Hello there! Are you wondering what the ideal road trip through Romania would look like? Well, it is time to book your flights. Because with this 7-Day Romania Road Trip Itinerary, you are going to explore exactly what makes Romania such an exciting country. I experienced Romania as a country filled with beautiful castles, friendly cheerful people, and hearty and delicious food. And I would go back again time and time again!
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Romania has been on my bucket list for a long time. Ever since I saw pictures of Romanian castles shining in vibrant autumn colours, I was burning with eagerness to finally book a flight. I wanted to have a road trip through one of Europe’s biggest countries for a long time. When planning the trip to Romania, I wanted to craft a road trip itinerary that is focused on exploring its most famous cities, towns and sights. And all of this within a week’s time. However, if you have more time on your hands, there is much more to do in Romania. With it being so large in size, Romania still has many rural areas that remain scarcely inhabited. Making it one of the prime locations in Europe for spotting wild bears.
FAQ about travelling to Romania
When to Visit Romania?
Romania is a breathtaking country all year round. However, when I was doing the research for this Romania road trip itinerary, the thing I really didn’t want to miss was the vibrant autumn colours of Romania. The bright yellow and orange of the trees are simply unforgettable. They are so intense that it almost feels as if they had to paint the leaves to achieve that exact look. So the best time to experience the magnificent foliage of Romania would be from mid-October to the end of October, maybe even early November.
What should I plan/organize before going there?
When planning a trip, I usually vary between organising every free minute of the itinerary and going with the flow. For Romania, especially its castles tend to sell out quickly. So make sure to book the tickets to the castles in advance! We would have loved to see more of them, but as I failed to plan, we skipped one. So make sure you do!
How to Get to Romania?
The easiest way to get to Romania is to book your flights directly to its international airport called Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP). Of course, if you are road-tripping Europe, you might also get in via car through its neighbouring countries.
How to Get Around in Romania?
The easiest and fastest way to get to all the places that are described in this Romania Roadtrip Itinerary is by car. It makes getting around way more flexible and easy than planning with public transport. Therefore I would choose it over and over again, because it also allowed us detours and breaks wherever and whenever we liked to have them.
Day 1 – Arriving in Bucharest & Check-in at Oasis Riverview
The first day of this Romania Travel Itinerary is dedicated to simply arriving in this interesting city. Once you arrive at Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP), all you need to do is book an Uber and get to your hotel. During the two nights we had in Bucharest, we had a room at the Oasis Riverview Apartments, and I can’t recommend it enough! The room was spacious and clean. And the building is centrally located, so you can reach all the major sights of Bucharest quickly and easily on foot. It also has a small kitchen and enough space for all your belongings.
As we arrived quite late at night, for us, checking in was all that was left to do for that day. But the plans for the next day were already set!
Day 2 – Exploring Bucharest Old Town, Café, Casa Ceaușescu & Dinner at Caru’ cu bere
The one thing that I love about every single European city is how easy it is to explore them on foot. With only a single exception, you can do all the sights of Bucharest within day 2 of this Romania itinerary. We started our day quite early and left the Oasis Riverview before 8:00. Then we headed to the closest café around the apartment, the lovely and cosy Benjoben, where we had breakfast and planned the day.
Morning – Walking Around Bucharest
Once we had our breakfast and were caffeinated, we spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon exploring Bucharest. We roamed the streets of the Old Town, marvelling at impressive buildings such as the Casa de Economii și Consemnațiuni and the Ateneul Român, walking through the Villacrosse Passage and enjoying another coffee at Sloane Speciality Coffee.
The thing about Bucharest that makes it so fascinating is the stark contrast between its grand buildings such as the Palatul “Crețulescu” and its buildings that lean more towards brutalist architecture. It makes for a very interesting experience, wandering down its streets.
Afternoon – Casa Ceaușescu
Whenever I travel, I try to visit at least one museum when visiting a new place. In Bucharest, the one that seemed incredibly interesting to me is the Casa Ceaușescu. The home of the former dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu is open for visitors. In this museum, you will see how Nicolae and his family lived while learning more about the history of Romania. After the museum, we also went for a nice walk in the Parcul Bordei, a nearby park, to get some more steps in.
Dinner – Caru’ cu bere
After so much sightseeing and learning about Romania’s history, you might be very hungry. And if you are only in Bucharest for one day, there is just one restaurant that you should try to visit. The Caru’ cu bere is one of those restaurants that charm you with a vibrant, nostalgic vibe; it might actually knock your socks off. Right there you will get all the hearty dishes that Romania is famous for. However, make sure to book a table in advance, because it does get crowded there!
Day 3 – Drive to Sighișoara, Check-in at Boutique Hotel von Graf, Dinner in the Hotel Restaurant
After a full day of exploring, we were very happy to spend the morning of day 3 of this Romania Itinerary sleeping in. We had a slow morning with coffee until we had to check out and left for the airport again. There we picked up the rental car that we would have for the next few days. From there, we drove towards the first stop of the road trip – Sighișoara.
