01
Piața Sfatului (Council Square)
Brașov
Brașov's colorful central square surrounded by cafés and historic buildings.
German Saxon merchants once dominated trade here during the medieval period.
← The journey
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Chapter 5 · May 8 – May 10
Romania
From Brașov's Saxon squares and Transylvanian castles to Bucharest's 'Little Paris' boulevards.
2 cities11 sightsDays 10–12
01. Brașov
5 sights02
Black Church
Brașov
The largest Gothic church in Romania.
The church earned its name after a devastating fire blackened its walls in 1689.
03
Strada Sforii (Rope Street)
Brașov
One of the narrowest streets in Europe.
Originally used by firefighters as a shortcut between streets.
04
Peleș Castle
Brașov
A fairy-tale castle in Sinaia surrounded by forests.
It was among the first castles in Europe to have electricity and central heating.
05
Bran Castle
Brașov
The dramatic hilltop fortress often associated with Dracula.
The Dracula connection is mostly literary and marketing-driven — Vlad the Impaler likely spent very little time here.
02. Bucharest
6 sights01
Lipscani / Old Town
Bucharest
The energetic historic heart of Bucharest.
Many of the buildings were nearly lost during the communist period before restoration revived the district.
02
Stavropoleos Monastery
Bucharest
A tiny Orthodox monastery hidden among busy streets.
Its intricate stone carvings combine Romanian, Ottoman, and Byzantine influences.
03
Palace of the Parliament
Bucharest
One of the largest administrative buildings in the world.
Built under Nicolae Ceaușescu, it required the demolition of huge parts of historic Bucharest.
04
Calea Victoriei
Bucharest
Bucharest's grand historic boulevard.
The avenue helped earn Bucharest the nickname 'Little Paris of the East.'
05
Romanian Athenaeum
Bucharest
Bucharest's elegant concert hall.
The building became a symbol of Romanian national culture and identity.
06
Cărturești Carusel
Bucharest
A spectacular multi-level bookstore in the Old Town.
The building went from aristocratic bank headquarters to communist-era decline before being reborn as one of Europe's most beautiful bookstores.