Imagine arriving in one of the most wonderful places on earth. No clue? Let me give you a hint! It’s the place where you can meet the vampires and the dragons. Just kidding! It’s in Romania! Visiting Romania is something you should write on your “things to do before I die” list.
Romania is a small and cozy country placed in the southeastern part of Central Europe, being the 9th largest country in Europe. The capital of Romania is Bucharest, being the largest city in the country, followed by Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara and Iasi. Romania is mostly known for its breathtaking colorful landscapes, medieval castles and lots of friendly people ready to welcome you.
Either it’s your first time you travel to this country or not, you should immediately buy your plane tickets and pack your things because we will present you the best 31 reasons for visiting Romania.
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Taste the mouth-watering Romanian food.
Being a traveler and a gourmet at the same time is something incredible. One main reason for visiting Romania is its food. If you ask a native about a traditional dish, there is no doubt that the answer will be sarmale. These are cabbage rolls filled with minced meat, rice, and vegetables. It’s a must-try, especially with sour cream. For the sweet part, the dessert served in almost all restaurants is papanasi. They look like donuts but made of sweet cow cheese and topped with jam and sweet cream. I promise that this is the best treat after a rich meal, even if you are full.
Drink the Sweet and strong Romanian drinks.
A shot of tuica before a good meal is essential to have a complete traditional Romanian menu. Tuica is a strong brandy made of fermented plum, apple or pears. For the ritual to be complete and to feel deeper the Romanian spirit, you need to clink glasses and say the word “Noroc!” before drinking it. If you prefer something sweeter, there is visinata or afinata, made of sour cherries or blueberries you should try. If you do not like alcohol, socata is for you. It is a natural refreshing juice made of elderflowers and lemon and its taste is marvelous.
“Forget-me-not” souvenirs.
The Romanians are known for being very generous and diligent. When they welcome you to their homes or locals, they do not give up until they show you their belongings. Among the things you will see very often in this country when you travel to Romania are the traditional colorful painted ceramic plates, used as decoration usually hanging on the walls and also the traditional Ie, which is a handmade blouse made of white cotton decorated with folk motifs. This is the perfect souvenir you can buy because you can also wear it, not just hang it on your wall.
Enjoy the Funny Romanian traditions.
When it comes to traditions, the Romanians are very superstitious, and they strictly respect what they were thought by their ancestors. Maybe for other people these traditions may seem a little bit unusual, but that it’s what makes the Romanians so special. For example, “The old women” is a tradition in which the men and women have to choose a day between 1st and 9th March as their “old woman”. Depending on the chosen day’s weather, your future can be either bright if it’s sunny outside or gloomy if it’s rainy or cloudy. Another tradition says that if unmarried women put a branch of dried basil under their pillow on the night before the Epiphany holiday, they will see their future husband in their dreams. Funny, isn’t it?
9 special and unique regions.
The funniest thing in Romania is that each region is completely different from the other. There is a total of 9 regions but each one is unique in its way, from the accent of the inhabitants to their traditions and customs. When you think about a region, one specific word will come instantly in your mind:
- Transylvania – castles,
- Banat – waterfalls,
- Crisana – hiking,
- Bukovina – Monasteries,
- Moldavia – wine,
- Dobruja – seaside,
- Muntenia – architecture,
- Oltenia – God’s Bridge.
Visit the Natural Salt Mines.
Another reason for traveling to Romania is its unique and impressive salt mines. Salina Praid, Slanic, Cacic, Ocnele Mari, and Salina Turda are mostly known for their salty air believed to have therapeutic properties but also because they look like small underground cities. The most impressive one is Salina Turda where the most appreciated attractions are the lake, from where you can rent a boat, the brightly lit carousel and the golf course. There are also board games and bars, activities suited for all ages.
Take an old-fashion tour with the steam train.
Mocanita is a must on the “places to see in Romania” list. Mocanita is one of the most important cultural values of the country, being visited by thousands of people each year. This narrow-gauge steam train will take you back in time for some hours and will take you to places you didn’t even know they exist. The landscape is breathtaking and with a little bit of luck, you may see some friendly deer grazing on the untouched nature.
Visit the Medieval castles with their captivating legends.
The most amazing and valuable things our ancestors let us behind are the castles. These rich-in-history castles put their mark in everyone’s life because of their own unique story: from the royal air that floats above the Peles Castle to the “frightening” castle of Dracula, the Bran Castle, there are many more old and full-of-history buildings that are waiting for you to discover their legends. There are a lot of passionate people that travel to Romania only for admiring these castles.
Visit the building visible from the moon.
