Brașov

In the Middle Ages Transylvania had Hungarian rulers, who brought in Saxon settlers. They developed the walled town known in German as Kronstadt and in Hungarian as Brassó. Later development was further out so this old centre was largely preserved. It has good tourist facilities and is well worth an extended stay: perhaps because it lacks an airport, it's not as well known to westerners as similar old towns such as Sibiu and Cluj Napoca. Shop, restaurant and hotel staff often speak English and German.
For the visitor therefore, the core of Brașov is the old town (largely pedestrianised) and adjoining Șchei district. The modern city is to the east and north, with a "centrul nou" or civic centre, and low-rise blocks sprawling to the bus and railway stations and beyond. To avoid ambiguity, directions here refer to the old town centre.
The Tourist Information Centre is in the Town History Museum on Piața Sfatului (Council Square), open daily 09:00-17:00.
Bring warm clothing, the mountain setting means that Brașov is often wet and cold, especially at night.

By plane

Bucharest Otopeni Airport (OTP) is about 160 km south, and has good connections across Europe. There are direct buses to Brașov from the airport, and trains from Gara de Nord, every hour or two, taking 3 hours.
Sibiu Airport (SBZ) to the west is similar distance but has fewer flights and less onward transport.
Brașov's own airport is a long-running tale of woe. The runway has been completed, but there's no funding to build a passenger terminal, and no flights.

By train

From Bucharest Gara de Nord there are 13 direct trains daily between 06:00 and 21:00, taking about 2 hr 40 min (49 lei, Sep 2018). Travel via Bucharest from Bulgaria, Moldova and Turkey.
From Budapest Keleti there are three direct trains daily (one daytime & two overnight sleepers) via Arad, Deva and Sibiu, taking about 13 hours. One of the sleepers is a direct train from Vienna Hbf. A couple of other connections are possible from Budapest Nyugati via Oradea, taking 16 hours.
There are direct trains from Sibiu (6/day, 3-4 hours), Constanța (one direct, others via Bucharest) and Cluj Napoca (4/day, 7 hours).
The passenger train operator is CFR Călători. The is 3 km north of the old centre, at the foot of Bvd Victoriei. It's a tired communist-era hall, but there are ticket kiosks, ATMs, cafes and (downstairs) a left-luggage store open 24/7 (5 lei per day small bag, 10 lei large). More food kiosks outside, and city bus stops - take #4 or #51 for the old centre. Next door is Autogara 1.

By car

Brașov has good road connections, as it's in a valley where several routes across the hills converge. Main highways are:

• E60 runs south past Ploiesti and Otopeni airport to Bucharest. Towards north, it leads to Sighisoara, Cluj-Napoca, Oradea and Budapest.
• E68 runs west to Sibiu, Deva, Arad and Timișoara into Hungary.
• E574 runs north to Romania's Moldavia region, Iași, and into Ukraine and Moldova. It runs south to Pitesti and Craiova.

Ring ahead to your accommodation for advice on parking, which is often difficult in Brașov. In winter you're required to have winter tyres: in this hilly region police often check, with stiff fines for non-compliance.

By bus

Buses run every hour or two to Sibiu (2 hr 30 min), Cluj Napoca (4 hr 30 min) and Bucharest (3 hr). The Bucharest buses also stop at Otopeni airport.
The Bucharest buses run from Autogara 1 (also called Codreana), next to the railway station. Most other inter-city buses run from , at the foot of Strada Avram Iancu, 4 km north of the old centre. (It's sometimes called Stadion Tineretului for the adjacent sports stadium.)
For timetables and fares see Autogari.

On foot

The old town, and westward extension of Șchei, are compact and walkable - indeed they're mostly pedestrian precinct. The new town and burbs stretch a long way. Bike rental is available in the central square Piața Sfatului, 4 lei per hour.

