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Latest Brasov hotel reviews
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I'm not going to lie. I'm cursed. I must have been one skilled hunter in a past life because wild animals hate me in this life. I drive through the Canadian Rockies all the time and never see any wildlife. My house literally backs onto a wilderness area and in two years I've seen an animal once. Once I went to a the bird sanctuary in migration season and only saw seagulls.
So... after more than a handful of cocktails with some backpackers from New Zealand, I was convinced to join one of Brasov's infamous "Bear Watching" tours. Your connection will call up their uncle (or brother-in-law, or neighbour's co-worker's father's handyman...), who will load you into a van and take you to the back alleys behind some of Brasov's most exclusive apartment blocks, where every evening bears come down from the forests of Mount Tampa to gorge themselves on leftover pizza crusts and polenta. At first, it seemed like my bad luck would extend to this trip, and we waited nearly and hour and there was not a single sign of any bear-life. But, just as we were preparing to leave, we heard dogs barking in the woods. Clearly, they'd smelled something interesting. A few minutes later a family of bears appeared only about three metres from our vehicle, pawing around in the dumpsters for whatever little treats they could find. A number of locals were out bear-watching as well, and Greenpeace would have freaked out if they'd seen how close we all got to these gentle giants. Taking flash photos right in the bears' faces? Why not? (Disclaimer: The attached photo was taken by our driver, who literally grabbed my camera from my hand when he thought I was missing out on photo opportunities.)
So, my Bad Bear Luck came to an end in a dumpster behind a Romanian apartment complex. Still, since my return to Canada I haven't seen much in the way of wildlife... karma, perhaps? If you do go, please be careful as people really have died getting way too close to these bears. They should also be a deterrent for those considering sleeping outdoors as a money-saving strategy (try Couchsurfing instead).
Written Apr 2, 2011
Brasov's unique red-and-white synagogue is located on Str Porta Schei, just inside the gates marking the entrance to the historical walled city center. Built at the turn of the twentieth century, it originally serviced the city's Jewish population (which numbered about 1,200 at the time). It recently underwent a major restoration.
Written Apr 2, 2011
Address: 27 Str Porta Schei
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Just a few steps away from Brasov's Black Church is the town's Greek Church, which was built in the 1500s to accommodate the growing number of merchants from Greece passing through the city. Don't miss its ornate courtyard and entryway!
Written Apr 2, 2011
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Ask anyone in Brasov for directions to the First Romanian School Museum... and they'll look at you like you're crazy and walk away in the other direction. Oddly, nobody seems to know about this tiny little museum! It's actually located inside the grounds of the St. Nicholas' Cathedral, which is in Piata Unirii.
Once you're inside you'll understand why nobody seems to know about this museum. First of all, nobody seems to work there. Although prices were posted outside the door, there was nobody there to collect payment. The door was simply left open. Inside, it's a wonky collection of bits and pieces from Romanian schools, including old textbooks, maps and household items. No information is available in English. The Anton Pann Room is a recreation of a traditional school room, with benches that will give you a backache just looking at them. The building itself was actually the first ever to teach lessons in the Romanian language, which alone makes it fascinating that so few locals are aware of its presence.
Written Apr 2, 2011
Address: Piata Unirii nr.2-3
Website: http://www.primascoalaromaneasca.ro/
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Mount Tâmpa, with its dramatic white "BRASOV" sign (much in the style of Hollywood) is another city landmark. There was once a fortified citadel atop the mountain; my guidebook says that Vlad Tepes himself attacked and dismantled it in the 1400s, while Wikipedia makes no mention of such an event, pointing out only that in the 1300s it was attacked by the Turks and ultimately handed over to Sultan Murad II (that must not have lasted long...).
Today, visitors can walk up the mountain (if they're crazy) or take a scenic cable car trip up (clearly the more sane option). Up top there are a number of hiking trails through the nature sanctuary part of the mountain (be on the lookout for bears!), as well as a panoramic viewpoint behind the giant BRASOV sign. The cable car runs only during the day (usually 9:00 to 5:00) and is closed on Monday.
Written Apr 2, 2011
Address: Aleea Tiberiu Brediceanu at Str Jullius Romer
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The narrowest street in Brasov, and one of the narrowest in all of Europe, is Str Storii ("Rope Street"). This cute little pedestrian passageway makes a great detour on your way to the Mount Tampa cable car... just try to pass through BEFORE dinner!
Written Apr 2, 2011
Address: Str. Storii
Brasov's most famous landmark is its Black Church (Biserica Neagră), a church that gets its spooky-sounding name not from its sordid past, but rather from its appearance after a fire in the late 1600s. This Lutheran church is considered to be one of the most important examples of Gothic architecture in Romania. In the summer organ concerts are frequently held inside the church, and year-round visitors can simply explore the building, paying less than five lei to enter and see the expansive interior and opulent decor.
Written Apr 2, 2011
Address: Slightly south of Piata Sfatului
Piata Sfatului is the Council Square in Brasov. As the city's main gathering space it has been holding markets and cultural events for nearly eight hundred years. The square is watched over by Casa Sfatului, built in 1420 to hold town meetings and topped with a large tower. In theory, Brasov Historical Museum is located inside Casa Sfatului, though it was never open during my stay (despite a sign with posted hours). There are also lots of shops and cafes lining the square, as well as markets, concerts and other events. This square is shrouded in legend: my guidebook reports that this was supposedly the location of the last witch burning in Europe, while Wikipedia reports that legend has it that the children sent underground by the Pied Piper of Hamelin emerged from their subterranean voyage here.
Written Apr 2, 2011
Address: Piata Sfatului
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St. Nicholas' Cathedral (St. Nicolae din Scheii) is a small Orthodox Church west of Brasov's historical center. In the olden days, Romanians were not permitted to to enter the walled center of Brasov (it was reserved for Germans) so the Romanian Orthodox church was built in this part of town (called Şcheii Braşovului). It's hard to imagine this neighbourhood being considered separate from the rest of the city (after all it's less than ten minutes by foot to the center), but it was. The current church was built in the late 1400s, and over time Baroque elements have been added to the originally Gothic building. Inside, frescoes of a Romanian king and queen were covered for decades, revealed only in 2004 when it was sure they would not be damaged by Communists.
Updated Apr 2, 2011
Address: Piata Unirii
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Part of the old City Hall dates from 1420, but like many of these old buildings, it was added onto and rebuilt over the next few centuries. The building now houses a museum and the tourist office.
Hours are advertised as Tues-Sunday, 10-6. However, the building was supposed to be open when I went there, but it wasn't. I tried to ask the guy standing in the door, but “closed” seemed to be the extent of his English.
Updated Oct 9, 2010
Address: On council square
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Part of the old City Hall dates from 1420, but like many of these old buildings, it was added onto and rebuilt over the next few centuries. The building now...
105 members live in Brasov
Q: Does somebody know what's the timetable of the Cable car that goes to Brasov sign? We'd like to see the city from that high point...
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