Why Romania for a Honeymoon
Value is the obvious draw. A boutique room in a 17th century townhouse, a long dinner with a bottle of Fetească Neagră and a private guide for the day can cost less in total than one night at a big-name resort in Italy. The money goes further, so you can afford the better room.
The quieter draw is how intact the countryside feels. Villages around Sibiu and Brașov still keep their fortified churches, horse carts and haystacks shaped by hand. In Viscri or Biertan you can walk the lanes at dusk and hear little besides cowbells.
Romania also mixes moods well. Spend a few nights in medieval towns, drive one of Europe's great mountain roads, then finish with slow boat days in the delta. It feels like three trips in one country without long flights in between.
Best Time to Visit
May, June and September are the sweet spots. Meadows are green, days are warm without being sticky and hotel rates sit below summer peaks. Early October brings beech and oak forests turning gold around Brașov, which is a lovely backdrop for photos.
July and August are hot in Bucharest and on the plains, often in the 90s, but pleasant in the mountains. This is the only reliable window for the Transfăgărășan road, which normally opens in late June or early July and closes again by late October once snow arrives.
Winter is cold, with snow from December through March in Transylvania. It suits couples who want Christmas markets in Sibiu and Brașov or skiing at Poiana Brașov. The Danube Delta is best skipped from November to March, when boats run rarely and many guesthouses close.
Where to Go
Brașov is the natural first stop: a Gothic old town under a forested mountain, with Bran Castle, Râșnov fortress and Peleș Castle in Sinaia all within an easy drive. Plan three or four nights.
Sibiu is quieter and more refined, a former Saxon capital with rooftop windows shaped like eyes and a strong food scene. It is the best base for the Saxon villages, the Transfăgărășan and the Mărginimea Sibiului shepherd villages.
The Danube Delta is the contrast: a UNESCO-listed maze of channels, lakes and reed islands where the river meets the Black Sea. Stay in a guesthouse reached by boat and spend your days birding and eating fish soup.
If you have more time, Sighișoara's hilltop citadel, the painted monasteries of Bucovina and the wooden churches of Maramureș are worth the extra driving.
Sample 10-Day Itinerary
- Day 1: Land in Bucharest, pick up a car and drive about three hours to Brașov, stopping at Peleș Castle in Sinaia if you still have energy after the flight.
- Days 2 to 3: Brașov old town, the Tâmpa cable car, then a day for Bran Castle and Râșnov fortress.
- Day 4: Drive to Sighișoara for the citadel, then continue to a guesthouse in Viscri or Biertan.
- Day 5: Saxon villages and fortified churches, then on to Sibiu for an evening in the squares.
- Day 6: In summer, drive the Transfăgărășan to Bâlea Lake; otherwise spend the day on Sibiu's old town and the ASTRA open-air museum.
- Day 7: Drive back across the mountains to Bucharest (about five hours) and spend the night there.
- Days 8 to 9: Drive about four and a half hours to Tulcea and boat into the Danube Delta for two nights.
- Day 10: Boat out early and drive back to Bucharest for an evening flight, or add a night near the airport.
The delta adds a lot of driving. If that sounds like too much, give the last three days to Transylvania instead and save the delta for another trip.
Budget and Costs
All figures here are approximate and swing with season and exchange rates. Comfortable boutique hotels in Brașov and Sibiu often run about $90 to $180 a night for two, with the best suites a bit higher. Village guesthouses in Transylvania and the delta can be cheaper. Many include breakfast or half board.
Dinner for two with wine in a good restaurant typically comes to $40 to $80. A respectable bottle of Romanian wine in a shop costs a few dollars. Car rental tends to fall around $35 to $70 a day, plus fuel and the road vignette.
The big variable is airfare, since there are no nonstops. Booking connecting fares through a single airline alliance keeps your bags checked through and protects you if a leg runs late.
Getting There and Around
Most Americans fly into Bucharest Henri Coandă (OTP), about 10 miles north of the city, via a European or Turkish hub. If you are starting in Transylvania, look at connections into Sibiu (SBZ) or Cluj-Napoca (CLJ) to skip the drive from the capital.
A rental car gives the most freedom. Roads between towns are two-lane and often slow, with trucks, horse carts and police radar. Highways are improving but still patchy. Winter tires are compulsory in snowy months and drink-driving rules are zero tolerance.
Trains connect Bucharest, Brașov and Sibiu and are cheap, though slower than driving. Bolt works in most cities and is the easiest way to avoid taxi overcharging. For the Danube Delta, you will leave the car in Tulcea and travel by public ferry or a private boat arranged by your lodging.
Culture and Etiquette
Romanians are proud of their Latin language and do not appreciate being lumped in with the Slavic world, so avoid assuming Russian is understood. A simple Bună ziua (good day) and Mulțumesc (thank you) go a long way.
Orthodox churches welcome visitors, but cover shoulders and knees and keep voices low. Women may be asked to cover their hair in monasteries; scarves are often provided at the door.
Treat the Dracula theme with a light touch. Vlad III is a national hero to many Romanians. The vampire story is mostly a foreign import that locals tolerate for tourism. Tipping around 10 percent in restaurants is normal. In homes, expect to take your shoes off and to be offered more food than you can manage.
Food and Wine
Romanian cooking is hearty mountain food. Sarmale, cabbage rolls stuffed with pork and rice, arrive with polenta (mămăligă), sour cream and a hot pepper on the side. Ciorbă, a family of soured soups, starts most meals. Papanași, fried doughnuts with sour cream and jam, finish them.
Wine is the pleasant surprise. Look for the native red Fetească Neagră, the whites Fetească Albă and Fetească Regală and the aromatic Tămâioasă Românească. The Dealu Mare hills near Bucharest and the Târnave valleys near Sibiu both have wineries that welcome visitors with a call ahead.
In the delta the menu turns to fish: borscht made with several kinds of river fish and saramură, grilled carp in a garlicky brine. Ask for țuică, the local plum brandy, carefully.
Quick tips
- Pay in lei and decline the offer to charge your card in dollars; the conversion rate is always worse.
- Buy the rovinietă road vignette online before you drive a rental car on national roads.
- In bear country around Brașov and the Făgăraș, keep food sealed and never walk toward a cub.