By bus

Buses in Brașov are run by RATBv (Regia Autonomă de Transport Brașov). They mostly run weekdays 05:30 to midnight, weekends 06:30 to 23:00; there's no night service. Most bus stops have real-time digital displays of what's coming. Google Maps usually plans perfect routes via public transport in Brașov.
The biggest city bus interchange near the old city is . It is on the north edge of the old centre; if you travel a lot around the city, prepare to arrive to and depart from here lots of times.

Tickets

• For tourists and visitors, a recommended option (least hassle) is to pay using the 24pay smartphone app.
• Alternatively, you can by paper tickets (from the kiosks or ticket machines at the main bus stops - if there aren't any, look for any nearby newsagent kiosk or super/mini market - they'll often display a sign "bilete"). Validate the ticket after boarding the bus.

• A standard ticket is 5 lei, which can be used for 2 x 50 minutes with any number of transfers. Not valid on bus 20.
• A one-way ticket to Poiana Brașov (bus 20) costs 5 lei.

If you stay long-term, consider buying a one-month pass (85 lei, unlimited travels on all bus lines, including 20).

Lines

For visitors, the most relevant bus lines:

• Bus 4 from railway station to Livada Poștei
• Bus 50 from the valley SW of town through Piața Unirii in Șchei, round old centre via Livada Poștei then out again SW
• Bus 51 from railway station to Piața Sfatului in old centre then Șchei and Tocile, then loops back again
• Bus 20 from Livada Poștei to Poiana Brașov - at the kiosk, say where you're going for the appropriate ticket

Some other useful lines are:

• If you're going to Autogara 2, you can use buses 12, 15, 28 (from Livada Poștei) or 23, 23B (from the railway station)
• To reach Coresi Mall (the biggest mall in the city), you can use buses 2 (from Livada Poștei) or 8 (from the railway station)
• To reach the zoo or Aventura park, you can use buses 17 (from Livada Poștei) or 35 (from the railway station)
• To go hiking in Piatra Mare mountains (including Seven Ladders canyon), use bus 17B (from the railway station; runs once every 1-2 hours)

Taxis

Taxis make sense if you're struggling with luggage between bus and railway station and old town, reckon 2 lei per km. A trip from the train station to the old town should not cost more than 15 lei. See Taximetre for operators and rates. There are many taxi hyenas at the railway station so be careful (see more at Stay Safe). Uber is available in Brașov.

Old Town

In the Middle Ages, Transylvania's Hungarian rulers brought in Saxon settlers, to defend and develop the area. They built up the walled city of Kronstadt, which today forms the Old Town of Brașov. Most of the city sights are here, in the pedestrianised zone centred on Council Square (Piața Sfatului) and along the spine of Republicii street. Main sights include the Piața Sfatului, the Black Church, and the former Council House. Around the walled city, you can see the Șchei and Catherine Gates, Weavers' Bastion, Black Tower, and White Tower. To the south lies Șchei district, described below. Stroll at random, or follow the route suggested in the Brasov cultural itinerary, or join one of the free guided walking tours run by Guided-Brasov.com.
Note: if you wish to take photos in any museum, you must pay an extra fee (inquire when buying tickets). In the Black Church, you cannot take photos.

• The Black ChurchBuilt as a Roman Catholic church in the 15th century in late Gothic style with three naves. It became Lutheran under the influence of Johannes Honter, the Luther of Romania. It was scorched by the Great Fire of 1689, hence the name "Black Church", and later restored in Baroque style. Its main features are the six-tonne bell, the 4000-pipe organ built in 1839 by Carl August Buchholz which is still played during weekly concerts, and a rich collection of Anatolian carpets, donated in the Middle Ages by city merchants.

• County History Museum

  address: Piața Sfatului
  Local exhibits from the stone age to the present day.

• Museum of Urban Civilisation

  address: Piața Sfatului
  Presents the life of the local patriciate between the 17th-20th centuries. It is a branch of Museum of Ethnography (Bulevardul Eroilor 21A), enquire about combi-tickets.

• Mureșenilor House Memorial MuseumOn main square commemorates the members of the Mureșanu family (including Andrei Mureșanu, the writer of the National Anthem). In Romanian only.

