074 4066 9199

info@lowcostvibes.com

020 8125 7557

Search with Google

We accept

Romania

Our Blog

You are in Good Hands
Stress free experience
Handpicked Hotels

We accept

PICK YOUR VIBES

NEARBY HOTELS

TOP 10 REASONS

Click to navigate through sections.

A SNEAK PEAK

There are castles from fairy tales, huge areas of wooded wilderness patrolled by brown bears, beautiful fields full of pastel-coloured flowers and chocolate-box houses, and high mountains covered in a thick layer of pine trees.
It doesn't sound quite real. But holidays in Romania are beautiful.
The country is incredibly beautiful, and its culture and nature are still mostly untouched by tourists.
The Transylvanian Alps are a haven for bears, wolves, and lynx. They are also a great place to walk or ride a bike, and you can pass through old towns that haven't changed much in the last hundred years.
Others in Europe are tough, but the people there are very friendly. The area's most famous resident is Bran Castle, which stands tall and strong amidst the rolling forest hills.
This is where the legendary Count Dracula lived, and the story of the undead began. Its huge structure stands out in Romania's scenery.
Capital: Bucharest
International Airport: Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP)
Currency: Romanian Leu (RON)
Time Zone: Eastern European Time (EET, UTC+2) / Eastern European Summer Time (EEST, UTC+3) during daylight saving time
Driving Side: Right-hand side
Main Electricity: 230V with a frequency of 50Hz
Official Language: Romanian
Religion: Predominantly Christianity (Eastern Orthodox), with a minority of Roman Catholics, Protestants, and other religions

HIGHLIGHTS

Romania, located on the western coast of the Black Sea, has a rich history dating back over 2,000 years.
Transylvania, known for its Baroque houses and connections to Dracula, is a popular holiday spot.
Sighisoara, a UNESCO-designated fortified town, is a popular destination.
Besides Bucharest, Romania offers Bucovina, Maramures, and Bulgaria countryside getaways.
The horseshoe-shaped borders between Romania and other European countries make it easy to combine trips.
Bulgaria is a convenient choice, with the beach city of Varna just four hours away.
Budapest, a Hungarian city, is about three hours away from Romania's northern tip.

SEASONS TO TRAVEL

May through September is usually the best time to visit Romania because the weather is warm and sunny.
However, it can get hot in July and August, well above 30°C (86°F).
In Bucharest, the shoulder months of May, June, and September are often the best for warm but not too hot weather.

WORTH A VISIT

The Old Town

The Old Town is one of Bucharest's oldest parts. Its buildings date from the 15th and 16th centuries.
Over the years, it has been the home of Romanian kings, a trade hub, a place of worship, and a highway intersection.
It also stood after Ceausescu destroyed a fifth of the city in the 1980s to build his dream of a new Socialist capital.
Much of Old Town used to be a slum, but since communism fell, it has been cleaned up and turned into nice neighbourhoods.
Many ancient buildings have been bravely restored, but still more need to be fixed.
This difference adds to the charm of the Old Town's pavement paths and cobblestone streets, which are lined with theatres, bookshops, restaurants, and coffee shops.
In this area, people like to visit Curtea Veche, an open-air museum built on the site of Vlad the Impaler's old home, the Old Princely Court, and the National Museum of Romanian History, which has beautiful collections of religious and royal artefacts.

Palace of the Parliament

One of the best places to visit in Bucharest is the Palace of the Parliament (Palatul Parlamentului).
It is the second-biggest governmental building in the world, after the Pentagon, and the heaviest building.
It was built with marble and steel and has more than 3,000 rooms spread out over 330,000 square meters.
It was originally called the People's House by its founder, tyrant Nicolae Ceausescu, who lived there with his family and ran the government from there.
To finish it, Ceausescu destroyed places of worship, workplaces, workshops, parks, parts of the Old Town, and whole neighbourhoods.
It took 13 years, from 1985 to 1997, more than 20,000 workers and 700 engineers to build the luxurious Neoclassical palace. During that time, most Romanians were poor.
The building is still unfinished, but the National Museum of Contemporary Art and the offices of Romania's parliament are now located in a small part.
Visitors can closely see its huge size, kitsch, and absurd luxury, which Ceausescu would have continued to enjoy if he hadn't been removed from power in a coup d'état.

