10 Days in Romania: The Perfect Itinerary
The classic 10-day Romania route: 2–3 days in Bucharest, then a Transylvania loop through Brasov (with a Bran-and-Peles castle day trip), an overnight in Sighisoara, a day in Sibiu, and — if you've rented a car — a run up the Transfagarasan highway before looping back to Bucharest. It covers the country's essential sights without the rushed, one-night-per-city feel that shorter trips often fall into.
Ten days is the sweet spot for a first Romania trip — long enough to actually stay two nights in the places that deserve it, short enough that you're not trying to force in Maramures or the Bucovina monasteries on top of everything else. Here's a route that's been tested by enough travelers to know it works.
| Day | Where | What you're doing |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Bucharest | Old Town (Lipscani), the Palace of the Parliament, the Village Museum, a night out in the restaurant/rooftop-bar scene |
| 3 | Bucharest → Brasov | Morning train (2.5–3 hours), afternoon in Council Square and the Black Church |
| 4 | Brasov (day trip) | Bran Castle and Peles Castle, combined in one day tour or self-drive |
| 5 | Brasov → Sighisoara | Drive or train (~2 hours), afternoon and evening inside the medieval citadel, overnight |
| 6 | Sighisoara → Sibiu | Short hop (~1–1.5 hours), afternoon in Piata Mare and Piata Mica, evening at the Bridge of Lies |
| 7 | Sibiu | Morning at the ASTRA open-air museum, afternoon free or a day trip toward the Fagaras foothills |
| 8 | Sibiu → Transfagarasan → Brasov | Drive the mountain highway (if renting a car and it's in season), stop at Balea Lake, back to Brasov by evening |
| 9 | Brasov | A slower day — Mount Tampa cable car, Rasnov Citadel, or simply resting before the trip back |
| 10 | Brasov → Bucharest | Return train, flight home |
Why this order works
Starting in Bucharest makes sense logistically (it's the main international gateway) and lets you ease into the trip in a city before the more rural, driving-heavy Transylvania stretch. Looping Brasov → Sighisoara → Sibiu → back toward Brasov for the Transfagarasan keeps driving distances short and avoids backtracking — all three towns sit within roughly 1–2 hours of each other.
This itinerary assumes you're renting a car for at least the Sighisoara-Sibiu-Transfagarasan stretch (days 5–8) — public transport covers Bucharest-Brasov well, but the mountain highway and some smaller-town connections genuinely need a car or an organized tour.
If you don't want to drive
Skip the Transfagarasan day (day 8) and swap it for a second, slower day in Brasov or a rest day in Sibiu instead — trains and buses comfortably cover Bucharest, Brasov, Sighisoara, and Sibiu, and a Bran-and-Peles day tour from Brasov handles the one leg public transport doesn't reach well.
What to skip if you only have 7 days
- Cut Sibiu — it's the most skippable of the three Transylvania towns if you're tight on time, since Brasov and Sighisoara cover the castle-and-medieval-town essentials.
- Drop the Transfagarasan if it's outside its late-June-to-October open season anyway, or if you're not comfortable with mountain driving.
- Keep Bucharest to 2 days flat rather than 3, and use the extra day in Brasov or Sighisoara instead.
What to add if you have 14+ days
Extend north to the painted monasteries of Bucovina (a genuine 2–3 day detour, best reached via a short flight to Suceava) or the Danube Delta (2–3 days via Tulcea) — both are far enough from the standard Transylvania loop that they need a dedicated leg, but both reward travelers who make the time.
Budget for this itinerary
Using the mid-range tier from our trip-cost calculator (~$55/day per person before flights), a 10-day trip for two people runs roughly $1,100 in ground costs, plus $220–1,100 per person in round-trip flights and $60–150 for the Bran-and-Peles day tour and a rental car for the Transfagarasan stretch.
Book Bran-and-Peles combined day tours and the Sighisoara or Sibiu guesthouses at least a few weeks ahead if you're traveling June-September — this exact route is popular enough that the best-reviewed small guesthouses and tour operators do sell out in peak months.