• Poarta Șchei is the street leading down to the gates of the old town. Along it (by No 19) find Rope Street (Strada Sforii), a picturesque alley, and the Beth Israel Synagogue (entrance by No 29, open M-F 09:00-16:00, 5 lei). Old Town ends at the Șchei & St Catherine Gates. The medieval entrance and tollgate was St Catherine's Gate, which you could barely fit a horse and cart through. In 1828 it was replaced by the wider Șchei Gate and blocked off. A well-preserved section of wall runs east then north from here, with three bastions (Weavers', Spinners' opposite the cable-car station, and Drapers' to the east).

• Weavers' Bastion

  address: Strada Coșbuc 9
  The best preserved and most interesting bastion of the walled city. In the courtyard there is a small building hosting a museum (a branch of the County History Museum) where you can see old weapons, and a large clay model of 17th century Brașov.
• The White Tower and the Black Tower on the northern hillside. The view from the Black Tower balcony is especially nice and usually included in most Brașov guide books.
• Looming over the old town is Brașov Citadel (Cetatea Brașovului). Enjoy the stroll and view from the hill but you can't visit within.

• St Bartholomew ChurchThe oldest Gothic church in the city, dating to 1241. It's 1.5 km N of old town at the foot of Strada Lunga, bus 5 and 28 runs this way.

Șchei district

If you're weren't Saxon, then you weren't allowed to live in medieval walled city Kronstadt, so the Romanians mostly lived in Șchei hamlet, south of the gate. Here too lived Bulgarians brought in to solve a labour shortage, who were nicknamed "Șchei" (probably from Latin "sclavis", meaning Slavs). The hamlet grew into the township of Șcheii Brașovului, centred on St Nicholas Church and Piața Unirii. It's now a charming area to stroll or stay.

• St. Nicholas Church

  address: Piața Unirii
  The first Orthodox church of Brașov, and an old cultural and spiritual centre for the Romanians. It church dates from 1495-1512, Gothic embellished with Baroque, with fine murals by Mișu Popp.

• First Romanian School

  address: Piața Unirii (in the church precincts)
  This was the first school on the territory of present-day Romania where Romanian language was used in education (previously Romanians used Church Slavonic). The school was founded in the 14th century, the present building is from 1761, now a museum presenting old books and texts.

The district continues southwest into the valley, past Tocile transport interchange, to Holy Trinity Church (Biserica Sf. Treime). Then Șchei peters out as the dead-end lane ascends towards Solomon's cliffs, a popular hiking area.

Further out

• TâmpaThis is the mountain that looms over the city, with the Hollywood-style "B-R-A-S-O-V" letters lit up at night. It's 900 m elevation, accessible by a steep one hour hike, or take the cable-car (Telecabină) which runs every 30 min to 16:00 (10 lei up, 10 lei down, 18 lei roundtrip). Stout shoes recommended on the ridge trail, and essential if snow is still lying. There's a restaurant "Teleferic" in the top cable-car station.
  The valley south of the peak is Valea Cetății, its lower slopes urbanised, but with various bosky hiking trails around and across the mountain.

• Brașov Zoo

  address: south edge of the city in Noua district
• The lane SW from Schei, a dead-end for motor traffic, used to be the cart-track over the hills to Poiana Brașov and beyond. It climbs the valley through limestone karst scenery, the most prominent feature being

  Solomon's cliffs(Not the biblical Solomon, but a Hungarian king who had a lucky escape here.) Bus 50 runs out here from the old centre. This area is good for hiking, biking and climbing.

• Zilele BrașovuluiHeld in the week leading up to Orthodox Easter. It has several fairs with craftsman, wine, food, etc. It ends with the Parades of Juni on Easter Sunday (Duminica Tomii), which in 2019 will be Su 28 April, one week after the western Easter.

• Cerbul de Aur (Golden Stag) music festival. In 2018 it celebrated 50 years of existence (though only 18 editions were held in this period). It is held in the main square, bringing lots of pop artists and musicians (but also cluttering the square with tons of heavy iron scaffolding and stage for about one month).

