Romania is an exciting Southeastern European country filled with historic sites such as beautiful medieval towns, castles, and monasteries. Romania is also home to great mountain scenery and possibilities for skiing and trekking, as well as one of the largest cities in Eastern Europe and beach resorts on the Black Sea Coast. The birthplace of the Dracula myth and suffering from a harsh dictatorship during the Communist era, Romania still retains lot of its old traditional charm, although it is now developing fast.
A beautiful country located in Southeast Europe between Hungary, Bulgaria, and Ukraine, Romania has a unique culture formed into the meeting point of Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkan Region that has elements from the ancient empire of Rome as well as Dacia. In addition to Romanians, there are also Roma or Gypsies, as well as Hungarians, Germans, Ukrainians, Turks and many other smaller minorities living in Romania. In recent years, Romania has become a popular tourism destination with plenty of diversity in its attractions. Today, some 7 million foreign tourists visit Romania annually.
Monasteries & ski resorts. The hilly Bukovina region in the northeast of Romania is known for its beautiful painted monasteries. The eastern region of Moldavia also has its share of historic attractions and is considered a major wine producing region. The city of Brasov in Transylvania is home to a beautiful medieval center, a ski resort of Poiana Brasov, and good possibilities for trekking. It is close to the village of Bran, famous for its castle. The ski resorts of Sinaia and Predeal are also nearby. The medieval town of Sighisoara, also in Transylvania, is famous for its well-preserved old architecture. It is also the original home town of Vlad Tepes, a historic character later evolved into better known Count Dracula, as well as a site for filming many Hollywood movies. The nearby historic city of Sibiu is also well worth visiting.
More attractions. Along the Romanian Black Sea coast, the seaside resort of Mamaia close to the port city of Constanta is a popular summer getaway with white sand beaches, but has no population outside the summer season. On the north coast, the World Heritage listed Danube Delta is the largest river delta in Europe, hosting over 300 species of birds, making it a favorite destination for birdwatchers. The seven unique painted churches in Suceava county in Moldavian region include frescoes considered as masterpieces of Byzantine art. They form another Romanian World Heritage Site.
Travel to Romania is easy from elsewhere in Europe with plane, train, bus or by ferry. There are several international airports receiving flights to Romania, but the most international flights arrive to Otopeni Airport in Bucharest. Other cities with airports in Romania include Timisoara, Constanta, Cluj Napoca, Arad, Sibiu, and Târgu Mures. Many low-fare airlines are now flying to Romania from Western Europe. There is a good railway network with international trains to Romania from many European countries as well as from Russia and Turkey. International bus connections to Romania are also available as far away as from Istanbul.
A beautiful country located in Southeast Europe between Hungary, Bulgaria, and Ukraine, Romania has a unique culture formed into the meeting point of Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkan Region that has elements from the ancient empire of Rome as well as Dacia. In addition to Romanians, there are also Roma or Gypsies, as well as Hungarians, Germans, Ukrainians, Turks and many other smaller minorities living in Romania. In recent years, Romania has become a popular tourism destination with plenty of diversity in its attractions. Today, some 7 million foreign tourists visit Romania annually.
Tourism attractions in Romania: Mighty mountains and medieval history
With its great variety of attractions and affordable holiday activities, Romania has become a popular tourism destination for Europeans. The medieval cities and castles of the mountainous Transylvania have become well known, as well as its good opportunities for skiing and trekking. The low-lying Wallachia in the south is home to the capital of Romania, Bucharest, a large metropolis with plenty of shopping and nightlife as well as museums and historic and Communist-era monuments. The Black Sea coastal province of Dobruja features the historic beach resort city of Constanta and smaller beach resorts such as Neptun and Mangalia.Monasteries & ski resorts. The hilly Bukovina region in the northeast of Romania is known for its beautiful painted monasteries. The eastern region of Moldavia also has its share of historic attractions and is considered a major wine producing region. The city of Brasov in Transylvania is home to a beautiful medieval center, a ski resort of Poiana Brasov, and good possibilities for trekking. It is close to the village of Bran, famous for its castle. The ski resorts of Sinaia and Predeal are also nearby. The medieval town of Sighisoara, also in Transylvania, is famous for its well-preserved old architecture. It is also the original home town of Vlad Tepes, a historic character later evolved into better known Count Dracula, as well as a site for filming many Hollywood movies. The nearby historic city of Sibiu is also well worth visiting.
