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Capital Bucharest
Currency leu (RON)
Population 22,181,287 (July 2010 est.)
Electricity 230V/50Hz (European plug)
Country code +40
Time zone UTC +2

Romania (România) is a country on the western shores of the Black Sea; except for Dobruja, it is located north of the Balkan Peninsula. It is a country of great natural beauty and diversity and a rich cultural heritage. Romania enchants visitors with its scenic mountain landscapes and unspoilt rural areas, but also with its historic cities and busy capital. Over the last decade, it has seen significant development and is one of the most recent members of the European Union. Still, it may surprise some of its visitors who are used to western Europe. It has a listed total of six cultural and one natural UNESCO world heritage sites.

Romania is a large country which can sometimes be shocking with contrasts: some cities are truly modern, while some villages can seem to have been brought back from the past. While it has significant cultural similarities with other Balkan states, it is regarded as unique due to its strong Latin heritage, reflected in every part of Romanian society from its culture to its language. Things for which Romania is famous include: the Carpathian mountains, wine, medieval fortresses, Dacia cars (Renault ownership), Dracula, stuffed cabbage leaves (sarmale), the Black Sea, sunflower fields, painted monasteries and the Danube Delta.

Famous Romanians are Constantin Brâncuși (sculptor), Mircea Eliade (writer, historian, philosopher), Henri Coandă (aviation pioneer - the Coandă effect is named after him), Nicolae Ceaușescu (Romania's last communist dictator), Nadia Comăneci (gymnast), Gheorghe Hagi (former association football player) and Leonard Doroftei (former WBA world champion).



The country - which joined the European Union in January 2007 - is currently enjoying better standards since the Communist periods, with foreign investment on the rise.


The Neo-Renaissance Peleș Castle




For a short period in 1600, Michael The Brave (Mihai Viteazu) ruled over all three principalities, thus briefly becoming the de-facto ruler of a unified Romania. The international scene, however, was not yet ready for a unified Romania, and thus his union fell a short while later.

A Romanian national revival movement started in Transylvania in the late 1700s and swept across the Carpathians, inspiring the 1859 union of Moldavia and Wallachia, thus creating the prototype of a modern Romania. In 1918-1919 Transylvania and Eastern Moldavia (present day Republic of Moldova) were united with Romania.

"In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king." (CIA World Factbook, Romania - Introduction) Between 1947 and 1965, Romania was led by Gheorghiu Gheorghiu-Dej, who had a pro-Soviet stance throughout most of his administration. In 1965, he was succeeded by Nicolae Ceauşescu who was less enthusiastic towards the Soviet Union and maintained a more neutral foreign and domestic policy than his predecessor; but "his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. Ceauşescu was overthrown and executed in late 1989."

Former Communists, regrouped around the Front of National Salvation and later the Romanian Party for Social Democracy, dominated the government until the 1996 elections, when they were swept from power by a fractious coalition of centrist parties (Democratic Convention of Romania); but after failed reforms and internal infighting the DCR lost the elections in favour of the Social Democratic Party. Both groups attempted to amend ties with Hungary, which were deeply fractured in the 1980s, when Ceauşescu either encouraged the large Hungarian community to leave the country or exiled them outright (5.000 Hungarians left Romania per year). The 2004 elections brought to power an alliance formed by the National Liberal and Democratic parties. They governed with the support of most minority parties in Romania. In 2008 Romania held its legislative elections with the right wing party of the PDL (Democratic Liberal Party) becoming the winner of the national elections, despite being outrun by a small margin by the left wing PSD (Social Democratic Party). After a poorly-timed 2012 political crisis, the Parliament and the government are now dominated by the centrist coalition USL (Social Liberal Union, consisting of PSD and PNL). The current Prime Minister is Victor Ponta.



The regions of Romania
Southern Bukovina
This north-eastern region is famous for its world heritage listed Painted Monasteries, tucked away between picturesque rolling hills.
Northern Dobruja
A seaside province dotted by ruins of ancient Greek and Roman cities, with various summer resorts along the Black Sea coast and the unspoiled natural landscape of the Danube Delta in the region's north.the most ethnically diverse region with many small minority groups


  • Bucharest — the capital of Romania, in which megalomanic monuments, including "House of the People", built during Ceauşescu's reign, overlook medieval neighbourhoods
  • Brașov — located in south-eastern Transylvania, its main attractions are the well kept medieval downtown, the nearby luxury resort of Poiana Braşov and the proximity to the Râşnov fortress and the Bran Castle.
  • Cluj-Napoca — the largest town in Transylvania, a major economic center and also a very youthful city, as it has one of the largest universities in Europe.
  • Iași — the second largest Romanian city, it was the capital of the Moldavian principality until 1861 and then briefly capital of Romania. Today it remains one of the major economic and cultural centres in the country.
  • Sibiu — one of the most beautiful cities in the region, it has the best preserved historical sites in the country, numerous museums and exhibitions, proximity to the stunning Făgăraș mountains, for which reasons it became the 2007 European Capital of Culture.
  • Sighișoara — the city's downtown area, the Sighișoara Citadel, is the last inhabited medieval citadel in Europe and one of the best preserved.
  • Suceava — the main city in Bukovina and the medieval capital of Moldavia; it can be used as starting point for visiting the Painted Monasteries of the region.
  • Timișoara — the largest town in the Banat region, one of the most prosperous and modernized cities in Romania; it was here that the 1989 Romanian anti-communist revolution began.

Other destinations[edit]

Get in[edit]

Transfăgărăşan road is among the most spectacular drives in Europe.
Romania has a number of good winter sports destinations.


Romania is committed to implementing the Schengen Agreement although it hasn't yet done so. For EEA citizens (EU countries together with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), an officially approved ID card (or a passport) is sufficient for entry. Other nationalities will generally require a passport for entry.


