Bucharest Multi-Day Trips: Carpathians or Delta
Bucharest Multi-Day Trips: Carpathians or Delta
Romania’s capital makes a good base for a longer loop, but the two classic choices could not be more different. The Carpathian circuit is fast, tidy and run on rails. The Danube Delta is a slow, watery trip that rewards patience and punishes a tight schedule. Pick the first for castles and old towns, the second for birds and quiet.
The Carpathian circuit, five days
Spend the first two nights in the capital, then two in Brașov. The rest is a matter of order.
Days one and two, the capital. Take the Palace of the Parliament tour, booked by phone at least a day ahead (+40 733 558 102 or 103, weekdays 09:00 to 16:00), with a physical passport or ID card. Add the Village Museum at 40 lei for adults and an evening in the Old Town.
Day three, Sinaia and on. Catch a morning train, roughly 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 35, to Sinaia for Peleș Castle, then carry on to Brașov in the afternoon. Adults pay 100 lei, and the ticket is bought only at bilete.peles.ro or from the SelfPay machines on site. The castle is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and from 2 November to 1 December 2026. Plan the whole circuit around that.
Day four, Bran and the bears. Take the bus from Brașov’s Autogara 2 to Bran, about 50 minutes. The castle sells tickets from about 40 lei, more for guided or fast-pass options, via bran-castle.com . Afterwards, the Libearty sanctuary at Zărnești offers guided visits only, at 95 lei on weekdays, closed Mondays, and under-fives are not admitted (millionsoffriends.org ).
Day five, Sighișoara or home. Sighișoara, a UNESCO-listed Saxon citadel and the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, is about two to two and a half hours from Brașov by rail. Otherwise take a direct train back to the capital.
Bran and Brașov sit across the mountains from the capital, which lies in Wallachia. That is why the loop feels like crossing a border without one. Romania has been fully inside Schengen since 1 January 2025, but it still uses the leu, not the euro.
The Danube Delta
A UNESCO biosphere where the river splits into channels, reed beds and pelican colonies, the delta is reached through Tulcea. No direct train runs there from the capital. The rail route involves a change at Medgidia and takes about six hours. The practical choice is the bus from Autogara Augustina, around 4.5 to 5 hours, or a drive of four to five hours. Budget three to four days. Villages such as Crișan and Mila 23 are the usual bases, and Constanța on the coast can follow. Boat trips and lodging are arranged locally, so ask guesthouses for current prices rather than relying on a figure from a web page.
Moving and paying
The capital’s metro costs 7 lei a ride, or 18 lei for 24 hours, via metrorex.ro . The airport train costs about 6 lei. You can compare Carpathian tours if you prefer someone else to drive, and a base in Brașov is easy to find on Booking.com .
Verdict
The Carpathian circuit is the one to do first. Each leg is short, and every stop has a clear payoff. See the day trips page for one-day versions, and the seven-day itinerary if you want the capital in depth first. Tip: check the closing days of Peleș before you fix your hotel dates.