Ultimate 1-Week Romania Itinerary (without a car)

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Romania is an incredible country. It’s also a country where you won’t recognize how great it is if you only visit the capital city. There is so much more to Romania than Bucharest. It may seem intimidating to explore other parts of the country if you are short on time or don’t have a car. But, it is possible and well-worth it with this 1-week Romania itinerary.

One week is not much time to experience Romania. Yet, it does give you the opportunity to get an overview of 3 different regions: Mutenia, Transylvania, and Banat.

If traveling one way through the country, you’ll either start your journey in Bucharest or Timisoara. For the sake of doing what is most common, I’ll start from Bucharest. If you are starting in Timisoara (which is the route I took), reverse the order of the locations in this article.

How to get around Romania without a car

Before I dive into the ultimate 1-week Romania itinerary, I’ll start with telling you how to get around Romania without a car. Indeed, traveling by car is the quickest way to get between places. It would also allow you to better explore areas that are not as accessible by public transportation. But, some people (U.S. citizens for example) need to get their international driving permit (IDP) to legally drive in Romania. If, like me, getting your IDP is not on your agenda, here are the best ways to get around:

By train

Train is a popular mode of transportation around Romania. The rail system is well-connected, but the trains can be slow and make a lot of stops. With that said, it is still one of the more comfortable methods of getting around the country. It also happens to be one of the cheapest (yes, even cheaper than buses). You can buy tickets for the train at the station or in advance at cfrcalatori.ro. There is also a CFR Calatori mobile app that is easy to use.

By bus

The bus is always a reliable option when traveling around Romania. There are several companies to choose from and often times the bus is faster than the trail. That also means that it can sometimes be a little more expensive than the train, but it won’t break the bank. You can purchase bus tickets in advance on the operator’s website. Some options include Vertrantis, Duda Trans, Fany, and Flixbus.

By BlaBlaCar

I didn’t know that BlaBlaCar was commonly used in Romania until a local told me. If you are unfamiliar with BlaBlaCar, it is a ridesharing app where you can book a seat on a trip between 2 locations. It is a convenient way to get directly from place to place in the shortest amount of time. It also gives you a chance to interact with a local if that interests you. For those who are familiar with BlaBlaCar and already have it downloaded on your phone, you may need to delete and re-download the app. When first opening the app after downloading it, select “Romania” as your country of choice. Otherwise, when searching for ride options, it will say there aren’t any rides available.

Bucharest – 1 Day

I’m starting the itinerary in Bucharest, because this is where most people jump off from when traveling around Romania. Although it is the capital and most accessible point to get into Romania, it is not somewhere I recommend spending a whole lot of time. There are much nicer areas of the country than this city.

Getting to Bucharest

• By plane: Most people arrive in Romania by flying into the main airport in Bucharest
• By train or bus: Bucharest is accessible by train or bus when coming from Bulgaria.

Things to do in Bucharest

Bucharest is a major city, and like all major cities, there are plenty of things to do. However, if you are looking to get the most out of your time in Bucharest and experience some of the Romanian culture, here is what I recommend putting on your Romania itinerary:

• Food tour: Food tours are an incredible way to experience a new country. Not only will you get to sample some of the local cuisine, but you will also learn about the food culture. You’ll also get to see a little bit of the city and learn some of the history. Bucharest is the best place in all of Romania to take a food tour. I recommend booking this one here.
• Free walking tour: If you decide to bypass the food tour or feel that you didn’t get to see enough of the city with it, take a free walking tour. The free (pay what you want) walking tours will dive a little deeper into the history, culture, and traditions of both Bucharest and Romania as a whole.
• Parliamentary palace: Now if you do the tours, you will likely already see this. If not, you might want to stop here for the fact that this is the world’s second largest administrative building (after the Pentagon).
• Old Town: This may be a given, but take some time to stroll around the Old Town and see the simpler side of Bucharest dating back to the 15th century.

Brasov – 2 Days

Brasov is the jumping off point for the Transylvania region and the perfect next stop on your Romania itinerary. This is a place that I recommend spending a little more time.

Getting between Bucharest and Brasov

• By train: Duration – 2 hours and 32 minutes, price: $3-$11
• By bus: Duration – 3 hours and 40 minutes, price: $10-$13
• By BlaBlaCar: check availability

Things to Do in Brasov

Two days is the perfect amount of time to visit Brasov, because it gives one day to explore the town and another to take a day trip tour to the nearby castles.

• Free walking tour: Of course, the best way to see a new place is a guided tour with a local. The town of Brasov is no different. The guided tour will take you to all the highlights plus some of the places you may have never found on your own. Be sure to tip accordingly at the end of the tour
• Council Square: This is the main square in town and the perfect place to start or end your explorations.
• The Black Church: How unique is a black church?? It’s definitely one of the gems of the city and worth adding onto your itinerary.
• Take a castles day tour: There is a perfect day tour from Brasov that takes guests to Bran Castle, Peles Castle, and Rasnov Fortress. The tour is well worth it. It will make the most of your time by hitting 3 major attractions in 7 hours AND you will get more in-depth knowledge from the tour guide. The tour has 5/5 stars and reviewers rave about how great it is. Check it out here!

