Custom travel to Romania

Romania is one of Europe's most underestimated destinations, a 238,000 km² country that condenses medieval Carpathian castles, Orthodox monasteries with blue-gold frescoes painted in the 15th century, preserved Saxon villages, fertile Romanian plains, and a wild delta where the Danube meets the Black Sea. Eight UNESCO sites, a rich cuisine, warm people, still-affordable prices: Romania offers, in just a few hours' drive, one of the continent's sharpest cultural and geographical contrasts.

Highlights

• Transylvania: Bran, Peleș and UNESCO Sighișoara castles
• UNESCO Bucovina: painted monasteries (Voroneț « Sistine of the East »)
• UNESCO Danube Delta: 5,800 km² of wetlands, 300 birds
• Maramureș: villages and 8 UNESCO wooden churches
• Bucharest: Parliament Palace and Belle Époque heritage
• Sibiu, Brașov, Cluj: medieval Saxon towns

Sample itineraries

When to go

Romania is ideally visited in spring (May-June, flowering meadows, monasteries surrounded by lilacs and peonies) and autumn (September-October, flamboyant colors in the Carpathians, harvests in Wallachia). Summer (July-August) is hot in Bucharest (30-35 °C) but pleasant in Transylvania and Bucovina; busiest season for Bran and Peleș. Winter (December-February) is harsh in the Carpathians (-10 to -20 °C) but magical for Brașov under snow, Sibiu Christmas markets, skiing in Poiana Brașov. For the Danube Delta: May-June (migration peak) and September (nesting birds); avoid July-August (heat and mosquitoes).

• Spring (May – June), Bucovina, Maramureș, Danube Delta, Transylvania
• Summer (July – August), Carpathians, festivals (Sibiu Theatre, Untold in Cluj)
• Autumn (September – October), Burning Carpathians, Bucovina, Cotnari harvests
• Winter (December – February), Sibiu Christmas markets, snow-covered Brașov, skiing

Practical information

In Romania, ID card or passport sufficient for Europeans (EU 2007, partial Schengen 2024, air/sea borders only). Currency is leu (RON, €1 ≈ 5 RON); no euro despite EU, easy city exchange, ATMs everywhere. Cards accepted in cities but cash useful in rural areas. Tipping: 10% in restaurants. Tap water drinkable but prefer bottled in rural areas. Excellent mobile network (Orange, Vodafone, eSIM recommended). European emergency number: 112. Generally very good security, vigilance in crowded Bucharest transport. Some stray dogs in rural areas (no serious risk). Well-equipped pharmacies.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time for a Romania trip?

May-June and September-October offer the best conditions for the whole country: mild temperatures (15-25 °C), flowering meadows in spring or flamboyant Carpathian colors in autumn, low crowds, Bucovina monasteries surrounded by lilacs and peonies in spring or Wallachian harvests in autumn. Summer (July-August) is hot in Bucharest (30-35 °C) but remains pleasant in Transylvania and Bucovina; it's also the busiest season for Bran and Peleș, with queues. For the Danube Delta, favor May-June (migration peak of 300 bird species) or September (nesting birds), avoiding July-August (heat and mosquitoes). Winter (December-February) is harsh in the Carpathians (-10 to -20 °C) but magical for Sibiu's Christmas markets, snow-covered Brașov, and skiing in Poiana Brașov.

How long for a Romania trip?

Allow a minimum of 7-9 days for Bucharest and essential Transylvania: Parliament Palace, Peleș Castle in Sinaia, Bran Castle, UNESCO Sighișoara citadel, Saxon squares of Sibiu and Brașov. To add Bucovina (Voroneț, Sucevița, Moldovița painted monasteries) and Maramureș (traditional villages, UNESCO wooden churches, Săpânța joyful cemetery), plan for 11-13 days, the most complete and best-loved itinerary. To combine with the Danube Delta (3 nights minimum in an eco-lodge for boat outings and bird watching) or an extension to Bulgaria, Hungary, or Moldova, allow 14-17 days. Romanian distances, although the country fits within a night train's diagonal, still require road time between regions.

What budget for a custom Romania trip?