Inquire with your travel agent or with the local embassy or consulate of Romania.




Note that



Note also that






By plane[edit]

Romania has 17 civilian airports, 12 of which are currently served by scheduled international flights. The main international airports are:

  • Bucharest's Henri Coandă (Otopeni) Airport is the largest and busiest, it has flights to nearly all the major cities in Europe, to a few Middle Eastern capitals, to all other Romanian cities, but no direct flights to the USA; besides traditional carriers, some low cost airlines such as Easyjet, Vueling or Niki operate flights on this airport.
  • Bucharest's Aurel Vlaicu (Băneasa) Airport recently became a major low cost airlines hub; Blue Air and Wizz Air have a hub on the airport, connecting Bucharest to destinations in Italy, Spain, Britain, Germany, Belgium, and France. Italian MyAir used to also have a hub before its bankruptcy. Germanwings also serves this airport from three German destination. During summer, the airport also doubles as the main charter airport for flights to Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, and Greece.
  • Cluj-Napoca International Airport, the largest airport in Transylvania, is served by a growing number of flights from various European destinations; it is one of the many hubs of low-cost Wizz Air, with services to over 10 destinations daily. Lufthansa also serves the airport.
  • Other smaller international airports are located in:

There are three important Romanian airlines:

  1. TAROM, the Romanian flag carrier, based in Bucharest Otopeni.

In recent times Romania became increasingly attractive for low cost carriers. Blue Air, a Romanian low-fare airline, serves various destinations in Europe from Bucharest (Aurel Vlaicu Airport), Arad, Targu Mures, and Bacau. A Hungarian budget airline, WizzAir, introduced direct flights from London Luton to Bucharest in January 2007. Several others, including Wind Jet, AlpiEagles, RyanAir, GermanWings, and AirBerlin) already operate flights to Romania. EasyJet operates flights from London, Milan, and Madrid, while SmartWings operates flights from Prague.

By train[edit]

The great square of Sibiu.

Romania is relatively well connected with the European rail network. There are daily international trains to Munich, Prague, Venice, Vienna, Budapest, Zagreb, Belgrade, Sofia, Istanbul, Chişinău, Kiev, and Moscow. But due to the poor quality of rail infrastructure in the region, train travel on long distances takes considerable time.


International trains to Romania include the (relatively high standard) EuroCity trains and night trains. Romania is part of the Eurail pass offer.


By bus[edit]



For all information about buses in Romania and online reservations and tickets (i.e. timetables and prices) you can use ("Autogari" is the Romanian word for bus-stations). They accept also payment with credit card.

By boat[edit]

Cruises on Danube are available, very expensive though, starting from Passau or Vienna and having a final destination in the Danube Delta. These cruises will stop in every major port along the road, in Austria, Hungary, Serbia, and Romania. Once in the Delta, you can travel by rapid boats or fisherman's boats on endless channels to watch huge colonies of pelicans, cranes or small migratory birds. You can enjoy a local dish, fishermen's borsch, prepared using different species of fish, but take care, they use the Danube's river water!




By car[edit]

You can easily drive into Romania coming from countries in the West, but when coming from the East you will have to drive through Moldova and you may experience troubles there. There is not a direct border crossing between Ukraine and Romania in the south-eastern corner of Romanian Moldavia (Reni/Galati), you must go via Giurgiulesti, which is in Moldova (a small stretch of about 500m). Moldovan border control officers will ask several times for money (ecological tax, road tax ... up to €20 in July 2007). Coming from the north (Ukraine), can also be time-consuming, times can vary from one to more than five hours.

Also be aware if you plan to drive to Romania, the road infrastructure is fairly modest compared to Western and Central Europe. There are few motorways and only in the south of the country. The upside to this is that most European roads, which you will mostly be travelling on are well maintained and are denominated with an E followed by a number (e.g. E63), are scenic roads and cross some spectacular scenery of mountains, valleys and forests. The roads especially in Transylvania are built on top of the old medieval routes and there is always something to stop for and visit on your way. Drivers are confronted with a lot of roundabouts, both in towns and outside. The rule for them is straightforward: cars already inside the roundabout have priority, those outside must wait.

On the roads linking Romania to its western borders take particular care as traffic is heavy and most roads have one (or at most two) lane(s) each way, and on some parts are unlit.

On foot and by bike[edit]

On the Ukrainian-Romanian border there is only one point where one can cross on foot: Solotvino-Sighetu Marmaţiei. The bridge over the Tisa is old and one could say a point of tourist interest.

Get around[edit]

Lake Oaşa near Sebeş, with Pătru's peak in the background.
Colourful tombstones at the Merry Cemetery in Săpânța.
Rugged landscapes in Prahova County.

Getting around Romania is relatively hard and inefficient for the great distances that have to be covered in this country (this is after all, the second-largest country in Central Europe, after Poland). The transport infrastructure has been improving quite significantly recently, even though roads remain a weak point. There are three operational highways, that connect Bucharest to the seaside and to the cities of Pitești and Ploiești, respectively, and several others under construction. Train travel, however, has improved dramatically. Several upgrade projects are underway for several railway tracks, which makes rail traffic on those lines a bit slow for the time being.

By train[edit]

Romania has a very dense rail network that reaches practically every town and a sizable number of villages. Although some modernization is taking place, this network isn't in a very good condition, with low speeds and limited train frequency on many routes. Nonetheless trains remain the best option for long distance travel.

Most trains are run by the state carrier, Căile Ferate Române, abbreviated as (SN)CFR. Many secondary lines are operated exclusively by private companies: Regiotrans, Regional, Transferoviar, and Servtrans.

Trains generally run without major delays, except on lines where there are repair works or during anomalous weather (heavy snow storms in winter, heat waves or floods in summer).

