Often subject to many prejudices, Romania is in reality a destination little known to the general public, so when we talk about it, the images that come to mind are very limited. Between Ukraine and Bulgaria, with Hungary to the west and the Black Sea to the east, its vast territory is nevertheless made up of a mosaic of landscapes steeped in myths and traditions as old as unsuspected... The Romanian tourist guide aims to restore some of this unique charm by taking you on a journey of discovery through the four corners of the country, starting with Bucharest, a frenetic and lively capital, at the crossroads of the old and the new. Here, trendy addresses are flourishing at high speed and there are countless opportunities for entertainment. Nevertheless, Bucharest remains, like the country, proud of its strong cultural roots, something that can be measured by visiting the medieval and romantic cities of Sighişoara, Braşov or Sibiu in Transylvania, or the painted monasteries of the regions of Maramureş and Bukovina. Nature is powerful in Romania, from the steep and magical Carpathian mountain range to the beaches of the Black Sea. And why not take a cruise on the Danube? Between gleaming sedans and horse-drawn carts, at the crossroads of Western, Byzantine, Slavic and Eastern influences, far from mass tourism, Romania, its cities, its countryside and legends is the promise of a total change of scenery, where all your memories remain to be created!

When to go Romania ?

When to go to Romania? In principle, the best time to visit Romania is from May to the end of October. Summer remains the major tourist season for Romanian and foreign visitors. The beaches on the coast are very crowded, but the bathing conditions are good. In the interior of the country, in Maramureş, Transylvania and Moldova, the countryside is really beautiful and the weather is very pleasant. In Romania, the mid-season remains mild and the nature colorful. The conditions are then optimal for hiking and cultural visits. In winter, despite the harshness of the climate, the snow reveals magical landscapes and a traditional character that is very exotic, especially during the Christmas and New Year's holidays. It is also the time to ski down the cheapest slopes in Europe, to contemplate beautiful mountain landscapes and snow-covered villages. When to go to Romania? All year round!

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Practical information for travel Romania

La Roumanie dispose d'innombrables richesses. Afin de découvrir en profondeur la beauté de son patrimoine, de ses paysages, l’accueil de ses habitants, il est préférable d’adapter son parcours par rapport au temps dont on dispose. Pour un séjour d’une semaine, appréciez pleinement les charmes d’une région. Si vous disposez de deux semaines, cela vous laissera la possibilité de découvrir trois à quatre régions parmi les plus remarquables. Un séjour de trois semaines est la durée idéale pour prendre son temps et se permettre des détours. Si vous êtes dépendant des transports en commun, séjournez quelques jours dans un même lieu et rayonnez dans les alentours en appréciant les excursions et balades qui s’offrent à vous. Si vous louez un véhicule, au départ de Bucarest, empruntez les routes à travers les Carpates pour découvrir des sites d’exception hors des sentiers battus.

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How to go Romania

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How to go alone

To reach Bucharest from Western Europe, a round-trip air ticket will cost you between 80 and 300 €. Please note that the price variation depends on the airline you use and, above all, on the reservation deadline. In order to get good prices, it is essential to book well in advance. Remember to buy your tickets six months before departure! You should also know that for low cost flights, you often have to add many fees.

How to go on a tour

Of course, Romania is not a very touristy destination. However, there are specialists who offer organized trips to discover its hidden treasures. One can choose various itineraries centered on a particular Romanian region: Bucovina and Transylvania, the Danube delta, the Carpathians...

How to get around

There are many ways to get around Romania. If you have little time and a small budget and want to visit the whole country, you can opt for some domestic flights. Otherwise, the bus network works well and is inexpensive, as are the rail services. For more autonomy, you can also choose to rent a car locally. Finally, you will have to use the river transport to travel through the three arms of the Danube Delta.

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Discover Romania

Romania is a rich country. Of course, its recent history has not spared it: the trying communist period was followed by a difficult transition, forcing many of its inhabitants to leave. Today, this astonishing country offers its visitors simple and extraordinary treasures. Rich in religious and popular traditions, it comes alive with a special fervour at Easter and Christmas. An attachment to its roots that is also expressed through a preserved folklore and craftsmanship, reflecting a diverse population. Rich in legends, nourished by a decor worthy of fairy tales, Romania is a fertile breeding ground for the imagination, the setting for the myth of Dracula. Still rich in unspoiled nature, this wild land is home to an abundance of flora and fauna. Finally, rich in a tumultuous history, at the crossroads of civilizations, it reveals a precious heritage, made up of colourful cities, monasteries and churches, castles and fortresses.

