Day Trips from Bucharest

Last Updated on July 28, 2024 by Ingrid

Bucharest, my hometown and the capital of my home country, Romania, is a place I grew up in and have come to like throughout our journey together. It has transformed itself into the vibrant place it is today. Even though the city is one cool destination with plenty to offer, sometimes everyone needs to get out, even if just for one day. And when you want to breathe some fresh air, take one of my best Bucharest day trips.

In my list, I’ll offer options for getting to the destination. However, when you have only a few days in Romania and don’t want to waste precious time, I suggest booking an organized day trip.

Driving in Romania can be tricky, mainly because the roads are not amazing and because Romanians drive like crazy people. If you’re still considering driving, here are some things to know before renting a car.

Public transportation does not always provide the best connections, especially when you compare it to Western Europe. But you can always try to travel by train.

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Best Day Trips from Bucharest

Mogosoaia Palace

It is one of the fastest destinations to get to, but it is still one of the best day trips from Bucharest. It is almost torn from a story, but the Mogosoaia Palace and Park is a place you won’t want to miss. With a history that goes back more than 300 years, Constantin Brancoveanu’s Palace and vast gardens would make for the best day trip from Bucharest.

Come prepared with a picnic basket and spend the day by the lake pretending to be part of an aristocratic family, or just have lunch and a coffee at the Mogosoaia Palace Restaurant. Just make sure not to miss it.

Distance from Bucharest: 16 km ( 28 min)

Getting there: by car or no 461 bus; by an organized tour to Mogosoaia Palace and Caldarusani Monastery. Book your tour here!

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Snagov Lake

One of the best places to enjoy nature is Snagov, where you will find a forest, a lake, and some restaurants with amazing views. Some also offer a range of water sports.

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Distance from Bucharest: 38 km (40 min)

Getting there: by car, taxi, or 444 bus; Book an organized tour!

Sinaia and Peles Castle

By far, it is my favorite place to run from all the hustle and bustle of the city.

The royal town in the mountains is easy to reach and a mix of old and new times. Here, you can discover beautiful buildings such as Peles Castle (one of the most famous castles in Romania) and Central Park’s Casino.

You can also take a trip to the wild, and you can get there very quickly by taking the gondola.

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During Wintertime, you can also choose to spend one day on the slopes skiing your way through the snowy peaks.

Read next: Weekend in Sinaia, Romania

Distance from Bucharest: 122 km (1h 45 min)

Getting there: by car or train ( I recommend the latter if you want to skip the lines of cars). You can always book an organized tour here!

Read next: Bucharest food – what to eat and where to go

Comana Park

It is hard to believe that you can get to this natural oasis in less than one hour from Bucharest, but it is true, and maybe that is why somehow, in the last few years, more and more people have chosen to do so.

Drive through the traditional southerner Romanian villages, well kept and filled with trees and flours, and get to Comana, the Natural Reserve with an Adventure Park, delicious restaurant, and even a Delta.

If you are not very sporty and don’t want to try climbing trees or the zip line, rent a boat and explore the delta, where you are likely to be welcomed by many types of birds and insects.

Distance from Bucharest: 38 km ( 50 min)

Getting there: by car or bus (8 RON one way)

Brasov

Maybe one of the most well-known cities in Romania (other than Bucharest), Brasov makes for a perfect day trip from Bucharest. Better yet, come here and spend an entire weekend exploring some of the sights below on your own time.

Getting from Bucharest to Brasov by train would be a perfect choice.

The old town has a nice view to the eye, packed with restaurants and cafes, but its surroundings ( Poiana Brasov in particular) are worth exploring if you want some more nature time. There are so many things to do in Brasov that you won’t get bored!

Distance from Bucharest: 169 km ( 3h )

Getting there: by car or by train. Book your Brasov half-day tour

Sibiu

One of my favorite towns in Romania, and in Transylvania, for that matter, is Sibiu. It is a rather small but colorful town with beautiful old buildings. As soon as you step inside the old city center, you could be anywhere in Germany or Austria, not necessarily in Romania.

