Romania Travel Resource

Geography

Romania is in southeast Europe. The Carpathian Mountains divide Romania's upper half from north to south and connect near the center of the country with the Transylvanian Alps, running east and west. North and west of these ranges lies the Transylvanian plateau, and to the south and east are the plains of Moldavia and Walachia. In its last 190 mi (306 km), the Danube River flows through Romania only. It enters the Black Sea in northern Dobruja, just south of the border with Ukraine.

Climate and Weather

Romania has a temperate climate, similar to the northeastern United States, with four distinct seasons.
Spring is pleasant with cool mornings and nights and warm days.
Summer is quite warm, with extended sunny days. The hottest areas in summer are the lowlands in southern and eastern Romania where 100 F is often reached in July and August. Temperatures are always cooler in the mountains.
Autumn is dry and cool, with fields and trees producing colorful foliage, much like New England.
Winters can be cold, especially in the mountains. While not the rule, abundant snowfalls may occur throughout the country, from December to mid-March.

Population

Romania has a population of over 21,680,974 of which 89% are Romanians, 7% Hungarians, 2% Gypsies, with small minorities of Germans, Slovaks, Turks, Russians, Bulgarians, Croats, Tartars, Czechs, Greeks, Jews, Americans, Poles, Albanians.

Transportation

Flying might be the best way to arrive to Romania, but maybe the most expensive, unless you are coming from a long distanced country. The national air company is AIR TRANSPORT TAROM, which has flights in the major urban centers. The national Romanian Railway Company is CFR, and the services improve year by year. The national railway network is large, about 11,000 km long, and it spans the entire surface of Romania.The public transportation is frequent and reliable, and includes trams, metro, buses and trolleybuses. Most of the big cities have developed a complex urban transport system, and the buses especially are modern and represent an easy and fast method to go around the cities. Renting a car is possible, but only in the major cities, and you can choose to rent the car and drive it by yourself or rent the car with a driver. Traveling by sea is possible, as Romania has an exit to the Black Sea.

Top Attractions

1. Palace of Parliament.
2. The Village Museum.
3. The Village Museum.
4. National History Museum.
5. Bran Castle.
6. Peles Castle.
7. The Painted Monasteries.
8. Sighisoara.
9. Brasov.

Best Travel Time

May and June are the best months to visit, followed by September and early October. The resorts along the Black Sea coast start filling up in late June and stay packed until mid-August. Winters are harsh but are the best times to enjoy skiing.

Food and Drink

National specialties:
•Soups: Ciorba de perisoare (soup with meatballs), ciorba tãrãneascã (vegetable soup with meat and rice balls served with sour cream), giblet soup and a variety of fish soups.
• Moldavian parjoale (flat meat patties, highly spiced and served with garnishes).
• Mamaliga (a staple of mashed cornmeal).
• Nisetru la gratar (grilled Black Sea sturgeon).
• Pasca (a sweet cheesecake).

National drinks:
• Tuicã (plum brandy) and Tuicã de Bihor (strong brandy, generally known as palinca).
• Wines: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay from the Murfatlar vineyards. Grasa and Feteasa from Moldavia’s Cotnari vineyards.
• Sparkling wines.
• Glühwein (mulled wine). 

Local Products/Shopping

Specialist purchases include embroideries, pottery, porcelain, silverware, carpets, ceramics, crystal, glassware, fabrics, wool jumpers, woodcarvings, metal, leather goods, rugs, glass paintings and silk dresses.

Travel Resource