Train types[edit]

Three major types of trains are available: Regio, InterRegio, and Intercity. The last two types provide reasonable conditions but Regio trains are best avoided.

  • Regio (R)



Western Desiro and French Z-type DMUs have been introduced on some routes, including Suceava-Cacica, Craiova-Sibiu, Sibiu-Braşov, Cluj-Teiuş-Braşov, Cluj-Bistriţa, Braşov-Sfântu Gheorghe. Z-type cars provide a more comfortable seating arrangement but a bouncier ride, which is diametrically opposed to Desiro's improvement. As these newer trains are designed for short-distance travel, expect to be uncomfortable if traveling for a long period of time.


Example: Bucharest-Braşov (166km) by Regio train costs c. RON23 in 2nd class, takes about 4h, and has up to 31 stops

  • InterRegio (IR)


Newly-renovated cars have been introduced on several routes including Bucharest-Târgu Jiu and Bucharest-Brasov. However, many consider these cars just as uncomfortable, if not more so, than older cars, with merely an improved visual element. There is little baggage room and little leg-room compared to 1980s carriages.


Example: Bucharest-Braşov (166 km) by InterRegio train costs RON47 in 2nd class, c. 2h45, up to 8 stops

  • InterCity (IC)



Travellers with large backpacks should note that baggage storage racks on intercity trains are small, hence they are likely to find Intercity trains less convenient than Rapid or Accelerat. However, experiences seem to vary depending on the particular train, as in some trains this is true only for non-compartmented cars, so it might be worth trying to get a seat in a compartment.

If presented with a choice of Intercity trains (classic cars or "Săgeata Albastră" - Blue Arrow DMUs) it is advisable to choose classic cars, as these are faster, more comfortable trains. Săgeata Albastră are small 3-car diesel trains with slower service (120km/h top speed compared to 160km/h).

Example: Bucharest-Braşov (166km) by Intercity train costs RON58 in 2nd class, about 2.5h, three stops

  • Night trains

Most InterRegio trains travelling by night also have couchette cars (with six or four beds) and sleeping cars (with three, two or one bed). Conditions are relatively good.

Example: Bucharest-Satu Mare (782km), c. RON142/bed (six beds couchette), 14 hours

Getting tickets[edit]


It's also possible to get tickets for domestic routes online through CFR's relatively complicated booking site with up to one month in advance.


Several discounts are available:

  • for buying return tickets (10%)

People that board CFR trains without a ticket from stations where there are ticket sellers can be fined and have to buy more expensive tickets directly from the train staff.


For up-to-date timetable information on CFR operated lines see CFR's timetable site. For timetables on lines operated by other companies check.

A complete price list by distance and train type is available online.

Tourist railways[edit]

Several scenic narrow gauge railways exist in mountainous areas, but trips on them are mainly available for small groups and not for individual tourists. One notable exception is the Valea Vaserului railway in Maramureş which has tourist runs daily in mid-summer and on weekends in early summer-autumn.


By car[edit]


Rentals can be expensive; avoid the major international rental companies, as well as the "friendly" locals who are willing to rent you their own car. In Bucharest and throughout the country rentals start at €20-30 per day (without fuel) for a small hatchback, go around €65-90 for an average car or lame SUV and may go up to €170-200 for a luxury sedan or a luxury SUV. You may be denied renting unless you are 25 or older.


City roads tend to be heavily overcrowded, particularly in Bucharest. Beware of hazards, such as double-parked cars, pedestrians, sudden braking to avoid a pothole, or stray animals entering the road (in rural areas). Most intercity routes are 2 lane roads, used by everything from communist-era trucks to modern sports cars. So plan for longer driving times than in other areas of Europe.

Bucharest has a very dense and crowded city centre, with narrow, twisting roads, built mainly in the 19th century, with little traffic in mind. The roads are suffocated by over 1 million cars every day - it is possible to take 2 hours to drive a distance that could be walked in 20-25 minutes. GPS or local guide is a necessity. The best way to travel within Bucharest is either by public transport (as it is very cheap and fairly reliable) or taxi.

If you have a good car and you also like speeding be aware that Romanian police now have high-tech radars to catch speeding motorists. Speed limits are generally 100km/h outside of a city and 50km/h or 70km/h within built up areas. Some police units are equipped with performance vehicles, while others are the standard Dacia Logan cars. Although rare, some highway patrols have BMW bikes. On major roads, motorists in the opposite direction will sometimes flash their headlights to warn that they recently passed a radar trap which may be just ahead of you. Also many national roads and motorways are discreetly watched by Police Puma helicopters. Since December 2006, even small offences are subject to heavy fines by the traffic police (Poliţia Rutieră), they may even take one's driver's license for an irregular passing. Both hidden and visible speed cameras are becoming common on major roads and highways. Policemen sometimes seem to be more lenient with locals, than with foreigners - however, stricter fining applies for locals than for foreigners (for locals, as few as two or three minor offences will get their license suspended for six months). Bribing is ill-advised as most patrol cars have recording equipment and as of 2008, bribing is less and less accepted, so for a foreigner it is not recommended to attempt this get-away technique - it can easily land you in jail.



Many important roads were once medieval trade routes which go straight through the centre of many villages. Passing while driving is the norm rather than the exception as slow moving trucks, horse drawn carts, and non-moving herds of cows often frequent village main streets.

