Romania travel guide
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.
Places worth the trip
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. It is the base for Bran Castle and the ski and walking areas around Poiana Brașov.
Sighișoara
A UNESCO-listed medieval citadel with a clock tower, a covered wooden staircase up to the hilltop church and colourful houses. The house where Vlad III, the prince known as Vlad the Impaler, is said to have been born is in the square.
Bran and Peleș Castles
Bran Castle, on a rock above a mountain pass, is promoted as Dracula's Castle. Peleș Castle, in the mountain town of Sinaia, is a lavish nineteenth-century royal summer residence.
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.
Maramureș
A rural region in the north known for its tall wooden churches, several of them UNESCO-listed, carved wooden gates, and the colourful Merry Cemetery in Săpânța, whose painted crosses tell the life stories of the dead.
Danube Delta
Where the Danube meets the Black Sea, a vast wetland of channels, reed beds and lakes that is one of Europe's best birdwatching areas, with pelicans and many other species. Boats from Tulcea reach villages accessible only by water.
Transfăgărășan road
A spectacular mountain road crossing the Făgăraș Mountains past the glacial lake Bâlea. It is usually only open in summer, roughly July to October, depending on snow.
Bucharest and Sibiu
Bucharest's old town, Belle Époque buildings and the vast Palace of the Parliament contrast with Sibiu, a Saxon town whose rooftops have windows nicknamed 'the eyes of the city'.
Interesting facts about Romania
- Romanian is a Romance language, descended from Latin, and is related to Italian, French and Spanish.
- The Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest is one of the largest administrative buildings in the world.
- Romania has one of the largest brown bear populations in Europe, mostly in the Carpathians.
- The sculptor Constantin Brâncuși was born in Romania; his Endless Column stands in the town of Târgu Jiu.
- The Danube Delta is one of the largest wetlands in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Best time to visit Romania
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. Winter is cold and snowy, with skiing in the Carpathians and Christmas markets in Bucharest, Sibiu and Brașov.
Getting around
Trains connect most cities but can be slow; the Bucharest–Brașov route through the mountains is scenic. Buses and minibuses fill the gaps. A rental car is the best way to see the rural north, Transylvanian villages and the painted monasteries, though country roads can be slow and horse-drawn carts are common. A road vignette is required on national roads and can be bought online. Ride-hailing apps work well in Bucharest and other cities.
Practical details
- Capital
- Bucharest
- Currency
- Romanian leu (RON)
- Languages
- Romanian
- Plug types
- C, F
- Voltage
- 230 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency
- 112
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- Around 10% in restaurants is customary for good service; round up taxi fares.
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.
Useful apps
- Bolt: Ride-hailing widely used in Bucharest and other Romanian cities.
- Uber: Operates in the larger cities.
- CFR Călători: Timetables and tickets for national trains.
- Google Maps: Driving directions; download offline maps for mountains and the Delta.
Romania travel FAQs
Bran is linked to the Dracula legend largely through tourism. Bram Stoker never visited Romania, and there is little evidence that Vlad III spent much time there, but the castle is still worth visiting for its history and setting.
No. The currency is the Romanian leu. Cards are widely accepted in cities; carry cash for rural areas, markets and small guesthouses.
Yes, networks are fast. EU visitors usually roam at home rates; others can face high charges. A travel eSIM gives you local data while keeping your home number active.
It is possible on guided wildlife hides in the Carpathians. Never feed or approach bears, and follow local advice when hiking.