Tourist guide Brașov county
With a history dating back to the Neolithic period, reinforced by the Bronze and Iron Age artefacts around the capital Brasov, Brasov county is one of the important pawns on Romania’s tourist map, with several favourite destinations for Romanians’ winter holidays. Located in the central part of the country, just after crossing the Southern Carpathians from the south, Brasov County is the launch pad for visiting Transylvania, offering a wealth of natural and cultural attractions and countless entertainment possibilities. From the history and vestiges of Brasov, to the slopes of Predeal and Poiana Brasov, through the historic, fortified towns of Harman and Prejmer, over the Bucegi Mountains, Postavar, Piatra Craiului and along the Olt, Brasov County is as diverse as it is interesting and valuable.
Urban attractions
The urban story begins in the capital of Brasov, the city of the medieval Saxons, wealthy merchants who saw the region’s extraordinary potential offered by the passes over the mountains, building and fortifying the city with defensive walls, inaugurating unique churches and thus propelling the city’s political power. No other place in Romania is as close to many of the attractions that define the Transylvanian area, as well as the resorts of the Prahova Valley or the Buzau Valley. Religious edifices such as the Black Church or the Church of Saint Nicholas delight culture lovers, the walls of Tâmpa intrigue history lovers, and the Council Square or Unirii Square attract tens of thousands of tourists every year, with shaded terraces and views of traditional, medieval buildings.
Another Saxon town, Făgăraș is the second largest urban centre in the county, offering the superb building of the Făgăraș Fortress and a number of cultural and religious attractions all around, such as the fortified churches of Cincu or Cincșor or the medieval monasteries of Sămbăta de Sus and Cârța. The town of Săcele, on the other hand, can be used as a springboard to visit the Seven Stairs Canyon, a geological formation from the Jurassic period, but also the entire Ciucaș massif. Zărnești offers one of the most popular motocross circuits, and thanks to the picturesque region, several huts have sprung up around the town in superb locations, such as Plaiul Foii (harder to access, but worth it!), Poiana Mărului or Tohănița — Predeluț.
Mountains and ski slopes
There are two mountain resorts, Poiana Brasov and Predeal. While Poiana Brasov is extremely accessible from anywhere in the capital Brasov, at the end of a road upwards of about 25 kilometres, Predeal can also be reached by train, after a journey of less than 30 minutes. Both are home to some of Romania’s most sought-after ski slopes, with Predeal also within easy reach of the other alpine resorts of the Prahova Valley — Sinaia, Bușteni, Azuga. Clăbucet is one of the most popular ski destinations in the area, with three slopes, 2,100, 1,000 and 800 metres respectively. Although shorter, the Cioplea (200 meters long) and Trei Brazi (300 meters) slopes have the advantage of proximity to Predeal’s accommodation units, and are also on the list of the most important entertainment spots for outdoor winter sports enthusiasts.
Poiana Brasov is perhaps our highest quality ski resort, with some excellent alpine facilities — a gondola lift, five chairlifts and some two cable cars and chairlifts. Accommodation here is plentiful and extremely diverse, from mountain huts to guesthouses and hotels. Drumul Roșu is the longest slope in the county, but Poiana Brasov also offers other similar facilities, such as the Wolf Slope, Subteleferic Slope, Ruia or Slalom. There are also some slightly shorter slopes — Kanzel, Bradul or Stadion, with a reasonable difference in level for beginners and amateurs.
Bran and Moieciu have become two popular destinations for winter sports in recent times, after local efforts materialised in the few low and medium difficulty slopes.
Rural and traditional destinations
Romania’s most famous castle, whose name is linked to the legendary character Dracula in Bram Stoker’s books, is in Bran, 30 kilometres from the town of Brasov. The village itself, a typical Transylvanian one, is appreciated for the picturesque natural scenery and the traditions preserved by the inhabitants for centuries. Apart from the castle, there are no other notable attractions, but if you appreciate fresh air, quality food and relaxation, it’s the ideal place for a fabulous weekend. Moieciu, in the immediate vicinity, is particularly sought after by companies for team-building sessions, with several hotels and guesthouses equipped with all the necessary facilities for such activities — conference rooms, sports fields or swimming pools.
Hărman and Prejmer, 12 and 16 kilometres respectively by road from Brasov, are two villages fortified between the 13th and 15th centuries, with 13th-century churches. There is still a traditional carpet factory in Harman, supplying oriental, Persian products.
The fish farms in Brasov county are located either between the county capital and Sfântu Gheorghe, or in Țara Făgărașului, representing an attraction for fishing enthusiasts, but also for gourmets. A special kind of tourism takes place at Budila, where fishermen can buy trout caught in one of the specially arranged ponds or basins, but they also enjoy the special leisure facilities, with specially arranged barbecue places and rabbit breeding. Roua Sânzienelor, a short distance from Poiana Mărului, has a trout farm and several places to stay at decent prices, accompanied by a restaurant serving traditional and game dishes.
History and culture
There’s no doubt that Bran Castle also takes centre stage when it comes to the history of Brasov County. The Black Church, on the other hand, is the main attraction in the capital, a building of the Saxon founders, famous for its smoky colour caused by the fire that swept through Brasov in 1689. The fortresses of Râșnov, Făgăraș and Feldioara complete the picture of castles in the county, with a mention for the Râșnov Fortress, whose recent restoration has turned it into a complete historical attraction. A few “other” fortresses, known generically as “peasant fortresses”, can be found in Harman, Prejmer, Sânpetru and Râșnov, representing small fortified settlements to protect them from possible foreign invasions.
A number of fortified churches are known to be scattered throughout the whole of the Barsa region. An extraordinary complex, but often overlooked by tourists, is the superb ensemble of fortified evangelical churches in Cristian — a paradoxical name, given the religious orientation of the buildings it contains. The fortified churches of Harman, Sânpetru and Prejmer are also evangelical, with documentary evidence dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, when the towers and defensive walls were built. However, none of the fortifications on the Tâmpa are of the same size as those on the Tâmpa, the construction of which began 700 years ago on the initiative of the wealthy inhabitants of the town, with the consent of the king of the time, Louis I of Anjou.
Natural attractions in Brasov county
The only nature reserve in the world located in the centre of a town is the Tâmpa Nature Reserve, an area on the surface of the Postăvaru massif in the southern Carpathians. A number of rare species of butterflies and plains live only within this reserve, which also includes bears (notorious for their visits to rubbish bins in Brașov’s suburbs), lynxes and wolves. Other notable nature reserves are the Cheile Zărneștilor, declared a monument of nature, the Volcanii Noroioși de la Băile Homorod, the Piatra Craiului National Park, shared with Argeș county, the Poiana Narciselor in Dumbrava Vadului, the Mlaștina Hărmanului or the Bogății Forest.
On the surface of Brasov county, due to the mountainous relief, we also have some special geological formations, such as the basalt columns of Racoș or Piatra Cioplită, the Comăna caves, Bârlogul Ursului, Valea Cetății or Liliecilor, the latter declared a natural monument, near Moieciu. Also here, but shared with the neighbouring towns of Bran and Râșnov, is the Abruptul Bucșoiu — Mălăești — Gaura reserve.