Types of roads[edit]

  • Motorways (autostrada)
    • A1 - planned to connect Bucharest with cities in southern Transylvania and then proceed to the western border; the only part completed so far is the 126km long stretch between Bucharest and Piteşti opened in 1973. The Arad - Timişoara section was opened at the end of 2011.
    • A2 - connects Bucharest with the Black Sea ports of Constanța and Agigea. This means that you can avoid Constanța, if you're going to the other resorts on the seaside.
    • A3 - is supposed to cross Transylvania diagonally from north-west to south-east and then head south to Bucharest. The Borş - Braşov segment, also called the Transylvania Motorway, is currently the largest road project in Europe; it will connect the Hungarian / Romanian border with Oradea, Zalau, Cluj-Napoca, Targu Mures, Sighisoara and Brasov. Bucharest-Braşov is also under construction, but the only completed segment is Bucharest-Ploieşti. The Cluj-Napoca - Turda segment opened in December 2009, and in 2010 it will continue to Câmpia Turzii. Its only utility now is as bypass for Cluj and Turda for motorists going from Oradea to Braşov. The temporary Turda interchange is a bit difficult to use.

The speed limit on motorways is 130km/h.

  • Other roads - county (drum judetean) and rural (drum comunal) roads are owned and maintained by either regional or local authorities. These roads mainly link trunk roads with very small towns or villages - few running for more than 30-40 km. The situation of county roads is highly dependent on each of the counties involved - while in Ilfov or Constanta these roads are of decent-to-high quality, in other regions such roads are in a poor to very poor condition compared with national roads. Rural roads are of even shorter nature (under 10km), some of them being one lane of traffic only, others being covered in gravel only. The speed limit on these roads is 90km/h.

Note that for ALL roads, when in a city, town or village, the speed limit is 50km/h (unless clearly otherwise posted). As such, driving a National Road becomes a constant accelerate-and-brake adventure, one having to be constantly spotting speed limit signs, city limit markers and the behaviour of other drivers.

By bus[edit]

The Palace of Culture in Iaşi


Minibuses are usually very uncomfortable; some buses are old and slow. Schedules are not tightly followed, and delays of over an hour are not uncommon, especially for inter-city buses. Romanian roads are in a rather bad shape, with most of the trunk network being made of one lane per way roads (fairly similar with British rural roads), and only about 250 km of expressway. Most minibuses employed are small, crowded, 14-seat vans (some converted from freight vans), with some longer routes employing 20-seat mini-buses. For commuter and suburban routes, expect an overcrowded van (25 passengers riding a 14 seat van is quite common, with 40 passenger loads not being unheard of), with no air-conditioning, which stops several times in every village. Inter-city bus travel is only slightly better - most vehicles used are also converted vans, or, at best, purpose-build minibuses, with only some being air-conditioned. Seating is generally crowded, and in most cases there is no separate compartment for luggage. Most have no toilets on board, calling for 30 minutes stops every 2-3h. All in all, the experience of travelling by minibus is quite similar to that of traveling in a Russian or Ukrainian marshrutka.

However, buses are the best solution for a number of routes badly served by the railway network, namely Bucharest - Piteşti - Râmnicu Vâlcea, Bucharest - Alexandria, Bucharest - Giurgiu, and Piteşti - Slatina.



By taxi[edit]

Taxis are relatively inexpensive in Romania. It costs about RON1.4-2 (€0.40) per kilometre or slightly more, with the same price for starting. The very low prices make taxis a popular way to travel with both locals and travellers (it can be cheaper than driving your own car) - so during rush hours it may be hard to find a cab (despite Bucharest having almost 10,000 cabs).

A notable exception is the Fly Taxi company that operates from the Henri Coanda (Otopeni) Airport. The price for a ride from the airport to the city centre can be about RON70 (€18). Either call a taxi by phone to pick you up near the airport or chose the 783 bus line to get into the city. Alternately, you can go to the departure terminal to avoid expensive airport taxis. To do this, after you exit baggage claim, immediately turn right. Literally dozens of taxi operators will approach you and ask if you need a taxi, having marked you as a foreigner (it's their job to do so, after all). Be polite, shake your head no and keep walking. You will pass though about 200m of shopping and service areas in a little mini-mall connecting the two terminals, and will then arrive at the 2nd level of the departures terminal. Walk out the door and you will see plenty of taxis dropping off passengers. Flag one down and make sure the fare posted on the side is less than RON2/km. Technically, they are not supposed to pick up there, but you aren't doing anything wrong by trying, and not many drivers can say no to RON30 for a trip back to the city centre that they were going to make anyway. Just make sure they use the meter. Beware that recently some wicked taxi drivers have begun using remote controls in their pockets that raise the tariff price suddenly by small increments that are otherwise unnoticeable until the end of the fare. It might be easier to negotiate the tariff price upfront based on your destination and pay that amount at the end.

Be careful to look at the cost posted on the outside of the taxi, and then to look at the meter to see that you are being charged the same fare. Be especially careful in Bucharest, where some taxis post 7.4 instead of 1.4, but the 7 looks very much like a 1. Ask if you're not certain - they are obliged to post and clearly state the tariff up-front. All taxis MUST have a license - a large, oval metal sign bolted on the sides of the car, featuring the city markings, and a serial number inscribed, usually using large numbers. Do not use any taxi without those markings. Also, do not use a taxi with a license from another city (for example, never use an Ilfov taxi in Bucharest or a Turda taxi in Cluj-Napoca).


By plane[edit]


Three airlines offer domestic flights in Romania currently - Tarom, with a hub in Bucharest, Carpatair, with a hub in Timisoara and "no-frills" Blue Air with its domestic hub in Bucharest.

Currently (2010), Bucharest and Timisoara are linked by up to 12 daily flights (operated by Blue Air, Carpatair, and Tarom - Tarom operates some of the flights on the routes with A310 wide-bodies), Bucharest and Cluj by up to 10 daily flights (operated by Tarom and Blue Air), Bucharest and Iasi by up to 4 daily flights (operated by Tarom), Bucharest and Oradea, Bucharest and Sibiu, and Bucuresti and Satu Mare by 2-3 daily flights (operated by Tarom), Bucharest and Suceava and Bucharest and Baia Mare by 1 daily flight (operated by Tarom). Bucharest and Arad are also connected through a daily flights by Blue Air. Constanta and Bacau, owing to the short distance from Bucharest, only see flights a couple of times per week. Note that frequencies on Saturdays may be reduced, especially to smaller cities.






