Say Bună to Romania!
Romania is one of those countries that suddenly seems to be on everyone’s list.
After spending a month in Romania in 2014, we can certainly understand why. Bucharest has a hip, edgy vibe to it, and is full of great nightlife, prompting some media outlets to compare Bucharest to Berlin. Head out of the city, and you’ll quickly find yourself in the gorgeous small cities of Transylvania and beyond.
We spent our time in Bucharest, Brasov, Cluj-Napoca, Sibiu, and Timosoara (on route to Serbia), as well as a quick overnight in Iași on our way back from Moldova.
In May 2017, Katie went back to Bucharest to experience the best of the city, and loved it. Both Geoff and Katie will be returning at the end of our upcoming Viking “Passage to Eastern Europe” river cruise in June 2017.
Start with these stories, and we’ll update when there’s more to add!
Posts About Romania
- Where to Stay in Bucharest — We enlisted the help and expertise of a local travel writer to find the best areas to stay in Bucharest! This post gives you and overview of Bucharest’s different neighbourhoods, along with suggestions for the best hotels in Bucharest, per area.
- Day Trips from Bucharest — We asked a regional expert for her picks on the best day trips from Bucharest, and she came up with 5 trips and 4 honorable mentions throughout Romania and Bulgaria.
- On Racism, the Romani, and Romania — Part reflection on attitudes toward Romania (and how they’re unjustified), part love letter to Romania. When Katie returned to Bucharest in 2017, she tried to learn more about Romania’s Roma people on the excellent Roma Heritage Tour. You can read about her experience here!
- The Hope and Beauty Behind Bucharest’s Street Art — Katie takes a leap and tries out a street art tour of Bucharest. She wasn’t disappointed!
- 13 Photos of the Romanian Athenaeum — One of the most beautiful places in Bucharest, the Athenaeum is a must-visit when in Romania’s capital.
- Things to do in Bucharest — Geoff picks his favorites for the best things to do in Bucharest.
- The Gateway to Transylvania — All about Brasov, a lovely small city a few hours from Bucharest, which serves as the gateway to Transylvania.
- City Tips from a Local: Arad, Romania — A guest post from a travel blogger about her off-the-path home city of Arad, near the Hungarian border.
- How to Get from Timisoara to Belgrade by Train — A practical post about the nitty gritty of travelling from Timisoara to Belgrade.
- Where we stayed in Bucharest — We enjoyed our time at Cozyness Downtown Hostel. That said, it’s now under new ownership, so we can’t vouch for it (although the reviews are great!)
10 Lesser Known Places to Visit in Romania
If you’re planning a trip to the land of Dracula, you might want to get off the beaten tourist path and see some lesser known places to visit in Romania as well. The country is full of hidden gems only now being discovered by tourism. Here is a list of off-the-beaten-path places to visit in
5 of the Best Day Trips from Bucharest (That You Should Definitely Try)
5 of the Best Day Trips from Bucharest. Includes Detailed Recommendations and How-To Instructions for Day Tours from Bucharest to Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria), Horezu Monastery (Romania), Potcoava (Romania), Ruse (Bulgaria), Brasov and Bran Castle (Romania). Also includes basic information about trips to Budluzha (Bulgaria), Constanta (Romania), Sibiu (Romania), and the Transfagarasan Highway (Romania). If You’re
How to Drive the Transfagarasan: A DIY Guide to the Best Road in Romania (and One of the Best in the World)
A DIY Guide to Driving the Transfagarasan – the Best Road in Romania. Includes routes and instructions for completing the Transfagarasan from Bucharest. Disclosure: This website contains affiliate links. That means we may earn a small commission when you use the links on this site to book a tour, book a hotel, buy your travel insurance,
Where To Stay in Bucharest: Bucharest’s Coolest Neighbourhoods
Where to Stay in Bucharest: Advice from a local blogger about the best neighborhoods to stay in Bucharest, Romania! (Plus 18 of the best hotels in Bucharest by district) We created this guide in collaboration Violeta-Loredana Pascal, an entrepreneur, mentor and public relations trainer from Romania who works with clients worldwide. She loves to travel,
Street Art & Salvation: Getting to Know Bucharest through its Street Art
Street Art Bucharest: Getting to know Romania’s capital through a Bucharest street art tour. Learning about Bucharest and Romanian society and culture through street art, and how street art plays a role in social protest and change. Maybe street art will be our salvation, says Elena, pointing to a piece of modified Obey graffiti
Tracing Roma Culture & Heritage in Bucharest, Romania
Roma Heritage Tour Bucharest: Exploring Roma Heritage and Culture in Bucharest, Romania — and having our prejudices busted — on Open Door Travel’s Roma Heritage Tour We meet Livia in Bucharest’s old town on a quiet, sunny Saturday morning. The narrow, cobbled streets are mostly abandoned, save for delivery trucks rumbling by, restocking
Travel Tips from A Local: The Best Things to Do in Arad, Romania
Things to do in Arad: Arad Travel Tips from a Local. A Quick List of What to Do in Arad, Romania from a Local! This post is part of our City Tips from a Local interview series, where we interview locals for insiders travel tips about their city! Today, we’re chatting to Cris Puscas, who blogs at
The Edge of Romania’s Transylvania: Brasov!
Brasov is just a few hours by train or bus from Bucharest and is a cool little saxon, medieval, Transylvanian city. We spent the better part of a week here and have put together a little list of our favourite things to see in Brasov. Many travellers to the city also build in time for
Things to do in Bucharest: You Surprised Me!
Heading to Romania and looking for things to do in Bucharest? Look no further! We spent about three weeks in the city and oh how Bucharest surprised me! I do love cities, big and small, but I didn’t have high hopes for Bucharest. Romania in general seems to get a bad rap from the media
On Racism, the Romani and Romania
Ba-boom-ba-boom-cla-clang. Ba-boom-ba-boom-cla-clang. As our train heads north from Bucharest’s Gara de Nord train station, the rhythmic sounds of the train’s wheels fill our carriage. We’re in a second class compartment on our way to Transylvania, and the initial landscape leaves a lot to be desired: garbage is strewn across barren fields next to the tracks. Mangled plastic
How To: Getting from Timisoara to Belgrade by Train
How to Get from Timisoara Romania to Belgrade Serbia by Train: Step-by-step Instructions that can be reversed if you’re travelling from Belgrade to Timisoara. This information is still correct as of June 2017, as per reader comments and emails from people who’ve recently made this trip. Disclosure: This website contains affiliate links. That means we may earn
Cozyness Downtown Hostel Bucharest Review: We Love You
Hostel reviews aren’t really our thing, but we’re making an exception for the Cozyness Downtown Hostel Bucharest for no other reason than we loved this place. We originally booked three nights in this well-known and highly-rated Bucharest hostel, but ended up staying for more than two weeks, and — if we’re honest with ourselves — we’ll
13 Photos of the Romanian Athenaeum, Bucharest
After days without sun, we were treated yesterday morning to a blue sky streaked with rays of sunshine. I grabbed my camera and took the metro from our hostel to the Piata Romana. As I emerged from the underground tunnels, I found that the sun had already retreated for the day, but I was unwilling to admit
