Brasov Old Town and the Black Church

Brasov is the biggest of the medieval Saxon cities of southern Transylvania and one of the most attractive towns in Romania, ringed by forested mountains and centred on a lively cobbled square. Its old town grew rich on trade between Western Europe and the Ottoman lands, and the merchants and guilds left behind a wealth of Baroque townhouses, towers and bastions. The great landmark is the Black Church, the largest Gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul, named after the smoke damage it suffered in a fire in 1689. The Council Square, Piata Sfatului, holds the old Council House, now a history museum, and the cafe terraces below pastel facades. Above the town, the wooded Tampa mountain carries the white Brasov sign and a cable car with panoramic views.

A walk around Brasov usually begins in the Council Square, where you can sit with a coffee and take in the colourful facades before heading to the Black Church, which is a few minutes away. Inside, the church is vast and austere, with a collection of Anatolian carpets donated by merchants and a large organ that is still used for concerts.

From there, the lanes lead to Rope Street, one of the narrowest streets in Europe, and to the remains of the city walls, bastions and the Weavers' Bastion, which stand against the hillside. The old Schei district, once home to the Romanian community outside the walls, has its own church and a gentler, more village-like feel.

Brasov lies roughly two and a half hours from Sibiu by road, so it works as a full-day excursion rather than a quick stop. The paid link on this page is a day tour from Sibiu that combines Brasov with Bran Castle, which is the most common way to see both, since the castle is a short drive from the city.

A guide and driver take care of the road, and the route usually leaves enough time for a walk around the old town and lunch. Check the pick-up time, the languages offered and the inclusions before you reserve. If you want longer in Brasov itself, consider staying overnight and travelling on by train or road.

Allow two to three hours for the old town on foot, plus extra if you want to ride the cable car up Tampa or step inside the Black Church and the history museum. The streets are cobbled and gently sloping, so comfortable shoes help, and the Council Square is liveliest in summer and during the Christmas season, when the stalls and lights add to the atmosphere.

The Black Church keeps shorter hours on some days and may be closed during services or concerts, so check ahead. The cable car does not run in poor weather or during maintenance. Brasov can be crowded on summer weekends, so a weekday visit gives a calmer feel. Compared with Sibiu, Brasov is bigger, busier and more mountain-focused, which makes it a good contrast to your base in the Saxon heartland.