If you plan to travel to Romania as a first-time visitor, you have to remember that Romania is not the most wealthy country. Don’t expect your trip to cost as much as a trip to the Maldives for example. There are so many interesting things to do in Romania that won’t make a hole in your pocket. You can save a lot of money and travel in peace if you follow these simple things.
Romania is the 9th largest country in Europe by area and the 6th by population. It has diverse geography with amazing mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, and dense forests.
The capital of Romania is Bucharest, having around 2,2 million Romanians. There are also other ethnic minorities such as Hungarians, Turks, Italians, Germans, Rroma. The time zone in Romania is GMT +2.
There are a lot of places to visit in Romania: medieval castles (Bran Castle or Peles Castle), natural parks. And the wild Carpathian Mountains, mine salts, the Danube Delta reserve, the famous Transfagarasan Highway.
Once you get more into the countryside you will realize it’s a living history museum. The small villages have simple people that live a peaceful life and the tradition is well-preserved. A tour around Transylvania is a must for every tourist.
The local currency for Romania is RON or Leu (Lei for plural). If you have your money in Euro or US dollar, you may find that everything is cheap because of the currency conversion.
When exchanging try to avoid banks. Local banks such as BRD, BCR, or ING are more expensive and they will ask for a higher commission.
Spend your time and look around for exchange offices that have little to zero commission.
To save more money, you can use your card when paying at the gas station, supermarkets, or some restaurants.
However, when shopping for souvenirs in the countryside you will need to withdraw cash as ATMs or banks are difficult to find there.
Being relatively cheap and one of the most affordable destinations, you will realize it offers excellent value for money.
If you plan on looking for accommodation, keep in mind that Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Sibiu are the top 3 most expensive cities for tourism.
You can always pick other cities such as Brasov, Oradea, or Timisoara to stay in and grab a short train ride to see the others. This way you can save money on most of your expenses.
A realistic daily budget for visitors is around 25-35 Euros (100-150 Lei) but this is without accommodation.
When looking for a place to stay you will find that on average, hostels go for 15 Euro a night whereas hotels or AirBnB start at 35 Euros a night.
When it comes to going out to eat and you don’t want to spend a lot, avoid eating out in the main cities around the center of the city.
Usually, all fancy and expensive restaurants are gathered in the center where most touristic attractions are.
Dinner at a cheaper restaurant on the outskirt of the city gives you the same authentic experience as the fancy and expensive ones (probably even better experience). You can even look for restaurants that serve the Daily Menu as a very affordable option (around 3-5 Euros per menu).
Tipping at the restaurants is usually expected because of how poorly the servers are paid. If you were happy with how you’ve been treated, the norm is around 10% but any amount will make the other person happy. Tipping body care & cosmetics, Uber drivers, hotel staff is also pretty common.
Shopping in Romania can get expensive if you don’t look for the right places. When it comes to groceries, the best option is to go to the big supermarkets such as Kaufland or Carrefour. They also have a clothing section with affordable items.
If you find yourself in Bucharest, your best friend is either the Uber driver or the subway.
Never ….and I mean NEVER take the taxi as a tourist in Bucharest, especially near the International Airport or the North Train Station.
They are known to scam people either by taking incredibly long routes to add more to the bill or to harass you for the tip.
Some of them are even dangerous as there were so many stories of taxi drivers being involved in serious crimes with the customers, especially young females.
If you are in other cities, taxi drivers are ok and mostly harmless.
You don’t have to waste your roaming while you travel to Romania. Simply get a local sim card for 5 Euros on Vodafone or Orange and you have a huge internet package. The 3G and 4G coverage is excellent in most of the cities. And if you want to save money, you can find a lot of free public WiFis in parks or major tourist attractions.
The downside is when it comes to visiting the countryside. Usually, cellular coverage is really poor in those areas but if you need to get around the place, simply ask locals and they will be more than happy to help you around.
When visiting major cities you may come across people carrying a clipboard, selling magazines, or simply attempting to help you get a seat, then show you some official-looking documents (99% fake ones) and ask you if you can donate. It never goes to the charity or person they ‘try’ to help.
What you can do? Simply decline politely and move away from them so they don’t bother you. They are mostly harmless.
These are the most common ways a tourist can be scammed. Every year, scammers get more and more creative with their approach, so even if you thought you read it all online, be sure that they have just as many extra tricks up their sleeves.
When it comes to snatching thieves, the first possible place they act is right in your hotel room. They can either act as room service and steal stuff when you’re not looking or even maids are known to steal small valuable things.
How to avoid this scenario when you travel to Romania? Keep your valuables locked in a seif with a one time pin or keep them on you at all times.
On the streets, pickpocketers can use the popular distract and grab technique. Usually, this is done in 2 or more people. They can be found in public places meant for tourists, public transport, on the train, etc.
How to avoid being pickpocketed? Keep your wallet in the front pocket, have small valuables in a hidden pouch or large valuables in an anti-theft bag, and never let your guard down.
As a tourist, no matter the country, there will always be people that try to scam tourists. Romania offers amazing places to visit and very hospitable, friendly, thoughtful, and warm people that will take you into their homes, offer you food, drinks and go out of their way to make you have a great time!
Stay tuned !!!!
