Historic city guide by G.L. Cooper
Brasov, and the truth about the castle
Transylvania's prettiest old town, forty-five minutes from the castle everyone calls Dracula's — and the story of that name is stranger than the myth.
Photo by Adrian Dascal on Unsplash
Brasov is the easiest base for the two Transylvanian castles everyone's heard of, but it's worth a full day on its own merit — a genuinely lovely medieval old town wrapped in surviving city walls, watched over by a mountain with the city's name spelled out on it in giant letters. The castle day trips are the draw; the old town is the reason to stay three nights instead of one.
Practical planning
Know Before You Go
Currency: Romanian leu (RON), not the euro
Getting in: fly into Bucharest, then train to Brasov, about 2 hours 15 minutes
Best base: the old town around Council Square
Bran Castle: about 45–55 minutes from Brasov by local bus
Brasov guide
Explore the sections
Featured
Bran Castle
Tickets, transport and the real history behind the Dracula's Castle name.
Open sectionBrasov
Old Town
The Black Church, Council Square, Rope Street, city walls and Tampa Mountain.
Open sectionBrasov
Peles Castle & Rasnov
Two very different castles, with practical routes from Brasov.
Open sectionBrasov
Food
Romanian classics and the Transylvanian Saxon dishes still found in the old town.
Open sectionBrasov
Three Days in Brasov
A measured plan for the old town, Bran, Rasnov and Peles Castle.
Open sectionBrasov
Tours
Two current guided options covering Bran, Rasnov and Peles.
Open sectionBrasov
Where to Stay
The best Brasov areas for a first visit, from Council Square to Schei.
Open sectionPrices and hours checked September 2026.
