We visited Brașov in winter. I am not sure if it is always so rainy, foggy, and gloomy there, but for us, this was the reality of winter in Brașov. During the entire week we spent there, a light rain kept falling, fog almost completely hid the “Brașov” sign on the mountain above the city, and a cold winter wind was constantly blowing.
Brașov City Center
When travelers arrive in a new place, they usually go straight to the city center, and that makes sense. We did the same. The impression was a little different from what we expected, but still interesting.
Brașov is quite an old city, first mentioned in 1234. But walking through the center, you might not immediately realize it. The buildings look relatively new, and the center does not create the same impression as many other old European cities. This absolutely does not mean that it is not interesting or not worth visiting. It simply feels a little different.
The central square also feels somewhat unusual. Usually, it is a large, often rectangular space surrounded by the oldest and richest buildings in the city. In Brașov, things are a little different. The square is relatively small, has an unusual shape, and there is a road next to it. Again, this does not mean you should skip it, but it feels a little strange.
It is quite possible that this impression was influenced by the low clouds and gloomy weather, but this is how Brașov stayed in my memory.
The Black Church
Not far from the central square is the Black Church, which fits perfectly into the surrounding atmosphere. It is a monumental building. The church was built from relatively soft sandstone, so many decorative elements have been damaged or have not survived at all. But this also gives the building a very unusual appearance.
We also learned that the Black Church was an important center of the Reformation in the region, and there are many texts in German inside. This is where my wife, who teaches German, really got interested. She read everything she could find, translated it for me, and explained the details. So, in the end, I got an excellent guided tour!
Romanian Cuisine
This deserves a separate section! Find restaurants serving traditional Romanian food and go in without hesitation.
We are from a neighboring country ourselves. Our cuisines are not very different, but Romania still has plenty of dishes that are unique to the country and perhaps even to the region:
- ciorbă de burtă — beef tripe soup;
- mămăligă — local polenta;
- sarmale — the Romanian version of dolma;
- pork knuckle with sauerkraut.
These dishes are a must, but in the end, traditional Romanian cuisine in general is worth exploring.
Other Things to See in Brașov
Brașov has plenty of other attractions as well.
One of the narrowest streets in Europe, Strada Sforii, is here. Places like this are always interesting to visit, especially when you can find this little street in many European travel guides and lists of attractions.
Brașov is also home to one of the early editions of the Bible printed in Cyrillic. It is kept in a church where a printing house once operated. Today, there is also a small museum there, so the whole complex is worth visiting.
It is also worth taking a walk along the old city walls, which are located in a rather unusual way in Brașov. Usually, the old city itself stands on a hill, but here it is the opposite: the walls climb the hills while the city lies below. Naturally, this gives you a beautiful view over the city center.
Wildlife in the Region
One taxi driver offered us a rather unusual local attraction: “Would you like me to take you to a garbage area this evening? Wild bears come out of the forest there to feed.” We declined, of course. Extreme tourism is not really our thing. There are indeed many of these powerful and dangerous animals in the region.
Brașov also has a zoo, where you can see quite a few of those same bears. Their incredible strength and complete lack of fear are impressive. One relatively small bear, probably a young one, had no problem challenging a huge adult male. In the neighboring enclosure, a female bear stood up to protect her cub even though the males were clearly much larger. There are also separate enclosures with bear cubs, which look very cute while they are still small.
There are also many wolves in the region, and the zoo has several enclosures for them. They are beautiful animals, but they can also be dangerous to people. Hunting wolves is prohibited, and according to local residents, living close to so many wild animals sometimes creates serious problems.
In any case, you need to be very careful when walking in the forests surrounding the city.
Summary
We remember Brașov very well. Although a full week there was probably a little too long, three days seems like a good amount of time for a visit.
And to get a more complete picture of the region, you can add another two days to visit some of Romania’s castles. They are also bright and unforgettable experiences that go perfectly with a trip to Brașov.