking along the way various attractions: Catherine’s Gate, the White Tower, the Black Tower, and the Graft Bastion.
As a note, Graft Bastion is right behind Safrano Palace, the hotel I recommended above, so you can start the trip here if you want and end it at the Schei Gate.
Keeping the medieval vibes alive and offering a glimpse into the past, this is a 30 minute walk no matter where you start (sometimes a bit uphill) – but worth it each step of the way.
9. Check out Straja Hill Fortress (Cetățuia de pe Strajă)
What started as a simple watchtower eventually expanded into a fortress – a truly impressive one that’s up the Straja Hill – a bit of a climb from the Old Town area (if you’re tired of all the walking, you can take a taxi or an Uber for around 5 Euros).
Looking more like a castle than a fortress, the building is today classified as a historical monument, and it is surrounded by a veil of legendary vibration and fairytale-like energy, which I am certain you will sense and enjoy.
Plus, of course, new ways to enjoy the panoramic views over Brasov, from a different angle.
10. Spend a Few Hours at the Zoo
If you ask me, Brasov’s Zoo is the best one in Romania, set on a huge stretch of land (10 hectares or 25 acres) with plenty of green areas, playgrounds, and a reptile house teeming with interesting species.
You’ll also find lions, tigers, monkeys, polar owls, and even llamas or red pandas, all in enclosures designed to give them as much comfort as possible.
If you’re traveling with kids, make sure to schedule at least a few hours at the zoo. Just keep in mind that’s well away from the city center – on Brasov’s outskirts, so you’ll need to take a taxi or Uber (around 10 Euros each way).
11. Sneak through the Rope Street, one of the narrowest streets in Europe
Initially built as a passage, the Rope Street (or Strada Sforii in Romanian) is today one of the narrowest streets in Europe. It measures 80 meters in length, whereas the width varies from 111cm to 135cm.
The most frequent photos that are taken here feature people touching both walls of the street with their hands stretched (like I did in the photo above). It just has to be done so make sure you don’t miss out on this opportunity!
This iconic landmark is close to the old town area – I’m marking it here on the map to make sure you don’t miss it. After all… it’s very narrow!
12. Stroll in Nicolae Titulescu Park
Parks are the heart of a community, and Nicolae Titulescu is one of my favorites in Brașov.
It’s right near the Old Town, filled with tall trees and plenty of benches. During spring and summer, there are colorful flower beds that make it especially charming.
Sometimes, I just grab a snack and hang out to watch people go by – it’s a nice break from sightseeing.
Other times, if I’m lucky enough, I’m there when local crafts are on display – perfect to buy a unique Romanian Martisor, or other souvenirs to remember the city.
13. Travel Back in Time at the Tales of Communism Museum
Across the street from the Nicolae Titulescu Park, you can find a unique and awesome small museum – Muzeul Amintirilor din Comunism aka Tales of Communism Museum.
I love visiting these places – apart from a bit of a strange nostalgia, it helps me realize how far we came since Nicolae Ceausescu‘s communist regime was overthrown.
The plethora of real stories from those times (which I recommend you to read thoroughly) will also impress. Here’s an example (click the photo to enlarge it if the text is too small):
My son also enjoyed it – even though he had no idea how to use the phone with spinning numbers or what many of the objects on display were. To me, it was a trip back to my childhood – so no matter where you stand, this is a must visit.
As a bonus, you can serve some snacks from the communist era, like lard on a slice of bread or get back home with a souvenir or two from the shop on the premises.
The ticket price is 7 Euros for adults and just 3 Euros for children. I marked the museum on Google Maps here.
And, if you want a very quick glimpse into Romanian art (both modern and classical), right next to the Communism Museum is Brasov’s Art Museum. Affordable and only requires 30 minutes or so to fully explore.
14. Rent a hydro bike and explore the Lake Noua
Near the zoo is Lake Noua, tucked inside a calm park that offers green spaces, benches, and a zip-line over the water.
One of my favorite ways to relax here is by renting a hydrobike and lazily paddling alongside ducks and fish – as long as the weather is nice. Not something you’d like to do during the winter (not that it’s possible, anyway…).
