Romania is a beautiful country full of many places to explore. In a land with so much to see, where do you begin? Where are the best places to visit in Romania?
After spending 5 weeks in Romania galavanting around and checking out all the best places Romania has to offer, I narrowed it my list down to the top 10 spots.
Romania is an underrated country and it is not usually on people’s radar, but I am here to show you why it should be.
It is full of beautiful cities, mountains, history and so much more. There is so much to see in Romania, that you are going to want to spend some time there.
Top 10 Best Places in Romania
1. Brașov
Brașov was my favorite city I stayed in while in Romania. It is a charming little town full of great restaurants and plenty of activities to do.
I was there in Fall, but during the Winter months, it turns into a vibrant ski town, with Romania’s best ski resort a mere 20 minutes away.
However, in the Fall there was still plenty to do here including hiking and visiting the famous Bran Castle.
If you haven’t heard of Bran Castle before it is the castle that inspired the story of Dracula. The perfect place to visit for Halloween.
Brașov is in the heart of Transylvania, and you can enjoy all the beautiful nature around you while appreciating the surrounding Austrian architecture.
While in Brasov you should be sure to cross these 10 things off your bucket list.
2. Bucharest
It is hard to go to Romania and not spend at least a few days in Bucharest. Not to be mistaken for Budapest, it is home to the second-largest administrative building in the world.
Covered in marble from top to bottom. It might be the second-largest administrative building in the world, but it comes in first place as the heaviest.
It is a must-see while you are in the capital city of Bucharest.
Bucharest, even though the capital is not really a large city. The downtown is relatively small for a capital city, but there is still plenty to see.
Besides the capital building, it has an interesting architecture that is a mix between French colonial and communist North Korea. Which is a site to see.
Apparently, when dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu visited North Korea, he was impressed with how it was running and wanted something similar in Romania.
When he returned to Romania he started to tear down all the old French colonial buildings to make room for more simple, communist-styles ones that make up about half the city today.
Bucharest is full of so much Romanian history, you don’t want to miss it. If you are looking for more things to do in while you are there, check out my post on 10 Things To Do While In Bucharest
3. Sighișoara
This is by far one of the best places in Romania. Sighișoara claims to be the birthplace of the real Dracula of Romania, Vlad the impaler.
Whether you are a big fan of Dracula or not, you can visit this cool medieval town and even visit the room where he was born.
The town itself is charming as you wind your way across cobblestoned streets lined with colored houses.
It is quite small, so you probably don’t need to spend more than a day there, but it is a delightful place to spend a day.
Enjoy walking around the few narrow winding streets it has, have a nice Romanian meal in a small cafe, and of course, you can’t come here without visiting the birthplace of Dracula.
4. Sibiu
Sibiu, is known as where the houses have eyes, and are always watching you.
It is a little fortified town with Austrian-inspired architecture, which didn’t get destroyed when Nicolae Ceaușescu was in power.
You feel as though you are walking through downtown Disney, but without all the screaming kids.
It is such a charming place to hang out in for a few days to take in its beauty and amazing gelato that is sold all over the streets. By far one of the best places in Romania.
Also, while here you should visit the Transfăgărăşan Road.
Made famous from Top Gear the road is like nothing you have ever seen before, but the scenery is what makes it really special.
Be sure to go in the summer months as it closes in the winter.
5. Iași
Iași is on the border of the country of Moldova and in the region of Moldova in Romania. It is home to some really good wine and is one of Romania’s oldest cities.
There are plenty of great churches to check out and great wine tasting around the region. It is also a huge college town so there is always plenty going on.
If you have the time to make it to the Eastern part of Romania, Iași will not disappoint you.
It is a bit out of the way, however, if you are planning to visit the country of Moldova then it will be on your way.
Fun fact: Moldova happens to be the least visited country in Europe.
6. Constanta
If you have had too much time in the mountains while you have been in Romania, why not head to the black sea to enjoy the beach.
It is a great place to head in the summer and soak up all those beautiful summer sun rays. Another amazing place to visit in Romania.
It is actually the 5th largest city in Romania and the largest city on the Black Sea so there will be plenty to do during your stay.
Don’t let that fool you though, it is actually home to over 13 kilometers or 8 miles of beach and also has hot mineral spring baths nearby for when you get tired of exploring the town or sitting on the beach.
7. Timișoara
Timișoara is located in the western part of Romania. It is close to the border of both Hungary and Serbia and is known for its stunning architecture and beautiful central square, Piața Victoriei.
There you will find the Orthodox Cathedral, which is made famous from its mosaic-patterned roof tiles. It’s hard to miss!
It is a beautiful and vibing city, and easily on your way to either Budapest or Belgrade if you are traveling through Eastern Europe.
You won’t want to miss this gem as it is often overlooked by tourists. I found this hard to believe as it is one of the best places in Romania.
8. Maramures Region
I never made it to Maramures even though it was high on my list, I just ran out of time. However, everyone I met that had been there couldn’t speak highly enough of it.
It is like stepping back in time and is probably similar to what Amish country is to the United States.
Known for its wooden churches and villages still practicing century-old traditions. It’s located in the north of Romania and borders Ukraine.
Be sure to check out the town of Sapanta where their religion believes that death is just the beginning of life and not the end.
It is also worth checking out the Merry Cemetery, evidently, when someone is buried here they receive a blue cross engraved with a humorous event of their lives.
9. Sinaia
Sinaia is not only another great ski town in Romania, but also has one of the coolest castles I have ever been to.
Peleș Castle was built for King Carol I from 1873 – 1914. It was built with complete electricity, indoor plumbing, and even a central vacuum system, which seems crazy to me!
Romania wanted to build King Carol I a summer home to remind him of his German roots. They picked this location because it is similar to the black forest.
Inside of the castle is like nothing I have seen before, the amount of detail that went into the woodworking is unreal.
Besides being home to a beautiful castle, Sinaia has great outdoor hikes in the summer and amazing snowboarding in the winter.
The town also has great restaurants and plenty of shops to walk around in. It also had a great outdoor market where you were able to buy fresh goat cheese and handmade knick knacks.
10. The Danube Delta
This is a great place to get away from it all and just relax. When you are tired of site seeing, sick of castles and ready to just to unwind, come to the Danube Delta.
It is the second-largest delta in Europe and home to over 300 different species of birds. It is the perfect place for any wildlife enthusiast and even better for bird watchers.
When is the best time to visit Romania?
So we talked about the best places to visit in Romania, but what about the best time of year to visit Romania? Well, a part of that depends on what you are looking for.
Romania is home to some amazing skiing in Europe.
If you are a skier you might want to visit in the winter, as it has amazing snow and tends to be cheaper than neighboring countries.
I found Romania to be beautiful in the Fall months September – November, the leaves were changing the weather wasn’t too cold and you could truly enjoy all the scenery. September – November in my opinion is the best time to visit for this reason.
It also tends to be the shoulder season, so not as many tourists and you are able to get discounts on hotels and even in restaurants.
If you want to go in the Summer months, expect prices to be a bit higher and the country to be more crowded.
Can’t make it in the fall months? I would suggest sticking to the other shoulder season and visiting in the spring. Romania is full of wildflowers blooming and is another great time of year to visit Romania.
Conclusions
Romania is a great and beautiful country with so much to offer, and thankfully it is still off the radar so you won’t run into loads of tourists.
These are just a few of the best places in Romania that I found, but I am sure there are more hidden gems out there to explore.
Have you been to Romania? Do you have a favorite spot that wasn’t mentioned on this list? Say so in the comments below.
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