Romanian Athenaeum

The Romanian Athenaeum (Ateneul Român), which is very grand, is the city's best music hall and home to the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra.
The building from the 1800s was made by the French architect Albert Galleron.
It has a 41-meter-high dome and six Ionic columns around the outside, making it look like an old Greek temple.
The lobby has gold-leaf ceilings painted artistically, falling balconies, and spiral marble stairs.
The theatre, with 652 seats, is famous for its great sound and beautiful art.
An impressive 70-meter-long and 3-meter-high painting around the hall's ring shows events from Romania's past.

Stavropoleos Church

The monastery of Stavropoleos was built in 1724 by a Greek monk named Ioanikie Stratonikeas.
It is small, quiet, and beautiful. With its finely carved entrance lined with columns, this church in the Brâncovenesc style is one of a kind in Bucharest.
The Orthodox Church has beautiful works in stone, wood, and Romanian and Byzantine parts.
Its garden area has tombstones from the 18th century all around it.
Inside, you can see several paintings and wooden icons.
There used to be an inn and a convent in the church complex, but both have been destroyed.
The church has been repaired several times after being damaged by earthquakes.
It is famous for its unique library, which has many books about Byzantine music.
The church's public websites can provide information about music and other events, so check them out.

Bran Castle

Brasov is one of the most famous day trips from Bucharest. You can start your trip there.
This national treasure was built in the 1400s and is better known worldwide as Dracula's Castle.
It has nothing to do with the character created by Bram Stoker. Stoker may not have even known the house existed, and there is no proof that Vlad the Impaler, who inspired Dracula, ever went there.
The dramatic and haunting castle, which stands on a hill in the middle of dense woods often shrouded in fog, is still one of the most famous sights in Romania, and you should see it.
The castle is now a museum with old furniture and items that belonged to Queen Marie.
It also tells tourists about Vlad the Impaler and lets them explore towers, narrow passageways, and scary staircases.
The Rasnov Fortress, built in the 1400s and only minutes away from the castle, is a masterpiece of engineering.
It has nine towers, over 30 houses, a church, and many other buildings.
People can also visit the nearby open-air Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania, which has 90 houses that show how people live in rural Transylvania. These range from mills to wood buildings.

National Museum of Romanian History

A beautiful Neoclassical building houses the National Museum of Romanian History (Muzeul National de Istorie a României).
It was originally built for the Romanian mail service. Since 1970, the museum's 60 rooms have been filled with the most interesting historical artefacts from ancient times to the present day.
The largest permanent exhibit is a huge copy of Trajan's Column, built in honour of the Roman emperor Trajan, who defeated the Dacian tribes in Romania in the 2nd century.
In the Romanian Treasury, you can find thousands of gold items and Neolithic artefacts, such as jewellery from the time of the Geto-Dacians.
The Romanian Crown Jewels are always on show. They include beautiful emerald pieces made for Queen Marie, who was married to Romanian King Ferdinand.
There are also gold items from the Pietroasele Treasures from the 4th century here. Before Tutankhamun's tomb was found, it was thought to be the world's most expensive treasure collection.
Include the Antipa Museum, also known as the Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History (Muzeul National de Istorie Natural Grigore Antipa), in your list of places to see in Bucharest.
It was just redone and now has everything from hands-on exhibits to classic shows of animals worldwide.

DISCOVER MORE

National Museum of Art of Romania

The National Museum of Art of Romania (Muzeul National de Arta al României), which is in the building that used to be the Royal Palace, is the country's best art museum and has the largest collection of Romanian art in the world, spanning from mediaeval to modern times.
The museum has existed since 1948 and is home to the Royal Collection, which includes Romanian and European art from the 15th century.
More than 100,000 works are displayed in the different rooms, including paintings by Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, and Gheorghe Tattarescu, three of the country's most famous artists.
The modern Romanian collection includes sculptures by Milita Petrascu and Dimitrie Paciurea. Constantin Brancusi was one of the most important artists of the 20th century, and this room is named after him.
The 15 rooms of the European Gallery next door feature art by El Greco, Monet, Rembrandt, Renoir, and Rubens.

