Brasov - What to do in the area

Brașov, known as Kronstadt in German or Brassó in Hungarian is one of the most visited places in Romania. Founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1211 on an ancient Dacian site and settled by the Saxons as one of the seven walled citadels, Brasov exudes a distinct medieval ambiance boasting everything from dynamic modern city life to old world charm and fascinating scenery.

Our villa is located in the close proximity of all major attractions in the old city: The Council Square, The Black Church, Brasov’s Defensive Fortifications, Tampa Mountain, The Schei District, The Rope Street, The Old Synagogue, Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, Romanian Orthodox Cathedral, The Roman Catholic Cathedral, etc. For more details you can visit here.

The meeting point of a free walking guided tour of these highlights is located 100 meters from Villa Arina.

Vila Arina can be your excellent and practical base for a holiday in this beautiful region of Romania. Day trips can be taken from here to all major nearby attractions:
• Poiana Brasov
• Rasnov Fortress
• The Valley of the Fortress Cave
• Dracula’s castle in Bran
• The Fortified Church of Harman
• Sinaia with Peles Castle and Monastery. Depending on the date, the road Sinaia – Brasov can be very crowded. We advise you to visit Sinaia on the way to or from Bucharest (or Otopeni airport), if your schedule and the castle opening hours allow that.
• Medieval Town of Sighisoara
• Rupea Fortress
• Fagaras Fortress
• Medieval Town of Sibiu
• Balea Lake and Transfagarasan Road
• Saint Ana Vulcanic Lake
• 7 Stairs Canyon
• UNESCO World Heritage sites : Viscri and Prejmer with their fortified churches
• Libearty : The bear sanctuary in Zarnesti ()
• The Daffodils Meadow (for the month of May)


Many of these attractiones can be combined in a day trip.
Examples:
Dracula’s Castle – Rasnov – Libearty – the cave – Poiana Brasov
Harman – Prejmer – Saint Ana Lake
Sighisoara – Rupea – Viscri
Fagaras - Sibiu – Balea Lake. Transfagarasan Road is great, you can use it on the way to or from Bucharest but only in the summer. In the rest of the year you can go only up to Balea Lake which is definitely worthing.
The mountains around Brasov are the perfect choice for hiking, trekking and skiing.
For ski Poiana Braşov, 11 kms away from Villa Arina, is set in the pine forests of the Carpathian arch, at around 1700 m (5000 ft) altitude, and has 19 marked runs and 35 km of unmarked runs. It is the largest and most modern skiing area in Romania. You can go from us by car or by bus (bus station is 100 meters from us, same as the parking). On the way you have great panorama points to admire the city.

For hiking and trekking, there are multiple choices, from 30 minutes to 10 hours, different grades of difficulty.
Go here, choose the mountain range (Postavaru – departure from Brasov, Poiana Brasov or Rasnov and Piatra Mare – departure from Sacele) and you will find maps and descriptions of the trails.

The closest and easiest walk: strada Dupa Ziduri (After the City Walls) – in the back of the villa, starting from the parking lot.

Go to Tampa mountain, where the Brasov sign is. You can climb up and down by funicular or by feet for a great view of the city.

Other things to do:
Parc Aventura is, they say, “biggest adventure park from Eastern Europe”.
Aquatic Paradise is a great escape for rainy days and not only.
Dino Parc is children’s favourite.