Pictures and images Romania

Cour intérieure d'une maison de style saxon. Stéphan SZEREMETA
Piata Mare, grande place centrale de Sibiu. Stéphan SZEREMETA
Immeubles bordant la rivière Dâmboviţa. Alamer - Iconotec
Vaisselle aux motifs typiques de Transylvanie. Stéphan SZEREMETA

The 12 keywords Romania

1. Cart

101 Charette typique roumaine ©  Radu Bercan - shutterstock.com.jpg

It is an emblem of the Romanian countryside. Even if their number is declining, you will still come across a lot of them on the country's roads. Pulled by horses adorned with red pompoms, loaded with hay or farm equipment, the wooden carts (căruță) symbolize the small-scale, not very mechanized agriculture that still exists in Romania

2. Ciorbă

102 Soupe Roumaine Ciorba  © Sebastian Studio - shutterstock.com.jpg

Influenced by Turkish chorba and Russian borsch, ciorbă is a flagship dish in Romanian cuisine. It is available in a thousand ways, always full of flavour: with vegetables, meatballs, beans, fish... not forgetting the famous ciorbă from burtă, with tripe. We often add borș, fermented wheat bran that gives a sour taste.

3. Diaspora

Romania has lost about 4 million inhabitants since 1989, from 23 million to less than 20 million. Every family has at least one member who has gone to work abroad, mainly in Italy and Spain, in search of better wages. This diaspora, which contributes strongly to the economy, is making a big comeback for the holidays and during the summer.

4. Dor

Close to the Portuguese saudade, this word, which has no equivalent in French, refers to a state of mind, a complex feeling, a mixture of nostalgia, melancholy, joy, lack, yearning and pain. The doina, a word from the same family, is a traditional song, a kind of improvised lyrical melody, very representative of the Romanian soul.

5. Dracula

Château de Bran © bravo1954 - iStockphoto.com.jpg

The famous vampire lives in the Romanian Carpathians: it is there that his creator, the writer Bram Stoker, located his castle. He was inspired by a 15th-century voivode, Vlad Țepeș, who had a reputation for bloodthirsty vampires, but also by the local beliefs of the time around the ghosts, the strigoi. For Romanians, Dracula is above all a tourist attraction.

6. Francophonie

Romania and France forged a strong relationship in the 19th century, when part of the Romanian elite came to study in Paris. French remains the second foreign language taught and many Romanians know a few words about it. A minority speaks it fluently. Romania is a member of the International Organisation of the Francophonie.

7. Hospitality

It is no legend: Romanians hold the values of hospitality high and are often very welcoming, especially in the countryside where warmth and generosity are the order of the day. You will always find someone to show you the way, to help you if you need it, to start a conversation with enthusiasm, or even to offer you a țuică!

8. Ia

It's the name given to the traditional women's blouse. Finely embroidered, it is decorated with traditional motifs, with symbolic significance. The ie's have come back into fashion in recent years, in a modernized form. Many Romanian women have them in their wardrobe and wear them proudly. The ia even has its day, celebrated on June 24th

9. Manele

This very popular musical genre developed from the 1990s onwards in the Roma community. It draws its roots from the traditional lăutari and mixes oriental influences, disco, rap or electro. The lyrics, simple and vulgar, talk about money, women and sex. Among the stars of the manele are Florin Salam and Nicolae Guță.

10. Minorities

Hungarians and Saxons in Transylvania, Lipovenes in the Danube Delta, Turks and Tatars in Dobrogea, Houtsulas in Bukovina and Roma all over the country... At the crossroads of the Slavic, European and Eastern worlds, Romania has a diversity of minorities, which cultivate their particularities and contribute to give it its character.

11. Saline

Romanian basements are full of salt. Its extraction, for centuries, has dug vast mines: many of these saltworks have been developed to welcome the public, who come to explore these gigantic underground galleries, enjoy their leisure facilities (sports fields, bowling, games ...) and make salt air cures

12. Țuică

112 Tuica © CatEyePerspective - iStockphoto.com.jpg

It's the national drink! This plum brandy is served in many restaurants. In the countryside, many people still distil their own țuică (known as "tssouika") and it is not uncommon to be offered one. Beware, it's strong! There are stronger (palincă, horincă) or fruity (afinată with blueberries...) variants

You are from here, if...

You go for barbecues (grătar) in the middle of the countryside or on the roadside at the slightest opportunity, taking a whole bundle with you to spend the day: folding tables and chairs, deckchairs, an icebox full of beer and provisions... Not forgetting the indispensable mici, those little sausages made of minced meat without skin. All this against a background of music played at full volume on the car radio

You pass by while a car is pointing at the horizon in front of you. Or, if you're the car across the street, you brake without panicking too much to give the other one time to fold over.

You make the sign of the cross as you walk past a church. Or you are not surprised to see others doing it.

In the winter, you walk with ease on icy sidewalks without fear of falling.

You quickly start a conversation with your compartment neighbours on the train and are happy to share your cakes and provisions.

You have family in the country and relatives abroad

Card Romania

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