A little more
Romania.
A lot less roaming.

Travelling to Romania: what to know before you go

Romania combines Saxon towns and castles in Transylvania, painted monasteries and wooden churches in the north, the wild Carpathian Mountains and the Danube Delta on the Black Sea. It offers rural traditions that have disappeared in much of Europe and is good value. It suits road-trippers, walkers, wildlife watchers and anyone interested in history.

Where to go

• Brașov. A Transylvanian city at the foot of the Carpathians, with a large old town square, the Gothic Black Church and a cable car up Tâmpa hill.
• Sighișoara. A UNESCO-listed medieval citadel with a clock tower, a covered wooden staircase up to the hilltop church and colourful houses.
• Bran and Peleș Castles. Bran Castle, on a rock above a mountain pass, is promoted as Dracula's Castle.
• Painted monasteries of Bucovina. In the north-east, sixteenth-century monasteries such as Voroneț, Sucevița and Moldovița have outer walls covered in biblical frescoes, and several are UNESCO-listed.

Best time to visit

Late spring (May and June) and early autumn (September and October) are the best times, with mild weather, green or golden landscapes and fewer visitors. July and August are hot in the lowlands, busy on the Black Sea coast and the season for high mountain roads and hiking.

Staying online in Romania

Romania has some of the fastest mobile and fixed internet in Europe, with 4G and 5G across cities and most towns. Coverage weakens in remote mountain areas, deep valleys and parts of the Danube Delta. Free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, restaurants and accommodation. Romania is in the EU, so EU visitors can usually roam as at home, while visitors from other countries may face high charges. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.