Brașov on foot: the Black Church, the old town and two walking tours
4 min read
The short answer
The old town around Piața Sfatului (Council Square) is walkable, and the Black Church is the one sight worth planning around because of its opening hours. A guided walk adds the stories behind the gates and bastions you would otherwise walk past. Two walking tours are compared here: a local walk of two to two and a half hours and a candlelit tour of one and a half hours that starts in the evening.
The Black Church
The Black Church (Biserica Neagră) publishes its hours on bisericaneagra.ro. From 1 April to 15 October it is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00 and on Sundays and Mondays from 12:00 to 19:00. From 16 October to April the closing time is 18:00 instead. It is closed on 1 January and 25 December, and for two hours during religious ceremonies and sacred music concerts, which the church announces on its website at least two or three days ahead. The last entrance is announced 20 minutes before closing. The homepage also lists 2, 9 and 16 November as closed for autumn cleaning, without a year, so check the date before you go.
The city’s tourism site says construction most likely began in 1383, and the church’s own history page says a fire in April 1689 brought the roof down. The parish says its organ, by the Berlin builder Carl August Buchholz, is the largest mechanical church organ in Romania. On concert days, visiting ends 30 minutes before the concert starts.
The two walking tours
| Tour | Length | Route as listed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brașov Walking Tour: Discover the City with a Local | 2 to 2.5 hours | Starts at Modarom on Bulevardul Eroilor, passes the Biserica Sfânta Treime, the Black Church (marked optional, extra fee) and Catherine Gate, ends at Piața Sfatului | €22.01 |
| Candlelight Tour of Medieval Architecture | 1.5 hours | Starts at Piața Sfatului 30, walks to the Black Church, Catherine’s Gate, Schei Gate, St Nicholas Cathedral, Weaver’s Bastion, the synagogue and Rope Street | €40 |
The first page describes a tour that starts with the communist era and works back through the medieval fortifications to the old centre. It gives the route as about 3 km at a relaxed pace, with a few gentle inclines and cobbled streets, a maximum of 8 people, and a small souvenir at the end. The second page promises ghost and vampire stories and lists Rope Street as Europe’s third narrowest street; that is the page’s claim.
Who it does not suit
The first page says the tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments or wheelchair users. The second carries a “wheelchair accessible” label and no conditions in its notes, so ask the operator what that covers before you rely on it. The second page says the tour runs rain or shine, and the first says it takes place entirely outdoors.
And the hill?
Tâmpa, the wooded hill behind the old town, is not part of either tour. If you want to go up, look up the cable car operator’s timetable on the day.
Our recommendation
For most people the local walking tour is the better first orientation: 4.8/5 from 92 reviews, a group of at most 8, and it ends in the square where you can plan the rest of your stay. Add the candlelit evening tour if you like ghost stories and are staying another night. More options are in the Brașov walking tour category and under things to do in Brașov. For longer days out, see the castle day tours.
