My hometown Brasov sits in the elbow of the Carpathian Mountains, providing year-round opportunities for nature exploration, while combining small medieval town charm and modern amenities. I attempt yearly visits, and last year I had the added bonus of visiting with my nephew who lives in Switzerland. We explored Tampa mountain and Postavaru peak, we had our fill of traditional Romanian food and wine, and spent time catching up with family.
It’s been more than a decade since talk of opening an airport just outside Brasov started. I was beyond thrilled when the airport actually came into being in 2023. Unfortunately, we would need to wait a little longer (hopefully fewer than ten years) for the operations to catch up and for enough flights to be available… Meanwhile, we still have to fly into Bucharest and catch a ride to Brasov.
The silver lining was that we got to drive by Nevermore Academy—or actually Cantacuzino Castle, where the movie Wednesday was set. The 18 century hunting house features unique neo-Romanian architecture and is located in the picturesque town of Busteni, at the base of Caraiman peak (7,822 ft or 2,384 m).
Side note: this area is worth a visit. Take Busteni cable car up to Caraiman peak (or hike if you dare; you will need good hiking shoes). Keep in mind that the weather up top is moody, so take a sweatshirt and even a raincoat with you. A short walk from the cable car station will take you to a couple of interesting rock formations, one called Babele (Old Ladies) and one called The Sphinx, then to a giant metal cross, a monument dedicated to WWI heroes. On a clear day, you’ll get a beautiful view of Prahova valley below and see all the other mountain peaks around you.
See a video of the area here.
Once we arrived in Brasov, we headed to the old city and found our AirBnB: a quaint upstairs apartment in an old building (renovated and modernized). An interior courtyard behind heavy old wooden doors provided a phonic buffer from the outside world.
The location was ideal: only minutes away from the main square (Piata Sfatului), cafes, restaurants, shopping, and Tampa Mountain.
From the apartment, if we took a left, then another left, Michael Weiss Street led us to one of our favorite restaurants for traditional Romanian food: La Ceaun. The restaurant has two locations in the old city, one in the main square and one on the side street adjacent to the main pedestrian cobblestone street, Republicii Street. The location in Piata Sfatului is perfect but tends to be busier.
For about $30 total, we feasted on appetizers, entrée, wine and beer. I can’t recommend the place enough! The staff is very friendly and the food is amazing. The only annoyance was a busker nearby (who wasn’t super great but who really loved practicing his craft loudly).
It’s always nice to see mom and dad; and we loved hanging out with my “little” nephew (who towers over all of us at 6 ft something). We walked a lot, as we always do in Europe, stopping often to take more photos and to indulge in fresh pastries. For daily sustenance, we shopped at several small grocery stores in the area, one offering exclusively fruit and vegetables (for only a few dollars, we filled up our bag with fresh goodies!).
The city’s old fortification wall and watch towers are still around and people walk along the perimeter, a lovely promenade or respite opportunity with great views of downtown.
At night, the city comes alive: the terraces are filled with diners, live music cuts through the chatter, people of all ages stroll through the cobblestone streets, and we smell something delicious every step of the way. We passed Reduta Cultural Center and peeked through the open arched windows as the youth group Poienita was rehearsing traditional Romanian folk dances.
I love my city, but I always look forward to visiting my mountains!
Just a quick walk up the hill from our AirBnB, past the city wall, a cable car takes visitors to the top of Tampa mountain, almost 2,000 ft above the city. Unfortunately for us, by the time we got to the viewing point, we barely had a minute to snap a couple of pictures before running back through drenching rain. We were soaked but happy, unlike the people who chose to hike up the winding trail, trudging through mud below the cable car.
From the old city, we took the A1 bus (you can buy tickets at the kiosk; $1 or 4 RON/trip) to Poiana Brasov, a beloved ski resort 20 minutes up a winding road. The weather was on our side this time!
We popped by Sura Dacilor, a traditional Romanian restaurant (I haven’t eaten there lately, but I like to look at the traditional décor), then boarded the cable car to Postavaru Peak (5,902 ft or 1,799 m).
Upon arrival, some may choose to get a beer at Cabana Postavaru. We joined a group of teenagers on the grassy slope and admired the panorama.
One week at home is never enough—there’s so much to see and do in Brasov and in the area. I hope you get to explore it someday!
Happy travels!
