The city of Sfantu Gheorghe is the capital of Covasna County, located north and northeast of Brasov.

We thank Mr. Frank Schleßmann for sending these beautiful pictures (early October 2025).

Many holidaymakers travel to Romania with their own car or rent one at the airport and... may feel a little overwhelmed by the parking situation in some cities. Therefore, here are some useful tips and information.

And first of all: don't be tempted to imitate the sometimes creative parking style of some locals. A car can be towed away very quickly (for example from fire lanes, in front of hospitals, at intersections, pedestrian crossings, etc.) and can only be recovered by paying a fee. The problem is that you first have to find out where your car has been taken... and that can become quite a challenge 🙈

# Relaxed parking in Brăila 🥰
Brăila is located in southeastern Romania and has around 150,000 inhabitants. There are almost always enough parking spaces, even in the city center, and all public parking in Brăila is free of charge.

# The neighboring city of Galați... not quite as relaxed 😅
Galați is also located in southeastern Romania and has around 300,000 inhabitants. In many parts of the city (the center as well as residential areas), parking is paid (Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM–8:00 PM). Payment can be made at parking machines or via SMS (a Romanian phone number is required). IMPORTANT: If you do not pay, it usually takes only a short time before you find a nice yellow or orange wheel clamp 😅 on one of your front wheels. The removal fee is 200 or 300 lei (approximately €40 or €60), depending on the time of day.

# Brasov – allow plenty of time to find a parking space
In the center of Brasov and nearby areas, finding a parking space is difficult at almost any time of day. There are only a few parking spaces, and because of the many one-way streets, the search can take quite a while. Don't be in a hurry here! Parking is paid (Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM–8:00 PM) and can be paid at parking machines, via SMS (one hour per SMS; multiple SMS messages can be combined, but a Romanian phone number is required), or through an app (including 24-hour parking). Paid parking is available throughout the city, so always pay attention to the signs.

# Timisoara, European Capital of Culture 2023... modern technology 😁
Parking in the city center is also paid here, but the search for parking offenders is handled in a very modern way. A specially equipped camera car regularly patrols the streets and parking areas. It automatically reads license plates and checks in real time whether parking has been paid. We do not know the exact process, but we assume that drivers without a valid parking ticket receive a fine very quickly.

# Bucharest... no words 🙈
Parking in Bucharest is easy: either at your hotel parking lot or about 20 km outside the city 😁. Anyone who has ever driven in Bucharest knows that you need plenty of time, patience, and a relaxed attitude, as the traffic often resembles that of large Italian cities. In many districts, the city center, and around shopping malls, traffic is usually very heavy (GPS: "Your destination is 800 meters away. Estimated travel time: 48 minutes."). Parking is paid and can usually be paid at parking machines, via SMS (Romanian phone number required), or through an app. Depending on the district (especially the Old Town), finding a parking space can be very difficult or extremely expensive (for example, 300 lei (€60) for 24 hours in a private parking lot). Our advice is clear: choose a hotel with free parking and then explore the city on foot or by taxi, Uber, bus, or metro. It is well worth it!

# In the countryside and in small towns
Things are usually much more relaxed here. You park and that's it 😊. However, always keep an eye on local signs, especially near tourist attractions, as paid parking may also apply there.

# Finally... the idea: simply don't pay the fine!!!
This almost never works because in most cities, in addition to the parking ticket, you will also receive a nice yellow (or orange) wheel clamp on the driver's front wheel. The removal fee varies depending on the time of day or night. Therefore, if parking fees apply, it is definitely in your own interest to pay them.

If you have experiences with parking in other Romanian cities, feel free to share them in the comments!

# One more thing: the Romanian vignette (Rovinieta)
To use Romania's motorways and national roads (mandatory for all cars), you need a vignette. The vignette (Rovinieta) can be purchased online up to one month in advance (including a German-language interface). The prices are reasonable: €3 for 7 days, €7 for 30 days, €13 for 90 days, and €28 for one year. Rental cars usually already include a valid vignette, but it is always worth asking. More information is available here:

https://www.roviniete.ro/de/

Pictures from Brasov from late September 2025. At any time and in any season, this city in Transylvania / Burzenland is worth a visit.

https://kronstadt-erleben.de | https://discover-brasov.com

Beautiful pictures by Mr. Iercosan Marian. Thank you for sending them, dear Marian 😊

The house was built 100 years ago… in the middle of the mountains in Brașov County. Simple and yet connected to nature, an experience that will always be remembered.

https://urlaub-in-rumänien.de/en/uir/house-pelinica/

The fortified church of Tartlau, in the commune of Prejmer, Brasov County, has the most powerful ring wall of all the Saxon fortified churches in Transylvania. The oldest fortification ring is said to have been built before 1300 and was expanded at the end of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th century.

