What should you really visit in Romania during your holiday?
Romania is a country of extremes. It might be known as a poor country, but in the capital Bucharest you also see bizarre wealth. Romania has mountains, coast, sea, snow and sun. Agriculture, vineyards, and everyone has a (vegetable) garden in the family to enjoy living in the seasons. Below are 10 hotspots in Romania that you want to visit!
Romanian knowledge before planning your holiday
- More than 21 million inhabitants
- More than 230,000 km
- About 85 inhabitants per km2
- Capital Bucharest, not to be confused with Budapest in Hungary
- The Orthodox Church is the largest religion in the country, which is why Easter, for example, is celebrated at different times than in the Netherlands. An overview of the Romania Holidays.
- Own language, Romanian. A Romance language. Hungarian, German, Russian and French are also spoken in Romania. The younger generation in the big cities also speaks English, but not in the countryside
- Part of Europe, also part of the EU since 2007, but not yet part of Schengen in 2024. That process has started and personal checks will no longer take place at the borders with Schengen countries as of March 31, 2024.
- Romania’s own currency, the RON, once it has joined Schengen it would also like to adopt the Euro as a means of payment.
Romania has 4 traditional regions
- Dobruja, on the Black Sea
- Wallachia, in the south
- Moldova, in the northeast, against the country Moldova.
- Transylvania, in the north. Which also includes Maramures
Most European visitors enter Romania via Hungary and then you end up in Transylvania. That’s why we recommend the hotspots from North to South. In all the beautiful places you will see that there are also many Romanian tourists.
Sapanta Cemetery(Merry Cemetery)
Very beautiful cemetery with all blue graves. This is also a great place to start because you also see how Romanians experience tourism. There are all kinds of stands nearby where you can buy food and traditional clothing. The location and reviews of Sapanta Cemetery can easily be found on Google Maps.
Maramureș Steam Train (Mocănița Maramureș)
Beautiful 2-hour steam train ride. The view is best if you sit on the left side of the train. Make sure you are there half an hour in advance. More tips and the location you will find on Google Maps.
Ciocanesti
Ciocanesti is a beautiful village in the Bucovina region. There are many houses painted with Easter egg patterns, there is an Easter egg museum and a museum about the history of the village.
Danube delta
The Danube Delta is a beautiful wetland area in the Northeast of Romania. It is the mouth of the Danube and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Transfagarasan route
Named by Top Gear as the most beautiful road in the world. It can be very busy here in the months of July and August and since the summer of 2022 this has also been the road where many bears stand along the road. So if you want to see bears in the wild, it is definitely recommended to drive this route.
Bran Castle
The famous castle of Romania, the number 1 hotspot for tourists during their holiday. Because it’s linked to Dracula. He didn’t actually live here, but it is worth a visit. You can do an extensive tour that includes cellars, which is not worth it.
Peles Castle
Peles Castle was built between 1875 and 1883 and was the summer residence of the Royal family. This castle was built in a modern way when it was built, so there was already electricity. The castle is not huge, but it is fun to visit. Nice outdoor area and a nice restaurant next to it. If you visit this, I recommend visiting it together with the wine cellars of Azuga where the bubbles were made for the Royal family and where delicious bubbles can still be enjoyed today.
Slănic salt mine
Romania has several salt mines and Slanic is the largest. You can park your car at the parking lot and then take the van into the cave, and you will be amazed at what you find there. Make sure you wear warm clothes because it is cold in the salt mine.
Wine in the Dealu Mare
You can taste wine throughout the country, and much of it is also made at home. But perhaps the best region is the Dealu Mare, a warm area just next to Bucharest. The Dealu Mare is on the same longitude (45 degrees) as Bordeaux and Tuscany, and has fantastic red wines. Some of the wineries are in walking distance of Camping Orange Valley.
Bucharest
The capital of Romania, Bucharest. A city that is on the rise and with a special history. You can learn the story of communism and what it did to the city in a wonderful way if you take a walking tour with walk about. Furthermore, it is a busy city and I wouldn’t stay there too long.
Vama Veche and Mamaia
The coast of Romania is special. You have quiet, alternative areas such as Vama Veche or places where people go to show that they have done well, such as Mamaia. There are also places along the coast where you can camp wild, but be careful. Controls are becoming increasingly strict. Apps like park4night can help you a bit.
Campsites
Camping Orange Valley is a wonderful place to relax for a few days after a visit to Bucharest, the Danube Delta or the Transfagaransan. If you want to go to Maramures we recommend a stay at Camping Breb, and if you go to the Danube Delta we recommend Dan the Fisherman who can take you on breathtaking boat trips across the beautiful delta.
Do you have any other tips? Then we would like to see them in the comments.