Romania

Romania is one of the least-visited and least-expensive countries in Europe, which is crazy to me because this country is beautiful! It’s got modern cities, picturesque villages, great outdoor activities, and a unique coastline along the Black Sea. Whatever kind of adventure you want to have here, this Romania travel guide has everything you need for planning a trip!

Romania is also one of my Top Budget Destinations Around The World!

Romania is known for the Carpathian mountains, medieval fortresses, Transylvania and Dracula, the Black Sea, and monasteries. The whole country is a fantastic blend of Western culture and architecture and traditional towns that still look like they belong in the past.

Ready to plan your trip? Here’s the ultimate Romania travel guide!

Top Places to Visit in Romania

Here’s My Romania Itinerary

Typical Costs When Traveling

Exchange Rate

The currency in Romania is the Romanian leu/lei (singular/plural). Exchange rates are subject to fluctuations, so be sure to check this as your trip approaches. On average, 1 leu equals about £.18 British Pounds, $.23 U.S., €,21, and 1.6 Chinese Yuan.

Accommodation

A hostel room or budget hotel is around 50 lei a night (£9, $11.50, €10,50, 79.50 Yuan). A mid-range hotel will be about 120 lei a night (£22, $28, €25, 190 Yuan). Higher-end accommodations start at 200 lei a night (£36, $46.50, €42, 318 Yuan) and go up from there.

Airbnb prices are usually one of the most expensive housing options in Romania, averaging around 230 lei a night (£41, $53.50, €48, 365 Yuan).

Food

Meals from markets or street stalls are relatively cheap, around 40 lei (£7.25, $9.50, €8,50, 64 Yuan). A meal at a gourmet restaurant will be about 60 lei (£11, $14, €12,50, 95.50 Yuan). Lunch or dinner at higher-end restaurants will start around 80 lei (£14.50, $18.50, €16,50, 127 Yuan) and go up from there.

Romania has some of the lowest alcoholic drink prices in the EU. So budget around 2.50 lei for beer (£.50, $.60, €,50, 4 Yuan) and 9.50-24 lei for a bottle of wine (£1.75-4.25, $2.20-5.50, €2-5, 15-38 Yuan).

The Best Local Foods To Try In Romania

Transportation

Bucharest has an excellent metro system. The fare is about 2.50 lei (£.50, $.60, €,50, 4 Yuan) for a one-way ticket or 5 lei for a round-trip ticket (£.90, $1.15, €1, 8 Yuan). And there’s a day ticket for 8 lei (£1.50, $1.85, €1,65, 12.75 Yuan). The smaller towns and cities will have buses, trams, or trolleybuses, and the prices will be comparable to Bucharest’s metro costs.

Because most of Romania is in the Carpathian Mountains, ground transportation makes for relatively slow going. So even though trains will be slower, they’re a scenic way to see the country, and trains run to almost every city and town, even the smaller ones. First-class tickets will be between 50-100 lei (£9-18, $11.50-23, €10,50-21, 80-159 Yuan) depending on how far you’re going. You can buy tickets here.

If you want to reduce your travel times, then consider flights within the country. If you wanted to go from Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca, it would take you 7 hours by car or 10 hours by train, or only 40 minutes by plane. And ticket prices can be as low as 50 lei (£9, $11.50, €10,50, 80 Yuan) if you book far enough in advance. WizzAir, RyanAir, and BlueAir offer the cheapest flights.

Car Transportation

Renting a car usually only costs around 23 lei a day (£4.25, $5.50, €5, 37 Yuan). I drove in Romania and loved the freedom of stopping whenever I saw something interesting. But be aware that roads in Romania aren’t great.

The network of highways, national roads, and local roads aren’t well-configured to connect, most of the streets are bumpy from being patched instead of repaved, and many roads (even larger and more main ones) are one lane. So, I would only recommend renting a car in Romania if you’re also going to hire a driver or if you’re very comfortable and experienced with driving.

