10-Day Romania Itinerary + Free Google Sheets Template
Matt - October 29, 2026
Ten days in Romania works well with two nights in Bucharest, four in Brasov, two in Sibiu, and a final night in Bucharest before departure. This itinerary combines the capital's galleries and architecture with Transylvanian town squares, Bran Castle, and the rural buildings of the ASTRA open-air museum. The longer Brasov stay gives you time for the historic center, the Schei neighborhood, and a castle excursion from one base.
The trip suits a first visit focused on cities, culture, and day trips. Rail connects the main bases; the Bran excursion needs a separate bus, driver, or tour arrangement. The final return to Bucharest takes a substantial part of a day, so choose that connection alongside your flights and hotel bookings.
The itinerary is also available as a free Romania Google Sheets itinerary template you can copy and customize. It includes the day-by-day plan, additional places to consider, and booking reminders, alongside the standard template's packing checklist and cost-splitting calculator.
Itinerary Outline
- Days 1-2: Bucharest, two nights. Settle in, explore Calea Victoriei and the Old Town, and visit the National Museum of Art of Romania.
- Days 3-6: Brasov, four nights. Travel north, explore Council Square and the Black Church, visit Bran Castle, and spend time in Schei.
- Days 7-8: Sibiu, two nights. Continue west for the historic squares, Lower Town, and the ASTRA open-air museum.
- Day 9: Return to Bucharest, one night. Reserve the day for your confirmed transport and check-in.
- Day 10: Departure. Arrange the airport connection around your flight.
This is nine nights across ten calendar days. Arrival and departure days are light; the principal sightseeing days sit between transfers. If flights into Bucharest and out of Sibiu work for your dates, an open-jaw booking can turn the final return day into more time in Sibiu. Compare the complete flight and ground-transport cost before choosing.
When to Go and How to Pace the Trip
For this mix of city walks, castle visits, and an outdoor museum, I would start by looking at May, June, September, or early October. These are useful planning choices for travelers who want substantial outdoor time. Pack layers and check the forecast for your dates, especially around Brasov and the Carpathian foothills.
July and August suit longer outdoor evenings. Book desired lodging and popular attraction times early, and leave room for lunch and rest during warmer afternoons. Cold-season trips work with shorter walks and more gallery, cafe, and restaurant time. Daylight, slippery paths, and seasonal opening calendars matter more for viewpoints and the outdoor museum.
Current castle access: Peles Castle has announced an interior closure from November 2 through December 1, 2026 for cleaning and preventive conservation. The main itinerary below uses Bran and a full Brasov neighborhood day. Add Peles only when the museum's official notices and your dated ticket support a visit.
The sample Sheet dates are November 4-13, 2026. They demonstrate the pacing and keep Peles outside the scheduled plan. Adjust the dates, museum days, and booked transport together. Transfer times in the planner are planning blocks; use the departure and arrival printed on your actual tickets.
Day 1: Arrive in Bucharest
Allow time for immigration or arrival formalities, baggage, your city transfer, and hotel check-in. A first afternoon around Calea Victoriei gives you an introduction to the capital through its substantial facades, small passages, shops, and cafes. Choose a short stretch near your accommodation and settle into the local pace.
Henri Coanda Airport has a rail connection to Bucuresti Nord, the main railway station. The airport's official train information links to the timetable. Add the onward connection from the station to your hotel when comparing rail with a booked road transfer.
Have dinner near your lodging. Calea Victoriei or the Universitate area makes a convenient first base for the following day's central sights. If your flight arrives late, move the introductory walk to day two.
Day 2: Bucharest Galleries, Architecture, and Old Town
Start with a selected gallery at the National Museum of Art of Romania, housed in the former Royal Palace. Romanian art is a useful focus for a first visit; give the chosen collection a couple of hours, then take a lunch break nearby. The museum's contact and visiting information lists its opening calendar. It normally closes on Mondays and Tuesdays, so move this visit if your dates land on either day.
