Bucharest
Returning to Bucharest after four years was exciting, but not only was I revisiting the capital, I would get to show Dennis some of my favourite spots around Transylvania too as well as discovering some new places. One of my least favourite things about the capital, was arriving and being greeted by narrow streets and traffic. Thanks to Google Maps, our first park up was a bit of a nightmare to get to, leading to me having to move a barrier, do a U Turn and get out. But once we figured it out, Dennis, Andrea and I could finally relax and be happy to have arrived in a new country. We did not need a PCR test to cross into Romania from Bulgaria, however as we were in a convoy of three, they did a proper check of the vans (even my toilet). We stayed beside a theme park, a 45 minute walk from the centre, where we did a great walking tour. Dennis and I even found a Romanian craft beer pub which I had actually been to on my last visit without even realising, and we had a typical Irish dinner in a great Irish pub- what better way to stay warm when its cold and rainy!
Transylvania
(Brasov, Rasnov, Bran & Sighisoara)
These few spots as well as Peles Palace, had been on my itinerary four years prior, and i wanted to return with Dennis. We headed up to Brasov, the main town in the Transylvania region and although it was incredibly rainy, we took the walk into the town from our park up. We had a short walk around and again we found an Irish pub with expensive food and Guinness, but we had to go ne more time! It seems weird to go to an Irish pub in Romania but we had not had a chance to go to one on our whole trip and It was about time Dennis had a real Guinness- not from a can!
Transylvania touring wouldn't be the same without a trip to Dracula's Castle or Bran Castle, located in the small touristy town of Bran. We didn't pay to go (it was closed anyway) but decided to take photos from what we could see outside. Our other stop that day was in the cute town of Rasnov, home to the Rasnov fortress which was closed because of Covid, but one of the reasons to visit was the fact that this image had been my desktop background for four years and now Dennis could see it in real life. It was kind of surreal!
After our long day, we stayed at a great spot called Rupea Castle which reminded me of Acrocorinth in Greece. Our park up had the most amazing view and there was a night guard there who was very friendly and allowed us to park overnight without hassle. The next morning we visited the castle before making our way towards Sighisoara.
Sighisoara was a town that always stayed in my memories, mainly because of its cute colourful town houses and cobbled streets located in the upper oldtown. We were so lucky to have great weather there and a parking spot right in town, which encouraged us to have an outdoor lunch in the same place I ate four years prior- The Medieval Cafe. Of course we had to have the Transylvanian specialty of Bean soup in a bread bowl and a local beer, and luckily we did, because not long after we finished, a huge dark cloud rolled in and a huge storm came upon us. We ended up in another cafe drinking hot chocolate and Irish coffee, to shelter from the heavy rains. Later on we had another opportunity to explore the town properly and take pictures in the sun, the way Sighisoara is best viewed.
Transylvania touring wouldn't be the same without a trip to Dracula's Castle or Bran Castle, located in the small touristy town of Bran. We didn't pay to go (it was closed anyway) but decided to take photos from what we could see outside. Our other stop that day was in the cute town of Rasnov, home to the Rasnov fortress which was closed because of Covid, but one of the reasons to visit was the fact that this image had been my desktop background for four years and now Dennis could see it in real life. It was kind of surreal!
After our long day, we stayed at a great spot called Rupea Castle which reminded me of Acrocorinth in Greece. Our park up had the most amazing view and there was a night guard there who was very friendly and allowed us to park overnight without hassle. The next morning we visited the castle before making our way towards Sighisoara.
Sighisoara was a town that always stayed in my memories, mainly because of its cute colourful town houses and cobbled streets located in the upper oldtown. We were so lucky to have great weather there and a parking spot right in town, which encouraged us to have an outdoor lunch in the same place I ate four years prior- The Medieval Cafe. Of course we had to have the Transylvanian specialty of Bean soup in a bread bowl and a local beer, and luckily we did, because not long after we finished, a huge dark cloud rolled in and a huge storm came upon us. We ended up in another cafe drinking hot chocolate and Irish coffee, to shelter from the heavy rains. Later on we had another opportunity to explore the town properly and take pictures in the sun, the way Sighisoara is best viewed.
Rapa Rosie & Transalpina
Rapa Rosie was a spot we had chosen merely to be close the famous scenic road The Transalpina, but we had no idea it would be so col. It bares a striking resemblance to The Melnik pyramids in Bulgaria and is know to be very similar to Badlands National Park in the USA. The cool thing is, we were alone here apart from the odd car with people day hiking, and this made it just the more special. Our plan was to drive the Transfagaras and the Transalpina with the motorbike, but when we realised the first one was closed, we opted for the Transalpina, which did not disappoint. We began at the north of the road and took the hair pin road as far as we could, admiring the amazing scenery below and beyond for miles. It was a whole day of exploring and It was so worth it. Afterall, how could you miss out on the highest road in Romania and one of the best scenic drives ever? We were mad for the motorbike day trips, so this was something we looked forward to, and it was an amazing day.
Overview
The costs in Romania varied depending on the region so of course in downtown Brasov you paid way more than in rural areas etc, but we noticed it was indeed that little bit more than Bulgaria. With this being said it was still very affordable to have a drink or a bite to eat in a restaurant and we did, considering in the coming days we would slowly move on the more western European prices. Just like in Bulgaria and some other countries, In Romania a vignette is needed to drive on the roads, so when we crossed the border we bought one in the first gas station for a small price.
We noticed a lot of Hungarian influence when it came to food, so we ate quite a few langos but didn't miss out on the yummy bean soups which are served in a big bread bowl (make sure your hungry for this experience). The beer was a little more than Bulgaria but still just over a euro for a large beer in rural areas and a little more in touristy areas. Entrance to Bran castle cost 8 euro per person, which I had done before, and would recommend it as a cool experience. We stopped off at Peles Palace on the way from Bucharest to Brasov, which I had seen before and had been impressed by, but of course entrance is at a cost and at this time, it may have been closed due to Covid anyway.
Romania is a country with so much to offer both on and off the tourist trail and if i had more time I would have taken the time to explore more of these areas, but that only means one thing- Ill just have to plan another trip there, and so should you!
We noticed a lot of Hungarian influence when it came to food, so we ate quite a few langos but didn't miss out on the yummy bean soups which are served in a big bread bowl (make sure your hungry for this experience). The beer was a little more than Bulgaria but still just over a euro for a large beer in rural areas and a little more in touristy areas. Entrance to Bran castle cost 8 euro per person, which I had done before, and would recommend it as a cool experience. We stopped off at Peles Palace on the way from Bucharest to Brasov, which I had seen before and had been impressed by, but of course entrance is at a cost and at this time, it may have been closed due to Covid anyway.
Romania is a country with so much to offer both on and off the tourist trail and if i had more time I would have taken the time to explore more of these areas, but that only means one thing- Ill just have to plan another trip there, and so should you!