More attractions. Along the Romanian Black Sea coast, the seaside resort of Mamaia close to the port city of Constanta is a popular summer getaway with white sand beaches, but has no population outside the summer season. On the north coast, the World Heritage listed Danube Delta is the largest river delta in Europe, hosting over 300 species of birds, making it a favorite destination for birdwatchers. The seven unique painted churches in Suceava county in Moldavian region include frescoes considered as masterpieces of Byzantine art. They form another Romanian World Heritage Site.
Romania travel information and practical tips
Romania has a transitional climate between temperate and continental with four distinct seasons. Winters from December to April are cold and there is snow in the higher areas, whereas the summers from June to September are very warm and generally the best time to visit Romania. Weather in Romania is rather rainy in spring with warm days and cool nights, while autumns are generally cool and dry. Rainfall is highest on the mountain areas of Western Romania, whereas the Black Sea coast has very low precipitation.Travel to Romania is easy from elsewhere in Europe with plane, train, bus or by ferry. There are several international airports receiving flights to Romania, but the most international flights arrive to Otopeni Airport in Bucharest. Other cities with airports in Romania include Timisoara, Constanta, Cluj Napoca, Arad, Sibiu, and Târgu Mures. Many low-fare airlines are now flying to Romania from Western Europe. There is a good railway network with international trains to Romania from many European countries as well as from Russia and Turkey. International bus connections to Romania are also available as far away as from Istanbul.
Photo: CamilG, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
You can also travel to Romania by boat: there are cruises to Romania from Austria and Germany along the Danube River, and many ferry connections across the river from Bulgaria.
Once in Romania, there are domestic flights between the capital city Bucharest and several other cities. Railway connections are excellent with plenty of trains to virtually every city and town in Romania. Cheap but slow and infrequent buses and affordable but uncomfortable minibuses are another option for travel in Romania. Car rental in Romania is also available. Roads in Romania are not in the best condition, so four-wheel drive is a good choice, especially outside the main roads and cities. Local transport in Romanian cities and towns is handled by buses, trolleybuses and trams. Bucharest also has a subway system. Taxis are available in all Romanian towns and cities. Boats are the only way of transport in the Danube Delta area.
Services for every budget. You can find a good amount of hotels and other accommodation in Romania, within all price ranges. Five star hotels of international chains are available in major cities and ski or beach resorts, and smaller hotels, guesthouses, and accommodation in private apartments are available in every town in Romania. You can find plenty of inexpensive restaurants in Romania, although the range of cuisines is quite limited. Only Bucharest has a larger amount of international restaurants available. There are plenty of nightlife options in all larger towns and cities in Romania. Fast food chain restaurants can also be found in most cities and towns.
English is spoken in Romania by well-educated as well as by many of the younger people. French is also spoken by many Romanians. In rural areas outside the main tourist attractions it is very useful to learn some phrases of Romanian language.
Safety. Romania is a relatively safe country with very little violent crime, but pick-pocketing is common and there is a wide scale of scams invented to relieve tourists from their money. Caution needs to be taken in crowded places such as train stations and public transport vehicles. Some poorer neighborhoods in the main cities should be avoided. Corruption is also a problem in Romania that can be annoying for visitors.
Short history of Romania
Romania was inhabited by Dacian tribes already in the ancient times. Their kingdom was most powerful during the 1st century BC, but they were defeated by the Romans and most parts of Romania become part of Roman Empire in 106 AD. The Hungarians occupied the area in 800-900 AD and the Germans arrived in Transilvania in the 13th century, building castles and fortified cities. The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia were formed in the 14th century, but were soon brought under domination of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. They became autonomous in 1856 and soon united into Romania.Romania became independent kingdom in 1878 and acquired Transylvania and present-day Moldova in the First World War. Romania allied with the Axis powers in Second World War and was occupied by Soviet troops, which led to it becoming a Communist republic in 1947. Dictator Nicolae Ceausescu ran the country from 1965 until he was overthrown and executed in 1989. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and European Union in 2007. Today, it is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe, but still relatively poor in comparison to Western Europe.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Sighisoara, Brasov
