Brasov, Romania

Brasov is a city in Romania and the capital of Braşov County. It is located in the central part of the country, about 166 km north of Bucharest. It is surrounded by the Southern Carpathians and is part of the Transylvania region. The city provides a mix of wonderful mountain scenery in the nearby Poiana Braşov and medieval history with German influences in the old town.

Centrally located Braşov is a good starting point for trips around Romania. The city is situated at fairly equal distances from several tourism destinations in the country: the Black Sea resorts, the monasteries in northern Moldavia, and the well-preserved wooden churches of Maramureş. The city was once a medieval trading center and today is largely industrial. One of its main attractions is the Black Church. Built in the early 15th Century, the Black Church is said to be the largest gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul. Visit the Piata Sfatului, a large square surrounded by fortress walls, or stroll along the Strada Republicii, a great place to shop for handmade Romanian wares including painted eggs, woven rugs, wooden toys, and carvings.

Things to See & Do

* Biserica Neagră ("The Black Church")
* Bran Castle
* Rope Street
* Catherine’s Gate
* Tâmpa, a small mountain in the middle of the city

General Information

Cruise Season – March to Dec
Currency – Romanian leu (RON)
Language – Romanian
Land Area – 267.2 km²
Population – 280,000 approx.
Electricity – 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT/UTC plus two hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 40

Travel Links - Getting to Braşov is very easy, due to the fact that it is a major Romanian railway hub. Between Bucharest, the capital, there are 19 trains daily, and there are also frequent trains from other Romanian cities as well as a daily connection to Budapest, Hungary (via Oradea) and a EuroNight (fast night train) connection to Budapest via Arad.There are daily trains from Wien,Krakow,Prague.