Two Countries, One Journey: Romania & Bulgaria by Train

Begin in Bucharest, where Belle Époque boulevards and the echoes of Dracula set the tone before heading north by rail into Transylvania, rolling past forests and fortified Saxon villages steeped in old-time legends. The train threads through medieval museum towns like Brașov and UNESCO-listed Sighișoara, with visits to Bran Castle and the fairy-tale splendor of Peleș Castle.

Cross the Danube into Bulgaria to explore Veliko Tarnovo, the medieval capital of Bulgaria, deeply connected to the history of the Crusaders and medieval empires.

Traverse the Balkan Mountains toward the Valley of Roses and continue to Plovdiv, the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe, layered with Thracian, Roman, and Ottoman heritage.

Climb slowly on a narrow-gauge railway into the region’s highest mountains, passing forest-tucked villages rich in folklore and legends of rebels and saints, and visit Bansko museum town  the UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery.

The journey ends in Sofia, framed by Vitosha Mountain, where Roman streets, medieval churches, and Ottoman traces merge into a quiet, timeless finale.