Maybe the most iconic building in Romania is the Palace of the Parliament. It is so big that it can indeed be seen from the moon. Bucharest, the capital of Romania hosts the heaviest and largest administrative building in the world. It was designed by 400 architects coordinated by a 28 years old-woman and has more than 1000 rooms over the 12 floors. In the Parliament take place the conferences of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate and it is also opened for visitors every day of the week.
Make activities for every season.
Compared to other countries, the Romanians have the huge privilege to experience all types of weather. With the presence of all four seasons, there are a bunch of entertaining activities in each period of the year. In the summer, you can “blacken” your skin at the Black Sea Beaches, while in the winter you can go skiing and snowboarding to the most adventurous slopes in the Carpathian Mountains. Oh, and something unexpected. Believe it or not, you can even have snow in the middle of the summer at Balea Lac. So, whatever period you choose to travel to Romania, you will definitely not get bored.
Have a walk in the old towns of Romania.
During the time, the most important cities of Romania have developed but they also managed to keep their originality. In cities like Cluj, Bucharest, Sibiu or Brasov you can experience the charm and ambience of the cobbled streets and enjoy a cup of coffee while being surrounded by friendly people who make you feel like home. Furthermore, the stunning architecture will surely be forever imprinted in your mind.
Visit the World Heritage Sites.
When you prepare your checking list with places to see in Romania you need to fill eight spaces with the amazing eight World Heritage Sites hosted by this country: the eight churches of Moldavia, the Dacian Fortresses of the Orastie Mountains, the Historic Centre of Sighisoara, the Danube Delta, the Primeval Beech Forests of Carpathians, the fortifies churches in Transylvania, the Monastery of Horezu and last but not least, the impressive Wooden Churches of Maramures.
Visit the Monasteries left as heritage.
Another reason for traveling to Romania is because it hosts some of the most impressive and melancholic architectural heritages. The Wooden Churches of Maramures may be an example. In the region, there are at least 100 orthodox wooden churches among which 8 of them are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. They were built somewhere around 1600, 1700 and they still resist today. Pilgrims from all over the country come here annually to pray and to clear their souls and minds.
Enjoy the traditional Romanian dances.
The Romanians are well known for their traditions because everything they do, they do with passion. The traditional Romanian dances are very appreciated in this small country, on the first hand because they keep the people together and on the other hand because they still keep the traditional spirit awake. As an example, Lad’s dances are a genre of folk dances composed of men aged 7 to 50 that use to perform on festive occasions. In addition, they are also on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. So, if you are into dances you cannot miss one of their shows.
Tiny islands with mysterious stories.
Believe it or not, Romania indeed has some tiny islands: Great Braila Island, Ada Kaleh, Simian are some of Romania’s islands but the one with the most captivating story is the Snake Island. Unfortunately, you will never get there because the access is forbidden, but maybe that is what makes it so mysterious. It has a great history behind and it got this name because in the ancient times, it is said that the island was inhabited only by seabirds and snakes.
Enjoy at the Romanian Festivals that keep you up all night.
If you travel to Romania in the summer and you love to party, consider yourself lucky. Romania hosts some of the coolest festivals in Europe with electronic music hosting world’s best DJs and artists that gather people from all over the world. Untold, Electric Castle, Neversea and Sumer Well Festival are the largest and most popular. *not to be missed*. There are also cultural festivals like TIFF (Transilvania International Film Festival), Sighisoara Festival of Medieval Arts and Crafts or Romania’s Folk Art Festival.
#romania #instagram moments
If you are passionate about photography and traveling and want to have an enviable Instagram profile, Romania earns the badge for having the best intagrammable places on earth. Either you want to capture the moment in front of a natural landscape or near something more abstract and architectural, here are some of the best artistic and magnificent places: the Corvin Castle in Hunedoara (PS: “The Nun” was filmed at Corvin Castle), Transfagarasan and Balea Lake, where the landscape and the road leave you speechless and the Constanta Casino, the great and splendid piece of Art Nouveau architecture.
Romania is a very affordable country for the values it hosts.
You don’t have to worry about money when you visit Romania because it’s a very affordable country both to visit and to live in. More than that, the most reasonably cheap way to fly to Romania is by booking from low-cost companies; you can also take the train from Budapest, Belgrade, Vienna and Thessaloniki. The point is that this country has the giant advantage of offering amazing treasures to visit and will not make you broke after your vacation is over.
Romania is the home of many wild animals.
Romania’s forests and mountains are the home for a myriad of wild animals and birds. It has the largest population of brown bears in Europe, with over 6000 living bears living there. For the people that live in Brasov, there is no surprise if they see a bear walking free through the neighborhood because they have the habit to descend from the forest and walk on the streets, looking for something to eat. The tourists can also admire the wild animals and birds in the Danube Delta, where the most famous birds are the great white pelicans and swans but also the splendid Egyptian vulture.
Visit the Colorful natural parks.