The drive there takes about 4 hours and takes you by many incredible viewpoints. I could have spent hours just observing the yellow and orange foliage flying by. After this wonderful drive, we arrived in Sighișoara, at the Boutique Hotel von Graf, where we spent the next two nights. The Hotel von Graf might just be one of the cutest hotels I have stayed in so far. It is incredibly cosy and also has a lovely restaurant, where we also had dinner the next two days.
Day 4 – Exploring Sighișoara
The next morning we got up early to explore Sighișoara. This small city is incredibly charming and an absolute must-do when travelling Romania. Its colourful and vibrant streets are incredibly lovely to roam, and there are many things to explore there.
One of them is the birthplace of Vlad Dracul, the person who is said to be the inspiration for Count Dracula by Bram Stoker. Other places that I loved were the viewpoint from which you can see the Biserica Sfânta Treime and the clock tower. Once you have seen it all, make sure to have coffee & cake at the Burg Kaffe Cetate.
At the end of the day, we returned to the Boutique Hotel von Graf, where we rested some more and had another delicious dinner to end the day.
Day 5 – Visiting Hunedoara Castle & Drive to Sibiu, Check-In at Maison Elysée
While I loved Sighișoara, one day of exploring it is more than enough. So after two nights there, it was time to leave already and head to the next stop of the day. Hunedoara is a breathtaking castle that is open for visitors. The drive from Sighișoara to Hunedoara takes about 2,5 hours, but believe me, visiting the castle is definitely worth the drive!
The castle holds many artefacts and has a lovely free audio tour for you to access via an app. You can walk all its points freely and without any rush, which is very nice. You can also visit further exhibitions about the castle grounds. However, its main topic was about medieval torture methods, which is something I gladly skipped.
For the movie fans among you: Hunedoara was used as a backdrop not only for the movie „The Nun“ but also for „Nosferatu“. For the Germans among you, you might also recognise the castle from the movie „Die drei ??? – Erbe des Drachen“.
Once we had finished exploring Hunedoara Castle, we drove off to Sibiu. This is the next stop of this Romania Itinerary, where we checked into the lovely Maison Elysée, where we spend only one night.
Day 6 – Exploring Sibiu, Drive to Brasov, Check-In at Wolkendorf Bio Hotel & Spa
After a night of great sleep at Maison Elysée, it was time to explore the beautiful city of Sibiu. Like Sighișoara, Sibiu is incredibly beautiful, colourful and charming. With a nice coffee to go, we went on exploring the streets. When roaming these streets, make sure not to miss the Piața Mare, the great place, the main cathedral and Podul Minciunilor, a bridge with a lovely view.
Drive to Brasov & Cârța Monastery
Once you have had your fill of the city, it is time to embark towards the last leg of your Romania Road Trip Itinerary. On the way to Brasov, you can also add another stop for a little sightseeing. The Cârța Monastery is an old ruin that still houses a monastery to this day. It is a very interesting place that also holds a small museum about the life of the people from the local area.
After this little excursion, it was time to drive to your hotel for the last two nights. The Wolkendorf Bio Hotel & Spa is located just a little outside of Brasov. The hotel has a nice restaurant and, most importantly – a spa. For us, it was the perfect location for the next two nights.
Day 7 – Castelul Bran & Spa Time
In the early morning of Day 7 of this Romania Road Trip Itinerary, you are going to visit the probably most famous place of Romania. The Castelul Bran is the one castle you have to visit (I say this with like every castle but whatever). It is so famous not because it is incredibly picturesque, but because it is said to be the inspiration for Dracula’s castle in Bram Stoker’s novel. Although the similarities run a little dry. Anyway Castelul Bran is still one of my favourite places in Romania and should not be missed.
The tour that guides you through all the castle’s rooms is very well thought through. It teaches you more about its inhabitants and the history of Romania, as well as its infamous vampire lord. And the best thing? You can learn all these things while strolling through the beautiful backdrop the Castelul Bran offers you. Each balcony offers you another incredible view of the russet-coloured roofs set against the vibrant autumn foliage, and I would lie if I said I didn’t fall in love with this place.
When planning your visit to Castelul Bran, make sure to book your tickets in advance and choose the earliest available time slot. Castelul Bran is very popular and gets very crowded. The earlier you go, the better your experience will be!
Once you have finished visiting the castle, there is also another small viewpoint that you can hike to. However, getting there requires a little bit of expertise in climbing and hiking. So if this is not your cup of tea, you can simply enjoy a cup of coffee at the Bram Café next to the castle.
After exploring the castle and visiting the viewpoint, we spent our afternoon enjoying the Hotel and its Spa.
Day 8 – Exploring Schloss Cantacuzino & Flying Home
You have arrived on the last day of this Romania Road Trip Itinerary, and it is time to go home! However, I couldn’t miss out on exploring one last castle. Schloss Cantacuzino is another beautiful place where you can explore the castle grounds and the beautiful architecture. On the ground, you can also find a wonderful café that comes with a view.
After this little excursion, it was already time for us to head back to the airport and leave Romania after this wonderful week. I hope you liked my post and take something with you for your own Romania Road Trip.