Curtea Veche

The Old Princely Court (Curtea Veche), in the middle of the Old City, was where Wallachian princes lived in style.
Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad the Impaler, lived there and may have been its most famous resident.
He inspired Bram Stoker's story about Dracula. Along with the walls, arches, and columns of the court that are still there, there is a figure of the famous Romanian prince.
After Vlad the Impaler's rule, a prince named Mircea Ciobanul fixed up the palace in the 1600s.
He also turned the Lipscani area around the palace into the centre of trade in Bucharest by bringing together skilled artisans.
He built the Old Princely Court Church next to the house in 1559. For the next two hundred years, it was where new Romanian princes were crowned king or queen.
The Old Court Museum is also worth a visit. It has pottery and other artefacts found during a historical dig near the ruins.

Arcul de Triumf

The first Arch of Triumph (Arcul de Triumf) in Bucharest was finished in 1878.
It was made of wood and was a tribute to the Romanian men who fought in World War I.
It was built again in 1936 out of granite and was 27 meters tall, according to plans by builder Petre Antonescu.
The arch is decorated with works by some of Romania's most famous artists, like Ion Jalea and Dimitrie Paciurea.
Despite all these years, it remains the centre of military parades.
When there is a big event, like the country's national holiday on December 1, Romanian soldiers march under it.

Revolution Square

Revolution Square, or Piata Revolutiei, got its name from being the site of the last few minutes of tyrant Nicolae Ceausescu's rule in Romania.
With the help of more than 100,000 people, there was a coup d'état here on December 21, 1989. The leader of the communist party had to leave, and the country's past was changed forever.
Until then, the main area was called the Palace area because it was close to the Royal Palace, now the National Museum of Art.
Other important buildings in the area include the Senate Palace, the Romanian Athenaeum, and the Athenee Palace Hilton Bucharest.
Another interesting sight is the Monument of Rebirth, which stands in Revolution Square.
It was built in 2005 and has the names of the 1,058 people who died in the bloody revolution. It also has a copper statue of Iuliu Maniu, the Romanian prime minister the communist party jailed.

Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum

The Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, which people usually call the "Village Museum" (Muzeul Satului), has been around since 1936.
It is a one-of-a-kind outdoor museum that runs through the green Herastrau Park and shows how people used to live in Romania.
People can look around at 300 traditional buildings that were brought there from places all over Romania.
These include thatched barns, heavy log cabins, peasant homes with steep roofs, workshops, mills, and churches.
Each house was carefully taken apart, sent to the museum, and then put back together to fit the park's village-like setting.
Aside from artefacts and pots, the Village Museum also has other traditional items from all over the country.

CULTURE & TRADITIONS

Different parts of Romania each have their own culture, which comes from and is shaped by their past.
Austria and Hungary ruled Transylvania and the Banat for hundreds of years.
The buildings there mix Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque styles.
Moldavia is in the eastern part of Romania. Its culture is influenced by its closeness to Russia and Ukraine, but its folk art also shows signs of Tatar and other Central Asian influences.
The Mediterranean gave rise to the loggia, an open-air porch that was first used in homes in Romania in Walachia.
The Byzantine Empire and the Islamic Middle East also impacted the area in the past.
There are Hungarian, German, and Roma minorities nationwide.
They keep their customs alive, as seen in their folk arts, food, and clothing.

FOOD FUN FASHION

Food

#FOOD

As a country in the Balkans, Romania's food is heavily influenced by the food of nearby countries.
Its food comes mostly from farms, but because it is close to the Mediterranean, it has picked up some goods and ways of making things more common in the south.
This is true for the well-known mămăligă bread, which goes well with many meals and is similar to Italian polenta bread.
Romanian food contains many high-quality ingredients, but meat is usually the most common.
Another part of Romanian food that is popular in Bucharest is soup.
Because soup can be made in a thousand different ways, it is mostly eaten in the winter.