It is customary to leave some money for the ride (so called 'gas money', about 1-2 RON/10km), but if you are a foreigner you will not be expected to leave money and nobody will get upset. Note that most truck drivers and company car drivers will refuse payment altogether. Furthermore, if you tell the driver where you want to get in a city, he or she will make a detour just to drop you off where it best suits you. Say "Mulţumesc"(|Mooltsoomesck|) (thank you) at the end.



See also: Romanian phrasebook


Aromanian is the closest living relative (and only other member of the Italo-Eastern subdivision of Italic languages) to Romanian. Aromanian is a minority language spoken in Macedonia, Greece, and parts of Romania. In contrast to Romanian's heavy Slavic, German, and Hungarian influences, Aromanian takes many words from Greek. Some 10% of the Romanian vocabulary is of Slavonic origin and less than 5% is from Turkish, Hungarian, or German. Minority languages spoken in Romania are Hungarian, German, Turkish, and Romany (the language of the Roma, or Gypsies), albeit most of these words have fallen out of use for a long time. Russian and Ukrainian can be heard in the Danube Delta as well. French used to be the second well-known language in Romania, since it used to be compulsory in every school; however, it has been mostly replaced by English. A well-educated Romanian who graduated from an average university can usually speak English and another European language, such as French, German, Italian, Spanish (about 8%) or Russian. However, if you leave the common touristic routes, Romanian is the only way to ask for information. That won't be such a problem; learn some basic words and ask them to write the answers.

In Transylvania there is a large Hungarian minority (6.5% of the population according to the 2011 census), and people speak Hungarian in their daily life. Counties where Hungarian is widely spoken includes Harghita, Covasna, and Mures. In certain parts of Cluj, Bihor, Satu Mare, Brasov, Sibiu and other Transylvanian counties there are villages or towns with a notable number of Hungarian speakers.

Although some might speak Russian due to Romania's past as a part of the Eastern Bloc, you should not count on it. About 7% of Romanians understand Russian but only about 4% are fluent in it. The chance of one doing so is very small, as the Ceauşescu administration and subsequent leaders made learning the language optional, rather than compulsory, and today, English has largely supplanted Russian as the second language of choice among younger people.



Bran Castle is one of Romania's main landmarks.
The remarkable Bigar waterfall is one of the main sights in Cheile Nerei-Beușnița National Park

Whether you're looking for stunning landscapes, ancient cultural traditions, bustling city life or beautiful historic heritage; no visitor to Romania needs to search for things to see. This country is home to a range of top sights, especially when you'd like to get a feel for the old Europe, the time of monasteries and castles.

Cities and castles[edit]

The country's lively capital Bucharest does not top the average traveller's wish list, but if you're willing to look, this city's controversial mix of building styles might just amaze you. Go see the largest parliament building in the world, the 1935 Romanian version of the Arc de Triomph or visit one of the many museums. The impressive Bran Castle, dramatically situated on a Transylvanian hill top, is widely associated with the famous tales of Count Dracula and one of the country's main tourist draws. While there's no clear evidence of this castle being the model for Bram Stoker's stories, the castle surely fits the book's descriptions and has a fascinating recorded history of its own. Yet, there are other interesting examples, including the Neo-Renaissance Peleș castle near Sinaia and Corvin castle near Hunedoara. The still inhabited citadel of Sighișoara is easily among the most beautiful ones of it's kind. Listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, it still features many characteristics of a medieval fortified town and is a charming town to visit. Other fine historic towns include Timișoara, the country's second city, the popular mountain resort Brașov and Sibiu.

Natural attractions[edit]

For a more natural experience, head to the Danube Delta, considered to most well-preseverd and also one of the largest river deltas in Europe. While it mostly consists of extensive wetlands, it in fact holds 23 different eco-systems. It lies on route for a number of main migratory routes, and more than 320 species of bird can be found here in summer. Besides water systems, Romania is also home to the largest European populations of bears and wolfs, inhabitants of it's vast untouched forests. The Rodna National Park and Biosphere Reserve and Retezat National Park are excellent places to experience the country's rugged lands, old-growth forests and stunning mountainous landscapes, or hike to beautiful water falls in Cheile Nerei-Beușnița National Park.

Countryside and monasteries[edit]

When planning your trip, make sure to include one of the many monumental monasteries and churches, such as the one in Horezu, a World Heritage Site known for it Brâncovenesc style architecture. Or, head to Southern Bukovina to see some of the wonderful and famous Painted Monasteries. Another fascinating region is Maramureş, listed by Unesco and popular among visitors for its wooden churches and Merry Cemetery. A trip to some of these more remote places of worship comes with the bonus of easy exploration of Romania's lovely countryside where -despite rapid development- old traditions and craftsmanship are still alive.


The following are some possible itineraries for travelling in Romania :


Trekking in the Retezat Mountains.
Southern Bukovina is home to the remarkable Painted Monasteries.
The altar has sections with doors that open and close depending on the church season. You will also see candles sold, they are lit in or by the church in separate trays for the souls of either dead or living people. Try to find out about special holidays and rituals, perhaps the distribution of holy water by the truckload at the baptism of Christ (Boboteaza) or midnight masses at Christmas or Easter (the Orthodox Easter may be off by one or a few weeks compared to the Western). Weddings are often Saturdays, the ritual is very colorful and interesting.
  • Hiking trails come in a wide range of levels, from easy to seriously challenging. From flat delta areas to rugged terrains, the country's national parks make for great starting points and excellent vista's.
  • Winter sports - the Romania mountains house a number of popular winter sports resorts, such as Poiana Brasov (close also to Bran castle), Sinaia and Predeal. While increasingly popular, also among locals, these places remain fairly off the beaten track for most international winter sports fans and remain budget friendly.



