Brasov

The heart of the old town is the Council Square (Piața Sfatului), surrounded by pastel merchant houses, with the old Council House and its tower in the middle, now home to the local history museum. Next to it stands the Black Church, the largest Gothic church in the region, named after a great fire blackened its walls. Inside it holds a notable collection of Anatolian carpets.

Nearby you will find Rope Street (Strada Sforii), one of the narrowest streets in Europe, and Catherine's Gate, the only original medieval city gate to survive. Sections of the old walls and bastions still run along the foot of Tâmpa, and a cable car climbs the mountain for wide views over the rooftops. The historic Schei quarter preserves St Nicholas Church and the First Romanian School museum.

Brașov is the base for visiting Bran Castle, linked to the Dracula legend, the Râșnov fortress and Peleș Castle in Sinaia. On our East Balkans: Albania to Romania in 14 Days tour, you stay overnight in Brașov and explore it together with Sinaia before returning to Bucharest.

Brașov is around three hours from Bucharest by road or train. The old town is compact and walkable. Summer and early autumn are best for walks on Tâmpa, while in winter the nearby resort of Poiana Brașov offers skiing.

Gallery photos: Pudelek (Marcin Szala) (CC BY-SA 3.0), Pudelek (Marcin Szala) (CC BY-SA 3.0), www.bdmundo.com (CC BY-SA 2.0), Alex:D (CC BY-SA 3.0), Chainwit. (CC BY 4.0), Nenea hartia (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons