A Weekend in Romania

11/07/25- 11/09/25

There was a night during the month of October I started feeling complacent. I hadn’t traveled in what is likely to be the longest period in the past two years, and I was starting to feel it. A change of scenery has always done good for me, so, almost without knowing it, I booked a spontaneous trip to a country I have yet to visit, Romania.

Portrait in front of Romania’s foliage

Romania was exactly what I was looking for in terms of a ‘change of scenery.’ I had been wanting cooler weather, as this year in Italy it had felt particularly warm, so Romania seemed to be the perfect destination to get me both active and moving as well as more desirable weather.

I resided in Bucharest for a majority of my stay in Romania which I found to have a much more quaint, fall- like feel than anticipated. Being the capital of Romania, I expected the things I typically do from larger cities in Europe. Traffic, busy streets, and, of course, pretty architecture, but not anything I hadn’t seen before. However, Bucharest had an older feel to it. It felt darker in an ancient kind of medieval way with its rainy days that I actually found particularly fitting and enjoyable for the time of year.

Out of respect for the time of year it was in the early November month, my main attraction to Romania, however, didn’t reside in Bucharest. It resided in Transylvania at Dracula’s Castle.

Gargoyle at entrance of Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania, Romania

If medieval castles, haunted tours, and spooky scenery is something you enjoy, then I could not recommend visiting Transylvania more. I often find the solo trips I take to places like these to be not only just enjoyable, but also educational because I typically fill the time going on tours since I don’t have other people to keep me company. It’s a great way to spend the day walking around a new city with more new visitors wanting to see as much of Romania as possible before their short trip ends, as well.

Dracula’s Castle, also know as Bran Castle, was simply incredible. Each room had some sort of haunting, yet enchanting, effect that was not only intriguing, but also, at times, chilling. The classy chandeliers, worn down wardrobes, haunted hallways, and broken down bedrooms were all just mere parts of what made Dracula’s Castle have the spooky reputation it does.

Bran Castle view above courtyard

If you’re not one for chilling experiences such as this one then don’t you worry because at the base of the castle is a small downtown area filled with markets and food stalls that will keep you busy and others who visited the castle wishing they had more time to spend there.

Back in Bucharest that evening, there was a soft buzz of a few late night wanderers that I found to be comforting. The city’s warming atmosphere made the cold night seem more tolerable since it was almost impossible to not spend my last night in Romania roaming the dimly- lit cobblestone streets winding in and out of all the nooks and crannies of Old Town Bucharest.

If you’re interested in seeing more of what my trip to Romania consisted of, check out my YouTube vlog linked below!

YouTube link to my vlog of Romania!