Best Day Trips from Bucharest: Castles, Mountains, the Black Sea and Cross Border Adventures

ByChristine Updated On
Peles Castle - Sinaia Romania

Bucharest might surprise you – behind its traffic and grandeur lies a convenient base for day trips. From fairy-tale castles in the Carpathians to the breezy Black Sea coast, it’s easy to escape the city for a day of history, scenery or total relaxation. There’s some cross border opportunities too if you want to add another country to your itinerary too. Here are my favourite day trips from Bucharest, all within reach by train, bus or guided tour.

Planning some Day Trips and Side Trips From Bucharest? Here’s Where You’ll Find Things

Most recently visited Bucharest in October 2025

And here’s some more from Bucharest and wider Romania if you’re interested.

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Short Day Tours Without Leaving the City

Perfect for visitors with limited time or a late flight home.

City Highlights Tour

If you’re short on time, consider a guided day tour including Bucharest’s most important sights: the colossal Palace of Parliament, Ceaușescu’s private residence, and the open-air Village Museum. It’s also ideal if direct sales of Parliament tickets are sold out, as group tours have separate allocations. We booked this way, last minute, and can personally recommend the trip.

Inside the House of the People - Romanian Parliament - Bucharest - Central atrium and staircase
Palace of the Parliament

City Walking Tour

Get your bearings and uncover Bucharest’s layers of history, from Communist architecture and Revolution-era landmarks to Belle Époque boulevards, markets and street art. A walking tour adds context you’d otherwise miss and is a great way to meet other travellers.

bucharest book shop in old town instagram
Arcul de Triumf Bucharest
Manucs Inn Bucharest

Here are some options:

Food and Wine Tours

Romanian food deserves more attention. A food or a wine tour is a great way to explore traditional Romanian flavours including fresh pastries, cured meats, local cheeses and wines. Join a local guide and learn about the country’s regional specialities.

Evening Pub Crawl

For a livelier evening, join a pub crawl through the Old Town’s bars and beer gardens. It’s sociable, good value and a fun way to meet travellers and locals alike – just pace yourself and go easy on the țuică.

Old Town Bucharest Cafe Scene

Therme Spa Resort

Just north of the city, Therme Bucharest is a vast complex of tropical pools, saunas and palm-filled domes. It’s often called Europe’s largest thermal spa (though Andorra’s Caldea might argue). I skipped it myself, spas aren’t my thing, but it’s an easy and popular half-day trip.

Day Trips from Bucharest within Romania

Romanian trains (bookable at CFR Călători) can be slow but scenic. Always check return times. There are options on the bus as well.

Day Trip to Sinaia & Peleș Castle from Bucharest

The jewel of the Carpathians, Sinaia is home to fairy-tale Peleș Castle, its smaller sibling Pelișor, and the peaceful Sinaia Monastery.

Day Trips from Bucharest:: Peles Castle - Sinaia Romania
Peles Castle, Sinaia in Romania

Trains from Bucharest take 1½ hours; from the station it’s about a 30-minute uphill walk or a quick bus ride. If the weather’s good, the cable car offers panoramic views.

Old Church Sinaia Monastery - external view
Old Church, Sinaia Monastery

If you prefer, you can visit on a guided day trip to Peles Castle, which includes castle entry and hotel pickup and is often combined with Bran, the other famous castle in Transylvania plus Brasov.

🌍 Exploring this region?

Here are more ideas and nearby destinations worth adding to your itinerary:
• 23 Best Things to Do in Bucharest – and One I’d Avoid Right Now
• Best Things to Do in Iași: Discover Romania’s Cultural Gem
• Chisinau to Bucharest Sleeper Train: Europe’s most Unusual Rail Journey

Day Trip to Brașov from Bucharest

Compact, charming and photogenic, Brașov makes an excellent standalone trip or overnight stop.

Brasov at night - mountains in the background
Brasov at Dusk

Trains take around 2½ hours each way from Bucharest. From Brasov station, bus no. 4 or a quick Bolt or Uber ride takes you into the old town. Don’t miss the Black Church, Council Square, St Catherine’s Gate and mountain views from Tampa Hill.

You can also visit Brasov as part of a day tour which could include trips to Peles Castle, Bran Castle or the Bear Sanctuary.

