Romania in 10 Days: The Ultimate Travel Itinerary

A 10 day Romania itinerary is best spent between Bucharest and the Transylvania region, combining grand architecture, medieval towns, castles, and mountain scenery with easy train and bus connections. This Romania 10 day trip balances must‑see highlights with relaxed local experiences and realistic travel times.

Think of this Romania travel plan as a loop: start in Bucharest, then head into Transylvania for Brasov, Bran, Rasnov, Sighisoara, and Sibiu before returning to the capital. Trains between major cities are frequent and cheap (often $10–20 one way in 2026 for 2nd class), with buses or day tours filling the gaps for castles and mountain roads.

On a typical day, budget travellers can get by on $50–70, mid‑range travellers on $90–130, and luxury travellers on $200+, including accommodation, meals, and local transport. Romania remains one of the European Union’s best‑value destinations; Eurostat data has repeatedly ranked Romania among the cheapest EU countries for restaurants and hotels in recent years.

To keep your Romania 10 day itinerary running smoothly, buy and activate a Hello eSIM for Romania before you land so you arrive connected, then use the Hello app to track your daily spend and split costs with friends. This article breaks everything down day by day with morning/afternoon/evening plans, estimated prices, and simple transport tips.

Spending your first two days in Bucharest lets you adjust, explore Romania’s energetic capital, and set up a smooth 10 day trip with transport bookings and local SIM‑free connectivity via a Hello eSIM for Romania.

Day 1 – Arrival & Old Town orientation
Morning (arrival): Land at Bucharest Henri Coandă Airport (OTP). A taxi or app ride into the centre is usually $15–25 in 2026; the direct train to Gara de Nord costs around $2–3 and takes 20–25 minutes. Check into your hotel near Old Town (Lipscani) or Calea Victoriei to be within walking distance of sights and restaurants.

Afternoon: Stroll Calea Victoriei, Bucharest’s grand boulevard, and pop into landmarks like Revolution Square and Romanian Athenaeum. Coffee is $2–3; a light lunch of ciorbă (sour soup) and bread is $5–8. Use the Hello app to log your first receipts with AI scanning so you see your Romania travel plan’s budget in real numbers from day one.

Evening: Explore Old Town with its narrow streets, Stavropoleos Monastery, and buzzy bars. Dinner at a traditional restaurant like Hanul‑style inns typically costs $10–18 for mains in 2026, plus $3–5 for local wine.

Day 2 – Parliament & local neighbourhoods
Morning: Tour the Palace of Parliament, one of the world’s largest and heaviest buildings (over 300,000 m² of floor space according to Romanian tourism data). Guided tours are about $12–18; book ahead, especially in summer.

Afternoon: Head to Herastrau (King Michael I) Park and the Village Museum to see traditional wooden houses from all over Romania; entry is around $5–7. Grab a lakeside snack ($5–10).

Evening: Try dinner and craft beer in the Universitate or Gradina Icoanei area for a slightly calmer atmosphere than Old Town.

Approximate daily budgets (Days 1–2, excluding accommodation):

• Budget: $30–40 (cheap eats, public transport)
• Mid‑range: $50–70 (sit‑down meals, museum entries, a taxi or two)
• Luxury: $120+ (fine dining, private tours, premium taxis)

Use the Hello app’s budget tracking to set a 10 day total and watch daily spend in RON and USD with automatic exchange rates.

Brasov is the ideal base in the Carpathian Mountains for a Romania 10 day itinerary, offering a colourful medieval centre, easy access to castles, and good train and bus links from Bucharest and beyond.

Getting to Brasov (early Day 3)
Catch a morning train from Bucharest Gara de Nord to Brasov; InterRegio services take about 2.5–3 hours and typically cost $10–18 one way in 2026 for 2nd class. Book a window seat for Carpathian views. On arrival, a local bus or taxi into the old town is around $2–6.

Day 3 – Brasov Old Town

• Morning: Check in near Piata Sfatului (Council Square), then wander the pastel‑coloured main square and Black Church, the largest Gothic church in Romania (entry about $4–6).
• Afternoon: Walk the city walls and Catherine’s Gate, or take the cable car up Tampa Mountain for panoramic views (return ticket around $8–10). Coffee and cake in a central café: $4–7.
• Evening: Dinner in the old town with hearty mains like sarmale (stuffed cabbage) and polenta for $10–15; a glass of Romanian wine is $3–5.

