Solo Trip to Brasov, Romania – The Heart of the Transylvanian Alps | The Site for Solos, Living Apart Together (LAT), Singles, & Nomads

Brasov is a lovely town located at the heart of the Transylvanian Alps, and it is very likely that you will fall in love with it at first sight. The views of the mountains are simply spectacular, the air is clean and crisp, and the many cozy bars and restaurants will surely make you feel at home right away.

Best things to see and do in Brasov, Romania

Dracula’s Castle (Bran Castle)

If you are visiting Brasov, there’s a 99.9% chance that you will be using this town as your launching pad to visit Dracula’s Castle. Please take a look at my detailed guide to Bran Village and Dracula’s Castle here.

First Romanian School Museum

Most scholars believe the school was set up around the 1500s. The school has had quite a dynamic history when it comes to what it has taught through the years, starting with the Cyrillic alphabet, to the Latin, to selected local Romanian languages and dialects. The grounds offer plenty of very interesting sights including the Saint Nicholas Church, lovely kept gardens, and cemetery which is open to the public.

Piata Unirii

A small little plaza at the top edge of Brasov’s Old Town. Makes for a nice sit down spot if the main areas below are a bit too crowded – as it often happens in the periods between July and September.

Gheorghe Dima Park

A very spacious lovely park offering a great setting for a picnic, a quiet stroll, or even a relaxing nap.

World of Dracula

This is the sort of shop that you could put in the “Only in Brasov” category. As the name implies, the theme is Count Dracula, but the niche here however is purely fine wines. This beautifully set up store offers a whole range of wines with Count Dracula as its central theme.

Piata Sfatului

This is THE main plaza of the Old Town of Brasov. It is certainly the most iconic location of the whole city, and perhaps the most widely seen as it became the cover of the Romanian Lonely Planet a few years ago. This will undoubtedly be the most vibrant part of the Old Town with a huge range of bars and restaurants surrounding the main square. Many events are held here over the summer months so make sure to check what’s on the agenda during your visit.

The Hollywood-like Brasov sign atop of the mountain

This is not per se a place you will casually stroll along to, but it is definitely a symbol of the city. It’s visible from just about anywhere in town, just look up and around, and you will surely catch a good glimpse of it.

Poiana Brasov

Brasov is an all season town, and with this I mean it is also open during the cold winter months. A short ride from Brasov town you can find a great skiing resort with a wide net of ski lifts and steep downhills for all levels.

Strada Republicii

This is the main street of Brasov’s Old Town and the main access point to the iconic Piata Sfatului. You will find the street dotted with beautiful cafes, bars, and restaurants eager to serve you some of Brasov’s best dishes. We’ll touch on that a bit later, but this will be your best bet for breakfast options in town.

Biserica Neagra (The Black Church of Brasov)

This impressive Gothic style church was built by the Saxons, but didn’t get its current “Black Church” distinctive name until the fire of 1689. This is an active church with regular services throughout the week.

AFI Brasov Shopping Mall

As it happens while on the road, you sometimes just want to hang out at a climate controlled shopping mall with the usual amenities like the stores you know and love, a proper food court where you recognize all the food, and perhaps just check out what movies might be on screen. AFI Brasov Shopping Mall is a great option if you want to take a break from all the “historicity” of Brasov. Conveniently located between the Old City and the main train station, you can walk to it from Strada Republicii in about 10 to 15 minutes.

Best places to eat and drink in Brasov

Breakfast in Brasov

Depends on what you consider what a proper breakfast is, but if you are looking for eggs, omelets, toast, English breakfast, and such, you will have do a few rounds before you find what you are looking for. From all the places I visited, the ones I liked the most were Kashmir Restaurant Cafe and the Street Cafe Pub both located in the main Strada Republicii. As a third option you can also try Pizza Roma in the Piata Sfatului.

Eating on the cheap in Brasov

Even though Brasov has no shortage of great places to eat, you might be interested in saving a few bucks during your stay while still sampling some local grub. If you are not too fuzzy when it comes to the venues, you can find some great options in the local supermarkets. Head over to the Nicolae Balcescu street where you can find the somewhat hidden but quite large Carrefour. The nice people from Carrefour Supermarkets actually have created a little sit down spot for exactly this. You can sample some pretty nice plates of food for a steal.

Some other options include the Mega Image on Strada Republicii and the Carrefour Express on the Strada Muresenilor.

As a final, and quite exotic alternative, you can also give K-Food a try. You can find a huge array of Korean ramen noodles which you can cook and eat right there in the store. You will be provided with a bowl and utensils for a small fee if you don’t have any with you.

For perhaps the best pizza in town, head over to Pizza Vito for a proper hand tossed pizza. You can find them in Strada Republicii and they offer the option of sitting on the open air street terrace or the (way way) more quiet upstairs location.

More upscale eating venues in Brasov

Outside of the usual spots you can find in Strada Republicii and Piata Sfatului head to Piata George Enescu and head over to Dei Frati. Offering very stylish and chic meals at a decent price you can expect a great meal, but also a long waiting queue as people line up waiting for a spot.

Very nearby (as with everything in Brasov Old Town) you can also give Strada Michael Weiss a try. Cafeteca Weiss offers a pretty tasty menu. For vegetarians and vegans you can find Delicious Raw for a great meatless menu.