If you are heading to Romania in the summer, you are quite lucky! During the summer, practically everything is available to you – except the snow! Though winter in Romania has its charm, during the summer it is so easy to travel between cities and all the indoor and outdoor activities alike are available to you. Read below for our top summer destinations for a Romanian vacation!
1. The City of Bucharest
Maybe this one seems obvious, but if you have never been to Bucharest, it is definitely a must, especially during the summer! There are plenty of guided tours that you can book, or you can just explore the city yourself. Walk along Calea Victoriei, it is as classic as Lombard Street in San Francisco or the Champs d’Elysee in Paris – truly something you do not want to miss!
This is a great scenic walk in the middle of Bucharest and a perfect spot to stop and take pictures. The northern end of the street is filled with beautiful houses and palaces, while the southern end of the street has hotels and fancy shops. Aside from that, visit the museums and public gardens and cute cafes and bookshops. After visiting all those sites, take a nap and then experience the nightlife in Old Town!
2. Wineries
When you think of wine countries, Romania is probably not the first country to come to mind. However, Romania is actually one of the largest wine producers in the world. Among European countries, it is the fifth-largest producer, behind Italy, France, Spain and Germany. Romania has some of their own grape varieties, but they also cultivate some of the more popular varieties, such as Sauvignon, Muscat, Merlot and Pinot Noir. Romania’s wine-making traditions date over 6,000 years back.
Romania cultivates many international varieties of grapes, along with varieties that are unique to the country. With so many options when it comes to Romanian wines, there are also tons of wineries that you can visit. Romania is actually a great country for those interested in wine tourism, because Romania is generally much cheaper to visit than the other top-producing European wine countries.
Not only is it cheaper to travel to Romania and stay there, but it is also much cheaper to buy top-quality wine! Another advantage to Romania when it comes to wine is that most of Romania’s land is very fertile for grape vines. The only parts of the country that cannot grow wine are the parts with the highest elevation – parts of Brasov, Covasna, Harghita and Suceava. We would recommend checking out the Cotnari Winery or the Averesti Winery.
3. The Danube Delta
This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that over 300 species of birds visit yearly. In the spring everything starts to get lush and green and the flowers start to bloom, so it is a great time to visit the Danube.
4. The Mud Volcanoes
The Berca Mud Volcanoes are active volcanoes that erupt like any other, but instead of spitting out lava, they spit out mud! What makes this so picturesque is that there is not any vegetation nearby, and the mud creates cracks and craters into the ground, making it almost look like you are walking on the moon. And if you go around sunset or sunrise, these volcanoes are absolutely spectacular!
5. The Merry Cemetery in Maramures County
All the tombstones at the Merry Cemetery are decorated colorfully and have poetry or other writing describing and celebrating the life of each person buried there. It is believed that Dacian culture viewed death as a joyful moment, as the person passes from this life of suffering to one filled with peace and happiness.
6. The Seven Ladders Canyon
Located just south of Brasov, the Seven Ladders Canyon is a mountainous canyon formed by the Sapte Scari Brook. It is called the Seven Ladders because it has seven waterfalls, with the tallest one being 35 meters (115 feet) high! You can zipline your way to the canyon, or take an easy 1-hour hike. If you are heading up to Brasov by car, this is an easy stop you can take on the way!
7. The Bicaz Gorge
Located in the north-central part of the country, this is one of the most beautiful gorges in Romania. Just driving through the gorge is so picturesque. It was carved out by the Bicaz River and allows you to pass from Moldova to Transylvania. The roads are narrow, the cliffs are high, and the views are stunning.
8. The Transfagarasan Highway
This is considered by some to be the “world’s best driving road.” It is quite a site to see: the road is complete with tunnels, bridges and viaducts (which is similar to aqueducts if you are familiar with those). The road closes at the end of October though, so make sure that you plan to go before then. This winding road is absolutely beautiful, so be sure to bring your camera!
9. The Mocanita Steam Train
The Mocanita Steam Train is slow, and there are only a handful of rides a day. However, just check the schedule ahead of time and make a day out of it. You can buy a meal on the train too. The trip takes you through the heart of the Maramures mountains, up near by the Vasser Valley. Even though the train ride is still relatively unknown, there are not a ton of trains so they tend to get packed – just make sure to book your tickets ahead of time.
10. Cool off at a water park
There are water parks throughout Romania, but if you want one that is close to the Bucharest airport, we recommend Water Park Otopeni. It is plenty big, has tons of water slides, and it is affordable for a family. It is a perfect way to cool off from a hot summer’s day in Bucharest!