Visit Râșnov in Romania: Fortress/Citadel & Things To Do

Râșnov is a lovely place to visit with some fascinating things to do, including a fortress. The town of Râșnov is in Brașov County, Transylvania, Romania, and is pretty small, with a population of about fifteen thousand. It is located just over 9 miles from Brașov and also about 9 miles from Bran.

Râșnov had been on my radar for a while as a day trip from Brașov, so after a morning meeting, I decided it was my chance. The main reason for my visit was to see the town’s best tourist attraction, Râșnov Citadel, and to see the splendid mountain views.

Things To Do in Râșnov

Râşnov Citadel

Râșnov Citadel is a national monument of Romania and is stunning. The fortress actually dominates the skyline of the town and beyond. It is a medieval and pre-modern citadel which dates from the 14th to the 17th centuries. It was also built on a site of a former Neolithic and Bronze Age settlement. Originally, the fortress was built by the Saxon leaders in the 14^th century, starting with the chapel of the lower citadel and the walls.

Sadly, on my visits, it was undergoing reconstruction, so I couldn’t go inside. Despite the fortress building being closed, the courtyards were open, as was the lift to the top of the hill on which the citadel stands.

The tower on the fortress’s outer wall was open to visitors and offered interesting information and fantastic views of the mountains. You can climb the staircases inside to reach the top and see why this was a prominent defensive position.

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If you are short on time and want to see three Transylvanian castles/fortresses in a day, choose a guided tour. These usually include this citadel, Bran Castle and Peles Castle.

Ride The Incline Elevator to The Fortress

To reach the citadel, you can ride the elevator to the top of the steep hill it calls home. You can access the lift from near Piața Unirii via a signposted archway. The ride offers fantastic views and spares your legs the hard hike to the top.

Walk to or From The Citadel

If you fancy a bit of a hike, you can walk to or from the citadel. This is mainly along roads. The walk offers splendid views along tree-lined routes. One section is geared towards tourists, with lots of gift shops and places to eat and drink. The walk also passes the citadel’s main car park.

Union Square – Piaţa Unirii

Union Square, or Piața Unirii, is a café-lined square in the centre of Râșnov, a lovely place to sit and enjoy a drink. Piața Unirii has splendid views towards the Citadel, the Râșnov Sign above the town and into the Carpathian Mountains. The square’s architecture is also colourful.

Evangelical Church or Biserica Evanghelică CA

The Biserica Evanghelică CA is a church near Union Square. It is a historical and architectural monument. They built Biserica Evanghelică in the early 14th century and dedicated it to the patron saint, St. Matthias.

They built the church in a transitional style between Romanesque and Gothic. The Romanesque features include the triumphal arch, the lower parts of the naves and the tower, and the massive pillars.

The Gothic style created the sanctuary route in a heptagonal shape, with retreating buttresses, broken-arch windows, vaults with truncated conical warheads, and consoles.

Explore Râșnov Town Centre

The town centre has a few shops and many colourful buildings to peruse. Shops range from tourist gift shops to secondhand clothes shops, craft stores and many others. The streets are a pleasure to browse, particularly those between Union Square and the train station.

Archery & Target Shooting

At the top of the hill, near the fortress entrance, is a target range. You can enjoy archery, pistol shooting, or rifle shooting. You can take lessons or just do target practice at this attraction.

Dino Park

Dino Park features large, life-size model dinosaurs in a beautiful woodland. It opened in 2015 and became the largest dinosaur park in Southeastern Europe.

They also have a 9D theatre and a 360° cinema for additional entertainment. Children also have adventure trails, a laser maze, a zip line, and a variety of playgrounds.

Tourist Train

From the main car park near the market, there is a tourist train that takes visitors uphill. It stops at both Dino Park and the citadel. It’s a bouncy ride, and the passengers’ heads don’t seem to move in unison. You can purchase tickets from the kiosk at the bottom of the hill.

Tourist Market

Next to the car park at the bottom of the hill is a tourist market with many stalls. You’ll find plenty of Romanian street food and drinks, including beer. You can also purchase souvenirs here relating to the fortress and Transylvania in general. My wife loves these places and treated herself to some sunglasses.

Valea Cetății Cave

2.5 km from the citadel is Valea Cetăţii Cave, an enormous cave in a beautiful valley that offers tours. The cave has a massive cavern with features such as stalactites. The tour tells the site’s geological story. Outside the attraction, there are also a few zip lines. It’s a bit of a mission to get to, so I recommend getting a taxi or Uber.

Piata Râșnov

If you like markets, then Piața Râșnov near the railway station is a nice place. They mainly sell fruit and vegetables, so it’s a good place to grab a healthy snack before hiking in the area.

Other Tourist Attractions

• Gothic church ruins near the fortress; these are only the foundations.
• See Trambuline Rasnov, a ski jump course, a short walk from the town, and a pleasant area for a stroll or to watch ski jumpers train.
• Hike to Peștera Râșnoavei, a cave. Follow the path from Biserica Sfântul Nicolae. There are also many other options for hiking routes from the town into the mountains.

Bars & Restaurants in Rasnov

You will find an excellent selection of options to dine out or have a refreshing drink. Cafe-bars line Piața Unirii and the side streets. You’ll also find restaurants and bars on the walk up to the citadel. I opted for a few beers on my travels, including a Ciuc at a bar at the main square and a Bucur in a tourist bar near the fortress.

La Shaorma

For lunch, I opted for La Shaorma for a chicken shawarma. Shawarma is one of my go-to lunch snacks when looking for street food in Romania. However, La Shaorma has indoor seating, so I opted to have street food, not in the restaurant. This was delicious but big. It could really have fed two people.

Restaurant Rosenau

Rosenau is a restaurant in the town centre with a rustic interior. They serve traditional Romanian cuisine made with locally produced ingredients. Rosenau offers a variety of soups, including ciorba de burta. They also have an extensive selection of meaty mains. It is also a nice place to pop in for a beer.

Travel By Train From Brasov to Rasnov

Getting to Rasnov from Brasov is pretty simple; however, if you’re coming from elsewhere in Romania, you will need to change trains or buses in Brasov. The train station is located a 45-minute walk from the town centre. Once at the train station, buy a ticket at a ticket machine or at the regional train counter to the left of the entrance.

To reach the town, it is a 9-mile train journey. The Brasov to Zărnești line train typically departs from platform one, near the station bar.

The train journey takes about 25 minutes and seems to run exactly on time. The route passes through some stunning countryside. It also passes through Cristian, a village that makes a good day trip from Brasov.

Rasnov train station is a small station with splendid views of the nearby mountains and is close to the principal attractions.

Where to Stay?

You have many options for places to stay in Rasnov and nearby towns, from pensions to hotels. These include many in the town centre, as well as a few dog-friendly options. A good place to find a place to stay is on the Booking.com website.

Is Rasnov Worth Visiting?

Rasnov, especially its main attractions, is a great place to visit, possibly as a day trip on a larger tour of Romania. It’s easy to reach from Brasov and well worth exploring. The fortress and the small town centre were my favourite parts.