☰Day Trips

Bucharest's location at the foot of the Carpathians makes it an excellent base for day trips. The Prahova Valley line runs north from Gara de Nord into the mountains, reaching Sinaia (Peleș Castle, 2 hours by train) and continuing on to Brașov in the Saxon heartland (just under 3 hours). Closer to home, Mogoșoaia Palace and Snagov Lake — where Vlad the Impaler is supposedly buried — are 30-45 minutes by car. Târgoviște, the old Wallachian capital, is an hour and a half by train. Ploiești, an oil town with several decent museums, makes a quieter alternative when the Prahova route is busy.