Road trip guide: Where to go in Romania

For a stunning road trip destination in a European country you might not have been to yet, I would definitely recommend Romania.

This is a country full of rolling green hills, beautiful ancient castles, bustling European-style cities and a strong cultural scene too.

It’s very easy to fly into Bucharest from the UK, and the flights are incredibly cheap (Blue Air, Wizzair. Ryanair or Easyjet have many options).

Once you’ve touched down, pick up a rental car and get ready to explore this sprawling, beautiful European country underestimated by many.

If you don’t fancy driving yourself, I can recommend Mementobus as an affordable option with many routes to choose from around Romania.

Romania’s cities are full of unexplored culture with bustling historical centres and great food and drink scene.

This road trip route takes you through some of the nicest cities and sights Romania has to offer – although there are hundreds of different routes around this beautiful country you can try if you want to go your own way.

This road trip route can be done over a long week – and although the cities are full of wonders to look at and explore, the views of the green and lush Romanian landscapes you get to enjoy along the way are just as special.

Escape outside of Bucharest and explore what Romania has to offer. Enjoy the fun of a road trip, the multiple destinations and natural views you get to take in along the drive.

Romania is a country rich in history and stunning landscapes – I hope you enjoy the view from your rental car as much as I did.

Go up to the top of the hill in Brasov

Brasov is an easy couple of hour’s drive away from Bucharest – this place is an awesome spot to park up the car and explore your first cosy little city on your Romanian road trip.

Go up to the top of the hill and check out the Hollywood-style sign spelling out the name of the town as well as the incredible views looking over the city.

The restaurant scene is pretty great, so it’s a nice place to eat before continuing your journey.

Go back in time at Cetatea Feldioara (Fortress Castle)

Cetatea Feldioara is a brand new tourist attraction featuring a very old fortress. The castle dates back to around 1211 and has recently been renovated and opened up to the public so they can look around.

Stop along the way from Brasov to Oradea to break up the trip – it’s a really picturesque site to walk around for a few hours and get a feel for the old days of Romania.

The beautiful citadel city of Oradea

Oradea is your next stop off, and you can visit a beautiful citadel here for more whimsical experiences of Romania’s history.

There’s also a really fun aqua park here with spa facilities – absolutely perfect and really refreshing after a road trip driving day.

I really liked the nice pedestrianised shopping area and found plenty of nice places to get something to eat along the promenade.

There’s a decent bit of nightlife here too, so it’s a fun place to stopover for the night.

Timisoara, the European capital of culture for 2021

Timisoara is often called ‘Little Vienna’ thanks to its Austrian influences in the architecture, food and cultural scene.

It’s a really great place to stop off on your Romanian road trip as it’s a walking city, easily traversable by foot.

Great place to stretch your legs after being in your rental car for a few hours!

It’s the second biggest city other than Bucharest and is set to be the European capital of culture for 2021 thanks to a thriving cultural scene.

This is only set to expand as the funding for this big event increases – so it’s a really great time to visit Timisoara for culture fans and art lovers.

The city borders onto Hungary which gives this place loads of cultural crossovers, with influences from the Ottoman empire and also the Austrian-Hungarian empire.

This city has a seriously good restaurant and bar scene with crazy nightlife options too, so I would say it really is worth staying the night here.

There are massive nightclubs on the edge of town that are really fun if you want to dance into the early hours.

By day, Timisoara is a student town with lots to do, good coffee shops, and historical walking tours.

The beautifully preserved old of Sighisoara

The town of Sighisoara has a beautifully preserved old walled town that is a UNESCO heritage site.

There are fortresses to explore, and charming streets filled with colourful houses and cobbled stones.

Known as the birthplace of Count Dracula, it’s a great city to stop over in before you visit our last infamous spot on this Romanian road trip tour…

Bran castle, the home of Dracula

Visitors to this corner of Romania will want to check out Bran Castle for sure – it’s the home of the Dracula legend.

Sparked by the bloody misdeeds of Vlad the Impaler, this castle was home to horrors and atrocities committed by the sadistic historical figure and inspiration for the Dracula tales.

Despite it’s bloody past, this castle really is one of the most beautiful in Europe, and it makes for a fascinating final destination on this road trip tour.