Transylvania Unearthed – Halloween Edition (Self-Launched)

Land at Henri Coandă Airport and take the 783 express bus or the direct airport train (Henri Coandă Express) to Gara de Nord — about 4 lei (£0.70) for the bus, roughly 10 lei for the train. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the Lipscani/Old Town area. Spend the late afternoon wandering the Old Town, the Palace of Parliament exterior and Cișmigiu Park. Grab dinner at a local 'crama' for ciorbă and mici — expect £9–12 with a beer.

🚌Airport bus 783 or airport train to Gara de Nord, ~£1

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse near Lipscani Old Town (£22–30/night private, £12–16 dorm)

• →Old Town orientation wander
• →Parliament Palace exterior
• →Cișmigiu Park

Two options. Easiest: take the CFR InterRegio train from Bucharest to Sibiu (~5.5 hrs, £12–18 booked on cfrcalatori.ro). For the Poenari detour the original tour does, take an early train or bus to Curtea de Argeș (~2.5 hrs, £5), then a local taxi or a shared ride up the Transfăgărășan road to the base of Poenari (around 60–100 lei each way — cheaper if you split with other travellers you meet at the trailhead). Climb the 1,480 steps to Vlad the Impaler's real fortress ruins (entry ~10 lei, £1.70). Return to Curtea de Argeș and take the afternoon bus to Sibiu (~2.5 hrs, £5–7). Check in and do your own orientation walk around the Large Square, Small Square and the Liar's Bridge.

🚌Train/bus Bucharest–Curtea de Argeș ~£5; local taxi to Poenari ~£10 split; bus Curtea de Argeș–Sibiu ~£6

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Sibiu's old town (£20–28/night)

• →Poenari Castle ruins climb (1,480 steps)
• →Transfăgărășan road viewpoint
• →Sibiu old town orientation walk

Spend the morning in Sibiu — the Brukenthal Museum (£3), the Astra Traditional Folk Civilisation Museum open-air village (£2) and the Evangelical Cathedral tower climb. In the early afternoon take the bus or train to Deva/Hunedoara (~2 hrs, £4–6). Hunedoara's Corvin (Hunyad) Castle runs a big Halloween costume night each year — tickets go on sale months ahead on the castle's official channels and sell out, so buy as soon as announced and bring a costume. If you're not travelling at Halloween, the castle is open for standard daytime visits (entry ~40 lei, £7) and is arguably more atmospheric empty. Stay in Hunedoara or Deva.

🚌Bus Sibiu–Deva/Hunedoara ~£5

🛏Guesthouse or small hotel in Hunedoara/Deva (£20–26/night)

• →Brukenthal Museum
• →Astra open-air museum
• →Halloween costume party at Corvin Castle

If you were out late at the party, start slow. Either way, do a daytime lap of Corvin Castle — the Gothic bridge, the knights' hall and the torture chamber. Late morning, take the train or bus to Sighișoara (~3 hrs via Teiuș or Alba Iulia, £6–9). Check into a guesthouse inside the UNESCO-listed medieval citadel if you can — it's tiny and fills up. Do your own walk: the Clock Tower (turnul cu ceas, £2.50), the Covered Staircase, the Church on the Hill and the yellow house on Piața Muzeului that claims to be Vlad Țepeș's birthplace.

🚌Train/bus Hunedoara–Sighișoara ~£7

🛏Guesthouse inside Sighișoara citadel (£22–30/night)

• →Corvin Castle daytime visit
• →Sighișoara citadel orientation walk
• →Clock Tower climb

Spend the day gently: the Museum of Medieval Weapons, the Saxon villages nearby (Viscri is a bus-and-hitch away and worth it for its fortified church), or just coffee in the citadel square. In the evening, head out to Bran Castle — around 1.5 hrs by bus from Sighișoara to Brașov then local bus 12/13, or pre-book a shared taxi/minibus if you're doing a night event (£15–20 return). Bran runs a Halloween wine-tasting and show event; tickets are limited and released in advance on brancastlevampire.com or via GetYourGuide — book months ahead for 31 October. If you're not travelling at Halloween, an evening entry ticket to the castle is £10 and far less crowded.

🚌Bus Sighișoara–Brașov–Bran and back, ~£15 return

🛏Guesthouse inside Sighișoara citadel (£22–30/night)

• →Museum of Medieval Weapons
• →Viscri fortified church day trip (optional)
• →Bran Castle evening event with wine tasting

Take the train or bus to Brașov (~2 hrs, £4). Store your bag and hop local bus 620 or a 20-min train to Prejmer to see the UNESCO fortified church — one of the best-preserved Saxon peasant fortresses in Europe, entry ~15 lei (£2.50). Back in Brașov, check into a hostel or guesthouse in the old town and do your own loop: Council Square, the Black Church (£2), the narrowest street in Romania (Strada Sforii) and the Rope Street viewpoints. Evening in the old town — the pub scene here is excellent and cheap.

🚌Train Sighișoara–Brașov ~£4; local bus to Prejmer ~£1.50

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Brașov old town (£18–26/night)

• →Prejmer fortified church
• →Black Church visit
• →Brașov old town walk

A full free day. Options: take bus 12 to Bran Castle for the daytime visit (£10 entry) and the open-air village museum; hike the Tampa Mountain trail from the old town (free, 1 hr up, best sunset in Transylvania); or do the 7 Ladders Canyon hike in Piatra Craiului National Park (bus to Zărnești, ~£2). Cable car up Tampa is ~£2.50 if your legs are tired. Rope in other travellers from your hostel for a day out — this is the day the group tour leaves you on your own too.

🚌Local bus to Bran ~£3 return; bus to Zărnești ~£4 return

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Brașov old town (£18–26/night)

• →Tampa Mountain hike
• →Bran Castle daytime visit and village museum
• →7 Ladders Canyon hike (optional)

Take a morning train or bus to Sinaia (~1 hr from Brașov, £2.50). Walk to Peleș Castle and buy a ticket for the ground floor or full tour (£5–8); check blooming days — Peleș is closed Mondays and Tuesdays and ticketed slots go fast in October, so book on the Peles.ro site or via GetYourGuide. Also worth 45 minutes: Pelișor, the smaller Art Nouveau palace next door. Afternoon train from Sinaia back to Bucharest (~2 hrs, £6–9). Final evening in the Old Town — Caru' cu Bere for a proper last dinner, £14 with drinks.

🚌Train Brașov–Sinaia ~£2.50; train Sinaia–Bucharest ~£7

🛏Hostel or budget hotel near Lipscani Old Town (£22–30/night)

• →Peleș Castle guided interior tour
• →Pelișor Palace
• →Bucharest Old Town evening

Flexible morning — the Museum of the Romanian Peasant (£2) or a last wander through the Old Town if your flight is later. Take the 783 bus or airport train back to Otopeni for roughly £1. Departure transfers via the airport train take about 25 minutes from Gara de Nord.

🚌Airport bus 783 or airport train, ~£1

🛏—

• →Museum of the Romanian Peasant (optional)