When to go to Transylvania?
→ The detailed month-by-month page, with real weather records
Best time: May to October
At a glance
Why go to Transylvania?
Transylvania is a plateau ringed by the Carpathians where three peoples built side by side for eight centuries: the Saxons, invited by the kings of Hungary in the 12th century, the Hungarians themselves and the Romanians. What remains are seven fortified towns, Brașov, Sibiu, Sighișoara, Cluj, Bistrița, Mediaș and Sebeș, and some 150 fortified churches in the villages, seven of them UNESCO-listed. The Saxons left en masse after 1990, but their gabled houses, cobbled streets and walls have stayed.
It is also an easily accessible mountain region. The Carpathians peak at 2,544 metres on Moldoveanu, two hours from Sibiu, and the Transfăgărășan crosses them at 2,042 metres on a road open four months a year. The forests are home to the largest brown bear population in Europe outside Russia, around 8,000 animals, as well as wolves and lynx. Hikes start from the villages, mountain huts rarely need booking, and the ski slopes of Poiana Brașov run from December to March.
Finally, prices remain among the lowest in the European Union: a charming guesthouse in a Saxon house costs €40 to 70, a full dinner €12 to 20, car hire €30 a day. The Dracula myth, which Bran Castle trades on with little connection to history, is the way in for those who know nothing of the region; they leave with the villages of Viscri and Biertan, the horse-drawn carts and the vineyards of the Târnava valley.
Map of Transylvania: what is where?
The map shows the 6 places covered in this guide, to picture the distances and plan your route.
- Brașov
- Sighișoara
- Sibiu
- Viscri and Saxon villages
- Cluj-Napoca
- Bâlea Lake
How much does a trip to Transylvania cost?
Transylvania remains one of the cheapest regions in Europe for a quality trip: charming guesthouses, full meals and site entry fees cost two to three times less than in France. The main expense is the hire car, essential for the villages and passes, and fuel.
| Style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | €35-55/day | Hostel or simple guesthouse, trains and buses, market and canteen meals, free sights and one castle |
| Comfort | €70-120/day | Saxon guesthouse or town-centre hotel, shared hire car, restaurant dinners, all the castles |
| Premium | €200+/day | Grand hotel in Brașov or a restored country estate, driver-guide by the day, tastings and fine dining |
The leu is worth about a fifth of a euro and can be withdrawn from cash machines everywhere, without excessive fees at Romanian banks. Cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and petrol stations, but village guesthouses and markets want cash. Avoid the exchange offices at airports and on tourist streets, and refuse to pay in euros at a rounded-off rate. Tip 10% in restaurants.
Is Transylvania safe?
Transylvania is a safe region, with little crime in the towns and almost none in the villages; the only reported thefts are by pickpockets on trains and at the busiest stations. The main risk comes from animals: the region is home to around 8,000 brown bears, which come close to the pass roads, the bins of Brașov and sometimes the trails. Never feed a bear, do not get out of your car to photograph one, make noise in the forest and camp away from food. Stray dogs and sheepdogs, aggressive near flocks, also call for caution when hiking. On the road, watch out for unlit carts, risky overtaking and potholes; avoid driving at night off the main roads. In the mountains the weather changes quickly, and ticks are plentiful from May to September. The emergency number is 112, and the Salvamont organisation handles mountain rescue.
What to see and do in Transylvania
- Bran Castle
- Brașov and Council Square
- Sighișoara Citadel
- Sibiu
- Transfăgărășan road
- Biertan fortified church
- Corvin Castle
- Salina Turda
Brașov
The most visited town in the region, 170 km from Bucharest, is the base for the castles of Bran and Râșnov, the slopes of Poiana Brașov and the trails of Piatra Craiului. The Saxon centre lies between Council Square, the Black Church and the ramparts on the hillside, with the Romanian quarter of Șchei and its first Romanian-language school, from the 16th century, just beyond the gate. In the evening, the terraces of Republicii Street and the square fill up until midnight. Trains to Sighișoara take 2 hours 30, buses to Bran 45 minutes. Ghimbav airport, opened in 2023, still receives few flights.
Sighișoara
An inhabited 14th-century citadel set on a hill above the Târnava, with its nine guild towers, its 64-metre Clock Tower and its covered staircase of 1642 climbing to the church and the Saxon cemetery. Vlad Țepeș was born here in 1431. Tourism is concentrated on three streets and two squares, and the lower town, Romanian and Hungarian, remains ordinary. Staying in one of the houses inside the citadel lets you see it empty in the morning and evening. The Saxon villages of Biertan, Mălâncrav and Viscri are less than an hour away, in valleys of orchards and vineyards.
