Romania
Updated on January 5th, 2020
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Romania surprised me by how much I liked it. I visited during December and was lucky enough to experience some of the most magical Chritsmas markets Europe has to offer.
This large country in Eastern Europe is often overlooked and yet is so diverse. With a large part of the country bordering the Black Sea you have the ‘coastal’ areas, moutainous regions, a large vibrant capital city, old medieval towns, unexplored countryside and a rich history to keep you busy.
These Romania travel tips and guides will help you plan your trip to Romania know what to expect and show you the best things to see and do, money saving ideas and typical costs.
What to expect in Romania
Bordering Countries: Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Ukraine and Moldova.
Language: The official language of Romania is Romanian
Currency: The currency in Romania is the Romanian Leu (pronunced lay)
EU & Schengen Status: Romania is part of the EU but not the Schengen.
Plugs: The plugs in Romania are C and F and run on 230V. The best bet is to buy a universal adaptor so you will be covered anywhere.
ATM’s & Money: ATM’s are available in cities and larger towns. Howver, if you are heading into smaller remote areas make sure you take enough cash to cover your trip. As there are very few ATM’s in the rural areas.
Things to see & do in Romania
Free walking tour in Bucharest
Wander the winter Christmas markets
Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle)
Learn about Vlad the Impaler
Explore Transylvania
Visit the medieval towns of Brasov & Sibiu
Discover Bucharest's cafe scene
Discover the Black Sea
Hike in the Carpathian Mountains
Brasov Christmas markets
Pastel homes in Sibiu
Typical costs in Romania
Accommodation
Accommodation in Romania is very cheap when compared to Western European countries. Dorm beds in hostels typically range between 7 and 11 Euros per night in Bucharest. Smaller cities like Sibiu and Brasov tend to be a couple of Euros more. A private double room in a hostel will range from 25 to 40 Euros per night. You can pretty much guarentee there will be free WiFi and towels provided. Budget hotels begin around 26 Euros for a double room and go up from there.
Airbnb is how I travelled around Romania (and practically everywhere else) and is available throughout most of the country. Entire apartments start at around 28 Euros per night to be right in the city center. A 5-10 minute walk from the downtown area starts at 18 Euros per night.
Food
Eating out is very affordable in Romania. Typical costs of eating out at a budget restaurant for dinner would be 5 Euros per person for a single dish. For a meal consisting of a soup, main course, dessert and one beer expect to pay 10 Euros.
A bottle of wine in a restaurant is about 7.5 Euros and a .5L beer 1.3 Euros. In a supermarket an expensive bottle of wine is 6 Euros and 2L of beer is 1.5 Euros.
Transportation
Taxi’s should be (and are) very cheap in Romania, about 0.80Euros/km However, taxi scams are extremely common. So it is likely you will be paying a lot more than you should if you don’t know how to look out for them. I’m very anti-taxi as I feel I have been scammed on almost every taxi I took in Eastern Europe.
Check fares ahead of time if you intend to use taxi’s and watch the meter to ensure it is not rising quicker than it should. Another solution is to use Uber!
Train and bus fares vary depending on their speed (trains) and how far you are going. Expect to pay around 5 Euros from Bucharest to Brasov by train or 13 Euros to Sibiu.
Activities
Most entry costs for attractions in Romania are under 5 Euros. For more popular places like Bran Castle and Palace of the Parliament are around 8 Euros. You will also find free walking tours in the main cities.
Suggested daily budget – Mid-range budget travellers should expect to pay 50-60 Euros/day between 2 people. This is a suggested budget assuming you’re staying in your own Airbnb near the city center, eating out at dinner, having a cheap lunch and using Uber once a day for a short trip and 1 or 2 cheap activities. Using the budget tips below, you can always lower this number.
Romania travel tips
Money saving ideas
1
Stay outside of the city center
Staying a 5-10 minute walk from the downtown area will save you at least 10 Euros/day. You will be away from the crowds and noise, but be close enough to walk home each day.
2
Ride with Uber
Avoid taxi scams and use Uber. You will not only have peace of mind that you won't get ripped off but you can see the price before riding.
3
Eat local food
While the food in Romania is generally quite cheap. To lower food costs, even more, eat the local dishes and at restaurants that aren't aimed at foreigners.
4
Walk
The Old Towns and areas of interest are usually all within a short radius in Romania. Apart from arriving in bus and train stations, you should be able to walk everywhere.
Romania resources
HostelWorld – The only hostel booking site I use. Hostelworld has the largest selection, is easy to use and has hostels have great recent reviews by other travellers.
Airbnb – Use Airbnb in Romania to find some great entire apartments for the same price as a private room in a hostel. If you’re new to Airbnb use this link to get a $55 (AUD) credit for your first stay.
Skyscanner – Compare the best and cheapest flights with Skyscaner. I always start here when looking for cheap flights. My top budget tip is to be flexible with times and dates.
CFR Calatori – The national train travel website. Search for times and prices online. You can either buy tickets on the train or ahead of time.
Autogari.Ro – For all domestic bus related travel. Search for timetables, find bus stops and more.
FlixBus – The largest network of cheap bus travel over Europe. Great for travellers as they have wifi and powerpoints (mostly).
Romania travel guides
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