Continue around Revolution Square and the Romanian Athenaeum. The Athenaeum's columns and dome make an appealing architectural stop even when you are visiting only the exterior. For an interior visit or performance, check the George Enescu Philharmonic for the actual program and admission arrangements.
Spend the afternoon farther south in the Old Town. Stavropoleos is a small monastery church whose carved stonework and courtyard reward a close look; enter respectfully around worship. Nearby Lipscani streets give you a compact area for browsing and a meal.
Carturesti Carusel, at 55 Lipscani Street, adds books, gifts, and a bright interior to this walk. It is a working bookshop, so leave time to browse. Caru cu Bere is a possible dinner choice for its decorated historic dining room and Romanian menu; check the restaurant's menu and reservation options before booking.
Day 3: Travel to Brasov and Explore Council Square
Take a dated train from Bucuresti Nord to Brasov. The journey is a chance to see the landscape change toward the mountain corridor. Compare departures on the official CFR Calatori site, then allow time on both ends for luggage and the hotel connection. Brasov station and the historic center are separate locations.
After check-in, begin at Piata Sfatului, or Council Square. The former Council House sits among colorful buildings, cafe terraces, and lanes leading toward the Black Church. It is a useful place to understand the layout before the following day's visits.
Walk along pedestrian Strada Republicii, choose a cafe, and have dinner in the old town. Four nights here lets you unpack once for the center, Bran, and Schei. Staying near the historic center makes those evenings particularly easy.
Day 4: Black Church and Brasov's Old Town
Make the Black Church your main morning visit. Its large Gothic interior, historic carpets, and organ give the stop substance beyond the exterior. Allow about an hour as a planning estimate, with extra time if you have a particular interest in its history or music.
Check the church's own visiting calendar. Its current cold-season schedule opens later on Sundays and Mondays, and it has announced cleaning closures on November 2, 9, and 16, 2026. The sample Saturday visit fits that calendar; recheck after changing your dates.
Continue to Rope Street, then toward Catherine's Gate and the adjoining streets. These are short stops that work well as a connected old-town walk. Pause for lunch before walking alongside the historic walls near Graft Bastion.
The streets and lower paths provide plenty of interest. The White Tower approach and other elevated viewpoints can be added when daylight, weather, and footing suit your group. Leave the evening for dinner or a longer return to a favorite street.
Day 5: Bran Castle Excursion
Bran is the main castle excursion in this itinerary. Its hilltop walls, towers, small rooms, and former royal-residence setting make for a different scale of visit from the large town squares. Plan roughly two to three hours for the approach, interior, and grounds, then leave space for lunch.
Start with the castle's official visit page to select the correct ticket and access window. Special events can change the normal visit. The current notices specify Halloween-only tickets for October 24-November 1, 2026, and an earlier last entry on November 7. Check the date you actually intend to go.
From Brasov, choose a confirmed return bus from Autogara 2, a booked driver, or an organized excursion. The castle's access page describes the bus connection and road approaches. Verify that day's departures and the return pickup before leaving. A driver or tour is especially useful when your group values a single agreed meeting point.
Have lunch in Bran if it fits the ticket and transport schedule. The castle's Tea House is one option to check. Back in Brasov, the late afternoon can remain open for a cafe and dinner.
Day 6: Schei and a Flexible Brasov Afternoon
Walk toward Schei, the neighborhood beyond the old-town gates. Its smaller streets and Piata Unirii provide a change of setting from Council Square. Around St Nicholas Church, the churchyard and neighboring school buildings add context to the area's cultural history.
The First Romanian School museum is worthwhile for travelers interested in printing, education, and local heritage. The Romanian heritage museum directory describes its collections. Confirm access and any guided-visit arrangements locally before shaping the day around the interior.
Have lunch in the neighborhood, then return to the center at a relaxed pace. This afternoon can hold an extra museum, a longer meal, or a weather-dependent viewpoint. The November example keeps the day in Brasov, with no scheduled mountain outing.
For an open-date Peles visit, Sinaia can replace this day after checking the castle calendar, the station-to-castle connection, and the return train. Peles is outside Bran and Brasov, so it needs its own transport plan. During the announced interior closure, keep the Schei day or choose another confirmed indoor activity.