Taxis are relatively cheap and very reliable. Drivers are required by law to post their rates on a door or window. The price should be around 1.80 lei (£.30, $.42, €,38, 2.82 Yuan) per kilometer. If a higher fare is posted, then it might be a scam, and you should find a different taxi.

Uber is available in Bucharest, Cluj Napoca, Brasov, Timisoara, and Lasi. Lyft doesn’t operate in Romania.

Other Expenses

I’d budget around 60 lei a day (£10.75, $14, €12,50, 96 Yuan) for entrance fees, tours, guides, snacks, tips, and souvenirs.

ATMs are widely available for 24-hour withdrawals in lei. Visa and MasterCard are the most commonly accepted international bank cards.

Hotels, restaurants, and shops in cities and larger towns should accept credit cards. Visa and MasterCard are the most commonly accepted cards. You’ll need a credit card if you’re going to hire a car. In smaller towns and more rural areas, be prepared to pay with cash.

Tipping

You should tip 10% in restaurants. At hotels, you should tip cleaning staff 3-5 lei per night (£.50-.90, $.75-1.15, €,60-1, 4.75-8 Yuan). And tip doormen and concierges 5-10 lei (£.90-1.80, $1.15-2.25, €1-2, 8-16 Yuan). For a taxi, you should round up the fare. For tour or museum guides and hired drivers, you should tip around 10% per person.

Suggested Daily Costs

These budget estimates include eating and drinking out at least once a day and a couple of train, plane, or bus rides between cities.

Lower End: 200 lei a day (£36, $45, €40, 320 Yuan). Midrange: 300 lei a day (£54, $70, €62, 480 Yuan). Higher End: 400 lei a day and up (£72, $90, €85, 640 Yuan).

When To Go

Romania’s High Season is from June to August. During these months, everything is open – sights, tours, transportation, etc. But accommodation prices can be double what they are the rest of the year, and tourists and temperatures will be at their highest. Towns on the Black Sea are packed during these months with locals and tourists.

The Shoulder Seasons are from April to May and September to October. These are the best times to visit. Prices, tourist numbers, and temperatures are lower, and almost all transportation and sites should still be open.

The Low Season is from November to March, when prices for everything drop. But many hotels, sights, and restaurants close or are only open on the weekends. Transportation around the country can be trickier this time of year due to inclement weather.

The best times to ski are from mid-December to early March.

Romania is one of the Best Destinations To Visit In July!

What To Pack

In addition to your usual travel essentials, you’ll want these items in Romania:

Day pack, water bottle, and hiking shoes since you’ll probably be hiking at least one trail or to at least one castle. If you’re doing any long treks, make sure you have any specialized clothing or equipment you might need.

Rain jacket because there’s always a chance of rain. If you’re here in the winter months, you’ll want several warm layers and a waterproof outer layer for rain, sleet, or snow.

Even if you’re here in the Summer months, you might want a warmer layer for the mornings and evenings in the higher elevations.

For coastal towns in the non-Winter months, you’ll want a swimsuit, towel, and sandals.

Electrical outlets in Romania are Types C and F. So if you’re from the EU, you won’t need an outlet adaptor. But British, U.S., and other travelers will need an adaptor.

What To Wear

For the most part, Romanians dress casually and practically, so you can do the same. If you’re planning on attending the opera, you should have a nice outfit. Clubs can be dressier too, so have some casual-chic clothes if you’re going to party.

If you’re touring a monastery, you won’t be allowed in if you’re wearing shorts or short dresses or skirts, flip flops, or uncovered shoulders.

For the coastal towns in the summer, any kind of swimsuit is acceptable.

Have you been to Romania? Comment below with anything you’d add to this Romania travel guide!

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This Romania travel guide is not a sponsored post, and, as always, the thoughts and opinions expressed in this Romania travel guide are entirely my own. Some of the links in this Romania travel guide are affiliate links, and, at no cost to you, I may earn a small commission.