Sighisoara. Photo: Shutterestock Your suitcase is still sitting half-unpacked in the corner. The kids are running around the house with the oversized water guns you bought from the friendly Greek vendor by the beach. Every evening, you're rubbing on that Greek yogurt body cream you couldn't resist buying and scrolling through hundreds of holiday photos. You already miss your vacation, and it's only been a few days since you got back.
Instead of counting down the days until next summer, why not squeeze in one more adventure while the weather is still warm? Your next favorite vacation might be just a three-hour flight away.
Hints: It has pleasant weather in September- October, and it's considerably cheaper than Rome, Paris, or Copenhagen.
As a backpacker, expect to pay $40–60 a day/person (hostels, street food, bus/train, free walking tours). For a mid-range vacation, prepare a budget of $90–140 a day (3-star hotels, sit-down meals, occasional taxi, paid attractions).
If you’re looking for comfort, you will pay $150–230 a day (4-star hotels, restaurants with wine, rental car, guided tours). If you want to go all in with a luxury trip, prepare $300+ a day (5-star/boutique accommodation, fine dining, private guides).
As you’ve probably guessed by now, we want to recommend beautiful Romania through a fun itinerary that begins in the country’s vibrant capital and ends in Cluj-Napoca, allowing you to explore the unique Transylvania region.
CEC Bank, Bucharest. Photo: ShutterstockStart your day wandering through the charming streets of the Old Town and savoring coffee and tasty food at iconic coffee shops and restaurants like Origo, Beans & Dots, M60 Cafe, or Cărturești Carusel (on the top floor of an iconic bookstore with stunning views over the city).
Old Town. Photo: ShutterstockCurious to see just how good Romanian discounts truly are? Pick any of the 15+ massive malls in the city and find out. Then, let the kids (or the child in you) spend a few hours at Comana Adventure Park for fun at the zip lines, ropes, archery, or climbing, or go to the Museum of Senses or the iconic Palace of the Parliament (guided tour).
Parliament Palace. Photo: Alberto Giron Photography / Shutterstock.comFor a truly relaxing time, visit Therme, Europe’s largest wellness spa packed with warm-water pools, saunas, water slides, and over 800,000 plants.
Tip: Ask for a Caribbean salt scrub in the sauna.
Therme. Photo: Altug Galip / Shutterstock.comLeave Bucharest early and head into the Carpathian Mountains. We recommend renting a car for the entire trip ($7-$37 a day). Bus rides in between cities are also convenient, ranging between $6-$10 per person.
Peles Castle. Photo: ShutterstockYour first stop is Sinaia, Romania's elegant royal mountain resort. The highlight is Peleș Castle, widely considered one of Europe's most beautiful castles with its lavish interiors, impressive weapon collections, and beautifully decorated royal rooms.
If time allows, visit nearby Pelișor Castle or take the gondola into the Bucegi Mountains for spectacular panoramic views.
Busteni-Babele gondola. Photo: trabantos / Shutterstock.comContinue to Bran Castle, the fortress famously associated with the Dracula legend. Although its connection to Vlad the Impaler is largely mythical, Bran Castle is one of Romania's most fascinating attractions, with narrow staircases, hidden passages, medieval courtyards, and stunning mountain scenery. Spend the night in captivating Brașov and enjoy the peace and cool temperatures of this mountain medieval city.
Spend the morning exploring Brașov, walking through Council Square, strolling along Rope Street, one of Europe's narrowest streets, and taking the cable car (or hiking) to Tâmpa Mountain for breathtaking views.
Brasov. Photo: Shutterstock
In the afternoon, continue to Sighișoara, one of Europe's best-preserved inhabited medieval citadels and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sighisoara, Romania. Photo: Shutterstock.comExplore the colorful cobbled streets, climb the iconic Clock Tower, visit the house traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, and walk the famous Covered Scholars' Staircase.
Dracula souvenirs in Sighisoara. Photo: Anna ART / Shutterstock.comDrive to Sibiu, Romania's cultural capital, and enjoy its beautifully restored Old Town known for the distinctive "eyes" on the rooftops that appear to watch visitors as they wander through its squares.
Sibiu. Photo: ShutterstockVisit Grand and Small Squares for the vibrant atmosphere, the Bridge of Lies, or Brukenthal Palace.
As a Transylvanian who calls Cluj-Napoca home, I may be slightly biased when saying this is one of Romania's coolest cities. But the truth is it's hard not to like this modern, youthful, remarkably safe and clean city with mesmerizing architecture, home of important summer festivals (Untold, Electric Castle, TIFF), cafés, rooftop bars, and cutting-edge technology.
Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Photo: Shutterstock
Cluj-Napoca architecture. Photo: Alex IgnaStart your day having breakfast and coffee in Unirii Square, wander through Museum Square packed with bars and terraces, or climb the 237 steps to Citadel Hill, where locals gather every evening to watch iconic sunsets.
For restaurant recommendations, try Roata and Zama for hearty Transylvanian classics, Baracca, Via, Samsara Foodhouse (vegetarian), or Chios (beside the lake) for fine dining. Coffee lovers can’t skip Meron, Olivo, or 5 to Go.
Meron cafe. Photo: Alex IgnaFor fun at night, opt for The Brewhouse (beer tanks part of the decor), Klausenburger Rooftop (rooftop views over the city), or The Soviet (communist-style bar). For clubbing, try Flying Circus, Londoner, Euphoria, or Chios Social Lounge (party by the lake).
Steampunk Museum. Photo: Alex IgnaSteampunk Transylvania Museum combines Victorian aesthetics with fantasy engineering, featuring a steam-powered spaceship, a hidden time machine, escape rooms, and special full-moon evening openings.
Steampunk Museum. Photo: Alex IgnaMINA – Museum of Immersive New Art, Europe's largest immersive art center offers spectacular 360-degree projections, interactive exhibitions, multimedia installations, and laser tag experiences.
MINA Museum. Photo: Alex IgnaMUZEON is one of Romania's newest and most innovative museums that tells the story of Cluj's Jewish community and the wider Jewish history of Transylvania through interactive exhibitions, multimedia storytelling, and personal testimonies.
Moara de Vânt is a family and pet-friendly leisure park with an interactive zoo where children can touch and feed over 400 friendly animals including llamas, deer, goats, and miniature ponies.
In Central Park, swan-shaped paddle boats glide across Chios Lake, while the Botanical Garden offers a peaceful escape from the city.
Central Park. Photo: Alex IgnaThose looking to unwind can head to Wonderland Resort, featuring one of the region's largest outdoor pools, an indoor spa, jacuzzis, a hammam, massage treatments, and lakeside restaurants.
Lake at Salina Turda. Photo: ShutterstockFrequently ranked among Europe's most spectacular underground attractions, this former salt mine has been transformed into a vast entertainment complex more than 100 meters below ground.
Turda Salt Mine. Photo: ShutterstockVisitors can ride a Ferris wheel, play mini golf and bowling, attend concerts inside an underground amphitheater, or rent boats on a glowing emerald lake deep beneath the surface, while the naturally mineral-rich air offers respiratory wellness.
From Cluj, you can take a short 50-minute flight back to Bucharest just in time to board the plane after exploring a side of Transylvania that goes far beyond the Dracula myths. Best of all, you'll have done it without spending a fortune.