In its present form, the walls still stand 12 to 14 meters high and up to 5 meters thick at the base. Inside the fortress are over 270 refuge and storage chambers, arranged on up to four levels.

We thank Tom & Helga for these beautiful pictures from their Romania tour in September and October 2024. Many thanks 🥰

Pure relaxation, indulging in delicious dishes made from local products, a pool, and yet adventure all around 🥰

https://conaculgrigorescu.com (German website, German-speaking hosts)

The Grigorescu Mansion (Buzau County, near the village of Berca) offers a family atmosphere and is centrally located in the Bucharest - Brasov - Danube Delta triangle. It is also a perfect starting point for excursions to the Dealu Mare wine region or for hiking and sporting experiences in the UNESCO Geopark Buzau.

The main square in the center of Kronstadt / Brasov, with the city's old Town Hall.

https://kronstadt-erleben.de | https://discover-brasov.com

Images from June 14, 2026, from Targu Mures (called Marosvásárhely in Hungarian and Neumarkt am Mieresch in German).

The city was first documented in the year 1300. It is located on the Mures River (called Mieresch in German and Maros in Hungarian), on the route between Brasov and Cluj-Napoca, and vice versa.

On the way from Sibiu to Brașov lies the town of Făgăraș. At the end of the 12th century the town's fortress was only a wooden fortification, which was expanded into a stone fortress in the 14th century.

The fortress houses a museum, which—like the fortress itself—can be visited. Directly next to the fortress is the cathedral / church Sfantul Ioan Botezatorul.

Beautiful pictures by Mr. Iercosan Marian from a few days ago (end of September 2025).

The community of Harman (German: Honigberg) is located in the historical region of Burzenland, about 12 kilometers northeast of the city of Brasov (Kronstadt).

In 1211, the Hungarian King Andrew II granted the Burzenland to the Teutonic Order, which settled there, built castles, brought German settlers into the country, and founded villages such as Honigberg. After conflicts with the king, the order was expelled from the Burzenland in 1225, but the German settlements remained.

More information and many pictures:
https://urlaub-in-rumänien.de/de/uir/ausflugsziele-sehenswertes-zitadelle-harman/

Bran Castle (in German: Törzburg) is located in the Transylvania region, in Brașov County.

Regardless of whether Dracula (if he ever existed 😁) or his "human" counterpart (Vlad III Draculea, Vlad the Impaler) lived here or not... the castle and the entire region are definitely worth a visit.

We thank Castelul Bran for the permission to use these images.

The village of Viscri (German: Deutsch-Weisskirch, Hungarian: Szaszfeheregyhaza) is located in Brasov County in Transylvania.

It lies northwest of the town / fortress of Rupea (German: Reps) and southeast of the city of Sighisoara (German: Schäßburg). Between the 18th and 20th centuries, the village had about 700 inhabitants, mainly Transylvanian Saxons plus a Romanian part of the village. Viscri is characterized by both its fortified church and the village structure shaped by Saxon farmsteads.

Pictures: Mai 2024

The city of Targu Mures (Hungarian: Marosvásárhely, German: Neumarkt am Mieresch), first documented in the year 1300, is located on the Mures River (German: Mieresch, Hungarian: Maros), on the route between Brasov and Cluj-Napoca.

Targu Mures was founded by the Székely people. The city was first mentioned in historical records in 1300 as Forum Siculorum. The history of the city, like that of all Transylvania, was shaped by the Kingdom of Hungary, the Principality of Transylvania, and from the end of the 17th century by the Habsburg Monarchy, later Hungary, and then Romania.

Pictures: June 02, 2026

Black Church (in Romanian Biserica Neagră) is next to the inscription „ BRASOV ”, a landmark of Kronstadt.

https://kronstadt-erleben.de | https://discover-brasov.com

The village of Viscri (in German: Deutsch-Weisskirch, in Hungarian: Szaszfeheregyhaza) is located in Brașov County in Transylvania.

It lies northwest of the town/citadel of Rupea and southeast of the city of Sighișoara. Between the 18th and 20th centuries, the village had about 700 inhabitants, mainly Transylvanian Saxons and a Romanian village section. Viscri is notable for its fortified church and the typical Saxon village layout.

The village was founded by Transylvanian Saxons at the end of the 12th century and was first mentioned in documents in 1185. At the northwest end of the village stands the fortified church.

In the 12th century, before the German settlers arrived, the Székelys (a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group in eastern Transylvania) built a small Romanesque hall church here. In the 13th century, it was expanded. After the first Turkish incursions, the church was fortified in the 14th century, and a defensive wall with towers was built.

We thank photographer Brian Randall for the permission to use these pictures (early September 2021).