← Cluj-Napoca Marathon·2 nights

Sighișoara and Brașov: Two Nights in Transylvania

One night inside the walls at Sighișoara, one beside the Black Church in Brașov, and a bus back to Cluj at the end.

Duration2 nights
TransitCFR train from Cluj-Napoca to Sighișoara, about 2 hours 45 minutes, then onward by rail to Brașov
DepartsCluj-Napoca railway station

After the Cluj-Napoca Marathon: Sighișoara and Brașov

The Route: Cluj-Napoca → Sighișoara → Brașov → Cluj-Napoca → Cluj Avram Iancu Airport Logistics: Train to Sighișoara, a train or bus on to Brașov, and a bus back to Cluj at the end. Two nights, one in each town. Marathon Month: April Duration: 2 nights

Cluj-Napoca ──(about 2h45 train)──> Sighișoara ──(rail, allow 3-4 hrs)──> Brașov
                                                                             │
Cluj Airport (CLJ) ◄──(about 26 mins A1)── Cluj-Napoca ◄──(about 3h50 bus)───┘

The marathon finishes on a Sunday. Monday is the train to Sighișoara, Tuesday is the move on to Brașov and Wednesday is the bus back to Cluj. That is three transport days, so it suits a runner who is happy to sit on trains while the legs recover.

April in Transylvania: April is early in the tourist season, evenings are cold and some restaurants keep shorter hours. The Black Church runs on its April hours, given below.

Night One: Sighișoara

The CFR train from Cluj to Sighișoara takes about 2 hours 48 minutes, with around three departures a day. Fares run from roughly £6 to £20. Book at bilete.cfrcalatori.ro.

The citadel is a walled hill town. The Clock Tower rises 64 metres over Piața Cetății, and the Covered Stairway of 175 steps (built 1642) climbs to the Church on the Hill (1525). On post-marathon legs, skip the stairway and keep to the flat square and its streets. The main sights need five to six hours at a normal pace; allow one afternoon and an early dinner.

Stay at Casa cu Cerb or Casa Wagner, both in the old town. Casa Wagner is at 7 Piața Cetății. The restaurant at the Vlad Dracul house on the square is the obvious dinner option, and your hotel can book it.

Night Two: Brașov

The rail trip from Sighișoara to Brașov takes roughly three to four hours including any change, so leave in the morning. The journey times are estimates; check the CFR planner for the day. Brașov's old town is built round Piața Sfatului, the Council Square. The square and the pedestrian streets that lead from it are flat.

The Black Church (Biserica Neagră) is at Curtea Johannes Honterus 2. In April it opens Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00 and on Sunday and Monday from 12:00 to 19:00. Tickets are sold online through the church's site, so check the price. Strada Sforii, Rope Street, is a passage a little over a metre wide at its narrowest and is a short walk from the square.

Stay at Drachenhaus Hotel or Aro Palace Hotel, both within about 150 to 350 metres of Piața Sfatului. Aro Palace is a four-star. The streets around the square are lined with restaurants serving Transylvanian dishes. Ask the hotel for a table, since April hours vary.

Getting Home

Return to Cluj-Napoca by bus. The journey takes about 3 hours 50 minutes, with Edimond running two buses a day from Brașov, and fares run from roughly £20 to £35. The CFR train takes about 6 hours 36 minutes. From Cluj, bus A1 reaches Cluj Avram Iancu Airport (CLJ) in about 26 minutes on an ordinary day. An alternative is to fly out of a Bucharest airport; check the CFR planner for Brașov to Bucharest services. Leave a margin of four hours between the bus arrival in Cluj and a flight.