Romania Smart Travel Guide

Romania is a NATO member since 2004, part of the European Union since 2007 and, from 1st Jan 2025, a full Schengen member. This means that if you are coming from an EU or Schengen country, you should have no issues entering Romania (via plane, train or car) as long as you hold a valid passport, or ID card if you're from the EU.

Also, citizens from the US, UK, Canada, Israel, Australia and Singapore don't need a visa when they enter Romania if planning to stay under 90 days. And if you hold a Schengen visa with multiple entries (with slots still available and valid), you don't have to apply for a Romanian visa. You should check though for other travel documents needed in the conditions of entry (e.g. to confirm length of stay).

Truly, most visa requirements for tourism and short stays under 90 days are quite relaxed. However, we strongly advise you to check if you'll need a visa or not on the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, where you can also apply for a visa online if needed.

Local currency is RON, informally called Lei - 1€ is about 5 Lei and £1 is about 6 Lei. Be careful - even if some prices may be shown in Euro, cash payments in other currencies than RON are not accepted - and we would advise you to check official rates before you accept an offer for 'in-house' exchange. Airport rates are also usually much worse, so don't exchange more than 20€/£/$ there.

You'll find loads of Exchange bureaus (casa de schimb in Romanian) across towns that accept most international currencies, including Euros, UK pounds, US dollars, Swiss francs or Turkish lira. They are easily recognisable by their yellow or red signposting and are usually better than banks - with 90% of them not even charging any fees!

Luckily, payment by card (VISA, Maestro or MasterCard only) is safe and widespread in most urban shops, attractions, hotels, restaurants and on public transport. However, you should have cash on hand for taxis, local crafts or fresh veggies and fruits from farmer's market. Also, in the countryside, cash is KING - so plan ahead if you'll spend longer periods of time in the mountains, staying in rural guesthouses and dining at family-owned restaurants. To withdraw, we suggest you use a travel-friendly debit card (like Monzo), as most ATMs usually charge commissions, and also use the most common Romanian bank ATMs, like BCR (Erste Group), ING, BRD, Raiffeisen Bank or Banca Transilvania.

Romania's climate is temperate - meaning that it's pretty standard 4-seasons weather, although summer heats tend to last longer into autumn months due to climate change, and winter snowfalls can extend until mid-May in high mountain areas where the weather tends to be more unpredictable. So, generally a good time to visit Romania is from April-October when it's fairly warm and days are longer. But be mindful of peak holiday season (July-September) when most Romanians will also travel internally, making attractions and main roads much more crowded - ideally everything needs to be booked in advance for trips during this period.

Easter holiday (usually late March to early May) would be a great time to come around, and you'll be in for an unforgettable cultural experience as most Romanians are very religious and each area tends to have special customs, traditions and festivities.

The best time for hiking and outdoor activities is from late spring to mid-autumn also, when you can witness our mountains really coming to life and becoming the stars of the show - from blooming trees in May and bustling wildflower fields in June, to golden and copper-coloured hills in October.

As with most things in Romania, we move at nature's rhythm (you'll understand this when you're here) - and the same stands for wild animals - so, for bear watching in Transylvania or bird watching in the Danube Delta, April to October is still the best time to visit.

However, if you're looking for a seaside break, the Black sea season is usually shorter - from end of June till mid-September for best outdoor and water temperatures. Be mindful though of the same peak holiday season! Even though our beaches are quite long and wide, they do get very crowded in the middle of summer.

Lastly, a winter holiday is also an unmissable experience, as Romanian winter is not humid and, despite being quite cold, you can pretty easily keep warm with loads of layers and a soothing cup of mulled wine - our favourite drink of the season. From bustling ski resorts, to festive Christmas markets and cozy stays in fireplace-lit mountain cabins, Romania turns into a dreamy winter wonderland waiting to be discovered!

Using public transport to travel around Romania can be a true adventure...and a bit challenging since overall both the train and bus infrastructure is underdeveloped (besides a few main routes). If you're in for a local experience, going by train would be best on small distances (<200km) - they might be slow because of the old tracks (80 km/h on average), but they sure are cheap! While for longer journeys (>300km), you should consider splitting your itinerary or getting an internal flight (e.g. from Bucharest to Cluj or Suceava).

The most popular and recommended railway route is Bucharest to Brasov, a journey of only 2h 50 mins on average, that crosses the Carpathians through some of our most popular mountain resorts, including Sinaia (where you can visit the royal Peles Castle), Busteni (where you can see Wednesday's Nevermore Academy aka Cantacuzino Castle) and Predeal (a favourite ski destination). Train-hopping on this route would be a great way to visit all these spots in a day, on your way to the heart of Transylvania.

