Romania is a country full of surprises and fascinating places. On our trip we discovered plenty of amazing spots, but today we’re focusing on the seven wonders of Romania that no adventurer should miss. Just like in our previous article on 11 places to visit, we’re again bringing you tips on authentic places. We didn’t get to see all of them, but we did see most.
The Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest
Let’s start with something monumental. The Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest is the second-largest administrative building in the world (right after the Pentagon). This colossus was built on the orders of dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu and, believe it or not, no expense was spared. Marble, crystal chandeliers, gilded doors – it’s all inside. When we visited we were staggered by its size and its controversial history.
As with everything around dictator Ceaușescu, who didn’t end up too well. But Bucharest isn’t only interesting because of the parliament. The number of cafés, green spaces and bars makes it a great place to spend a few days.
The painted monasteries of Bukovina
This is a genuine gem of Romanian architecture and art. Eight monasteries in northeastern Romania whose exterior walls are decorated with gorgeous 16th-century frescoes. We’d recommend Voroneț monastery, famous for its “Voroneț blue”. Looking at those detailed paintings of biblical scenes, your jaw literally drops.
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Dracula’s castle (Bran) – Hunedoara Castle
Bran Castle is something of a tourist trap, so we’d rather leave it out. For one thing it has nothing to do with Dracula, and for another the most interesting part is the surroundings, not the castle itself. Instead, head to the town of Hunedoara, within driving distance of Sibiu. Just outside the centre stands Hunedoara Castle – a spectacular fortress full of grim, fascinating history about torture.
The Merry Cemetery (Cimitirul Vesel)
This place is proof that even death can be taken with humour. In the village of Săpânța you’ll find a cemetery with blue gravestones depicting funny scenes from the lives of the deceased, along with cheerful epitaphs. Instead of grief, you’ll be laughing at the life stories of the locals.
An epitaph – a short text about the deceased that relates to them thematically.
The Bicaz gorge
Another of the seven wonders of Romania is the stunning Bicaz gorge in the Eastern Carpathians. Best visited by car; by public transport it would take about as long as our liberation in 1968. Back to the point. High limestone walls tower over the road and create breathtaking scenery. A stop at Lacu Roșu, the lake formed by a landslide in 1837, is the perfect addition to the trip.
Even if this sounds overly cautious, look after yourselves the whole time. Safety in Romania is compromised, particularly by bears. Read our notes on safety in Romania.
The Dacian fortresses in the Orăștie mountains
These fortresses are less well known, which makes them all the more interesting. They’re the remains of the Dacian civilisation that inhabited Romania before the Romans arrived. The most famous is Sarmizegetusa Regia. Stone circles and the remains of fortifications carry you two thousand years back in time.
The site is ideally combined with Hunedoara Castle or with a drive along the Transalpina DN67C.
The Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve
And finally, the last of the seven wonders of Romania is the Danube Delta. As we mentioned in the previous article, this place completely captivated us. It’s the second-largest delta in Europe and home to more than 300 bird species and 45 species of freshwater fish. Cruising the delta’s channels, watching pelicans and visiting traditional fishing villages and settlements – all of it makes the Danube Delta a genuine natural wonder.
The price of the boat trip definitely shouldn’t put you off – what else would you spend money on if not natural beauty like this? We’d also recommend visiting in spring or shortly after summer. Prices are friendlier and there are roughly 5x fewer people.
We write more about prices in Romania in the previous article. You can read about more adventures, in Europe and beyond, on our blog.
A map with all the spots, plus bonus ones, for your phone
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How to find accommodation and what to expect
Prices in hotels and guesthouses are relatively pleasant. A normal hotel costs from 1,000-1,500 CZK (50 $) a night for 2 people, smaller guesthouses from 700 CZK (35 $) a night. We didn’t have a problem with a single place the whole time – and we even slept in Craiova!! 😀 In smaller towns it pays to look for a “Pensiunea” (guesthouse)
90 % of our bookings were through Booking or Airbnb. Both work without any trouble.
You’ll find authentic accommodation in the Banat, where you can stay with the local Czech-Romanians (through local guides). Our first night in Eibenthal was fantastic (they brew their own beer!), the second night less so – we stayed with a Czech guy in Bigăr who’d bought a house there. It hadn’t been renovated at all, there was barely even electricity, and it cost 2,000 CZK (approx. 100$) a night! On the other hand, we had the best drinking night with the locals there.
Parking in Romania: what to know before you go
A favourite topic of mine, because I hold that parking shouldn’t have to be paid for! 😀 That’s why I always tried to find accommodation with its own parking, and when we drove out to some landmark we parked in the wider centre, where parking was often free – in Hunedoara, for instance.
Parking in towns and cities
In most towns parking is paid, usually in the centre. The price is around 3-6 RON/hour (15-30 CZK/ 1 $). You pay via machines, SMS or apps (TPARK or Parking București, for example). It’s pretty straightforward, and in bigger cities there are QR codes almost everywhere to download the app.
Parking zones are colour-coded:
- Blue / yellow zone – short-term parking in the centre.
- White zone – long-term or free parking (often outside the centre).
Parking at landmarks and tourist sites
Most castles, monasteries and nature parks have their own car park, often guarded. Prices are around 10-20 RON per day (50-100 CZK). At lesser-known spots (mountain passes, villages in the Banat) parking is free-for-all, but always park so you don’t block local access. That goes for parking at the top of the Transfăgărășan too – there the rule is that whoever arrives first parks for free.
How to get to Romania
One common way to explore Romania is to set off in your own car. Plenty of people do, partly because they travel via Serbia, or head to the nearest region, the Banat.
There are several routes from Czechia – through Slovakia and Hungary (Bratislava – Budapest – Arad – Deva – Sibiu – Brașov), or through Serbia (if you’re heading south, to the Banat for instance).
By train: there are direct and connecting services from Prague and Bratislava to Budapest and on to Bucharest. The journey takes roughly 16-20 hours and tickets can be bought through ČD. Night trains are an option!
The fastest option is to fly from Prague to Bucharest (a direct flight takes about 2 hours; TAROM, Wizz Air, Ryanair) or from Vienna. Return fares range from 1,500 to 3,000 CZK, and less when there’s a deal. We then rented a car from Klass Wagen Rent a Car – and were hugely satisfied.
Don’t miss more tips on the 7 wonders of Romania, or get stuck into the article on interesting facts about Romania.