As a guideline, expect at least €1,990 per person for 9-11 days in the Comfort tier: boutique 3-4★ hotels in old towns (Hotel Cișmigiu in Bucharest, Hotel Korona in Sighișoara), family guesthouses in Bucovina and Maramureș, private car with French-speaking driver-guide, 3 booked experiences. The Premium tier starts at €2,890 for 11-13 days, with exceptional hotels (Athénée Palace Hilton, Casa Georgius Krauss, Mihai Eminescu Trust manors in Viscri or Mălâncrav), a private driver-guide, and 5-7 premium experiences (monk-guided Voroneț tour, private Delta excursion, dinner with a winemaker). The Exclusive tier, from €4,800 for a fully bespoke 13-17 days, adds a Carpathian helicopter flight and dinners with a starred chef. Romania remains one of Europe's best value-for-money destinations. Add €200-€500 for a direct Paris-Bucharest round-trip flight (3 h, Air France, Tarom, Wizz Air).

Do I need a visa for Romania?

No visa is required for European, British, American, and Canadian citizens for stays of 90 days or less. For EU citizens, an ID card is sufficient, no passport needed. Romania has been an EU member since 2007 and has applied partial Schengen since 2024, removing checks at air and sea borders with other Schengen countries (land border checks still persist with some neighbors). The currency remains the Romanian leu (RON, €1 ≈ 5 RON), as Romania has not yet adopted the euro despite EU membership.

Is Bran Castle really Dracula's?

It's a clever legend. Vlad Țepeș (1431-1476, Wallachian prince who inspired Dracula by his cruelty toward Ottomans) stayed there little. Bram Stoker, the Irish author of the 1897 novel, never visited Bran or Transylvania, he was inspired by travelers' descriptions and popularized the conflation. But the 14th-c. castle is magnificent and atmospheric in itself.

Why visit Bucovina?

For the UNESCO 1993 painted monasteries, a phenomenon unique in the world, 8 Orthodox 15th-16th-c. monasteries whose exterior façades are entirely covered with blue-gold-green frescoes preserved 500 years. Voroneț is nicknamed « Sistine of the East » by André Malraux. Voroneț blue remains a scientific mystery.

How do I get around in Romania?

A private car with a French-speaking driver-guide remains the most practical solution for most itineraries: sometimes long distances, winding mountain roads, Romanian signage. Bucharest is easily explored on foot and by metro (efficient M2 line). Domestic flights (Tarom, Wizz Air, Blue Air) save time on long connections, notably Bucharest-Danube Delta (via Tulcea/Constanța) or Bucharest-Cluj/Iași. CFR trains are picturesque and economical but slow (Bucharest-Brașov takes 2h30 by fast IR train). Main roads like the DN1 Bucharest-Brașov-Sibiu are well maintained, but the A1 and A3 highways remain incomplete. Self-drive car rental is possible but not recommended for non-Romanian speakers, as the state of secondary roads varies.

Is the Danube Delta worth the detour?

Absolutely, for those who love wild nature and birdwatching. 5,800 km² UNESCO, 300 bird species including the world's largest Dalmatian pelican colony, stilted eco-lodges, Lipovan villages. Plan minimum 3 nights. Better to avoid July-August (heat, mosquitoes).

Is Romania safe?

Romania is a very safe country, particularly in rural areas (Bucovina, Maramureș, Transylvanian Saxon villages) where crime is almost non-existent. In Bucharest, keep the usual vigilance typical of any European capital: pickpockets on the subway and crowded transit, the North Station area worth watching at night. No area needs specific avoidance. Tap water is drinkable but bottled water is preferable in rural areas. The European emergency number 112 works everywhere. The only minor point of caution: a few stray dogs in rural areas, posing no serious risk to travelers who keep their distance.

Is Romania suitable for a family trip?

Absolutely. Castles for children (Bran, Peleș, Corvin), traditional Maramureș villages, Mocănița steam train, bird observation in the Delta. Warm hospitality, excellent safety, accessible prices, reasonable distances.

How to pay in Romania: card or cash?

Credit cards are accepted in most cities (hotels, restaurants, gas stations), and ATMs are widely available. However, carry cash in Romanian leu (RON) for rural areas of Bucovina and Maramureș, small shops, and family guesthouses, where cards are less consistently accepted. Customary tipping is around 10% in restaurants. Despite EU membership since 2007, Romania has not adopted the euro; currency exchange is easy in cities.

Do I need to speak Romanian to travel there?

No, it's not essential. Romanian is a Romance language close to French (vocabulary is often recognizable), and English is commonly spoken among younger generations, particularly in Bucharest, Cluj, and Brașov. In Transylvania, Hungarian is also spoken by the Székely minority. In the more rural areas of Bucovina and Maramureș, English is rarer, but the French-speaking driver-guide included in every trip bridges the gap with locals, notably during evenings with Maramureș peasants or nun-guided tours in Bucovina.