OTP Arrival → Pitești
Sleeping in Pitești trims the next morning’s drive and makes the Transfăgărășan + Sibiu day more realistic for children and grandparents.
$45–95 food / local needs Moderate
Open day pageAugust 8–23, 2026
Romania Vacation Itinerary
Sixteen days: north from Bucharest through Transylvania to Maramureș, then east to the Danube and back to Bucharest by train. Every day below has its own page with the schedule, a map, the weather, and the address of where we sleep that night.
Booked so far: 20,678 lei (lodging, van and train tickets)
Trip line at a glance
Pitești → Transfăgărășan → Sibiu
This sequence keeps the scenic road as a routing experience rather than a full attraction day, while still preserving a meaningful cultural anchor in the afternoon. Sibiu’s Saxon old town and its Lutheran cathedral are the baseline; the ASTRA open-air museum is a genuine day-of alternative.
$85–170 variable spend + church / parking tickets Hard
Open day page
Sibiu → Alba Iulia → Corvin Castle → Hunedoara
The day gives Alba Iulia a real late-morning block, then uses Corvin as the fixed late-day anchor so both stops feel intentional instead of rushed.
$90–180 variable spend + Corvin tickets Hard
Open day page
Hunedoara → Oradea
This lighter westbound day intentionally resets the pace after the fortress-and-castle day so Oradea doesn’t start exhausted.
$55–120 variable spend Moderate
Open day page
Oradea + Peștera Urșilor Day Trip
Replacing the old floating day with a Bear Cave excursion gives the west side a concrete family outing without distorting the main route.
$80–160 variable spend + cave tickets Moderate
Open day page
Oradea → Șurdești → Ocna Șugatag
Șurdești breaks a long transfer with something regionally specific, so Maramureș starts feeling intentional before you even reach your base.
$70–135 variable spend Moderate
Open day pageOcna Șugatag / Maramureș Village Day
After two harder travel days, Maramureș gets a genuine slow day so the region feels lived in rather than consumed as a checklist.
$65–130 variable spend Easy
Open day page
Merry Cemetery + Maramureș Culture Day
This is the clearest place to fold in the Merry Cemetery without turning it into a rushed add-on to a transfer day.
$70–145 variable spend Moderate
Open day page
Ocna Șugatag → Cluj-Napoca
This is a deliberately simple bridge day between the rural block and the last driving push toward Brașov.
$65–135 variable spend Moderate
Open day page
Cluj → Salina Turda → Brașov (van return in Ghimbav)
This is the last major driving day. It uses the van where it adds the most value, then ends the rental in the Brașov area before the rail portion of the trip begins.
$95–190 variable spend + Salina tickets Hard
Open day page
Brașov Relaxed Day
After the Cluj–Turda–Brașov push and van return, the trip needs a real easy day before the Peleș outing and the rail finish.
$75–150 variable spend Easy
Open day page
Brașov → Peleș Day Trip → Brașov
Peleș works better as a luggage-free Brașov day trip than as part of a long eastbound transfer. This keeps the castle enjoyable instead of brittle.
$90–185 variable spend + Peleș tickets + rail fares Moderate
Open day page
Brașov → Galați by Train
Moving to rail here keeps the final stretch luggage-simple after the van phase ends in Brașov.
$70–145 variable · rail already paid Moderate
Open day pageGalați Day
Keeping a true Galați day makes the end of the trip feel intentional rather than just a transport necessity.
$70–145 variable spend Easy
Open day page
Galați → Bucharest / Otopeni by Train
The trip finishes better with a protected airport-side night than with a risky same-day approach to an early flight.
$80–160 variable · rail already paid Moderate
Open day pageOTP Departure · 8:35 AM Flight
The final-night Otopeni booking exists specifically so the last morning stays simple.
$25–60 final-day spend Easy
Open day pageWhere you’re staying
| City | Nights | Place | Check-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitești | Night 1 · Sat, Aug 8 | Apartament Carol Davila | From 3:00 PM |
| Sibiu | Night 2 · Sun, Aug 9 | Flowers House Sibiu Str. Justiției 24 | 3:00–9:00 PM |
| Hunedoara | Night 3 · Mon, Aug 10 | Corvin Guesthouse walk to the castle | From 1:00 PM |
| Oradea | Nights 4–5 · Aug 11–12 | Andrada Holiday House | From 3:00 PM |
| Ocna Șugatag | Nights 6–8 · Aug 13–15 | La Patru Daci two houses | From 2:00 PM |
| Cluj-Napoca | Night 9 · Sun, Aug 16 | ZEN Garden Apartments | From 3:00 PM |
| Brașov | Nights 10–12 · Aug 17–19 | Apartament Prundului 31 | From 3:00 PM |
| Galați | Nights 13–14 · Aug 20–21 | ibis Styles Dunărea breakfast included | From 3:00 PM |
| Bucharest / Otopeni | Night 15 · Sat, Aug 22 | Ramada by Wyndham breakfast included | From 3:00 PM |
Fifteen nights in nine places. Addresses, phone numbers and check-out times are on each day page, and all together on the bookings page.