Things To Do in Romania: 4 Best Cities to Visit Beyond Bucharest

Picture Romania, and its capital Bucharest is often the first place that springs to mind. Its grand boulevards, Belle Époque façades and imposing architecture make a striking first impression. But to understand the country’s depth and character, you must travel outward beyond the capital: toward medieval citadels and borderland cities, from the Transylvanian Alps to the Black Sea Coast. That’s because each city has its own rhythm, and speaks to a different kind of traveller. Discover the best things to do in Romania and where to find them, curated for your unique travelling style.

Sibiu is like a quiet novel waiting to be read. Its pastel-painted façades, Gothic landmarks and Baroque squares are all beautifully intact, but it wears its beauty with the ease of a city that has been lived in continuously. One of the great Saxon towns of Transylvania, it was settled by German colonists from the 12th century onwards. Stroll between the Grand Square (Piața Mare) and Small Square (Piața Mică) via a covered passageway, and admire the neo-Gothic geometric motifs adorning the wrought-iron Bridge of Lies. Along the way, you’ll notice the famous “Eyes of Sibiu” – dormer windows set into steep rooftiles that give the city’s houses a perpetually watchful and rather uncanny appearance.

In the mood for cultural things to do? For one of the finest collections of European art in Romania, visit the Brukenthal National Museum, housed in an 18th-century Baroque palace. Sibiu also hosts the International Theatre Festival every June and a popular jazz festival in the autumn – staying at the 4-star Mercure Sibiu Arsenal places you close to the action yet next to a tranquil park.

• Direct train from Bucharest (5hr 30min), or fly into Sibiu International Airport

East of Sibiu along the Transylvanian plateau, Brașov is another 12th-century Saxon city, but that’s where the similarity ends. Here, the vibe is entirely different: youthful, outdoorsy, dramatic. It’s a gateway to the Transylvanian Alps, for summer hiking through wild, rocky landscapes sprinkled with wildflower meadows, or winter skiing on well-groomed pistes and challenging backcountry terrain. Plus, it’s all very accessible: you could be sipping coffee in Council Square in the morning, hiking forested trails by afternoon and returning to Swissôtel Poiana Brasov's 5-star comfort in the evening. 

Brașov is also a base for one of the most popular things to do in Romania – visiting Bran Castle, often said to be Dracula’s castle because of its foreboding façade and cliffside location (although there is no actual association with Bram Stoker’s fictional vampire). But do remember to spend some time in the city itself: discover the Black Church (Biserica Neagră), with its vast Gothic nave and dramatic 4,000-pipe organ, then stroll the medieval core’s cobbled streets and stop for a șpriț (wine and sparkling water) in a lively bar. 

• Fast train from Bucharest (2hr 15min), or fly into Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport

Little Vienna. The City of Roses. Timișoara, on Romania’s western border near Hungary and Serbia, has several nicknames, but its unique cosmopolitan spirit is in fact nearly impossible to define neatly. The first impression you get of this city is distinctly Central European. Following the withdrawal of the Ottoman Empire in the early 1700s, the city was rebuilt under Habsburg rule, with wide squares and grand façades that feel worlds away from typical Romania.

An unmissable thing to do here to really appreciate its diversity? Explore Piața Unirii (Union Square), a Baroque-era plaza overlooked by the ornate Saint George’s Catholic Cathedral, the equally impressive Serbian Orthodox Cathedral and the pastel, Secession-inspired Brück House. Then head south to Parcul Rozelor (Roses Park) to stroll amid thousands of colourful blooms by the Bega River. Making a reliable hotel like ibis Timisoara City Center your base places you within easy reach of all of the city's key sights. 

• Direct train from Bucharest (around 11 hours), or fly into Timișoara International Airport. If you're on a cross-country train journey taking in Romania, a great thing to do is to hop on the fast train from Budapest (Hungary) which is only 5hr 30min 

Few travellers put Galați on their list of things to do in Romania – which is precisely its appeal. It has no great medieval centre, no spectacular Baroque architecture, no particular mythology attached to it. What it has is the raw beauty of the Danube waterfront and, as a port city, an atmosphere of everyday Romanian life.

The Danube is well over a kilometre wide here, with hazy views across to the low hills of the Dealul Bugeac hiking area beyond the opposite bank. The wide waterfront promenade (Faleza Dunării) is popular for leisurely strolls, and only five minutes from the design-focused ibis Styles Dunarea Galati. While away an afternoon at the Museum of Visual Arts, home to works by modern Romanian greats Nicolae Grigorescu and Theodor Pallady. Then sample the local cuisine, heavily influenced by the fishing culture of the Danube River, with dishes like plachie (fish stew) and malasolca (salted pike).

• Direct train from Bucharest (around 3hr 50min)

Medieval and modern. Introspective and exuberant. Romania offers such a diverse range of things to do that it can be hard to know where to start, but hopefully this list has helped. Keen to delve deeper into this fascinating country? Discover the best castles in Romania or immerse yourself in Bucharest’s beautiful Old Town.