Most people come to Bran for the castle and leave the same afternoon. That is a pity, because the real reason to stay is what lies around it: a string of villages spread over green ridges between the Bucegi and Piatra Craiului mountains, where sheep still graze below the guesthouse windows and the evenings are quiet once the tour buses have gone.
Bran is the most practical base if you don't have a car. Restaurants, shops and the bus to Brașov are all within walking distance, and you can visit the castle early in the morning before the crowds arrive. The trade-off is traffic on the main road in summer and on weekends.
Moieciu de Jos and Moieciu de Sus stretch along a valley a few kilometres further south. Here you get more space, wooden chalets with gardens and a slower pace, while staying a short drive from Bran. Moieciu is also where many Romanian families and groups of friends spend New Year's Eve, so book early for the winter holidays.
Măgura and Peștera sit high on the ridge, reached by narrow roads. They are the villages for views: Piatra Craiului on one side, the Bucegi on the other. Choose them if you want walks straight from the door and you are comfortable driving on steep roads, especially in snow.
Râșnov and Zărnești are small towns on the way from Brașov. Râșnov has its hilltop fortress and easy access to the main road; Zărnești is the gateway to Piatra Craiului National Park and its gorges.
The area is known for sheep's cheese, including cheese matured in fir bark, which gives it a resinous flavour. Guesthouse breakfasts often include home-made jams, fresh cheese, eggs and cured meats. In the evening, look for soups served with sour cream and polenta with cheese.
Bran is around 30 km south-west of Brașov. Buses run from Brașov to Bran and Moieciu, but a car makes the villages much easier to reach. From Bucharest the drive to Brașov takes roughly three hours, more on Friday afternoons and holiday weekends. Brașov has its own airport (Brașov-Ghimbav), and the larger airports are in Bucharest and Sibiu.
Late spring and early autumn are the best seasons for walking, with green or golden hills and fewer people. Summer weekends are busy around the castle. In winter the villages are snowy and cosy, and the Christmas and New Year period is the busiest time of the year, so book well in advance.
A selection of 12 of the 29 places listed in this region. Their pages open translated into English automatically, and you can write your request to the owner in English.