Day 4 – Flex day in Brasov
Use this day to slow down or catch up.

• Morning: Join a free or tip‑based walking tour (usual tips $8–12) to get local context on Transylvania’s Saxon history.
• Afternoon: Visit Schei district for quieter streets and the First Romanian School Museum (around $3–5), or café‑hop and people‑watch in Piata Sfatului.
• Evening: Try a wine bar or craft beer spot; a tasting flight is often $10–15.

Estimated daily budgets in Brasov (excl. accommodation):

• Budget: $25–40 (self‑guided, supermarkets, a couple of attractions)
• Mid‑range: $45–70 (restaurants, cable car, museums)
• Luxury: $120+ (private walking tour, fine dining, premium wine).
  Use the Hello app’s expense splitting if you’re sharing meals or tours with friends; it automatically converts between currencies when someone pays in RON and another tracks in USD or EUR.

Using Brasov as a base, dedicate two days of your Romania itinerary to Bran Castle, Rasnov Fortress and the surrounding countryside, combining iconic sights with relaxed local food and short travel times.

Day 5 – Bran & Rasnov from Brasov
Many travellers ask if they can see both Bran Castle and Rasnov Fortress in one day – yes, it’s very doable from Brasov with an early start.

• Morning: Take a bus from Brasov’s Autogara 2 to Bran (about 45–60 minutes; tickets often $3–5 return in 2026). Visit Bran Castle, popularly linked to Dracula; tickets are around $15–20 depending on season, per Romania tourism listings.
• Afternoon: Continue by bus or taxi to Rasnov (20–30 minutes, $3–7) to explore the hilltop Rasnov Fortress; entry is roughly $5–8. Have a late lunch of mici (grilled skinless sausages) and sides for $8–12.
• Evening: Return to Brasov by bus or taxi ($3–10). Dinner back in town can be as simple as street‑food snacks ($5–7) or a sit‑down meal ($12–18).

Day 6 – Day trip or nature escape
This day adds flexibility to your Romania 10 day trip:

• Option 1: Join a day tour from Brasov covering smaller Saxon villages, fortified churches, or more time around Bran and nearby mountain villages; expect $40–80 per person.
• Option 2: Spend a slower day in nature in the Piatra Craiului area on light hikes, reachable with a short train or bus plus local taxi (budget $10–20 for transport, plus $5–10 for park fees/snacks).
• Option 3: Use it as a buffer day to catch up on laundry, café time, and work if you’re a digital nomad – your Hello eSIM keeps you connected without hunting for local SIM shops.

Approximate daily budgets (Days 5–6, excl. accommodation):

• Budget: $30–45 (local buses, self‑guided)
• Mid‑range: $60–90 (entry fees, one organised tour, restaurant meals)
• Luxury: $130+ (private driver, premium tours, high‑end dining).
  Track these variable day‑trip costs in the Hello app using voice expense entry while you’re on the bus back to Brasov.

Spending three days between Sighisoara and Sibiu lets your Romania 10 day itinerary lean into medieval streets, Saxon citadels, and relaxed squares without rushed transfers or long driving days.

Day 7 – Brasov to Sighisoara

• Morning: Take an early train from Brasov to Sighisoara (about 2.5–3 hours; tickets typically $8–15 in 2026).
• Afternoon: Check into a guesthouse inside or just below the Sighisoara Citadel, a UNESCO‑listed medieval town. Explore the Clock Tower, Church on the Hill, and Scholar’s Staircase; combined entries may total around $6–10. Lunch or early dinner in the citadel runs $8–15 for mains.
• Evening: Wander the citadel at golden hour, when day‑trippers have gone.

Day 8 – Sighisoara to Sibiu via villages

• Morning: Finish any Sighisoara sights, then travel toward Sibiu. Trains take about 3 hours and cost around $8–15. With a car or organised tour, you can detour to fortified churches like Biertan or Viscri, which local tourism boards highlight as some of Romania’s best‑preserved Saxon villages. Entry fees are typically $3–5 each.
• Afternoon: Arrive in Sibiu and stroll the Large Square (Piata Mare) and Small Square (Piata Mica), crossing the famous Liar’s Bridge. Coffee with a view: $3–5.
• Evening: Enjoy dinner in the Old Town (mains $10–16) and people‑watch.

