Transylvania Castles & Fortified Villages: 4-Day Self-Launched Loop from Bucharest

Start early: take a train from Bucharest Gara de Nord to Sinaia (roughly 1h20–1h45, around £5–7 on a Regio/IR service — buy on CFR Călători app or at the station). Walk or take the local bus up to Peleș Castle; book a timed ticket online in advance to skip queues (approx £8–10 for the ground floor or full route). Continue on to Bran: the simplest independent option is the frequent minibuses/buses from Brașov's Autogara 2 to Bran (about 45–60 mins, £1.50–2.50), so the practical plan is train Sinaia → Brașov (≈£3–5, 1h) then bus to Bran. Bran Castle entry ≈£7–8; Râșnov Citadel is en route (bus stop on the Brașov–Bran line, entry ≈£3). Base yourself in Brașov's old town and wander the Council Square and the Black Church exterior in the evening — with a self-guided audio walking tour downloaded on your phone (£3–5) you get a good chunk of the storytelling a guide would give you. Note that without a private car this is a long day; if it feels too much, sleep in Sinaia and shift Bran to Day 2 morning.

🚌Train Bucharest → Sinaia (≈£6) + train Sinaia → Brașov (≈£4) + local bus Brașov ↔ Bran/Râșnov (≈£4 total)

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel double in Brașov old town (e.g. a pension near Piața Sfatului), £20–28 per person per night

• →Peleș Castle, Sinaia (timed ticket, self-booked online)
• →Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle)
• →Râșnov medieval citadel
• →Evening self-guided walk of Brașov Council Square and Black Church

Morning train from Brașov to Rupea (≈1h, £3–4, check CFR times — midday services are limited). Rupea Fortress is a 25–30 min uphill walk from Rupea station/village; entry ≈£3. For Viscri, the independent route is bus or shared taxi from Rupea back toward Bunești/Viscri (ask locally, or use the village minibus; roughly £2–4), then walk the last 2 km. Viscri's fortified church (entry ≈£3, Prince Charles's guesthouse cluster is signposted) is the highlight of the Saxon village trail. Getting onward to Sighișoara independently is the trickiest leg — either return to Rupea for a train (≈£4–5, 1h15), or take a local bus to Sighișoara (≈£3–5). Arrive in Sighișoara by late afternoon, climb the Clock Tower (≈£4) and see Vlad the Impaler's House from outside (the restaurant/museum entry is optional, ≈£3). If you want to compress the day, a shared/private transfer Rupea–Viscri–Sighișoara booked locally costs about £30–40 per car and is worth splitting with other travellers.

🚌Train Brașov → Rupea (≈£4) + local bus/minibus Rupea ↔ Viscri (≈£6) + bus or train onward to Sighișoara (≈£5); optional shared car leg ≈£10 pp if split

🛏3* small hotel or guesthouse inside Sighișoara citadel (e.g. a pension on Str. Bastionului), £22–30 per person per night

• →Rupea Fortress
• →Viscri fortified church and Saxon village walk
• →Sighișoara Clock Tower
• →Vlad the Impaler's House (exterior or museum entry)

This is the heaviest transport day, so start early. Biertan is best reached by local bus or a short taxi from Sighișoara (≈£1.50 each way by bus, £8–10 by taxi one way); the fortified church entry is ≈£2–3 and the village itself is tiny and atmospheric. Return to Sighișoara or Mediaș and take a train to Alba Iulia (Mediaș–Alba Iulia ≈1h30, £4–6; Sighișoara–Alba Iulia direct services ≈2h30–3h). Alba Iulia's star-shaped citadel and Changing of the Guard are free to walk — allow 1.5–2 hours. Then train Alba Iulia → Sibiu (≈1h20–2h, £4–6). Settle into Sibiu in the evening for a self-guided walk of the Large Square, Small Square and the Bridge of Lies. Consider buying a combined CFR day ticket or a rail pass if you're doing several legs; Romanian trains are cheap enough that a pass rarely pays off.

🚌Local bus/taxi to Biertan and back (≈£5) + train Sighișoara/Mediaș → Alba Iulia (≈£5) + train Alba Iulia → Sibiu (≈£5)

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Sibiu old town, £24–32 per person per night

• →Biertan fortified church (UNESCO)
• →Alba Iulia Citadel and Changing of the Guard
• →Evening self-guided walk: Sibiu Large Square, Small Square, Bridge of Lies, defensive walls

Morning in Sibiu: do the self-guided historic centre walk properly (towers, Lutheran Cathedral, the Liars' Bridge) before leaving. The classic route back to Bucharest via the Olt Valley is easiest by bus: Sibiu's Autogara 1 runs frequent coaches to Râmnicu Vâlcea (≈1h30–2h, £4–6) or direct to Bucharest (≈4h, £8–12). Curtea de Argeș is awkward by public transport — the honest independent options are (a) a direct Sibiu–Bucharest coach and skip Curtea de Argeș, (b) a local bus to Curtea de Argeș from Pitești (bus Sibiu–Pitești ≈£5, then Pitești–Curtea de Argeș ≈£2), or (c) split a taxi from Curtea de Argeș town to the monastery (≈£6–8). The 16th-century monastery and its royal necropolis are free/cheap to enter (small donation). Arrive Bucharest late afternoon or early evening. If you'd rather keep the day short, take the direct coach and put Curtea de Argeș on a future day trip.

🚌Bus Sibiu → Pitești (≈£5) + bus Pitești → Curtea de Argeș (≈£2) + short taxi (≈£4 split) + bus Curtea de Argeș → Bucharest (≈£5)

🛏Not included — overnight hostel/budget hotel in Bucharest if needed, £15–25 pp

• →Sibiu self-guided old town walk
• →Curtea de Argeș Monastery and royal necropolis
• →Optional stop in Râmnicu Vâlcea on the Olt Valley