Self-Launched Highlights of Transylvania: Bucharest to Brasov, Sighisoara, Cluj & Sibiu

Land at Bucharest Henri Coanda (Otopeni) airport and take the 783 express bus or the airport train to the city centre (~£1–2). Check into a hostel in or near Lipscani/Old Town. Spend the late afternoon wandering the Old Town, Stavropoleos Monastery and Cismigiu Gardens, then join a free walking tour tip-based intro if timing works. In the evening, eat at a local carciuma (traditional tavern) — try ciorba (sour soup) and mici (grilled sausages) with a beer for around £10–12. Bucharest has a lively, affordable hostel scene, so this is also a good night for meeting other travellers to share day trips with.

🚌Airport express bus 783 or train from Otopeni to Gara de Nord/Bucharest centre (~£1–2)

🛏Hostel dorm or budget private room, Old Town/Lipscani area (~£15–20)

• →Old Town (Lipscani) wander
• →Stavropoleos Monastery
• →Cismigiu Gardens
• →Tip-based free walking tour
• →Traditional Romanian dinner

Do your own walking circuit of Bucharest's headline sights: Revolution Square (Piata Revolutiei), the Romanian Athenaeum, the former Royal Palace, Piata Romana and the Arc de Triumf. Take a short metro ride to Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Herastrau Park — entry is only a couple of pounds and gives a fantastic overview of rural Romania you'll be driving through. The Palace of Parliament must be booked in advance (book online or by phone; ID/passport required, entry ~£7–10) — the interior tour is genuinely worth it and is something the group tour skips. Note the Visitor Centre is often closed on certain days, so check before booking. Evening: craft beer in the Old Town.

🚌Metro day pass (~£1.50) plus walking

🛏Hostel dorm or budget private room, Old Town area (~£15–20)

• →Revolution Square & Athenaeum
• →Arc de Triumf
• →Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum (entry ~£2)
• →Palace of Parliament interior tour (pre-book, ~£8)

Take an early train from Bucharest to Sinaia (~1h30, ~£6–8). Walk or take a local bus up to Peles Castle — book the interior tour on arrival or online (closed Mondays/Tuesdays; entry ~£7–9). Continue by train to Brasov (~1h, ~£4), drop bags at a hostel or guesthouse in the old town, then take local bus 20 or a taxi (~£5–7 shared) to Bran Castle for the afternoon (~£8 entry). Return to Brasov for the evening: see the Black Church from outside, wander Piata Sfatului and eat at a cellar restaurant on Strada Republicii. Optional add-on: the Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Zarnesti — book ahead directly and take a local bus/taxi from Bran.

🚌Train Bucharest–Sinaia–Brasov (~£10 total); local bus 20/taxi to Bran (~£3–4 one way)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Brasov old town (~£18–25)

• →Peles Castle interior tour
• →Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle)
• →Black Church & Piata Sfatului, Brasov
• →Optional: Libearty Bear Sanctuary, Zarnesti

Morning train from Brasov to Sighisoara (~2h, ~£6–8). Leave your bag at the station lockers and walk up into the walled Citadel — climb the Clock Tower (~£3), see the Dominican Monastery, the Church on the Hill and the yellow 'Dracula's House' (Casa Vlad Dracul). Eat lunch in the citadel square, then take an afternoon train onward to Cluj-Napoca (~2h30–3h, ~£10–12). In Cluj, check into a hostel near the old town and explore Union Square (Piata Unirii), St Michael's Church and the Matthias Corvinus Monument by evening light. Cluj has some of Romania's best nightlife — a cheap beer is around £2.

🚌Train Brasov–Sighisoara (~£7); train Sighisoara–Cluj-Napoca (~£11)

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Cluj-Napoca centre (~£15–22)

• →Sighisoara Citadel walk
• →Clock Tower entry
• →Church on the Hill
• →Casa Vlad Dracul
• →Cluj Union Square & St Michael's Church

This is the logistically trickiest day independently, so plan ahead. From Cluj take an early bus or train to Turda (~40–60 min, ~£3–4), then local bus/taxi to Salina Turda salt mine (entry ~£6–8) — the underground lake and cavern are the highlight. Continue by bus or train to Deva and take a local bus/taxi to Hunedoara for Corvin (Hunedoara) Castle (~£6–9 entry). From Hunedoara/Deva take a train to Sibiu (~2–2.5h, ~£8–10). If this feels too tight, a simpler alternative is to skip Corvin Castle and travel directly Turda–Sibiu by bus/train, then use the spare time for Sibiu's old town. Either way, end the day in Sibiu's Lower Town.

🚌Bus/train Cluj–Turda (~£4); bus/train Turda–Deva–Hunedoara (~£7); train Deva–Sibiu (~£9)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Sibiu old town (~£18–25)

• →Salina Turda salt mine underground lake
• →Corvin (Hunedoara) Castle
• →Evening in Sibiu Lower Town

Spend the morning exploring Sibiu on foot: Piata Mare and Piata Mica, the Bridge of Lies, the Lutheran Cathedral (climb the tower for views, ~£2–3), the Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Brukenthal Palace/National Museum (optional, ~£6). Coffee and covrigi in the main square is a Romanian ritual — budget £3–4. In the afternoon take a direct train or coach back to Bucharest (~4h–4h30 by train, ~£12–16; coaches via Fany/FlixBus can be similar or cheaper). Check back into your Bucharest hostel and enjoy a final evening in the Old Town.

🚌Train or coach Sibiu–Bucharest (~£12–16)

🛏Hostel dorm or budget private room, Bucharest (~£15–20)

• →Piata Mare & Piata Mica
• →Bridge of Lies
• →Lutheran Cathedral tower
• →Brukenthal Palace
• →Holy Trinity Cathedral

Depending on your flight time, take a final stroll through Herastrau Park, hit one of Bucharest's excellent third-wave coffee shops, or squeeze in a quick visit to the National Museum of Art or the Romanian Peasant Museum. Then take the 783 bus or airport train back to Otopeni. If you're heading onward, overnight trains and cheap regional flights connect Bucharest to Budapest, Sofia and Istanbul. Buy your airport transport ticket in advance to avoid queues.

🚌Airport express bus 783 or train (~£1–2)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Herastrau Park
• →Coffee shop morning
• →Optional museum visit