We said farewell to Budapest under the glow of city lights and boarded an overnight train bound for Transylvania. There’s something special about falling asleep to the rhythm of the tracks and waking up to an entirely new landscape outside the window.

Our first stop was Brașov, a city tucked into the Carpathian Mountains. With its red-roofed houses, medieval walls, and Gothic churches, the town feels like it belongs in a storybook. Walking through the cobbled streets of the old town, we passed the Black Church, a towering reminder of Brașov’s Saxon heritage, and paused in the lively Council Square surrounded by colorful baroque buildings.

Beyond its history, Brașov is also the gateway to the legends of Transylvania. With the forested hills surrounding the city, it’s easy to see why this region inspired tales of mystery and folklore.

This stop was extra special—Romania marks our 20th European country visited. Each new stamp on the map feels like a small celebration, and Brașov could not have been a better way to reach this milestone.

It was the perfect beginning to our Transylvanian adventure—trading one beautiful city for another, carried there by the quiet magic of a night train.