• OktoberfestSmaller but less industrial version of the Munich event, with beer tents, music and of course sausages.

• Brașov PhilharmonyClassical concerts and recitals.

• Organ concerts at the Black Church. June, September: Tu 18:00-18:30; July, August: Tu Th Sa 18:00-18:30, ticket price 8 lei

• Mureșenilor HouseFree classical music recitals

• Brașov Opera

• Brașov Theatre

• Climb around in the climbing park Aventura. Tracks range from very easy to very difficult and the entrance fee is about 30 lei for one person. You can get there with several buses: line 17 (city centre), line 35 (trainstation) and line 21.
• Climb in the biggest Romanian indoor climbing Gym Natural High . Tracks range from very easy to very difficult. Location: str. Carpatilor, inside METROM industrial zone.
• Swim in two water parks: Paradisul Acvatic (it's open all the year) and Aqua Park.
• Hiking and trekking - Brașov is surrounded by scenic hills and mountains, ideal for exploring. And the woodlands and limestone slopes support almost 40 species of orchids.
• Skiing - see page for Poiana Brașov ski resort, 10 km away.

• Transfagarașan HighwayThis road twists and turns through spectacular mountain passes about 100 km west of Brașov. A private tour from Brașov for two or more people will cost 450 lei per person. Open July 1-October 31.

Stii sa vorbesti romaneste? If your answer's "duh?" then you can learn Romanian at the Language School on Strada Iuliu Maniu 41A, 2nd floor.

The biggest shopping mall is Coresi. Others are Unirea Shopping Center, Eliana Mall, STAR, and the shops near the big Carrefour near Calea Bucuresti. For food and regular shopping the hypermarkets (Carrefour, Metro, Selgros, Kaufland) are better value. They're edge of town on the road to Bucharest, from Livada Poștei take Bus 17 and from the railway station Bus 35. A good market for local produce is Astra (Piața Astra), SE off Uranus Bvd, take Bus 6 from Livada Poștei.

Since there are lots of tourists, there's more upmarket choice, but mid-range prices are higher.

Budget

• Fornetti is a Hungarian pastry chain with many outlets, eg at the railway station and downtown. They sell small pastry pieces stuffed with cheese or jam. Prices are fair and the quality is very high.

• Ando's

  phone: +40 268 410 588
  address: Bvd 15 Noiembrie 6
  Fast food place with menus and sandwiches (chicken and fish) at low prices.
• Panini - Also on 15 Noiembrie (nr. 40) is a 24/7 fast food restaurant, with great sandwiches for incredibly low prices.
• STAR supermarket, nearby at Strada Nicolae Bălcescu 62, has decent cheap food. Just around the corner is Kebab House, serving doner kebap non-stop.

Mid-range

• La Republique

  phone: +40 744 351 668
  address: Strada Republicii 33
  French-themed pub serving a wide range of sweet and savoury crepes. Part of a chain. Inexpensive.

• Roata Norocului

  phone: +40 744 548 684
  address: Strada Crișan 6
  Good quality Romanian fare. Good service.

Splurge

• Bistro de l'Arte

  phone: +40 720 535 566
  address: Piața George Enescu 11
  French style restaurant but also burgers & breakfasts. Madame is idiosyncratic about who she admits.

• For Sale Pub

  address: Bvd 15 Noiembre 24
  Friendly long-established pub.

• Old Firm Pub

  address: Strada Hirscher 12
  Scottish themed pub. Nice atmosphere, rugs covering everything. It has darts and a big plasma TV screen for football games. Wide selection of beers and they also serve breakfast.

• Deane's Irish Pub & Grill

  address: Strada Republicii 19
  You can get Guinness, a host of Irish coffees and an Ulster Fry.

Ignore the touts at the railway & bus stations, who'll offer an overpriced ditch.

Budget

• Beke Guesthouse

  phone: +40 268 511 977
  address: 32 Str. Cerbului
  Very central. Shared toilet but clean.