Day 9 – Sibiu & optional Transfagarasan
If you’re visiting between late June and October, consider a day trip from Sibiu to the Transfagarasan Highway and Balea Lake, often described in travel media as one of the world’s most spectacular mountain roads. Tours commonly cost $60–100 per person; a DIY bus to Balea Lake is cheaper but requires an early start. Alternatively, stay in Sibiu to visit the Brukenthal National Museum (about $6–10) and the open‑air ASTRA Museum, one of Europe’s largest outdoor ethnographic museums (tickets around $8–12).

Estimated daily budgets (Days 7–9, excl. accommodation):

• Budget: $30–45
• Mid‑range: $55–90
• Luxury: $130+ (private Transfagarasan trip, upscale Sibiu dining).
  Use the Hello app to see how these more expensive day trips affect your total Romania travel plan and adjust later meals or activities if needed.

The final day of your Romania 10 day trip is best used for a relaxed return to Bucharest, last‑minute shopping or museums, and a stress‑free transfer back to the airport with all expenses neatly wrapped up in the Hello app.

Morning – Sibiu to Bucharest (if flying out)
From Sibiu, morning trains to Bucharest take about 5–6 hours and usually cost $15–25 for 2nd class in 2026. If your flight is late at night, aim for an early departure; if you’re flying the next day, you can take an afternoon train and spend the night in Bucharest instead.

If you’ve structured your Romania itinerary differently and are already back in Bucharest from Brasov, use the morning to see anything you missed: perhaps a last walk in Cismigiu Gardens or some souvenir hunting on Calea Victoriei.

Afternoon – Souvenirs & museums

• Pick up local products like honey, palinka, or ceramics in Old Town shops or central markets; budget $10–30 depending on what you buy.
• If time allows, visit a remaining museum – for instance, the National Museum of Romanian History or a smaller art gallery (entry often $5–10).

Evening – Airport transfer & wrap‑up
Head to Henri Coandă Airport by train (about $2–3 from Gara de Nord) or taxi/app ride ($15–25). Confirm your transport the day before and keep some cash in Romanian leu for any last tips.

Before boarding, open the Hello app and export your 10 day expense report – the multi‑currency tracking and AI categorisation will show exactly how much you spent on transport, accommodation, food, and activities. Your Hello eSIM will keep working until your data plan ends, so if Romania is just the first stop, you can roll straight into your next connected adventure.

Typical final‑day budgets (excl. accommodation):

• Budget: $25–35
• Mid‑range: $40–70
• Luxury: $120+ (business‑class train seats where available, premium dining, last‑minute spa).

Planning a Romania 10 day itinerary is straightforward once you understand typical costs, train times, and how to stay connected with a Hello eSIM while tracking your budget in one place.

Is 10 days enough for Romania?
Ten days is ideal for first‑timers focused on Bucharest + Transylvania. You can comfortably visit Bucharest, Brasov, Bran, Rasnov, Sighisoara, and Sibiu without rushing. According to Romania’s national tourism promotion, these destinations are among the country’s most visited, thanks to their mix of history and scenery.

How much does a 10 day Romania trip cost in 2026?
A realistic per‑person estimate (excluding flights) is:

• Budget: $600–800 (hostels/guesthouses, trains, local food)
• Mid‑range: $1,000–1,400 (3*–4* hotels, restaurants, a couple of paid tours)
• Luxury: $2,000+ (5* stays, private drivers, fine dining).
  Romania is still significantly cheaper than Western Europe for dining and accommodation, per recent Eurostat comparisons of EU price levels.

Do I need to rent a car for this Romania travel plan?
No. Trains and buses connect all major stops, and day tours cover harder‑to‑reach spots like the Transfagarasan. A car offers flexibility but isn’t essential.

How do I stay connected?
Instead of buying a local SIM, you can purchase and activate a Hello eSIM for Romania before departure, so your phone connects to local networks the moment you land. Plans start from 5GB with live pricing in the app, and coverage works across all the cities listed in this itinerary.

How do I track costs and split bills with friends?
Use the Hello app to scan receipts in Romanian, add voice notes for cash payments, and split group expenses even if everyone tracks in different currencies; the app handles exchange rates automatically.

Sample daily cost comparison (2026 estimates):

Multiply by 10 days and add your chosen accommodation tier to estimate your total Romania 10 day trip budget.