Bucharest to the Transfăgărășan Road Trip (3 Days)

Bucharest to the Transfăgărășan is a short trip that packs in one of the greatest driving roads on Earth: a ladder of hairpins climbing to a glacial lake at over 2,000 m. Romania drives on the right, and the whole plan hinges on one thing — the mountain road is seasonal.

Read this before anything else: the Transfăgărășan (road DN7C) is normally open only from roughly late June/July to October and is closed by snow the rest of the year. Always check the official status before you set off — plans below assume the high section is open.

Day 1 — Bucharest to Curtea de Argeș (150 km)

Pick up the car in Bucharest and head northwest; the city’s traffic is heavy, so leave early. Break the drive at Curtea de Argeș to see its extraordinary 16th-century monastery, the burial place of Romania’s kings. Sleep here or a little further on in Arefu, at the foot of the mountains — this puts you in position for an early climb and shorter days on the wheel.

Day 2 — Poenari Castle and the climb to Bâlea Lake

The big day. First stop is Poenari Castle, the genuine stronghold of Vlad the Impaler and the real “Dracula’s castle” — reaching it means climbing 1,480 steps, so wear proper shoes. Then begin the Transfăgărășan itself: endless hairpins, tunnels and viaducts winding up to Bâlea Lake. Nearby, a cable car links down to Bâlea waterfall. Drive it slowly — this is a road to savour, not to rush. Fuel up before the climb, as there are no stations on the mountain, and remember the weather can turn from sun to fog or cold within minutes. Sleep at a chalet by Bâlea Lake or back down in the valley.

Day 3 — Over the pass and back to Bucharest

If the road is fully open, drive the northern side over the top, take in the views one more time, then loop back south toward Bucharest (around 150 km). Allow extra time — this is a route where stopping for photos is the whole point. Drop the car back in the city.

Costs

Use the cost calculator to price fuel and nights for your exact dates. As a rough guide: budget for accommodation in Curtea de Argeș or by Bâlea Lake, fuel for roughly 300 km of driving (much of it slow, climbing mountain kilometres), plus small entry fees for Poenari Castle, the monastery and the cable car. Booking the car early saves the most — and confirming the road is open saves the whole trip.