• Ioana Guesthouse

  phone: +40 744 831 863
  address: 1 Str. Dealu Melcilor
  Friendly & spacious.

• Hotel Aro Sport

  phone: +40 268 142 840
  address: 3 Str. Sfântul Ioan
  Just round the corner from Aro Palace Hotel, but an unrelated business, this is a clean modern budget choice. Rooms are small and minimally furnished but include a sink.

• Hotel Postavarul

  phone: +40 268 455 700
  address: 2 Politehnicii
  The Postavarul is a separate wing of the Coroana (see "Mid-range") and bookings are made through that hotel. All of the immaculate rooms have washbasins, but some share a shower and toilet. Good location and service.

• Kismet Dao Hostel

  phone: +40 268 514 296
  address: 2B Str Democratii
  Complimentary beer or soft drink, cereal breakfast, coffee and tea all day long, unlimited Internet & Wi-Fi access, bed sheets & towels, big lockers and tour information make this a great value. This hostel has a great staff and is blast to stay at. The staff regularly hosts barbeques in their new awesome yard.

• La Despani Guesthouse

  phone: +40 721 373 747
  address: 128 Mihau Viteazu
  Bright, clean, comfortable guesthouse located between bus station (Autogara 2) and old centre. A family-run hostel with informative, friendly, helpful owners. Free Internet.

• Mara Hostel

  phone: +40 769 648 148
  address: 11 Piața Sfatului / 5A Str Johan Got
  Small hostel set in the middle of the old town, 200 m from the central square. Airy dormitories, wifi and friendly, helpful staff. Sheets provided, no lockers but room keys.

• Rolling Stone Hostel

  phone: +40 268 513 965
  address: 2A Piatra Mare
  Family-run place, offering both dorms and privates. Cheapest bed is €10 with all that you need included (kitchen access, clean sheets, towels, laundry, Internet Wi-Fi). Tours available for all surrounding sights.

• JugendStube Hostel

  phone: +40 771 098 322
  address: 13 Michael Weiss
  Breakfast included, clean sheets, Internet Wi-Fi.

Mid-range

• Hotel Ambient

  phone: +40 268 470 856
  address: 27 Iuliu Maniu
  3-star hotel near the Old Town, offers very friendly service. All rooms have showers, minibar, international telephone, as well as some which have very nice balconies. If you want to splurge, there are some high-range apartments with all the amenities including jacuzzis.

• Hotel Brasov

  phone: +40 268 426 633
  address: 38 Strada 13 Decembrie
  3-star hotel, friendly & spacious.

• Hotel Capitol

  phone: +40 268 418 920
  address: 19 Bvd Eroilor
  Slabby modern block, 3-star, situated in the old centre overlooking park. Has 184 double rooms that are modern and comfortably furnished (TV, phone, fridge.) Hotel has a restaurant, conference room, reception suite, room service, safe for personal belongings services, currency exchange, and courier service.

• Hotel Coroana

  phone: +40 268 477 448
  address: 62 Republicii
  In the old centre, the oldest hotel in town, built in an impressive baroque style. Facilities: extensive reception area, "Brasserie" restaurant, breakfast lounge, conference hall, currency exchange office. 155 beds in 2 suite, 2 singles and 69 doubles furnished in classical style having telephone, TV - set, fridge, radio.
  Beware, there is another "Hotel Coroana-Brasovului" on str. Dr Saftu, 1 km SW of here.

• Hotel Helis

  phone: +40 268 410 223
  address: 29 Memorandului
  3-star. Its immediate neighbourhood is not so enticing, but the Helis is a pleasant place to pitch up with nice wooden furniture, clean while decor and crisp white linen to match. Breakfast is included in the price, and the staff speak a variety of languages. The tasteful, spacious rooms come with TV, and the bathrooms are in good condition.