Sighisoara – 1 Day

Sighisoara is best known by tourists as the place where Dracula was born. Yes, it’s true that Vlad the Impaler was born in Sighisoara, but this village has so much charm past that. In all reality, the town hasn’t capitalized on the whole Dracula thing. I will add in one itinerary stop that will give you a little bit of that Dracula background. While a lot of people pass this small town up, I think it is a must to add to your Romania itinerary.

Getting between Brasov and Sighisoara

• By train: Duration – 4 hours and 4 minutes, price: $2-$9
• By bus: Duration – 2 hours and 5 minutes, price: $8-$10
• By BlaBlaCar: check availability

Things to Do in Sighisoara

The city of Sighisoara is a UNESCO Heritage site in itself, so just the streets and buildings are a sight to see in themselves. Otherwise, here are some other top things to do while you are there.

• The Citadel: the citadel is the historic center of the city of Sighisoara and is the only inhabited medieval fortress in South-East Europe.
• The Clock Tower: The clock tower serves as an emblem to the city of Sighisoara. It is picturesque and even houses a history museum.
• Church on the Hill: You have to make your way up quite a few steps to get to this gem. It is one of Transylvania’s fines churches, so the climb is well worth it.
• Casa Vlad Dracul (as I promised): This is literally the house that Vlad the Impaler (AKA Dracula) was born. Not only can you tour the house, but you can also dine at the restaurant inside the home for some authentic Romanian food.

Sibiu – 1 Day

Getting between Sighisoara and Sibiu

• By train: Duration – 2 hours and 25 minutes, price: $1-$7
• By bus: only available connected by train
• By BlaBlaCar: check availability

Things to Do in Sibiu

• Large Square and Small Square: Yes, I know the names are very unique, but indeed there is a large and small square in the old town. This is where you can enjoy coffee, food, and some of the main attractions.
• ASTRA Museum of Traditional Folk Civilization: The ASTRA Museum is the Europe’s largest open air ethnographic museum. The museum consists of a collection of buildings and technologies from all over Romania. The museum showcases the traditional culture and way of living.
• Bridge of Lies: The Bridge of Lies is the first cast iron bridge built in Romania and the second in all of Europe. Legend says that if you lie while standing on the bridge that it will collapse. I don’t recommend testing this theory (just to be safe).

Timisoara – 1 Day (only recommended for 1-way routes)

Timisoara is the 3rd largest city in Romania located in the Banat region. It is the perfect place to end your Romania itinerary (or to start if you enter Romania from Hungary or Serbia). If you need to start AND end your trip in Bucharest, I recommend skipping Timisoara altogether and heading back to Bucharest from Sibiu.

There are not too many touristy things to do in Timisoara, but the city is lively and full of character. Aside from a couple museums here or there, the best way to experience the city is by walking around, eating, drinking, and attending one of the several events Timisoara hosts.

Getting between Sibiu and Timisoara

• By train: Duration – 7 hours and 6 minutes, price: $6-$23 (with a transfer in Arad)
• By bus: Duration – 5 hours and 32 minutes, price: $10-$13
• By BlaBlaCar: check availability

Things to Do in Timisoara

As I referenced earlier, the “thing” to do in Timisoara is to vibe. You’ll notice as soon as you start exploring that the city is relaxed and moves at a slow pace. However, here are some checkpoints to keep in mind as you stroll around the city. I recommend starting up north at the Revolution Memorial Association and making your way south.

• Revolution Memorial Association: The revolution museum only costs a few euros to visit and gives an overview of the Romanian revolution. It’s quite small, but the video is informative if that part of Romanian history interests you.
• Union Square: You can find locals sitting outside enjoying a meal or cup of coffee in Union Square. I recommend you doing the same and soaking in your surroundings. The square is also where you will find gorgeous architecture, colorful buildings, and St. George’s Cathedral.
• St. George’s Cathedral: The cathedral was temporarily closed during my visit in October 2022, but it looked gorgeous from the outside.
• Timisoara Art Museum: The museum is also located in Union Square and is a good option to admire art.
• Liberty Square: This square is right in the city center between the other two popular squares of the city. Liberty Square is also where you can often find different events or festivals happening throughout the year. At my time of visit, a food truck festival was in full swing.
• Victory Square: This vast square is filled with shops and cafes. One end of it is also marked with the gorgeous Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral.
• Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral: You can’t miss this cathedral standing at the end of Victory Square. It stands tall and invites guests to come inside to admire the gold detailing during opening hours.
• Museum of the Communist Consumer: This museum is located a little outside the city center, but not far once you cross the river. The entrance to this quirky museum is free and allows you roam the rooms of what mimics a home during the communist era. Several miscellaneous objects from the era fill the rooms. Guests are welcome to touch, play with, and photograph as much as you’d like. The museum is under a cool, funky bar where you can order a coffee or alcoholic beverage and play games or read a book.

Extra day for travel/relaxing – 1 Day

If I did my math right, everything that I shared above adds up to a total of 6 days of your Romania itinerary. That was on purpose to leave a spare day for travel/relax time. Some of the stretches between cities in Romania can be long. Especially on the slow Romanian train. The longest stretch you will encounter is a 7.5 hour journey between Sibiu and Timisoara on the train. This can eat up the better part of a day. And of course, moving so quick can be exhausting, so this extra day will allow for some wiggle room.

Romania has so much to offer, but you can scratch the surface and get to see a good amount of the country in a week. This ultimate 1-week Romania itinerary will take you to some of the best places in the country that are easily accessible without a car.