Fun

#FUN

For a mix of history and mystery, go to Bran Castle, often linked to the Dracula story.
In the Carpathian Mountains, you can go hiking and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful views.
Take a trip with a guide to see brown bears in their natural habitat.
Go to the Merry Cemetery in Săpânța. The gravestones are brightly coloured and have funny stories written on them.
Visit the Danube Delta. There are lots of birds to see and boat rides that are very peaceful.
The Old Town of Sibiu is known for its cute streets and bright buildings.
To relax and feel better, go to natural hot baths like the ones in Băile Herculane.
Go to a fair in the area to enjoy traditional Romanian food, music, and dance.

Fashion

#FASHION

Romania is famous for its traditional embroidered blouses called "ie," which feature intricate patterns.
Romanian fashion designers like Irina Schrotter are gaining international attention.
Bucharest hosts events like Bucharest Fashion Week, highlighting local and international fashion.
There is a growing trend towards eco-friendly and sustainable fashion in Romania.
Western fashion trends are popular, especially in urban areas.
Romanian street fashion is creative, combining casual and trendy outfits.
Handcrafted accessories, like leather bags and jewellery, are popular in Romanian fashion.
Romania has schools that focus on fashion design, helping to grow the industry.

NATURE & SAFARI

There are many beautiful parks in Bucharest that people visit all year round. Cismigiu Gardens, built in the middle of the 1800s, is the largest park in the city.
One of the most popular things to do here in the summer is rent rowboats. In the winter, people like to go to the ice rink.
The park was created by the German landscape planner Carl Meyer and opened in 1860.
Meyer brought 30,000 trees and plants from the Romanian mountains and the botanical gardens in Vienna.
King Michael I Park, 400 acres in size, is home to the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, an outdoor theatre, a sports club, and an old-fashioned entertainment park.
It also has a lake where people can take boats all summer.
Rich Bucharest residents live in houses from the 19th and 20th centuries that line the park.
Carol Park is considered one of the city's most beautiful parks. It was designed by the French landscape artist Eduard Redont and finished in 1906. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Romania and the open-air theatre called Arenele Romane, which looks like the Romans built, can be found here.
The Bucharest Botanical Garden (Gradina Botanica din Bucuresti), which opened in 1860, is also worth a visit.
It covers 17 hectares and has more than 10,000 kinds of plants. Its many gardens, interesting museum, and flower beds are some of its best features.

EVENTS & FIESTAS

Romania is home to a vibrant array of festivals that celebrate its rich culture and traditions.
The country hosts numerous events throughout the year, from the famous Sighișoara Medieval Festival, which brings history to life in the UNESCO-listed citadel, to the electric vibes of the Untold Festival in Cluj-Napoca, one of Europe's biggest electronic music festivals.
The Transylvania International Film Festival (TIFF) in Cluj-Napoca also showcases Romanian and international films.
In addition, the George Enescu Festival in Bucharest is a must for classical music lovers, celebrating the legacy of Romania's most famous composer.
These festivals offer a glimpse into the diverse cultural tapestry of Romania, making it an exciting destination for travellers.

FAQ VIBES

Romania

Romania

PICK YOUR VIBES

NEARBY HOTELS

TOP 10 REASONS

A SNEAK PEAK

HIGHLIGHTS

SEASONS TO TRAVEL

WORTH A VISIT

The Old Town

Palace of the Parliament

Romanian Athenaeum

Stavropoleos Church

Bran Castle

National Museum of Romanian History

DISCOVER MORE

National Museum of Art of Romania

Curtea Veche

Arcul de Triumf

Revolution Square

Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum

CULTURE & TRADITIONS

FOOD FUN FASHION

Food

Fun

Fashion

NATURE & SAFARI

EVENTS & FIESTAS

FAQ VIBES

Good vibes only