Romania
Travel Guide > Europe > Romania
In this Article
- Introduction
- Brief History
- Geography
- Regions
- Cities
- Sights and Activities
- Events and Festivals
- Weather
- Getting There and Away
- Getting Around
- Red Tape
- Money
- Work
- Study
- Language
- Eat
- Sleep
- Drink
- Health
- Safety
- Keep Connected
Quick Facts
[edit]
- Capital
- Bucharest
- Population
- 22,271,000
- Government
- Republic
- Religions
- Christianity (Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Catholic)
- Languages
- Romanian
- Calling Code
- +40
- Nationality
- Local name
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Introduction
Some colourful characters have graced Romania's long history. Vlad Tepes, a national hero in the 15th century, had the habit of eating dinner while the impaled heads of his enemies looked on. More recently, Nicolae Ceausescu, Romania's draconian dictator between the mid-60s and late 80s, has charmed the country with his belief in starving the populous as the ruler eats his fill.
Ironically, Romanians are a warm, inviting people. Widespread poverty mixed with corruption makes progress hard, but Romanians work hard at putting positive momentum back into their country. Traditional dance and gypsy music are still widely practiced and performed. Romania's list of attractions is steadily growing, as the nation's tourism industry slowly takes off. The Carpathian Mountains offer up cheap skiing, hiking and animal watching potential; Romania's small stretch of coastline along the Black Sea has been marketed as a hub for summer fun.
Brief History
Geography
Romania shares international borders with Ukraine, Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary.
Regions
For administrative purposes, Romania is currently divided into 41 counties. It is however more useful for travellers to divide the country into the following regions.
Sights and Activities
Sighisoara
Along with Brasov, Sighisoara is one of the most popular and beautiful cities in Romania. The historic centre of Sighisoara is on the Unesco list and the town which was founded by German craftsmen and merchants is a fine example of a small, fortified medieval town which played an important strategic and commercial role at the edge of central Europe for several centuries. Highlights include the Sighisoara Citadel, the Clock Tower, the Weapon Museum, the Covered Staircase and the Church on the hill.
Danube Delta
Although the Danube Delta is not on the list of many travellers, it is one of the natural highlights in the country and can be a welcome relief from visits to cities. The waters of the Danube flow into the Black Sea, forming the largest and best preserved of Europe's deltas. As a result, the Danube delta is home to over 300 species of birds and also to 45 freshwater fish species , which live in one of many lakes and marshes. Therefore it is on the Unesco World Heritage List. Tulcea is the main gateway to the Danube Delta.
Transylvania
Transylvania might be known amongst travellers as the place where Dracula comes from, in reality it is a very large part of central and northern Romania. It includes medieval castles and towns, forests and even snowy peaks in the Transylvanian Alps in the north. The Transylvanian villages with their fortified churches in southern Transylvania are on the Unesco list, while cities like Cluj-Napoca, Brasov, Sibiu, Sighisoara and Timisoara form the biggest cities, some of which have excellent preserved historical centres (see Sighisoara above). One way to get around this huge piece of land is to do the Transylvania Triangle Train Tour, a fantastic journey along many of the natural and cultural highlights in this region.
Other sights and activities
- Moldavia Churches
- Dacian Fortresses
- Carphatian Mountains
- Maramures Wooden Churches
- Parliament Palace - In Bucharest, the second largest building in the world, formerly the People's House.
Events and Festivals
Weather
Getting There and Away
By Plane
Romania's primary airport is Bucharest Henri Coandă[1] (OTP), which services to the rest of Europe, the Middle East and New York. Most low-cost airlines fly into nearby Aurel Vlaicu International Airport (BBU), in Băneasa.[2]
There are several other international airports in Romania, in Timişoara, Sibiu, Cluj-Napoca and Mihail Kogălniceanu. There are also quite a few domestic airlines around the country.
By Train
By Car
By Bus
By Boat
Red Tape
If you are a European Union (EU) citizen, you may enter without any restriction as per your EU citizenship rights. If you are not an EU citizen, you will need to obtain a Schengen Visa. This visa is valid for any country in the Schengen zone.
Money
Work
Study
Language
Eat
Sleep
Drink
Health
Safety
References
- 1 Bucharest Henri Coanda - http://www.otp-airport.ro/www/index.html?&setLanguage=EN
- 2 Aurel Vlaicu International Airport - http://www.baneasa-airport.ro
This is version 13. Last edited at 20:44 on May 28, 08 by Lavafalls (+4). 16 articles link to this page.
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