Romanian Bucket List - Places to Visit

Picture this: you’ve already been in your Erasmus country for some time now. You don’t get lost around the city (so much) anymore and you even managed to decode your class schedule! You’ve found your ride or die group of international friends and lately you’ve been trying to plan your first trip. But there’s so much to see and so little time, you don’t even know where to start.

Don’t worry! We’ve got you. Here are some of the places in Romania you should definitely put on your bucket list, so have an eye, pack your bags and let’s go.

Sighișoara

Sighisoara is the only still inhabited medieval fortress in South-Eastern Europe and the birthplace of the famous Vlad the Impaler. Easy to reach from Brașov, Târgu-Mureș and Cluj-Napoca, during a one-day trip to Sighișoara you can wonder on its lovely colourful streets, admire the view from the Clock Tower and learn about the life of Vlad the Impaler and sighisorean people at MYstical Transylvania… It is also a must to try the traditional soup in bread at the Casa Vlad Dracul restaurant. 

Transfăgărășan & Bâlea Lake

Transfăgărășan and Bâlea Lake should be on the top of your Romanian Bucket List. Transfăgărășan is a breathtaking road through the Făgăraș Mountains starting in Argeș county. It takes you to Bâlea Lake, a spectacular  glacial lake. If you want to spend the weekend there, you can explore the hiking trails to Bâlea Waterfall or Negoiu Peak, but do not forget to wear the right equipment! 

Peleș Castle

Close to Brașov and Bucharest, the Peleș Castle is probably the most beautiful and elegant castle in Romania! Not only eye-catching from the outside, the Peleș Castle has a sophisticated interior design and a wide collection of art pieces, arms and armour and many more!

Babele (the “Old women”) & Sfinxul (the Sphinx)

Up in the Bucegi Mountains, the “Old women” and the Sphinx are geological formations located at over 2000m altitude. Many legends are known around the strange rocks. The “Old women” are a symbol of spring and believed to be The Old Dokia, a mythological figure who turned to stone. The Sphinx is supposed to be the place where the Dacian  king Decebalus killed his son as a tribute to gods and it is thought to be interconnected with the Egyptian Sphinx. Anyhow, they can be reached with the cable car from Bușteni.  Make sure to be there early as there are usually long queues for the cabin. For the adventurous hikers, you can also reach the Omu Peak and the Heroes Cross on Caraiman Peak which are not very far from Babele. 

Turda Salt Mine 

Only half an hour away from Cluj-Napoca, the Turda Saline is an underground wonderland. You can get lost in its numerous chambers, mines and galleries, hop on a boat tour on the underground lake or go to the amusement park. You are in for a unique experience!