Day 7: Continue to Sibiu
Travel from Brasov to Sibiu by a confirmed train or prearranged driver. Reserve about half a day for the station or pickup, the journey, and check-in. Confirm the actual duration, departure station, and any connection when choosing the train.
Once settled, explore Piata Mare, the broad central square. Its substantial facades and open space contrast with nearby Piata Mica, where smaller passages and roof windows draw your attention upward. An early dinner near your accommodation is a pleasant introduction to Sibiu.
Day 8: ASTRA Museum and Sibiu's Squares
Spend the morning at the ASTRA open-air museum in Dumbrava Forest, outside the center. Traditional houses, workshops, mills, and paths around the landscape make it a substantial outdoor visit. Give it three to four hours as a planning allowance, with more time if rural architecture is a main interest.
Check the museum operator's current schedule for your entrance gate and any exhibitions you want to enter. The page currently lists a 17:00 cold-season closing time, with earlier last-ticket times and separate schedules for some exhibitions. Arrange the outward and return city connection as part of the visit.
Return to central Sibiu for lunch, then walk through Piata Mica and the Bridge of Lies. The bridge crosses the sloping lane toward Lower Town; the city's Small Square guide helps explain how the squares and lower streets fit together. Look for the distinctive eye-shaped roof windows along the way.
Continue through the Passage of Stairs if steps suit your group. In wet or icy weather, a shorter central walk and an indoor exhibition make a useful alternative. Casa Artelor, on Piata Mica, offers a craft-focused option with its own opening days.
Day 9: Return to Bucharest
Keep this day centered on the return journey. Select the exact train or road transfer before deciding on dinner and check-in time. Some direct rail choices arrive late; agree late check-in with the hotel when needed and plan a meal around the departure.
A prebooked driver gives you a different departure-time option. Ask for the full pickup, luggage, stops, and arrival arrangement when comparing quotes. With either form of transport, the final Bucharest night separates the long intercity leg from the following day's flight.
For an early flight, accommodation chosen for the airport connection can be practical. For a later departure, another central night may suit your group better. Match the location to the actual departure plan.
Day 10: Departure
Set the airport arrival time using your airline's requirements, then work backward through the hotel connection. When taking the airport train, include travel to Bucuresti Nord as well as the rail leg and terminal walk. A booked car transfer should have an agreed pickup point and time.
If your flight leaves later, breakfast and a short walk near the hotel fit comfortably around departure preparations. Leave luggage arrangements and the transport booking settled in advance.
Where to Stay
- Bucharest: Calea Victoriei and Universitate are useful for this central sightseeing plan. Check nighttime noise on the exact street if considering Old Town accommodation.
- Brasov: Council Square, Republicii, and the old-town edge put restaurants and the historic center nearby. Confirm vehicle access or the walk from the luggage drop-off point.
- Sibiu: Upper Town around Piata Mare or Piata Mica makes the evening walks convenient. Lower Town can also work; review steps and luggage access for the specific property.
- Final Bucharest night: Choose around the flight and the confirmed arrival from Sibiu. Ask about late reception when using a late train.
For apartment stays and smaller guesthouses, check stairs, heating in colder months, and check-in arrangements. Compare the total door-to-door connection, especially when a station-area property looks convenient on a booking map.
Transport and Booking Priorities
The main bases connect by rail, with local transport needed for hotels, Bran, and ASTRA. A city-focused version of this itinerary can be planned around trains and booked excursions. A rental car is more useful when you deliberately add villages or countryside stops and confirm parking at each stay.
Use CFR Calatori for the actual service, travel date, class, and booking conditions. The current timetable period runs through December 12, 2026; later departures need a fresh timetable check. Recheck works and disruptions close to departure.
Book in this order: flights and final departure connection, intercity transport, lodging nights, then the castle and museum visits that shape a day. For a practical way to compare overnight allocations and transfer days, see our multi-city trip planning guide.