The national currency of Romania is the leu (plural lei), which, literally translated, also means lion in Romanian. The leu is divided into 100 bani (singular ban). On 1 Jul 2005, the new leu (code RON) replaced the old leu (code ROL) at a rate of 10,000 old lei for one new leu. As of the beginning of 2007, old ROL banknotes and coins are no longer legal tender but can still be exchanged at the National Bank and their affiliated offices.

Coins are issued in 1 (gold), 5 (copper), 10 (silver), and 50 (gold) bani denominations, but 1 ban coins are rare, despite store prices ending a lot of times with 99 bani. Do not expect exact change from store clerks, unless your total spending divides by 5 bani. When grossly short on change, clerks may also provide small coffee bags, oranges or similar as substitutes, but they may not accept it back as tender. Banknotes come in denominations of 1 (green), 5 (purple), 10 (red), 50 (yellow), 100 (blue), 200 (brown), and 500 (blue and purple) lei denominations, are made of polymer plastic, and, except for the 200 lei, correspond to a euro banknote in size. However, 200 and 500 lei banknotes are not common.


When exchanging money, it is extremely advisable to use exchange bureaus or to use cash machines (which will provide ready access to most foreign bank accounts). Absolutely avoid black market transactions with strangers: in the best case scenario, you might come out ahead by a few percentage points, but that rarely happens. Most apparent black marketers are actually con men of one sort or another, who will either leave you with a bankroll that turns out to be full of worthless Polish zlotys or will simply engage you in conversation for a few minutes, awaiting the arrival of their partners who will pretend to be the police and try to con you into handing over your wallet and papers. (This con game is known as a maradonist). Exchanging money in the street is also illegal and in the worst case scenario, you might spend a night in jail as well. It is not recommended to exchange money in the airport either - they tend to overcharge on transactions and have very disadvantageous rates - you should use a card and the ATM for immediate needs (taxi/bus) and exchange more money later while in the city.

You should shop around a bit for good exchange rates. Some exchange offices in obvious places (such as the airport) may try to take advantage of the average tourist's lack of information when setting the exchange rate, and it is not advisable to use them, as the exchange rates may well be quite unrealistic. Prior to leaving for Romania consult the website of the National Bank of Romania for a rough estimate of what exchange rates you should expect. Typical exchange offices should not list differences larger than 2-3% from the official exchange rate. Also, when picking an exchange office, make sure it has a visible sign saying "COMISION 0%"; Romanian exchange offices typically don't charge an extra commission apart from the difference between the buy and sell rates, and they are also required by law to display a large visible sign stating their commission, so if you don't see such a sign or if they charge something extra, keep going. Choosing a reasonable exchange office, which is not hard to do with the data in this paragraph, can save you as much as 10%, so this is worth observing. Changing money at a bank's exchange office is also a good idea.


Romanian transactions generally take place in cash. Although some places will accept Euro or USD, it is not advisable as you will generally be charged an additional 20% paying by this method, although this is changing. The best method is to pay using local currency - lei (RON). Most Romanians have either a charge card or a credit card - however, they are generally used at ATM machines - on-line payments are relatively new, and some companies still look at them with suspicion - so much so, that they will make you pay on delivery. You can however pay by card in many shops and in most supermarkets. Accepted credit/debit cards are: MasterCard, Visa, American Express (in some places - although this is rapidly expanding because of a very aggressive campaign by American Express) and Diners Club (usually only in hotels, and even then expect stares and incredulity that such a card even exists). Almost all transactions at POS machines (supermarkets, shops etc.) will ask you to enter the card's PIN as well.

Most small towns have at least one or two ATMs and a bank office, with large cities having hundreds of ATMs and bank offices. (It is not uncommon to see three bank agencies next to each other in residential neighborhoods of Bucharest). ATMs are also available in many villages (generally at the post-office or the local bank-office). Romanian for ATM is bancomat. Credit cards are accepted in large cities, in most hotels, restaurants, hypermarkets, malls. Do not expect to use a credit card at any railway station or for the public transport (the subway and RATB of Bucharest, for example, are cash-only because they consider that card transactions would slow down the queues at the ticket booths). Gas stations and a great number of other stores accept Visa and MasterCard. It is advisable to always have a small sum of money in cash (about 50 RON or even more), even in large cities.

Romanian businesses are not mandated to provide you with full change for every transaction, and frequently their tills are short of small coins in particular. Fortunately many prices are in round multiples of 1 RON, and they are almost always in multiples of 10 bani. Even if a store can change, say a 100 RON note, they will ask you for smaller change first. For very small amounts (say 20 or 50 bani) they might sometimes insist on you buying something of that worth instead of giving you change.


Romania is generally very cheap, and is probably the cheapest country inside the EU, although VAT taxes drive prices higher than, for example, Ukraine. However, inflation has struck Romania in many places, and some prices are as high or higher than those in Western Europe, but this is often reserved to luxuries, hotels, technology, and, to an extent, restaurants. However, raw food, transport, and accommodation remain relatively cheap, as does general shopping, especially in markets and outside the capital. Bucharest, as with every capital in the world, is more expensive than the national norm, particularly in the city centre. In the past 2-3 years, Bucharest has become increasingly expensive, and it is expected to do so for some years. However, travellers from Nordic Countries will find all the prices in Romania to be amazingly low, especially transport (short and long distance), restaurant food and drinks.

Supermarkets and convenience stores[edit]

A good place to shop for food are farmers' markets, although hypermarkets have become popular in Romania such as Carrefour, Cora, Kaufland and Real.