The natural colorful parks are among the favorite places to visit of the Romanians and beyond. With a total of 14 national wonders, there is something special in every corner of the country: starting from the Rodnei Mountains, the second largest national park in Romania, to Bigar Waterfall, a picture detached from fairy tales with a legend as it comes and finally to Retezat National Park, the home of about 100 endemic plants, over 180 species of birds and tens glacial lakes, including the deepest lake in Romania.
Enjoy the friendly Romanian climate.
The advantage of living in Romania is that the climate here is a temperate-continental one, meaning that the summers are hot, the winters are long and cold and the spring and autumn are temperate. The average temperature ranges from 8 to 11°C, the southern area is warmer than the northern. Depending on the season you choose to travel, you have to consult the news before your trip because sometimes the weather is tricky and it’s better to be prepared.
Don’t worry about the language.
You will remain really impressed when you will get to Romania and discover that you can bear a conversation in English with the most part of the people, especially teenagers and young adults. The Romanians are known for being good at learning new languages, they manage to learn a new one before you could say Jack Rack Robinson. So, don’t worry when you arrive there because you won’t need to use Google Translate.
Admire the Unique Architecture.
Another reason for visiting Romania is to admire the rich architectural heritage. The country hosts some of the most impressive and admired buildings in Europe, with thousands of visitors every year. One representative landmark for this category is The Romanian Athenaeum, a concert hall in the center of the capital. You can take amazing pictures in it and make some of your friends jealous.
Book a tour to visit the Ancient ruins.
Placed in the middle of the forest, Sarmizegetusa Regia was built under Dacian rule in the 1st century B.C. The Dacian Fortress is strategically placed, in an area with difficult access. Today you can book a tour and enjoy the impressive work of art left behind by our ancestors and find out more about its history and hidden stories.
Speed up your adrenaline at the Haunted forests.
Hoia Baciu forest, or the “Bermuda Triangle of Romania” is considered to be the haunted forest of Romania. According to the legends, the forest is haunted by ghosts and spirits and even aliens have visited the place. So, if you are eager for adventure and adrenaline, the guides usually offer both daytime and nighttime tours.
Visit the Muddy Volcanoes.
Have you ever wished to travel on the moon? If so, Romania can offer you the same experience. Hidden in the Buzau mountains, the Muddy Volcanoes are small volcanoes formed from the gas that comes from underground, pushing the clay to the surface. The image and the landscape will make you feel like you’re walking on the surface of the moon.
Have a wonderful time at the Romanian Christmas Markets.
If you think about visiting Romania in the winter, you can’t miss the Christmas markets. Sibiu, Bucharest, Brasov and Cluj really do their jobs when it comes to Christmas spirit and decoration. The one in Cluj-Napoca was ranked on the 8th place among the most beautiful markets in Europe based on the votes of travelers from all around the world. The spicy smell of mulled wine, the ice rink, and the sparking lights make it be so special and loved by everyone.
Have a trip by the Breathtaking mountain roads of Romania.
If you travel to Romania by car, there are some roads that beg to be driven on. The first one in Transalpina or the land beyond the mountains is the highest road in Romania. The second one is Transfagarasan, having 151 km of road curves. This amazing road was named by the Top Gear team “the best road in the world” in 2009, after filming a special episode there. From above you can admire the beautiful and exhilarating landscape that will probably give you some palpitations if you’re afraid of heights.
Discover the extraordinary Natural Caves.
Romania hosts many beautiful caves, each one sheltering a unique and impressive story. The Bears’ Cave, one of the most visited attractions in Romania received this name because a lot of bear fossils were found inside. The Women’s Cave story is very interesting because a woman’s skull was found in the cave seventy years ago, having somewhere around 30.000 years old. If you are interested in old stories and history, these caves are waiting for you!
Enjoy The Black Sea.
The Black Sea is the main attraction for millions of Romanians during the summer. The most famous resort is Mamaia, being the most crowded in the summer and very appreciated especially by teenagers and young adults for its nightclubs and pubs. There are other main resorts and the fun fact is that they have their names from Greek mythology: Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter and Venus.
Discover the incredible Rural landscape of Romania.
I think that one of the most unique things to do when you’re visiting Romania is to book a night in a rural setting. Waking up in the morning and taking a breath of fresh air is the most satisfying thing. Furthermore, the peasants are very friendly and they will try to welcome you in their homes with open arms. And something more. If they offer you cheese and bacon (slanina) you can’t refuse the deal.
Concluding…
Wasn’t I convincing enough? In that case, you have to come to Romania as soon as possible and convince yourself. If you want to visit all the spectacular places in Romania and discover all its hidden treasures, a whole year won’t be enough. But you should take your time and come to visit at least the main attractions. I promise you will not be disappointed and more than that, you will even wish to come back.
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