Otherwise, you could go for the straight train to Brasov, and explore each attraction more in depth with a separate one-day tour. This route also features, since December 2024, Romania's newest and fastes train, which only runs 2 times a day on return journeys from Bucharest. It's a great alternative to travelling by car, as the main road gets very busy with heavy traffic especially around weekends.

If you're a fan of exploring by driving though, Romania may just be the place for you! More and more highways are being opened and most roads are well-maintained, although being one-lane which means they can get busy if you encounter trucks. However, the best routes are the ones that take you to stunning landscapes and remote locations waiting to be discovered. You may even occasionally encounter livestock on the country roads, so always keep your wits about and drive cautiously. FYI, if your driving licence isn't issued in the EU or UK, you'll need an International Driving Permit to drive in Romania!

Tipping is very common and often expected - especially for hospitality and touristic services like restaurants, tour guides, hotel concierge, taxi rides or body care & cosmetic treatments. A 10% tip on top of the bill is usually the standard, but it can of course go higher if you really enjoyed the service. Service charge is not included on most bills, so for the workers who rely on tips to supplement their wages, it makes a real difference!

Now, when it comes to beggars, that's a very different story! You may have heard about the Rroma ethnic minority (and you may have even encountered some of them on your flight to Romania) - just know that while their reputation is usually bad, it does not apply to all. In big cities though, you may find some of them (and their kids) begging or trying to offer you services in exchange for money (like window wiping or parking assistance). Our recommendation is to ignore them and not give them money, as it only perpetuates a vicious cycle and is not truly helping them.

Despite this, Romania is a very safe country to travel to - risks are low in all categories: terrorism, scams, muggings, gun incidents, etc. Of course, as in any up-and-coming destination, beware of pickpockets and the usual tourist traps, and ignore suspicious or troublesome people (like drunkards or pushy taxi drivers and restaurant promoters) - especially at night. We're also a female and solo traveller-friendly destination, and we're actually becoming a favourite spot for digital nomads!

However, if you ever encounter yourself in a tricky situation, just know that the emergency number is 112 - and it directs you to the police, fire or medical services. Having travel insurance is essential and highly recommended - to make sure you're covered no matter what. Plus, if you're an EU citizen, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is also a good option for medical services coverage.

There are plenty of pharmacies in Romania as well, even in the most remote villages you will find one nearby, and you can easily get the usual over-the-counter pills for aches, bruises, colds allergies or indigestions. Luckily, there are no particular health concerns regarding drinking spring or tap water, food contaminations or special insects you should be aware of. We do recommend to be prepared if you have pollen allergies though, especially in spring-summer time as the vegetation is rich and diverse.

We know that travelling to a new country for the first time usually involves A LOT of research - watching vlogs, reading reviews, booking the best flights and accommodation, and finding the most important attractions and interesting things to do. However, you will have also noticed that for Romania, official tourist information is inconsistent across websites, and may even be outdated or incomplete.

Many independent Romanian tour operators and travel websites have taken matters into their own hands, so more and more accurate information is becoming available thanks to the dedication of fellow people like us who are passionate about Romania and about offering our guests the most memorable experiences here!

At our core, we believe travel should be Smart - easy, flexible and packed with value. So, we want to help you discover Romania in a way that’s effortless and rewarding - and alongside our Smart traveller's guide, here's our advice on how you can make the most of your trip:

1. Start by doing your reading and find out which area of Romania you'd like to visit the most. Our natural and cultural diversity means you'll probably prefer one area over another (e.g. mountain trip versus seaside break).
2. Check out flight connections and the logistics of getting there and moving around. Main areas will have airports nearby, but not all airports are served by international airlines. WizzAir and Ryanair are the most common carriers, while Bucharest has the best international connections.
3. Draft up your itinerary and understand the distances between the main points - as the country is quite big, you may overestimate how much you'll be able to do and how fast. Check out our multi-day tours to get an idea of what can be achieved based on your length of stay.
4. Once you decide your trip basics, think of the budget and what kind of accommodation you'd like. Romania is rich in unique and uncommon stays like mansions, A-frames, village cottages and rustic guesthouses of all prices, some of which you can also find in our holiday packages.
5. Lastly, personalise your trip with the experiences you'd like to remember from Romania. Our touristic diversity means there's something cultural, adventurous or outdoorsy to enjoy, no matter where you go. Check out our thematic tours - they might spark your next adventure!