Different from supermarkets are neighbourhood grocery stores called 'alimentară'. The stores are dim, old Communist-era shops that can be cheaper. These shops, which can best be compared to British cornershops, may be convenient if living in the suburbs or in smaller towns. Despite their seemingly poorer appearance, they sell good-quality food. In 'alimentara', expect strange systems of payment or selection: you may not be able to take items off of the shelf yourself, or one person may tally up your total before another handles the cash, etc. Many locals however actually prefer these establishments, since they offer a personal touch, with many salespeople remembering the preferences of each buyer, and catering specifically for their needs.


The countryside fair[edit]



Colivă dishes are used for a church celebration.
Saramura is one of Romania's traditional dishes.

Romanian food is distinct yet familiar to most people, being a mixture of Oriental, Austrian and French flavours, but it has some unique elements. The local dishes are the delicious sarmale, ardei umpluți (stuffed peppers), mămăligă (pr. muhmuhliguh, polenta), bulz (traditional roasted polenta, filled with at least two kinds of cheeses, bacon and sour cream), friptură (steak), salată de boeuf (finely chopped cooked veggies and meat salad, usually topped with mayo and decorated with tomatoes and parsley), zacuscă (a yummy, rich salsa-like dip produced in the fall) as well as tocană (a kind of stew), tochitură (pr. tokituruh, an assortment of fried meats, and traditional sausages, in a special sauce, served with polenta and fried eggs), mici (pr. michi, with a ch sound like in the word "chat"; a kind of spicy sausage, but only the meat, without the casings, almost always cooked on a barbecue, but may also be cooked with hot water vapours; often served with beer during picnics - mici și bere), roe salad, various mashed beans varieties like iahnie (the h is loud).

Other dishes include a burger bun with a slice of ham, a slice of cheese and a layer of French fries, ciorbă de burtă (white sour tripe soup), ciorbă țărănească (a red sour soup, akin to borș but with the beet root being replaced by fermented wheat bran, with lots of vegetables), Dobrogean or Bulgarian salads (a mix of onions, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, white sauce and ham), onion salad - diced onion served in a dish, tomato salad - diced tomato with cheese, șorici (pig skin - boiled and sometimes in stew), and drob (haggies) - a casserole made from lamb or pork liver and kidneys. Local eclectic dishes include cow tongue, sheep brain (Easter), caviar, chicken and pork liver, pickled green tomatoes and pickled watermelon.

Traditional desserts include pască (a chocolate or cheese pie produced only after Easter), sărățele (salty sticks), pandișpan (literally means Spanish bread; a cake filled with sour cherries), and cozonac (a special cake bread baked for Christmas or Easter). Bread (without butter) comes with almost every meal and dill is quite common as a flavoring. Garlic is omnipresent, both raw, and in special sauces (mujdei is the traditional sauce, made of garlic, olive oil and spices), as are onions.

Generally, there is good street food, including covrigi (hot pretzels), langoși (hot dough filled with cheese and various other optional seasonings like garlic), gogoşi (donut-like dough, coated with fine sugar), mici (spicy meat patties in the shape of sausages), and excellent pastries (many with names such as merdenele, dobrogene, poale-n brâu, ardelenești), thin pancakes filled with anything from chocolate and jam to bananas and ice cream. Very popular are kebab and shawarma (șaorma), served in many small shops.

Popular Romanian snacks that are readily available in shops are pufuleți (very cheap and delicious corn-made snacks) and sunflower seeds, but usual snacks like potato chips and various nuts are also common. Common sweets are halva, halviță, rahat (Turkish Lokum - note that "rahat" is also commonly used as an euphemism for feces, meaning that you might hear Romanians talk about rahat a lot when being angry, but they do not actually refer to anything commonly considered edible) and colivă, a boiled wheat dish commonly used in religious celebrations.


Vegetarian and vegan travellers can easily find a tasty dish suitable for them if they ask for mâncare de post (food suitable for religious fasting). Because Romanians are in their large majority Eastern Orthodox Christians, fasting involves removing of all the animal products from their meals (meat, dairy products or eggs). Even though Lent seasons only cover a small part of the year, you can find fasting food throughout the year. However, note that most of the Romanians are unaccustomed with vegetarianism or veganism; still, you can find such "mâncare de post" all year round; some Romanians fast also outside Lent, on most Wednesdays and Fridays, as part of their orthodox faith.



Romania has a long tradition of making wine (more than 2000 years of wine-making are recorded), in fact Romania was in 2005 the 12th world producer of wine; the best wineries being Murfatlar, Cotnari, Dragasani, Bohotin, etc. Its quality is very good and the price is reasonably cheap: expect to pay 10-30 RON for a bottle of Romanian wine. Several people in touristic areas make their own wine and sell it directly. Anywhere you want to buy it, it is usually sold in glass bottles of about 75 cl. Many of the monasteries produce and sell their own wine. Most of the individuals wine makers, including monasteries, will allow you to taste it first, but some may not.




The strongest alcohol is palinca, with roughly 60 percent pure alcohol and is traditional to Transylvania, the next is ţuica (a type of brandy made from plums - for the better quality, traditional version - but alternatively from apricots, wine-making leftovers, or basically anything else - an urban legend even claims you can brew a certain kind of winter jacket (pufoaică) to ţuică, but this is rather a proof of Romanian humor). Strength of ţuica is approximately 40-50 percent. The best ţuica, made from plums, is traditional to the Pitești area. Strong alcohol is quite cheap, with a bottle of vodka starting off between 10 RON and 50 RON. A Transylvanian speciality is the 75 percent blueberry and sour cherry palinca (palincă întoarsă de cireşe negre), better known as vişinată - but is usually kept by locals for celebrations, and may be hard to find.



