Romania is an up-and-coming country for tourists, especially with Bucharest hitting many “must-visit” lists. Before heading there, here are 8 things to know before visiting Romania. 1. Romanian train travel is not like western Europe. If you consider yourself an “old pro” at train travel through Europe, but your experience has been mostly France/Italy/etc, manage your expectations. Trains through Romania are much older and slower than the trains in western Europe. The good news is that the trains are cheaper! In general, Romania is not as well-connected as western Europe with trains and train stations – they are further apart, and frequently a bit further from the city center. Consider…
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Visiting Europe In the Summer: What You Need to Know
School’s out, the sun’s out – it’s summer! You finally have a few weeks to take the dream vacation to Europe. Before you go, make sure you’re prepared for what to expect from summer in Europe. 1. Air Conditioning Is Not Used As Much As in the US Europeans, in general, are much more tolerant of the heat than in the US. If you must have air conditioning, make sure to double check that your hotel offers it – and definitely check if you’re using AirBnB. For places that have AC, know that it won’t be turned down quite as much as it would in the US. I heard many…
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Spreadsheeting: How Much I Spent in Romania
Romania was another country that was definitely not on the original plan, so I didn’t initially budget for it. It was on the list of countries that I was using to replace the three weeks of trekking I’d planning in Nepal, so I was hoping it would be less than $50/day (which was what I’d originally earmarked for Nepal). In all, in 6 days in Romania, I spent $270.93. How did that work out?
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I am Dracula, and I Bid You Welcome: Bran Castle
When I decided to go to Romania, I knew exactly one thing about it: Transylvania was there, with Dracula’s Castle! So of course, I immediately downloaded Dracula so that I could start reading it (I love reading books when you’re going to the place – it’s so fun!) and read the book through my trip in Romania. Castle Bran is the only castle in Transylvania that meets Bram Stoker’s description of Dracula’s castle, but that’s about where things end – even Castle Bran doesn’t really play up the Dracula connection nearly as much as you’d think they would. There’s a room at the top of the castle that talks about…
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Peles Castle: A True Storybook Castle
If I asked you what the most visited attraction is in Romania, what would you say? For me, I would have guessed Bran Castle (Dracula’s castle). But nope! It’s actually Peles Castle. Peles Castle was built in the 19th century and was a vacation home for the royal family of Romania. So it’s really more like a palace than a castle. Do you know the difference? (Something else I learned in Romania!) A castle is a defensive fortification, whereas a palace is simply a very nice place for royalty to live. Royalty frequently lived in castles, but to be a castle, it has to be a defensive structure. But it’s…
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Brasov, Romania: The Entry to Transylvania
After Bucharest, I decided to go to Brasov, Romania. It seemed like a good stopover on the way to heading into more of Central Europe and, let’s be honest – it’s in Transylvania. For real. Transylvania is not just a place of legend, it’s a place in real life! There are lots of castles and other sites you can get to from Brasov, and the town itself is just completely picturesque and charming. Brasov is very centrally located in Transylvania, and it’s in the mountains so the weather was far cooler.
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Bucharest, Romania
Bucharest is one of those cities that’s on every “upcoming hot cities” list I’ve seen for a while. It’s cheap, it’s got interesting architecture, it’s got a sort of “grunge” appeal and so much more. If we’re being real, I honestly didn’t like Bucharest. One thing this trip has taught me is the impact of the first people you experience in a city and/or country and the impact they have on your whole perception of the city. Bucharest was not a great first experience. I was fresh off the bus from Bulgaria (happy with myself for making it and finding my way!) and I was taking the tram into Bucharest.…