When I was a child and was traveling with my parents only twice per year, usually at the Black Sea and on Prahova Valley, I used to dream about visiting Sibiu, with its colorful buildings that looked torn from another world than what I was used to.

Now that I’ve been there several times, I would still go back to its fairytale-like vibe.

Read next: Sibiu Christmas Market

Distance from Bucharest: 292 km ( 4h )

Getting there: by car, by train, or by private organized tour

The ruins of Vlad the Impeller’s fortress, Poienari

People usually pass by this attraction without noticing it being too focused on getting to Vidraru Lake and onto one of the most picturesque roads, the Transfagarasan.

But I encourage you to stop by for a few hours and climb the 1480 stairs up to the fortress, the climb will be totally worthy.

The fortress is supposed to have been Vlad the Impeller’s second home, used as a defense against the Ottomans in the XIVth century. Nowadays, you can only see the ruins, but the view from the top over the mountains is surely breathtaking.

Distance from Bucharest: 193 km ( 2.5 h )

Getting there: by car or by an organized tour from Bucharest

The best day trips from Bucharest — Source: Pixabay

Vidraru Lake & Transfagarasan road

Once you’ve done your exercise by climbing the 1480 stairs at the Poenari Citadel, head further on the winding roads between mountains and stop by Vidraru Lake. Climb the small hill up to the power station and admire the amazing view.

Head further up along the reservoir lake (which has a village submerged at its bottom) until forests disappear and the alpine views take over. Once you’ve passed the dark tunnel crossing the rock, you’ll find yourself at the top of the mountain, where you will need to stop by at Balea Lac.

Here is where one of the best roads will unfold before your eyes. Also known as “the Road to the Sky” or “the best driving road in the world,” this place is surely epic.

Distance from Bucharest: 252 km ( 4 h ) up to Balea Lake

Getting there: by car or on an organized tour (book your full-day tour here!)

Best day trips from Bucharest | Transfagarasan

Fagaras Fortress

The three-floor fortress in the heart of Transylvania dates from 1310. It was built on the site of a former wooden fortress and was home to several Transylvanian princes throughout the years.

The place itself is very charming, almost torn from a story with princes, surrounded by a water-filled moat, with only one access through a wooden bridge.

Throughout the communist era, the fortress functioned as a political prison, and nowadays, the Fagaras County Museum is located here.

Distance from Bucharest: 241 km ( 3.4 h )

Getting there: by car or by train

Bran Castle

Although Bran Castle is perhaps one of the most popular and well-known destinations in Romania, it is not what you might expect it to be. To make it clear from the beginning, the castle has no connection to Bram Stalker’s Count Dracula, even though many people might think that, and Romania has built a bit around this. As a matter of fact, the author never visited Romania.

Even so, Bran Castle is charming and filled with history. It was built between 1377 and 1382 by a Magyar king. The castle’s rich historical background is interesting for anyone interested, and nowadays, it is open to visitors.

Distance from Bucharest: 180 km ( 3 h )

Getting there: by car, by train up to Brasov and by bus from there, or by organized tour

Book your Transylvania and Dracula’s Castle 2-Day Tour

Best day trips from Bucharest | Bran Castle — Source: Pixabay

The Black Sea (Vama Veche, Corbu)

While the Romanian seaside is not one of my favorite places to go for my holidays by the beach, it can make for a great day trip from Bucharest when I want to escape the city.

Only a few hours’ drive from Bucharest, the closest destination by the sea is Constanta city. A few hours in the city might be a good idea, especially since it has a lot of Turkish influences.

Finally, I would always head further South to Corbu beach or towards Bulgaria’s border in Eforie Nord or Vama Veche.

