Brașov.
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Overview

Brașov (pronounced Bra-shov in Romanian) is a city in Transylvania, Romania. It's set in the Carpathian Mountains in the centre of the country, from Bucharest. It's mostly a modern industrial city with a population of about 250,000, but the reason to visit is the well-preserved Old Town. It's also an alternative base for skiing at the nearby resort of Poiana Brașov.

Understand

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 a well-connected 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.

Get in

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.

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.

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.)

Get around

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.

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. You should scan the QR code by the driver with the app to get the ticket. Alternatively, you can buy 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. 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 the railway station to Piața Sfatului in old centre then Șchei and Tocile, then loops back again Bus 50 from the valley SW of town through Piața Unirii in Șchei, round old centre via Livada Poștei then out again SW Bus 20 from Livada Poștei to Poiana Brașov - at the kiosk, say where you're going for the appropriate ticket Bus A1 from the railway station to Brașov Airport

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 make sense if you're struggling with luggage between bus and railway station and old town, reckon 3 lei per km. There are many taxi hyenas at the railway station so be careful (see more at Stay Safe). Uber is available in Brașov.

See

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 Church. Built 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. Local exhibits from the stone age to the present day.

Museum of Urban Civilisation. 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 Museum. On 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. 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 Church. The 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.

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. 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. 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.

Tâmpa. This 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.The valley south of the peak is Valea Cetății, its lower slopes urbanised, but with various bosky hiking trails around and across the mountain.

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.

Do

Zilele Brașovului. Held 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).

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

Brașov Philharmony. Classical concerts and recitals.

Mureșenilor House. Free classical music recitals

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 Highway. This road twists and turns through spectacular mountain passes about 100 km west of Brașov. Open July 1-October 31.

Știi să vorbești românește? 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. 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.

Eat

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. 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.

La Republique. French-themed pub serving a wide range of sweet and savoury crepes. Part of a chain. Inexpensive.

Bistro de l'Arte. French style restaurant but also burgers & breakfasts. Madame is idiosyncratic about who she admits.

Drink

For Sale Pub. Friendly long-established pub.

Hirscher12 - Cocktail Bistro. 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. You can get Guinness, a host of Irish coffees and an Ulster Fry.

Sleep

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

Ioana Guesthouse. Friendly & spacious.

Hotel Aro Sport. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Family-run place, offering both dorms and privates. Tours available for all surrounding sights.

JugendStube Hostel. Breakfast included, clean sheets, Internet Wi-Fi.

Hotel Ambient. 3-star hotel near the Old Town, offers very friendly service. If you want to splurge, there are some high-range apartments with all the amenities including jacuzzis.

Hotel Brasov. 3-star hotel, friendly & spacious.

Hotel Capitol. Slabby modern block, 3-star, situated in the old centre overlooking park.

Hotel Coroana. 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. Dr Saftu, 1 km SW of here.

Casa Samurai. 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.

Hotel Excelsior. Quiet 2-star place.

Aro Palace. Premier hotel in the centre of the Old Town, with 15 suites, 262 double rooms and 30 singles. 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.