The park gets busy on weekends, so if you want a more peaceful experience, aim for early morning, late afternoon or visits during the week.
15. Get a dose of adrenaline and entertainment from Poiana Brasov
This one is the main attraction in the area during winter, because it is one of the most popular ski resorts in the country; but this doesn’t make it any less attractive during summer either, because there are plenty of trails and routes to discover.
Additionally, you can also find a horse-riding center here, where children and adults can ride horses and ponies. Just be warned that the prices are a bit higher than the norm.
16. Visit the Bear Sanctuary (and hike a bit)
Romania has been, lately, in the news in regards to bear attacks and I wrote more in depth about bears in Romania here. But the Bear Sanctuary in Brasov is safe and you will only see these impressive creatures from a distance.
By visiting the Bear Sanctuary Liberty (this is its name), you are also supporting an important cause here in Romania.
There are over 100 bears in the sanctuary, all of them brought from illegal animal parks or old zoos that couldn’t handle them anymore. They’ve been given a new life here, which is pretty amazing.
I recommend this tour for the occasion – you will have to go outside of Brasov a bit, and you’ll end it with a nice hike in the Piatra Craiului Mountains. (So make sure to bring comfortable shoes!)
17. Visit Dracula’s Castle!
While I mentioned it earlier as part of a mega-tour of the castles, I want to talk about it again.
There is no direct train from Brasov to Bran, but you can find buses leaving from the main Bus Station in Brasov every 30 minutes, so you can easily hop in and get there some 45 minutes later.
Or you can just get a longer day tour that covers the most important sights in the area, like the one I mentioned already (with Peles and Rasnov bundled).
If you decide to get to Dracula’s castle via bus (or other means, without an organized tour) I highly recommend getting a skip the line guided tour. There will always be huge lines here, so you’ll save a ton of time.
Back to Dracula’s castle, it’s worth visiting as it dates back to the 14th century and is filled with a rich and tumultuous history.
While it’s commonly associated with the fictional Count Dracula from Bram Stoker’s novel, it was actually used by Queen Marie of Romania in the 20th century – and Bram Stoker’s apparent inspiration for the famous vampire, Vlad Tepes never set foot here.
18. Relax at the Aquatic Paradise
Opened relatively recently, and away from the hustle and bustle of the city center, stands Brasov’s Aquatic Paradise, an amazing leisure center with plenty of indoor & outdoor pools, saunas, a gym, and play areas for children.
Similar to Therme Bucharest (although, I have to admit – not quite there yet), Aquatic Paradise allows you to take a hot bath during the cold winters – outside, for a truly unique experience.
Ticket prices here start at €20 per day for adults and just €8 for children.
Pin it for later
Wrapping up
Brasov is one of Romania’s most important touristic destinations for a reason: it’s amazing!
When you visit, I recommend spending at least 3 days here to enjoy all the things it has to offer (ideally with a tour to the castles), but no matter how long you’ll stay, my list of the best attractions above has got you covered.
And if you happen to stumble upon an amazing thing to do in or around the city – one that I haven’t mentioned already – don’t hesitate to share it with the world by commenting below.
Having lived in Romania for over 4 decades, I am here to tell you everything about this beautiful country. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, I love traveling and I’ve been writing about Romania since 2013. Currently living in Constanta.
Hi Calin! Just a short note to tell you how much I enjoy all your blogposts! I think you are doing a wonderful job promoting our beautiful country.
Thank you and keep up the good work!
Thank you for the nice words! I am happy to hear that you enjoy reading it.
I am so happy to say that we were able to squeeze most of these into our weekend break in Brasov. Such a gorgeous place and l still smile when l think about our guide on one of the tours, an effervescent young man whose enthusiasm for his hometown was infectious. Thanks for the great memories. Lovely post indeed :-).
Getting a guided tour is probably the best option, especially if you’re low on time. Most of these top attractions are close to each other, so it is indeed easy to do it faster. Happy to hear you enjoyed it!