St Catherine Gate Brasov, Romania
St Catherine’s Gate, Brasov in Romania

I’ve spent a few days in Brasov and I thoroughly recommend a visit, plus the bear sanctuary too.

Options for Bran Castle from Bucharest

Bran castle is famous for its links with the fictional character, Count Dracula, from the Bran Stoker novels and Vlad the Impaler, although the links are somewhat tenuous. Bran is further from Bucharest than Peles castle. To get there independently from Bucharest, you would need to take a 2 1/2 hour train ride to Brasov and then catch a Bolt, Uber or a bus which could take up to an hour or longer. For that reason, I wouldn’t recommend an independent day trip on public transport, but I would recommend taking a tour bus.

Bran is close to Brasov and Libearty Bear Sanctuary at Zarnesti. The route to Bran goes past Sinaia for Peles Castle. So you could combine these other activities on your trip. Here are some group tour options.

bears at libearty sanctuary romania near brasov
Libearty Bear Sanctuary, Zarnesty

As someone who is cautious about the efficacy of wildlife encounters, I felt reassured by my trip to Libearty Bear Sanctuary and thoroughly enjoyed it. I learned a lot about the bears and the cruelty they had left behind.

Constanța – The Black Sea Coast

Fancy sea air? Head to Constanța, a 2½-hour train ride away. The city combines Roman ruins, a crumbling Art Nouveau casino, and breezy waterfront walks.

If you prefer not to navigate trains, several tours offer private or small-group transport from Bucharest.

Transfăgărășan Highway – “The Top Gear Road”

One for mountain lovers. The Transfăgărășan snakes through the Făgăraș Mountains with hairpin bends, tunnels and glacial lakes. You may also see wild bears. A true Romanian icon. Open roughly June–October depending on weather.

Slănic Prahova Salt Mine

A vast underground chamber carved entirely from salt, complete with sculptures and sports courts. It’s family-friendly, fascinating, and an easy half-day escape north of Bucharest.

Cross Border Trips From Bucharest

If you want to visit another country while in Bucharest, it’s possible. I have two potential options for you.

Full-Day Trip to Bulgaria – Ruse & Veliko Tarnovo

For something completely different, cross the border into Bulgaria to visit Ruse and Veliko Tarnovo. The medieval hilltop fortress and colourful old streets contrast beautifully with Bucharest’s urban energy.

veliko tarnova 2 bulgaria 1
veliko tarnova 1 bulgaria 1

Veliko Tarnova, is one of my personal highlights from my own trips to Bulgaria and I would thoroughly recommend it. I wouldn’t attempt this trip independently on public transport, but the tour would make this logistically possible from Bucharest.

Sleeper Train from Bucharest to Moldova

If you would like to visit Chisinau for the day from Bucharest, this is potentially possible!

Chisinau cathedral outside
Metropolitan Cathedral in Chisinau
Gara Feroviară - Chisinau Rail station
Entrance to Chisinau Rail station

You would need to catch the sleeper train each way. With a lengthy border crossing, including a wheel change, you may not get a full night’s sleep. But I can tell you, the journey is quite the experience! The Prietenia sleeper train times are as follows:

  • Bucharest to Chisinau: 19:10 – 08:44
  • Chisinau to Bucharest: 17:05 – 06:47

Personally, I think Chisinau and Moldova are worth more than a day of your time and would question the wisdom of taking the sleeper train two nights running. But I mention it because it’s technically possible if you’re short of time and and you may be younger than me and need less sleep! You can read my trip guides, based on a longer adventure, here:

pretenia at Bucharest Nord

Bucharest’s location makes it easy to trade traffic for mountain air, sea breezes or medieval streets, all in a single day. Whether you join a guided tour or take the train, these trips show just how varied Romania is once you step beyond the capital.

If you’ve got this far and would like to read more on Romania, I’ll be adding more posts soon from my recent travels around Romania. If you’d like a monthly update do subscribe to hear when new guides go live. Don’t worry, I won’t bombard you, I’ll typically email once a month.

Have you visited Bucharest? Are you planning a visit soon? Let me know in the comments.

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I’m Christine, part-time IT consultant, long-time explorer, and fan of the “less is more” approach. On One Small Bag, you’ll find tales of travel across Europe with a tiny backpack and often to places you might not have thought of.
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