Distance from Bucharest: 230 km ( 2.5 h )

Getting there: by car or by train up to Constanta or Eforie. Book your day trip here!

Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria)

Okay, this is more of a weekend getaway than a day trip from Bucharest, but it can also be done in one day. You will have to leave really early to make the most of your trip.

This small town in Bulgaria is perched on some really green hills. It has a pretty citadel from which you can see the whole region, great food, and wine. Only kilometers away, you’ll have the chance to hike canyons and admire waterfalls. It is the perfect destination for a weekend getaway and fresh air.

Distance from Bucharest: 195 km ( 3 h )

Getting there: by car or organized tour (book your tour here!)

Sighisoara

Another colorful place in Transylvania is Sighisoara. This medieval town is definitely one you don’t want to leave out of your itinerary.

The Sighisoara Citadel is not extremely big, but I always love wandering around on the cobbled stone streets, admiring the colorful old houses. Last year, during our one-week itinerary in Transylvania, we even spent one night in one of the most amazing guesthouses, Casa Savri, dating from 1568.

Don’t leave before trying the amazing Transylvanian local cuisine. Even though Sighisoara can be done as a day trip from Bucharest, it is always best to spend the weekend in the region.

Distance from Bucharest: 302 km ( 4 h )

Getting there: by car or organized tour (book your tour here!)

Biertan

The Biertan Fortified Church is worth seeing,, maybe on a trip from Sighisoara, Sibiu, or even Brasov, since it is closer to these two Transylvanian towns.

However, don’t miss out on this place as a weekend or day trip from Bucharest. Biertan is one of the most important Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, having been on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1993.

***Distance from Bucharest:* 302 *km (4 h)***

Getting there: by car or organized tour (book your tour from Sighisoara here)

Rupea

Every time we were driving from Bucharest to my husband’s hometown, Oradea, in the Western part of Romania, we would pass this impressive fortress I was drawn to. Last year, since we had already decided to stop overnight in Sighisoara, we decided to go and see Rupea Citadel.

We discovered an amazing place perched on a hilltop, offering an amazing view over the Transylvanian plains. Rupea Citadel is one of Transylvania’s most imposing and well-conserved medieval sites.

Distance from Bucharest: 251 km ( 3.5 h )

Getting there: by car or organized tour (book your 3-Day Transylvania Legends Small-Group Tour)

Curtea de Arges

Curtea de Arges is about two hours away from Bucharest and is usually the first stop on the way to Vidraru Dam and the Transfagarasan highway. Most people stop here for the famous cathedral, which was built in the Byzantine architectural style and features Moorish arabesques.

Another thing the cathedral is famous for is the legend of Manole, one of the workers who built the church. With Manole being unable to finish the walls, the prince threatened him and his assistants with death. At last, Manole suggested that they should follow the ancient custom of placing a living woman into the foundations and that she who first appeared the following morning should be the victim. The other masons warned their families, and Manole was forced to sacrifice his own wife, Ana. Thus, the cathedral was built.

During spring, the garden surrounding the monastery is also a pleasure to walk through, with its many colorful magnolias in bloom.

Distance from Bucharest: 155 km ( 2 h )

Getting there: by car or on an organized tour (book your trip here!)

Vineyards and mansions

Who doesn’t like a day trip for wine tasting, great food, and great old mansions filled with history? I sure do!

Plenty of traditional mansions are set in the middle of vineyards just an hour away from Bucharest on the Wine Road. In some, you can stop for lunch, wine tasting, or even stay overnight.

Look for: Conacul dintre vii, Conacul Bellu, the Urlati – Ceptura area, Conacul Domnitei Ralu, Crama Lacerta.

Read next: The Romanian Wine Road

Distance from Bucharest: 155 km ( 2 h )

Getting there: by car or on an organized tour (book your winery trip here!)

Now that you know about the best day trips from Bucharest, just choose one and enjoy!

17 of the best day trips from Bucharest

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