Use current official ticket pages for admission amounts. Keep restaurant and shared-transfer estimates separate from confirmed bookings, and record actual expenses as you travel.
Useful Swaps and Extra Days
For art and indoor time: Consider a selected Brukenthal collection in Sibiu, checking the museum's official program for the gallery you want. Casa Artelor is another central option, with current hours on the ASTRA site. Choose the collection first, then adjust the outdoor museum time.
For a viewpoint: Add the White Tower or a Tampa outing from Brasov when conditions and access fit. Confirm cable-car operations and trail conditions locally. These remain optional because they depend on weather and your group's preferred walking effort.
For another historic town: Add Sighisoara with an extra night and a checked onward connection. It is best treated as an extension to the overnight plan. If you have exactly ten days, compare that choice with the time allocated to Brasov or Sibiu before reserving accommodation.
For seasonal events: Sibiu's Christmas market can change the feel of the central squares. Check the official market site for the announced dates in your travel year. No market visit is assumed in the sample November dates.
What the Romania Google Sheets Itinerary Includes
- A scheduled Bucharest, Brasov, Bran, and Sibiu plan with nine lodging nights.
- Additional restaurants, bookshops, viewpoints, neighborhoods, indoor alternatives, and seasonal ideas on the Itinerary tab.
- Specific locations, official links, booking reminders, and transport notes.
- The standard packing checklist for your own items and pre-trip tasks.
- The existing cost-splitting calculator, ready for your group's actual expenses.
For a general planner you can adapt to any trip, see the free Google Sheets travel planner and itinerary template.
How Travel Mapper Helps With a Romania Trip
Start with the free Romania itinerary and customize the dates, hotel choices, and places you want to visit. The spreadsheet keeps the schedule, notes, booking links, packing, and shared expenses together.
Travel Mapper for Google Sheets adds map-based itinerary planning. Seeing Bucharest, Brasov, Bran, Sinaia, and Sibiu together helps you compare the main bases with day-trip ideas. Within a city, the map helps you group nearby stops and choose the hotel location that fits your planned days.
The add-on also offers Google Maps autofill, drag-and-drop itinerary editing, itinerary email, and Google My Maps export. The Travel Mapper Chrome extension can help you add an activity from a page you are researching, such as a museum or restaurant.
You can try the full add-on features free for seven days. If you do not subscribe, the basic Google Sheets template remains usable, and generating basic templates stays free and unlimited. Map view and the other full add-on tools require the paid upgrade after the trial.
If you want to review or edit the trip from your phone while traveling, the Travel Mapper web app works in a mobile browser.
Copy the itinerary first, then install Travel Mapper when you want to review your multi-day plan on a map.
Romania Itinerary FAQ
Is ten days enough for a first Romania trip?
Ten days is a useful length for Bucharest, Brasov, a Bran excursion, and Sibiu, including transfers and a final Bucharest night. Add time for another overnight destination such as Sighisoara or for a countryside-focused extension.
Can I do this Romania itinerary by train?
Rail connects Bucharest, Brasov, and Sibiu. Bran and ASTRA need their own local transport arrangements, and the exact return from Sibiu should be selected before booking the final hotel. Check dated services and station connections on the official operator site.
Should I visit Peles or Bran Castle?
Bran is the scheduled castle in this plan. Peles in Sinaia is an optional separate-day swap when its museum calendar and your ticket permit a visit. Peles interiors are closed November 2-December 1, 2026, so the sample November itinerary keeps that visit unscheduled.
How many nights should I spend in each place?
This plan uses two nights in Bucharest, four in Brasov, two in Sibiu, and one final night in Bucharest. Four Brasov nights cover the arrival evening and three full days. If you depart from Sibiu, compare using the final return day for additional local time.
Can I keep using the Google Sheets itinerary for free?
Yes. Copy and customize the basic itinerary for free. Travel Mapper's full add-on features have a seven-day trial; map view, drag-and-drop editing, itinerary email, and Google My Maps export are paid add-on features after the trial. The basic spreadsheet remains usable.