• Casa Samurai

  phone: +40 268 547 162, +40 752 863 034 (mobile)
  address: 12a, str. Petru Maior
  Japanese design, quiet and clean, free WiFi. One can have breakfast with ones own food in a big common room or on a terrace. The very friendly landlord is from Japan, speaks Romanian, Japanese and English. The hotel offers free transfer from the railway station and a cheap transfer from the airport. Parking in front of the house.

• Sylvania

  phone: +40 368 730 720
  address: 27 Caprioarei
  Small b&b. Some of the rooms are ok, but avoid those in the basement. Management may only speak Romanian but seem used to refunding dissatisfied clients.

• Hotel Excelsior

  phone: +40 268 470 090
  address: 39 Matei Basarab
  Quiet 2-star place.

• Hotel Trifan

  phone: +40 268 418 893
  address: 1A bis Grivitei
  3-star Trifan is more of a motel than a hotel, useful to stop over after a long drive. Rooms have shared bathrooms, pay more if you want your own shower.

Splurge

• Aro Palace

  phone: +40 268 478 800
  address: 27 Bvd Eroilor
  Premier hotel in the centre of the Old Town, with 15 suites, 262 double rooms and 30 singles. Most rooms offer minibar, satellite TV, telephone, radio and room service. Facilities include a Romanian, Italian and international restaurant, nightclub, bar, garden restaurant, breakfast lounge, conference hall, tourist information office, parking area, hairdressing salon and a casino.

Brașov is very safe for visitors, and the main tourist areas are well-policed. As in most Romanian cities, be on your guard against pickpockets and scams.

• Keep your valuables close, especially in the crowded tourist areas in the city center, on buses, and in restaurants
• If you plan to get a taxi, make sure it belongs to a company, and prices and phone number are written on the door. Especially avoid taxis that stand in the first line (near the sidewalk) on the right as you exit the train station.
• Exchange bureaux have a bad reputation for scams: see Romania article. Shop around for decent rates: the exchanges by the bus & railway stations have poor rates, and for less common currencies such as Canadian or Australian dollars the rate will be poor everywhere.

The forests around Brașov have a large population of bears, and sometimes they approach town to feed from dumpsters. This is the Eurasian Brown Bear, Ursus arctos arctos, which will eat any sheep left unguarded but seldom attacks humans unless it feels threatened. Keep your distance, and in the woods make noise so you don't startle them.

Most shops and businesses accept credit and debit cards. For cash, there are many ATMs: it's best to use those next to a bank, and during regular business hours, so you've some recourse if it doesn't pay out. The ATM should also display a support phone number: note this before entering your PIN.
Currency exchange is best done at a major bank, such as the BCR, BNR, BT, or Raiffeisen Bank - they're efficient, honest, and trade all the main currencies. You'll need your passport. BCR headquarters on 15 Noiembrie Street has an exchange ATM that converts EUR, USD, GBP and CHF into lei at the bank's official rates and is available 24/7.

• Râșnov with its great fortress and abundant history is only 16 km southwest. Take train or frequent bus.
• Bran, another 10 km further, has a striking castle, but is tourist-trippy and overplays the Dracula connection.
• Poiana Brașov is a big ski resort 10 km above Brașov. Frequent buses, lots of tourist facilities.
• Prejmer is a village 12 km east with a fortified church.
• Feldioara fortress is 15 km north.

• Făgăraș, to the north, has a fortress, and a little way beyond it is Sâmbăta de Sus fortress and monastery
• Sighișoara is a medieval fortified town teetering on a hilltop, and birthplace of Dracula. It's 120 km north and reached by train or bus. With your own transport, detour along the way to see Hoghiz, Racoș, Rupea and Viscri.
• Sibiu is the star attraction of Transylvania, a splendidly preserved medieval city, about 3 hours away by bus or train.
• Heading south, Pitești (120 km) is the last town that feels "Transylvanian". It's reached via Bran and the Rucar pass across the mountains. On the way, detour to Curtea de Argeș, an old Wallachian fortress.
• Further south, you come down to the flat fields of Wallachia, and the highway races away to Bucharest.