Travel to Romania

Romania gives you mountain roads, medieval towns and some of the wildest countryside in Europe in one trip. The Carpathians curve around Transylvania, where Brașov, Sibiu and Sighișoara keep their old squares and fortified churches. Bucharest has the boulevards, cafés and nightlife. In the north, the painted monasteries of Bucovina and the wooden churches of Maramureș are on the UNESCO list, and in the east the Danube Delta breaks into reed beds and channels beside the Black Sea coast.

For a first taste of the mountains, read Nancy Sevilla’s day trip on the Transfăgărășan Highway, where she watched seven wild bears from the tour vehicle in one September day. Our Romania travel tips below cover entry rules, money, regions and route planning.

Entry Requirements for Romania

Romania has been a full member of the Schengen area since January 1, 2025, so there are no routine passport checks at its land borders with Hungary and Bulgaria. Visitors from the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and many other countries can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and days anywhere else in Schengen count toward that limit. Your passport must be less than 10 years old and valid for at least three months after you leave the Schengen area.

At external Schengen borders, including flights from outside Schengen and the borders with Moldova, Ukraine and Serbia, non-EU visitors are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) with fingerprints and a photo. ETIAS, the planned online travel authorization, is not in operation yet. Check the rules for your nationality on gov.uk or travel.state.gov before you go.

Money in Romania

Romania uses the Romanian leu (RON), not the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere in the cities, and ATMs are easy to find. When a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, choose lei instead, as the conversion rate is usually worse.

Carry some cash for village guesthouses, markets, parking and small shops in rural areas, especially in Maramureș and the Danube Delta.

Getting There and Around

Most international flights land at Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP) in Otopeni, north of the city. Cluj-Napoca, Iași, Timișoara and Sibiu also have international airports, so you can start in Transylvania.

Trains run by CFR Călători are slow but cheap, and the line from Bucharest to Brașov through the Prahova Valley gives you mountain views from your seat. Buy tickets at cfrcalatori.ro or at the station.

A car gives you the most freedom, especially in Maramureș and Bucovina. You need a rovinietă, the road vignette for national roads, sold at erovinieta.ro and most fuel stations. The top section of the Transfăgărășan is officially open only from July 1 to October 31, and the Transalpina usually from late spring or early summer until around November 1. Both depend on the weather, so check the road status before you set off.

Regions of Romania

Bucharest

The capital mixes Belle Époque villas and Orthodox churches with wide boulevards and the Palace of the Parliament, one of the largest administrative buildings in the world. Spend an evening in the Old Town around Lipscani Street.

Transylvania

Brașov sits below Tâmpa Mountain with the Black Church in its old town, Sibiu has big squares and roof windows that look like eyes, and Sighișoara is a UNESCO-listed citadel that people still live in. Bran Castle, sold as Dracula’s castle, is a short drive from Brașov, and the fortified Saxon churches of Viscri and Biertan are worth a slow day.

Maramureș

In the far north, Maramureș keeps a rural way of life with haystacks and carved wooden gates. Eight of its wooden churches are UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the Merry Cemetery in Săpânța has painted crosses with often funny verses about the people buried there.

Bucovina

The painted monasteries of southern Bucovina, among them Voroneț, Sucevița, Moldovița and Humor, are covered inside and out with frescoes from the 15th and 16th centuries. Suceava and Gura Humorului make good bases.

Danube Delta

Before the Danube reaches the Black Sea, it splits into three branches and a maze of channels, lakes and reed beds. The delta is a UNESCO biosphere reserve and a top bird watching area, with pelican colonies in spring and summer. Tulcea is the gateway, and many villages can be reached only by boat.

Black Sea Coast

Constanța has Roman remains and a large port. Mamaia is the busy resort strip, and Vama Veche near the Bulgarian border is the laid-back option. The beach season runs from June to early September.

Carpathian Mountains

The Carpathians arc across Romania, with large forests where bears, wolves and lynx still live. Popular hiking areas include the Bucegi Mountains above Sinaia, Piatra Craiului near Zărnești and the Făgăraș ridge, where Moldoveanu reaches 2,544 meters, the highest point in the country.

Best Time to Visit Romania

May, June and September suit most trips, with mild weather and fewer crowds than in high summer. July and August get hot in Bucharest, but July to September is the only window when all the high mountain roads are open. For the Danube Delta, aim for May, June or September.

Winter brings skiing in Poiana Brașov and Sinaia, and Christmas markets in Sibiu, Brașov and Bucharest.

Food and Drink in Romania

Romanian food is hearty and home-style. Try sarmale, cabbage rolls stuffed with minced meat and rice, served with mămăligă (polenta) and sour cream. Mici are grilled skinless sausages, best with mustard and a cold beer. Ciorbă, the sour soup that starts many meals, comes as ciorbă de burtă (tripe) or ciorbă de perișoare with meatballs. For dessert, order papanași, fried cheese doughnuts with sour cream and jam.

Țuică is a strong plum brandy, often offered as a welcome drink in the countryside. For wine, look for Fetească Neagră and Fetească Albă from Dealu Mare, Cotnari, Murfatlar or the Târnave valley in Transylvania.

Wildlife and Bears in Romania

Romania has the largest brown bear population in Europe outside Russia, estimated at roughly 10,000 to 13,000 animals in a 2025 national study. On mountain roads like the Transfăgărășan you may see them from the car. Nancy Sevilla counted seven in one day on her Transfăgărășan Highway day trip.

These are wild animals, and a bear that waits by the road usually does so because people have fed it. Never feed or approach a bear. Feeding bears is illegal in Romania and carries fines of RON 10,000 to 30,000. Stay in the car with the windows closed, don’t stop on the roadway and give the animal space. On hiking trails, make noise and keep food sealed.

Staying Safe in Romania

Romania is a safe country to travel in, and most problems are petty theft. In Bucharest, watch your bag and phone on public transport, at Gara de Nord station, at the airport and in the crowded Old Town. Use Uber or Bolt, or a taxi that shows its company name and prices on the door, as some drivers overcharge visitors.

The emergency number for police, fire and ambulance is 112. If you’re looking for travel insurance, we are an affiliate of SafetyWing, a travel medical insurance provider.

Planning Your Trip to Romania

One week is enough for Bucharest and the highlights of Transylvania. With ten days to two weeks, you can add Maramureș, Bucovina or the Danube Delta.

A good first route starts with two days in Bucharest, then Sinaia for Peleș Castle, two nights in Brașov with a trip to Bran, one night in Sighișoara and two nights in Sibiu, where you can drive the Transfăgărășan in summer. From Sibiu, fly home or continue north to Maramureș and loop back through Bucovina. Roads are slower than the map suggests, so plan more nights in fewer places.