We can help you throughout this whole process with a piece of advice, a personalised recommendation or by taking in our hands the full planning of your trip. Among our services, we offer:

• Day trips to specific attractions or for specific interest (e.g. wildlife watching) - usually small groups, with the possibility of making them private
• Weekend breaks - complete packages that will give you the best of Transylvania, and a little bit more to make your break memorable
• Multi-day tours - for 3 to 7 days, depending on how much you want to spend and see in Romania, blending cultural and natural experiences
• Tailor-made trips, carefully crafted after your desires, interests and budget
• Self-drive trips, perfect if you like the freedom to explore at your pace, but appreciate the comfort of pre-booked stays - also customisable
• Thematic tours, fully focused around your specific interest (imagine 3 days of camping and off-road in the pristine Carpathian forests!)

Once you've planned your trip and made your luggage, get ready for the time of your life :) Below are some Romanian phrases to get you friendly with the locals. Although most young people in the city speak English, in the countryside you may have some trouble finding people who do, so knowing a thing our two could really enhance your journey. Especially if you speak Spanish, Italian, French or Portuguese, you may find lots of similarities to get you going!

• Bună or Salut means Hello. And for the more formal version, you can say Bună ziua, which literally translates to Good day.

• Cât costă? or Care este prețul? means How much is this/What's the price, and depending on the answer you get, you may want to reply with prea scump, nu vreau (too expensive, I don't want it) or ce ieftin, vreau să cumpăr (so cheap, I want to buy).

• If you're asking about availability you can say Aveți locuri libere? (Do you have available spaces) to which you may hear da (yes) or nu (no). Following, you can continue the conversation by letting them know how many oameni (people) or nopți (nights) you need.

• Romanian numbers especially are super similar to other Latin languages: unu (one), doi (two), trei (three), patru (four), cinci (five), șase (six), șapte (seven), opt (eight), nouă (nine), and zece (ten). You may have also noticed that we have some special characters, a handful of symbols which change a bit the way we pronounce some words - but don't worry, everyone will understand you whether you use them correctly or not!

• Unde este...? or În ce direcție este...? translates to Where is.../Which way is..., and you can complete this phrase with the key attractions or places you want to reach, like gara (the train station), aeroportul (the airport), stația de autobuz (the bus station), magazinul (the shop), piața (the square or farmers' market), muzeul (the museum), castelul (the castle), strada... (the ...street), spitalul (the hospital) or poliția (the police). Restaurant and hotel are exactly the same in Romanian, so at least there's something you won't have to remember!

• Also, if you're in dire need, you can always just stop people and say Am nevoie de ajutor (I need help) or Mă poți ajuta? (can you help me) and show them a picture of where you need to go and they will be more than happy to help. Trust us, Romanians are great communicators through gestures, so we always find a way to make ourselves understood!

• Finally, when ending a conversation you can say Mulțumesc (thank you) or simply mersi (like in French!) for the help, followed by La revedere or pa pa! for goodbye. A typical Romanian answer you may hear besides cu plăcere (you're welcome) is să-ți fie de bine, which is sort of a blessing that literally translates to 'may it be well for you' - we know, so cute! Romanian language actually has lots of similar expressions and the more you interact with locals, the more you will start to notice them.

Romanian hospitality is another factor that will surely make your trip better. While we may not be internationally known for it, our hospitality goes far beyond the typical politeness. We will 'force feed' you and make you taste our drinks until you do it! It's a natural reflex, we learned it from our Balkan grandmas. When you go through a local market or food stall, you will be given lots of samples to try.

Whoever's house you enter, you will be welcomed by a glass of our national drinks - țuică or pălincă (plum brandy) for the men, and vișinată or afinată (cherry/blueberry liquor) for the ladies - of course you can drink either, but Romanian culture is still very traditional. Top tip, don't down it like a shot, it's very potent! Instead, savour it slowly over a small chat with your hosts.

And if you tell them you've got enough time...you're in for a delicious platter of Romanian appetizers like zacuscă (eggplant and red pepper dip), telemea (kind of like an aged feta), brânză de burduf (aged yellow cheese), șuncă afumată (smoked ham), slănină (salt-cured pork fat) and some ceapă (onion) to make sure you don't leave starving!

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So, that's all folks! We hope this guide will make your trip to Romania easier and memorable!

While we've done our best to compile the latest and most comprehensive travel information for Romania, if there is anything missing or that you'd like to know more about, hit us up with a message and we'll be happy to help you :)