Sibiu
The former Hermannstadt, the most elegant of the Saxon towns, with its three squares, its roofs with eyelid dormers, its cast-iron bridge of 1859 and the Brukenthal Museum, the oldest in the country. The town was European Capital of Culture in 2007, and its mayor at the time, Klaus Iohannis, went on to become President of Romania. The ASTRA Museum, in a forest 4 km away, brings together mills, farms and wooden churches from every region. Sibiu is also the gateway to the Făgăraș Mountains and the northern side of the Transfăgărășan, an hour away, and to Mărginimea Sibiului, a dozen shepherd villages with painted houses.
Viscri and the Saxon villages
Between Sighișoara and Brașov, Viscri, 400 inhabitants, has a UNESCO-listed 12th-century fortified church, a street of colourful houses, carts, geese, and a house bought in 2006 by King Charles III, who supported the village's restoration. Women sell knitted socks outside their doors, and the guesthouses serve farm meals. Around it, Criț, Meșendorf, Cloașterf and Roadeș have their own fortified churches, often locked, which are opened by asking the neighbour. The dirt tracks between the villages can be explored on foot, by bike or by cart.
Cluj-Napoca
The big city of the north, the second-largest in the country with 300,000 inhabitants and 100,000 students, less visited than the Saxon towns and livelier. Union Square and its 14th-century St Michael's Church, the equestrian statue of Matthias Corvinus, who was born here, the botanical garden and the cafés of Piezișă Street fill a day. The Untold festival, in early August, turns the stadium into a giant nightclub. The airport, the second-busiest in the country, receives direct flights from across Europe. The Turda salt mine is 30 km away, the Turda Gorge 40, and the Apuseni region, with its ice caves, two hours.
Bâlea Lake
The high point of the Transfăgărășan, at 2,042 metres, a glacial lake surrounded by a cirque of ridges where snow lingers until June. The lakeside huts serve soups and grilled meats, an ice hotel is built every winter, and the cable car links it with the Bâlea waterfall, 600 metres lower, all year round. Ridge trails lead from here to Negoiu, 2,535 metres, or to Moldoveanu, two days' walk. The summit section of the road usually opens from 1 July to 31 October; out of season, only the cable car gets up here. Weekend traffic jams start from 10:00.
How many days, and which itinerary?
Five days are enough for Brașov, Bran, Sighișoara and Sibiu by car. A week adds the Transfăgărășan, the Saxon villages and a hike. Ten days let you go as far as Cluj, Turda and Hunedoara, or combine the trip with the painted monasteries of Bucovina to the north.
🗺️ Day-by-day itinerary · 📓 Free printable Transylvania guide (PDF) · 🌍 All of Romania
The Saxon triangle (5 days)
Day 1: arrive in Bucharest, drive to Brașov, 2 hours 30 to 3 hours, evening on Council Square. Day 2: Bran in the morning at opening time, Râșnov fortress or Poiana Brașov in the afternoon, the Black Church at the end of the day. Day 3: drive to Sighișoara via Viscri, 2 hours 30 with the stop, a night in the citadel. Day 4: Biertan and the Târnava valley, arrive in Sibiu, the Brukenthal Museum. Day 5: the ASTRA Museum in the morning, back to Bucharest through the Olt valley, 4 hours, or fly from Sibiu. A hire car is recommended, though the train works between the three towns.
Towns, villages and the Transfăgărășan (1 week)
The Saxon triangle over five days, plus a full day on the Transfăgărășan from Sibiu, with Bâlea Lake, the tunnel, the descent to Vidraru and Poenari fortress, returning via Curtea de Argeș, and a day's walking in Piatra Craiului from Zărnești or in the Făgăraș. Plan a night in Viscri or Criț in a Saxon guesthouse, with dinner at the farm and a cart ride in the morning. This format works from 1 July to 31 October; out of season, swap the pass road for the Turda Gorge or Corvin Castle.
The grand Transylvania loop (10 days)
Arrive in Cluj on a direct flight. Days 1-2: Cluj and the Turda salt mine. Day 3: drive to Alba Iulia and its star-shaped citadel, then Hunedoara and Corvin Castle, a night in Sibiu. Days 4-5: Sibiu, ASTRA, the Transfăgărășan. Day 6: Biertan and Sighișoara. Day 7: Viscri, Brașov. Day 8: Bran and Poiana Brașov. Day 9: a hike or a free day. Day 10: Bucharest, 2 hours 30 to 3 hours, and the flight home, or north via Bistrița to the monasteries of Bucovina for a longer stay. About 1,000 km of driving, at an average of 60 km/h.
