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Introduction to Romania
Romania is one of the many lesser-known gems of Europe. Having been through very tough times and currently on the boom, it is an advantageous place to explore. Romania became a member of the European Union on New Year’s Day in 2007, and has a rich and fascinating history. Travelers who venture to this hidden gem can experience a land of many contrasts. From bustling cities to mountains to fortified walls and the many castles, one can spend over a month and still need to come back in the future! Travelers who are captivated by the Dracula myth will find that the phenomenon of this myth is even more alluring in this complex land where the folk life still blossoms. It is the place where I was born, and the more I go back home to visit my family, the more fascinated I am by its constant upswing. This travel guide, brought to you from my many years of travel experience, will help you plan your vacation to Romania!
Quick Information
Currency: Euro or RON (Romanian Leu). The Euro is accepted at most stores, hotels and tourist attractions. Click here to check the current exchange rate.
Electricity Socket: The standard voltage is 230V AC, and the frequency is 50 Hz. To avoid buying new adapters for every destination in the world, I recommend having a Universal Travel Adapter which can be brought on any vacation.
Entry Requirements: A valid passport is required for all travelers. The passport must expire 6 months or more after your return home. Since Romania is part of the European Union, travelers from Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand can travel without a visa for 90 days. Citizens of countries from other continents will need to apply for a visa beforehand.
Click here to check the entry requirements which apply to your country of residence.
Staying connected:
- WiFi can be found in most cafes, restaurants, hotels and hostels around Romania. In cafes and restaurants, as long as you buy something, they will allow you to access the WiFi.
- If you’re looking for data while abroad, Airalo is the best eSIM company. Click here to view my article on how to have data abroad at an affordable cost.
- Traveler sim cards, often preloaded with data, can be purchased from many companies. A few companies offering them are Vodafone, Orange, Telekom and Digi Mobil, among many others. Some of those companies even have counters in the arrivals section of most airports, so you’ll never be short on internet.
Safety: Romania is a very safe country to visit. Travelers need to take normal precautions at all times, which is common in any big city. Pickpocketing and scammers are the most serious issues that one can come across, however, with proper precautions, it should not be a problem.
My #1 tip when traveling in Europe: wear your backpack in front of you rather than behind you. That is one of the best ways to avoid theft. Another problem is tourists who enjoy the nightlife and do crazy things. Yes, the Romanians are big party fans! All-nighters are daily occurrences, especially in the capital city of Bucharest.
Language: The native language is Romanian, which evolved from Latin. However, English is widely spoken across the country. This is because English is a mandatory subject in Romania’s education system starting from kindergarten. To better connect with the locals, I always recommend grabbing a phrase book and try speaking the basics.
Time zone: GMT + 2
Tipping: although not mandatory, tipping is widely practiced in Romania. A service charge is usually not included in the bill, and many servers expect a tip, because the pay is not as well. At restaurants, bars and spas, a normal tip is usually around 10-15% of the total bill, depending how satisfied you are with the service. For taxi services, it’s nice to tip by simply rounding up (for example, if the price comes to €28.50, you can round up and pay €30.
PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO ROMANIA
Romania can be considered a year-round destination. However, it depends on the purpose of your trip. The weather is typically similar to other parts of Europe, and can be broken down into 3 seasons:
Low Season (November to February): the winters are very cold, and the perfect time for skiers. Romania has a lot of ski resorts in the Bucegi Mountains, just 2 hours north of Bucharest. Tourist crowds are very low during the low season, which makes flights and accommodation cheaper. However, prices soar very high during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Shoulder Season (March-May, September and October): the shoulder months are the perfect time for those traveling on a budget. The weather gets warmer, and flights and accommodations tend to be cheaper (just a little bit higher than the low season, but affordable). Tourist crowds are low during this time.
High Season (June-August): As the summers are sunny and schools are not in session, huge tourist crowds flock to Romania, especially for short weekend escapes. Even the locals enjoy discovering their own country. The weather is the best for those who enjoy the heat, however, flights and hotels tend to be higher priced. For those who want to travel in the summer, it is best to book 4-5 months prior to departure.
Budgeting
Although Europe can be quite pricey, especially visiting the big cities, Romania is not as expensive. You’ll feel a bit of relief once you land in Romania. Food, transportation and even accommodation are reasonably priced. You will find accommodation in the city center much cheaper than in big European cities like London or Paris. Here is an approximate breakdown of travel costs:
Accommodation (per night)
| Hostels | €9-15 for shared dorm €15-33 for private dorm |
| Mid-range hotels | €20-40/night |
| High-end hotels | €50-95/night |
Food (meal for one)
| Street food and self-catering | €5-10 |
| Mid-range restaurants | €10-16 |
| Fancy restaurants | €15-20 |
Transport in cities
| Public transit in cities | Around €0.35/trip |
| Sightseeing tours | Around €6 for a day pass |
Getting to Romania
There are a variety of ways of getting to Romania.
By air: Most travelers arrive at Bucharest Otopeni Henri Coanda International Airport. The majority of European carriers, budget and big airlines, fly there. An increasing number of airlines continue to add Bucharest to their network of routes, as Romania continues to surprise travelers. Other popular airports to fly into are Cluj, Timisoara and Iasi. Those airports are served by mostly budget airlines. Very few big airlines serve those airports, which makes getting to those destinations pricier than Bucharest. The more years pass, the more routes get added by budget airlines to those destinations.
Money-saving tip: a taxi from Bucharest airport to the city center can cost up to €40. At night, once public transit buses stop running, drivers can charge up to double – been there done that! Click here to book a private one-way private transfer from the airport to Bucharest hotels for half the price of a taxi!