As with most countries it is often cheaper to obtain accommodation directly with the hotel (either in person or in advance via the internet) rather than through booking agencies. An increasing number of even small hotels will accept reservations via the Internet. Search for the local official tourist guide websites which will have a list of hotels and/or bed-and-breakfasts, then inquire at that site: most have information in English, many have formal reservation webpages. Prices for Four star hotels are much the same as in the rest of Europe, certainly in Bucharest, whilst three star hotels and below can be a little cheaper. A feature of Romanian accommodation prices is that many bed and breakfast establishments (without any hotel star rating) are in fact as or even more expensive than two or three star hotels. Most appear to be more modern than rated hotels.

Rural tourism is relatively well developed in Romania. There is a national association of rural guesthouses owners, ANTREC who offer accommodations in over 900 localities throughout the country.


Carefully painted Easter eggs are an important part of Romanian tradition.



Stay safe[edit]

While violence against foreign tourists is rare, this does not mean you should leave your common sense at home, if you decide to vacation in Romania. Generally crime is limited to petty thefts and common scams, and not much else that would concern the tourist. Avoid city neighbourhoods and villages that are predominantly populated by gypsies and you should not encounter any problems. Wherever you may be in the country, ask trusted locals about the surroundings, they will gladly give you a few pointers.

Although racial prejudice exists in Romania, especially toward those who look like Roma (“gypsies”), hate crimes are rare. Some homophobic prejudice also remains, for instance an annual gay pride parade in Bucharest has been the scene of violent protests in past years.

Emergency phone numbers[edit]

Romania uses the pan-European standard number 112 for all emergency calls since 2004. Therefore, this is the only number you will need to remember for police, ambulance and the fire department.

Petty Crime[edit]

Romania is quite safe, with very little violent crime. Pickpocketing and scams (such as taxi scams or confidence tricks) are present on a wider scale, so exert care especially in crowded places (such as train stations, some markets, urban public transport). Keep your money or valuables in inner pockets of your backpack and always watch your handbag in said crowded areas. When traveling with a cab, always make sure you read and remember the price per kilometer that's written on the outside of the car, because some of the drivers may try to take advantage of the fact that you are not familiar with the prices.



Feral animals such as stray dogs may additionally pose a problem in Bucharest and other major cities, where they are widespread. Some might not be aggressive, but be careful about animals in packs and at night. Some are taken care of by people from nearby housing blocks and these can be especially territorial and can sometimes attack without warning. The number of stray dogs is declining but is still extremely high and overall they are the biggest physical danger especially in remote areas.





Stay healthy[edit]




Update: As of Romania's accession to the European Union, citizens of the European Union are covered by Romania's National Healthcare System as long as they carry an E111 European Health Insurance Card, obtainable from their own national healthcare authority and valid for all EU countries.



A shepherd in the Făgăraş Mountains


You should take some normal precautions to study your host first. It is common for friends and family to kiss both cheeks upon greeting or parting. Respect towards elderly is highly appreciated and is a good representation of your character. The phrases used to greet friends and strangers alike is "Bună ziua" (Boo-nah Zee-wah) which means "Good day" or "Good afternoon." During morning and evenings, the phrase changes to "Bună dimineaţa" and "Bună seara", respectively.

At beaches, men wear either speedos or shorts, with the former more common amongst the over 40s, and the latter more popular with the younger crowd. Ladies tend to wear thong bikinis, while topless sunbathing is becoming more widespread.


Romanians also appreciate foreigners who do not assume that Romania was part of either the Russian Empire or the Soviet Union (it was only a member of the Eastern Bloc).

Also, while the principalities of Wallachia and Moldova did indeed pay tributary sums to the Turks for several centuries, they were never part of the Ottoman Empire, unlike some of their neighbours. Knowing even these basic facts about Romanian history will go a long way should any conversation on the subject arise.

Avoid discussing the ethnic animosities between the Romanians and ethnic Hungarians. Hungarians dominate in some areas in Transylvania, and in recent years occasionally inter-ethnic violence has broken out.

Other minority-rich regions include Dobrogea, where Tatars, Turks, and Ukrainians still live today, and also in the west of the country there are small numbers of Serbs, Slovaks, and Germans. Almost all Jews have left the country since the Stalin-influenced antisemitic campaigns in the 1950s.

Another very offensive misconception is making no difference between the Romanian population and the Roma people (gypsies). Romanians are a different ethnic group from them. Confusing these two can offend a lot of people because there is still a lot of prejudice towards the Roma people.

Romanians might dislike having Romania labelled as a Balkan country because of a somewhat negative image of the region. It is not entirely geographically correct either, as most of Romania (all of it except Dobrogea) lies outside the Balkan Peninsula.


Mobile Phones[edit]




Internet Access[edit]

Internet access is fast, widely available in urban environments and growing in rural environments. Broadband internet is widely available in cities and towns, through cable, DSL, or home-grown small or medium size ISPs offering UTP connections. Speeds are mostly like Western Europe or the US, with 1-4 Mbit/s downstream for non-metropolitan access being the norm - with prices being around €9-25 for 1-4Mbit/s, with local access significantly faster (10-50 or even 100Mbit/s). The speeds are increasing, home access for 4Mbit/s being available at around €10 per month.


Wireless access is growing, especially in Bucharest, Braşov, Sibiu, Bistriţa, Timişoara and Cluj with Wi-Fi widely available in University areas, airports, public squares, parks, cafes, hotels and restaurants. Pay-as-you-go Wi-Fi is also available in many venues. If uncertain, look for plazas near the Town Hall, large parks or other important buildings. Most (if not all) McDonald's restaurants in Romania have Wi-Fi access and so do most 3-star (and higher) hotels.

Mobile internet is available cheaply by all the mobile phone companies (using Romanian simcards). Combined 3G/GPRS/EDGE access is priced at RON40-80 per month with a cap of 5-10GB.

Cable TV[edit]

Cable TV is also very widely available, with about 85% of all households being connected. All hotels providing you with a TV set will offer cable TV or digital TV.

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