Getting there and getting around
Cluj-Napoca and Bucharest both have direct flights from many European cities. From Bucharest, Brașov is 170 km away on the DN1: allow 2h30 to 3 hours depending on weekend traffic, or 2h30 by train. Sibiu has flights from Munich and a few other European cities.
A car is the most practical way to reach the villages and passes: €25 to 40 a day, electronic road vignette compulsory, national roads slow behind carts and lorries. The A1 motorway links Sibiu to Deva and Timișoara, the A3 Cluj to Turda.
CFR trains serve Brașov, Sighișoara, Mediaș, Sibiu and Cluj, slowly but cheaply: Brașov-Sighișoara 2 hours 30 for €8, Sibiu-Brașov 3 hours 30. Tickets are sold online and InterRegio trains are air-conditioned.
Private buses and minibuses link the towns every hour from the autogări (bus stations), and Bran, Râșnov or Poiana Brașov can be reached by city bus from Brașov for €1 to 2. For the Saxon villages with no public transport, a taxi for the day costs €60 to 80.
Where to stay in Transylvania?
Guesthouses, pensiuni, make up most of what is on offer: a room with breakfast for €35 to 60, often in a restored Saxon house in Sighișoara, Sibiu or the villages. The contact with the hosts is worth a great deal.
Town-centre hotels, from the renovated three-star to Brașov's grand hotel, remain affordable: €60 to 90 in the mid-range, €120 to 180 at the top end. Poiana Brașov, a ski resort 12 km away, lines up the big mountain hotels.
In Viscri, Criț or Mălâncrav, village houses restored by foundations can be rented for €50 to 120 with farm meals, sometimes without television or phone signal. Book several weeks ahead for summer, as supply is limited.
Hostels in Brașov, Sibiu, Sighișoara and Cluj offer beds for €12 to 20 and private rooms for €35. Camping is possible in the Carpathians, with mountain huts at €10 to 20 a night and forest cabins to book.
Our places to stay, stop by stop, at three budgets →
What to eat in Transylvania?
Transylvanian cooking blends Saxon, Hungarian and Romanian influences: sarmale, slow-cooked stuffed cabbage; ciorbă, a sour soup made with fermented wheat bran; mămăligă with cream and sheep's cheese; goulash and paprika on the Hungarian side; Saxon cakes. A full meal costs €10 to 20.
Sheep's cheeses from Mărginimea Sibiului and Bran, telemea and cașcaval, are sold at markets alongside smoked bacon, country sausages and sourdough bread. Village guesthouses serve full meals for €8 to 12, with home-made plum palinka as an aperitif.
The Târnava valleys, around Blaj and Jidvei, produce dry whites from fetească regală and sauvignon: the Jidvei and Villa Vinèa wineries receive visitors by appointment. Craft beer from Cluj and Brașov is gaining ground on the big brands.
Kürtőskalács, a chimney cake baked on a spit and rolled in sugar, is sold hot in every town for €2 to 3. Langoși, savoury fried dough with sour cream and garlic, make a quick lunch at markets and on the ski slopes.
Entry requirements
Schengen area: an ID card or passport for EU citizens, 90 days visa-free for UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports.
Rules change: check your own government's travel advice before you go.
Frequently asked questions about Transylvania
Is Bran Castle really Dracula's castle?
No. Bram Stoker never came to Romania and did not describe Bran, and Vlad Țepeș, the prince whose name inspired the novel, never lived there. The fortress linked to Vlad is Poenari, on the Transfăgărășan. Bran remains a fine 14th-century customs castle, fitted out by Queen Marie in the 1920s, and very busy.
When is the best time to go?
From May to October. June and September offer warm days, cool evenings and fewer crowds. July and August are the only safe months for the Transfăgărășan, which is open in principle from 1 July to 31 October. Autumn colours the forests, while winter covers the Saxon towns in snow and opens the slopes of Poiana Brașov.
Should I hire a car?
For the Saxon towns, trains and buses are enough. For the villages, the fortified churches, the Transfăgărășan or Corvin Castle, a car is almost essential: €25 to 40 a day, an electronic vignette to buy online, slow but decent roads. Taxis by the day, €60 to 80, are a stress-free alternative.
Are bears a real danger?
There are many of them, around 8,000, and encounters near the pass roads, the bins of Brașov and on some trails are frequent. Accidents remain rare and mostly involve people who feed or approach the animals. Stay in your car, do not leave food outside, and walk in groups, talking, in the forest.
How much does a week's trip cost?
Excluding flights, allow €350 to 500 per person on a backpacker budget, €600 to 900 in comfort with a shared car and guesthouses, and €1,500 and up at the top end. Return flights from elsewhere in Europe to Bucharest or Cluj vary from €60 to 250 depending on the season and the airline.
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