When your friend says that they are going on a “European Vacation,” what are the first thoughts that come to mind? We will guess that Romania is not the country that pops into your head – you probably think of Paris or Rome or the Alps. Unfortunately, Romania is not the destination most tourists flock to.
And we say “unfortunately” because Romania has so much to offer to every type of tourist. Whether you are looking for a budget vacation, an extended camping trip or a vacation filled with art galleries, museums, and fine dining, Romania has everything. Below we are going to tell you the top reasons why we think Romania is a truly incredible place!
1. The architecture is gorgeous
And we are not saying this just because. Seriously, from the churches to some of the government buildings to certain cemeteries to the fairy-tale inducing castles, gorgeous architecture is all around. This might be in part because there is so much history in Romania, that the country has seen the gamut when it comes to artistical eras.
This is also because of the ambition of certain Romanians throughout history, such as communist ruler Nicolae Ceausescu, who saw the construction of the heaviest building in the world: The Palace of the Parliament. No matter what the reason, the architecture by itself makes this country work a visit and will help you enjoy whatever city you choose to stay at!
2. The World Heritage Sites are plentiful and impressive
There is a grand total of 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Romania. To put this into perspective, Romania is 1/50th of the size of the Unites States, and the US only has 24 World Heritage Sites in total. This means that in Romania, the World Heritage Sites are quite concentrated, and you should have no problem visiting a couple of them in one trip!
You can visit the beautifully preserved Danube Delta, the awe-inspiring paintings in the churches of Moldavia, the Dacian fortresses of the Orastie Mountains, and so much more! If you have the chance to go to Romania, visiting a World Heritage Site is a must!
3. Customs and ancient legends are carefully preserved and observed
Hand painted eggs in Romania. That's an Easter tradition from Romania - We paint eggs in red, yellow, green or blue and make models on them. Romania has a lot of history, and the people in the country do a good job of passing down the stories and customs to the next generation.
The most important customs revolve around religious holidays, which make these days all the more fun! It is not uncommon to receive carolers around Christmas or to paint eggs for Easter. To get an idea of how integrated these customs are in the life of Romanians, just look up pictures of the Bacau Festival of Winter – it is quite an amazing and beautiful tradition!
4. Romanian folk culture is still very strong
In particular, Romanian folk culture has gone through a bit of a revival in recent years. More and more young people are wanting to learn about their history and keep it alive. What is also really cool is that the younger generations are keeping folk fashion, or traditional fashion, alive and some designers are modernizing it to make it more appealing.
If you get a traditional Romanian blouse, you can wear it to the festival called “the Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse”, organized by the NGO called La Blouse Roumaine. This festival is relatively new and takes place around summer solstice, which is an important day in Romanian folklore.
5. It is festival galore over in Romania!
This is a good time to talk about the festivals in Romania. We do not only have the Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse, but so many more festivals beyond that. What is so great about Romanian festivals if you are a tourist is that they allow you to learn about and participate in Romanian culture and traditions.
If you are into electronic music festivals or other pop music festivals, Romania has that. If you are more into celebrations of classic music, Romania has that. If you want a smaller, more traditional village festival in celebration of a local flower or fruit, Romania has that too. Just go online and search your interests and go from there!
6. Your breath will be taken away by the natural wonders
Ok, maybe your breath will be taken away because of the altitude of some of the mountains or taken away by the treacherous hike to get up there. We are half-kidding, because if you want a serious hiking excursion, Romania is a great place to do it, but the natural sites in this country are vast and indescribably beautiful.
You can visit one of the biggest underground ice glaciers in Europe, called the Scarisoara Glacier – yes, it is underground, but you can visit it via an ice cave! You can also see the living fires of Buzau or the Turda salt mine. Of course there is also the classic Carpathian Mountains and Hoia-Baciu Forest, so it just depends on what kind of natural experience you are up for!
7. It is so easy to travel throughout the country
Whether you are an experienced traveler or not, you know just how important this is! What good is a place that is not hospitable or that is hard to navigate? Romania has one of the most extensive rail lines in the world, so it is so easy to get from city to city, without the need for a car or a plane ticket.
What’s more, the Romanian people are so kind and hospitable, they love having visitors and sharing their culture and history. Many Romanian speak English or other European languages (though it is always helpful to know a few basic phrases in the language).
Because of the ease of making your way throughout the country, it will be so easy to experience all the things that will make you fall in love with this magnificent country!