Cool things to do in Brasov

How to Get to Brașov?

We arrived by car, which we had rented in Cluj-Napoca. You can search for a car using the search engine Paapm Paapm. I love searching through them because it saves me time (instead of visiting multiple websites), and they can filter out less recommended rental companies.

There is no airport in Brașov itself, so if you’re flying, you’ll need to land at an airport in another city. The closest one is in Bucharest, which is about 160 km away from Brașov.

 Where to sleep in Brasov?

We stayed at an Airbnb in the center of the city. Update: this apartment is no longer available on airbnb.  It was a very nice and clean 2 bedroom apartment. When we arrived, we didn’t meet the owners but we got specific instructions to how to access the apartment.

I recommend booking an apartment or hotel in the center of the old town.
My sister rented an apartment near the mall, and it was a less convenient location (unless you plan to visit the mall frequently).

Here are some hotels and apartments with good reviews in the city center:

• Skylark Central Aparthotel
• Baiulescu apartments
• Grand Hotel Belvedere
• Sierra – Northstar Apartments
• Studio – Old City Brasov
• Safrano Palace

Tampa Cable Car

I love high viewpoints that let you see the entire city from above. The cable car in Brasov is exactly that type of thing. It enables you to go all the way up to a viewpoint and see the entire beautiful city.
On our way to the the cable car, we bought some corn and a small popcorn from a little stand. It was nice to snack on while on the ride.

The cable car itself is pretty old-fashioned and there is only one car, so everyone has to get in and stand up. The climb up isn’t that far so it’s not that big of a deal standing up the entire time.

When we got to the top we spotted a nice restaurant with a beautiful view to the city and a couple of walking trails. There is also an option to walk back to the city through a trail and you can even go through a forest. We decided to go down with the cable ride because we wanted to use every second we had.
The viewpoint was beautiful. There used to be a restaurant that got burnt, so they kept the viewpoint.

Address:
Aleea Tiberiu Brediceanu, Brașov
Hours:
Tuesday to Sunday 9: 30-17: 00, Monday 12: 00-18: 00

Free tour of the city

Every night at 6 pm there is a free organized tour of the city that is tip-based, and it takes about 2 hours. You leave from the main square and then go around the city.

The tour is through the company Walkabout, and it started in Bucharest and we continue to Brasov. We were actually surprised by how many people were with us. We were a large group, about 20 other people. The guide was really funny and she made the tour awesome.

We discovered a lot of Romania’s history through photos and stories that the guide shared. The tour was really fascinating, and I also met a girl from El Salvador who travels in Europe by herself for over 10 months, and she plans to continue for at least 6 more months. How cool is that?  

I really enjoy city tours. We tried to go to one in each city we got to, and we were never disappointed. It’s a lovely way to see and get to know the city, find out about history, and meet people from all over the world.

Go through one of the most narrow streets in Europe

It may not be the most thrilling activity, but it’s actually really cool to pass through one of the most narrow streets in Europe.

Fun fact: in the past, the houses in Brasov used to be built in a way that they were all in one bunch and if you wanted to cross over you had to go around all the houses until you reached the path. It was only after a huge fire when the firefighters couldn’t get to the other side of the street that they decided to build paths on the main streets.  The paths were built so thin, that they only enable a single man to cross with two buckets of water. Nowadays those paths rarely exist but that one we passed through, so if you feel like experiencing some history then you should go.

Address:
Rope Street)  Strada Sforii)

Wander around the main square Piața Sfatului

There used to be a big and colourful market in the main square, but during the communist times, they banned it and turned it into a parking lot, since the government didn’t want people meeting up and speaking to each other on political issues.

Today the main square is a lively area with cafes, restaurants, and shops.  I enjoyed drinking iced coffee on the outside tables of the German Bakery right in the square. The vibes are really fun and there are also a lot of events.

Where to eat in Brasov?

Sapori – An amazing Italian restaurant

When we just arrived to Brasov we felt like going to a nice and non-local restaurant, we wanted to have something different from the Romanian food. I got a recommendation for the place, but when I called they said it was already full. We decided to go there anyways and hope that a table clears up, and we were starving so there better have been.

We parked in the lot and on our way to the restaurant we came across an Italian that had marvelous scents. We checked out the menu and it sounded good, so we decided to give it a shot, and good thing we did.

For starters we ordered bruschetta with olive tapenade, vegetable soup, and grilled calamaris. All 3 were good, but the calamaris topped everything. When we just got it I was afraid it was going to be chewy or boring, but it turns out I was wrong and it was absolutely delicious.
For the main course Roman ordered carbonara and I ordered a spaghetti with shrimp and almond paste. Both pasta dishes are homemade. The carbonara was really delicious, and my dish was so good that I had to keep eating when I was already full.

After the meal we decided to order the apple pie. I must say, it was a total “WOW” moment. It was the best pie I’ve ever had. It was filled with apples and it didn’t have much dough, just as it is supposed to be.
As you can probably tell, I highly recommend this place.

Address:
Strada George Barițiu 13, Brașov
Hours:
11:00-00:00 Every day

 Zoomserie – a bakery with an amazing dessert

We got a recommendation for this place from my dad. He said that they serve the best savarina he has ever had. I don’t really like those types of cakes, so Roman ordered it and he said it was delicious.

Address
Strada Apollonia Hirscher 1, Brașov
Hours
Every day 08:00-22:00

Adventure Park Brașov

Ideal for the whole family, offering a variety of challenging trails between the trees, climbing walls, and other attractions. Directions on how to get there.

We didn’t visit, but my sister went with her husband and their three children, ages 5-12. Here’s what she wrote:
“Highly recommended ropes park. You need to arrive right when it opens because there’s a long line. For kids under 5, there’s not much to do there.”

Seven Ladders Canyon

We didn’t get a chance to do this attraction, but my sister highly recommended it:
“Seven Ladders Canyon is stunning. The trail starts right on the outskirts of Brașov. There are zip lines for kids at the very beginning. It’s not a circular trail, and while it’s not too long, you can go as far as you want and then turn back. It’s very shaded. Not suitable for strollers.”
Directions on how to get there.

Day Trips from Brașov

• Day tour to UNESCO sites in Sighișoara and Viscri
• Castles tour
• Small group brown bear-watching tour

Other Things to Do in Brașov and the Surrounding Area

• The First Romanian School Museum – Exhibits on educational history in a school building from 1495, rebuilt in Baroque style in 1760. Directions on how to get there.
• Brașov Zoo. Directions on how to get there.
• Poiana Brașov Hot Springs – A resort town located about 12 km from Brașov, it is a popular destination for skiing in winter and nature hikes in summer. There are also spa complexes and hot springs here.
• AFI Mall. Directions on how to get there.
• Dracula’s Castle in Bran – The distance from Dracula’s Castle in Bran (Castelul Bran) to the city of Brașov is about 30 km. The drive usually takes around 40 minutes to an hour.
  Tickets for the castle can be purchased online.
• Dino Parc Râșnov – About a half-hour drive, near Bran. My sister also highly recommended it. It’s perfect for kids aged 4-10. Directions on how to get there. The park features dinosaur exhibits, a volcano display, children’s games, and a large dinosaur film screening. There’s also a train that takes you to the fortress nearby.

I hope my post was helpful for you! If it was, I’d love for you to leave a comment here. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask them in the comments or reach out to me on the blog’s social media pages: Facebook and Instagram.

Looking for more information about Romania? I have more posts about Romania on my blog!