By rail: Travel by train is very popular in Romania. CFR, which stands for “Calea Ferata Romania” (translated as “Romanian Railway”) has trains out of a variety of getaways across the country to Budapest, Vienna, and more cities. Once in those cities, one can connect to other trains for an entire rail adventure across Europe. Long-distance trains have sleeper cars, which are very affordable compared to the price of a sleeper car in Canada or U.S.A.
Other ways: For high-end travelers, there are tour companies that include Romania in their tours. Companies like Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and others have included Romania in their multi-country tours of Eastern Europe. G Adventures has an amazing tour dedicated to Halloween in Transylvania, where travelers party and sleep in the castle. For luxury travelers with a high budget, there are also River Cruises that go from Vienna and/or Budapest, and finish in Romania.
Traveling around Romania
By rail: Rail travel is the most scenic way to get across the country. There are an indefinite number of routes that can get you pretty much anywhere. The national railway company is called CFR, which stands for “Calea Ferata Romania” (translated as “Romanian Railway”). CFR trains link the country very well. In less 2 hours, you can find yourself going from city to farmland to mountains. Tickets can be bought at the station before departure. There is no need to book in advance. For travelers who have a lot of time, there are daily trains to cities like Timisoara, Targu Mures, Cluj, and as far as Oradea (near the Hungary border), which can be a full-day journey through the beautiful landscapes of Romania. A ticket by train to the mountains can cost as low as €10!
By air: For travelers who want to see other parts of the country and don’t have much time, TAROM Romanian and Blue Air link Bucharest to other cities, such as Timisoara, Cluj, Iasi, Oradea, Satu Mare, Baia Mare, Suceava, among others. The flights are cheap, and can be a great way to discover other parts of the country which would otherwise take anywhere from 5-15 hours by road or rail. Blue Air is a budget airline, and will not include checked baggage unless you book one of the higher fares. TAROM always includes the first piece of checked baggage in their fares.
By mini-bus: There are mini-buses, referred to as “Microbuz”, linking Bucharest to the same cities that the trains go to. These buses tend to be even cheaper than the train, however, not as comfortable. Another bus company in Romania is Transbus Codreanu, which offers motorcoach transportation instead of minibuses. Those buses are usually based in smaller cities, and do not go to Bucharest. For those who choose these buses, my tip would be to get to the terminal and line up 30 minutes prior to departure. Most travelers come and catch these buses at the last minute, the line multiplies with travelers in less than 1 minute, and once seats run out you might find yourself standing.
By car: For perfect freedom, you could rent a car. Driving in Bucharest is not recommended, as the streets in the city center can be as crowded as in cities like New York. The best would be to make your way to the airport in the city you are in, and rent a car from there. Most cars in Europe are manual. For those who do not drive manual, an automatic car can cost up to double the price of a manual car because automatic cars are not as popular in Europe, hence they don’t have as many. It is important to note that most of the big car rental companies have a rental limit of up to 30 days.
BEST THINGS TO DO IN ROMANIA
Experience vibrant Bucharest
Although not as famous as other attractions across Europe, the city holds many attractions for the keen eye. Just one day in Bucharest will make you want to experience more of Romania. The largest city and also the capital of the nation earned its nickname in the 1900s as the “Little Paris”. Founded on the banks of the Dambovita River by a shepherd named Bucur, today it has become a bustling metropolis. Travelers will also discover the history of the communist era of Romania, under the rule of Nicolae Ceausescu.
Check my article on Bucharest for full information on this enchanting city.
Discover the Medieval castles of Romania
Romania has a huge collection of castles and fortresses, which show the medieval heritage of this country. Most of the castles were built between the 14th and 18th centuries, mainly for defense against invaders, while others were built in the late 1800s. Many of them are easily accessible on a road trip from Bucharest, while others are a bit further. Here you can also visit the Bran Castle, which is the legendary home of Count Dracula.
Visit the legendary region of Transylvania
The Transylvania region of central Romania is known for medieval towns like Sinaia, Brasov, and the famous town of Sighisoara. Mountains and castles dominate this region. During the winter, one can enjoy skiing in the Carpathian Mountains.
This is one of the many things I love about Romania. In North America, one must fly 3-5 hours to reach the mountains. In Romania, a 2-hour train journey from Bucharest changes the landscape from city to countryside to mountains.
WHERE TO STAY
There are endless options for accommodation in Romania. From hostels where you can meet like-minded travelers to luxury hotels, there is never a shortage of options. It is best to book in advance, especially if traveling during peak season.
For hostels, my tip would be to check the type of hostel you are booking. Hostels can be anywhere from just a cheap hotel to a live party place. I’ve stayed at hostels that were amazing and I made lots of friends. I’ve also stayed at hostels that looked like an abandoned building when I walked in, and no one to talk to because there are no facilities other than rooms and a small bar. Always check the description when booking and ensure the hostel matches the type that you look for.
Travel tip: when booking your hotel, always check under room amenities if it says “Private Bathroom”, and if it mentions a shower. Unlike in North America, many of the cheaper hotels in Europe do not have a bathroom in the room. Instead, the bathroom is located down the hall. Also, Europeans distinguish between a shower and toilet. This means that the shower can be separate from the toilet.
For luxury travelers, the big chains like Marriott and Sheraton are present in Bucharest. For the ultimate luxury, stay at the Grand Hotel Bucharest, located in the heart of the city. This hotel is famous in photos of this cities, and has a luxurious Club Lounge for VIP guests, with amazing views of the city.
