Best alternative city breaks in Romania
Have you ever considered a city break in Romania? I bet you haven’t, although the Eastern European country prides itself with a couple of exciting destinations to choose from, whether you’re looking for fun, rich culture, vibrant nightlife, leisure or a romantic weekend.
Romania has remained among those few undiscovered destinations.....
And if however the scenic Carpathian Mountains with their lovely resorts, breathtaking views and ski slopes manage to bring some overseas visitors in Romania during the winter, and the Black Sea Coast greets them with plenty of sunshine and beach parties throughout the hot summer months, not many know that Romania has a great potential of delivering some very interesting city breaks as well.
Let’s take a look at Romania’s major and most beautiful cities and find out together which one of them suits you the best:
Bucharest is that city that most people, including artists, mistake it for Budapest.
In fact, Bucharest is the capital of Romania and it has nothing to do with the
Hungarian city of Budapest. This being cleared, let’s see what Bucharest has to offer
its visitors.
We used to call it “Little Paris” once, then it became the city of malls, but the eclectic
Romanian capital is definitely much more than that. Just think about it: vibrant
nightlife, striking architecture, plenty of parks, gardens, galleries, museums and a
charming Old Town lined up with stylish cafes, all waiting to be explored and
discovered.
While in Bucharest, make sure you won’t miss the breathtaking historical center or
the outdoor Village Museum, a charmingsanctuary representing the history of
Romania’s rural architecture.
Besides the fast-growing process of modernization, the city still keeps the elegance
of the past decades, which gives it a truly unique atmosphere.
Therefore, Bucharest is a great city-break destination for those in love with history, architecture, shopping, social activities and …nightlife.When to go?Where to stay?The Backstay Hostel occupies a stunning city centre art deco building, which was formerly the home of left-wing newspaper Vooruit. There’s a range of pod-style dorms and double rooms, each of which is named after a famous newspaper (including the Guardian). The restaurant and communal spaces are chic, chilled and light, with wooden floors, vintage furniture and a library. But there are a lot of other options....
Constanta is situated in southeastern Romania on the Black Sea shoreline as the
largest port and coastal city in the country. Founded under the name of Tomis by
the Greek colonists from Miletus in the VII century BC, Constanta, with its Roman,
Greek and Turkish influences, features some of the most valuable archaeological
sites existing on the Romanian territory.
After experiencing a miraculous evolution, the port city became a cosmopolitan
center and an ideal place to spend the summer. A city break in Constanta will offer
you all the advantages of a big city plus the opportunity to explore the sundry Black
Sea coast from its rural, off the beaten paths destinations to the charming fishing
villages, hippie towns, luxury resorts and world-famous beaches.
Located in the charming Transylvania, the medieval Sibiu with its small town feel in
a big-city format is the Gothic fairy tale of Romania. After enjoying a year in the
spotlight in 2007 when it was elected the cultural capital of Europe, Sibiu’s fame
has been celebrated with great fanfare all over the country.
The city’s cultural heritage doesn’t need any presentation, nor do its famous squares
and the windy streets crossing the Old Town, but the lovely Christmas Market taking
place here in the winter, the medieval festivals in the fall, the blooming trees’
fragrance shrouding Sibiu in the spring or the lovely summertime over this ancient
settlement are some delightful experiences that need to be witnessed and enjoyed
by any traveler to Romania.
Brasov is another medieval chapter of charming Transylvania, an excellent European
city ideally located in the heart of the mountains.Featuring the narrowest street in
Europe (Rope Street), a plethora of towers, bastions and cathedrals, first-class
architecture, an animated lifestyle and the most beautiful landscapes in the country,
Brasov is a big stylish city with something for everyone.
Famous for its sparkling nightlife, the lovely medieval design and its perfect setting
near Romania’s finest alpine resorts, Brasov is the best choice for mountain
enthusiasts, party haunters, culture aficionados and everything in between.
​
Part of UNESCO list, Sighisoara is one of the prettiest and best preserved inhabited
citadels in Europe. Home to the notorious Vlad the Impaler, the character who
inspired Bram Stocker’ Dracula, the city depicts a mythical bygone world, with locals
carrying their lives through an indefinite time, a fairy-tale of surreal candy houses
and legends entwined between its towers, ramparts and cobblestone alleys.
It is a very nice city, with old churches, a historic center surrounded by walls,
thousands of years of history....
I would recommend Sighisoara to anyone in search of an authentic experience,
no matter your cultural or artistic preferences, no matter your age or your style.
It is like a fairy tale. It has cobbled streets, colorful buildings, a historic pedestrian
center ... you cannot fall in love with Sighisoara.
​
Located in western Romania, in the Banat region, Timisoara is a cosmopolitan
metropolis, an architectural splendor, the symbol of Romania’s democracy, and one
of the most beloved cities in the country. TimiÈ™oara is known as “Little Vienna” for
its cultural vibrancy. Year-round theatrical performances, museums and art
galleries tempt visitors to this exciting town.
The best kept secret in Romania, maybe in Europe, Timisoara’s cultural and
architectural richness can be easily compared with those of Prague, Paris or Vienna,
so I don’t think it will take too long before tourists will actually burst inside.
These being said, Timisoara is the place where various cultures blend together nicely,
where the relatively young inhabitants appreciate equally a pleasant afternoon at the
museum and a crazy night out, and where most of Romania’s festivals take place.
A city break in Timisoara will surprise visitors with a sophisticated society, an elegant
appearance, a vibrant character and a world-class nightlife.
​
The second largest city in Romania, Cluj-Napoca or simply Cluj is an ancient
metropolis with a young soul located in the heart of Transylvania. With a rich history,
plenty of medieval castles, fortified churches, museums and a highly artistic sense,
it’s no wonder Cluj is the poetic city of Romania, a very elegant and romantic one.
Nicknamed “The Treasure City”, Cluj boasts an impressive baroque and neoclassical
architecture and a remarkable cultural life due to the 11 universities that enliven its
spirit each year with tones of exultant students.
The city lies in the province of Ardeal, one of the most picturesque, traditional and
genuine corners of Romania, a place where locals – honest and peaceful – love their
land more than anything, where deep-rooted traditions are still alive and where the
food has a special taste. Around Cluj you also can visit unbelievable places:
mountains, lakes, small hotels and restaurants..
The city’s historic character makes it an ideal city break destination for romantics,
culture devotees, gourmets and for travelers aiming to discover Romania as it is –
charming and distinctive.
In the beautiful city of Iasi every stone, museum, monastery, park or memorial house
talks about the past. Located in northeastern Romania as the former capital of
Moldavia, Iasi stretches over seven rolling hills just like Rome, offering visitors a
charming landscape and a valuable lesson of history.
Iasi is also the city that gave birth to some of the most important Romanian writers,
and the place that is praised most often in their works, which is why I always link
this city to my country’s literary value.
From a royal court which wrote some glorious pages in the history of Romania,
Iasi became a multicultural city where the past and the present, the ancient inns
and the funky lounges cohabit remarkably.
I don’t know about others, but for us, Romanians, Iasi is a national treasure, a place
that urges us to dream and to contemplate about life, it has the power of
transforming us into philosophers and poets, and I guess this is the main reason
why we love it so much.
If you want to learn about Romania’s history and to experience a relaxing, but
memorable city-break, I recommend you to visit the beautiful Iasi.
Piatra Neamt and surrounding sights
Piatra Neamt itself is a nice town, but without many attractions of its own.
The small historical center is something you can see in a couple of minutes.
You can definitely climb one of the hills which surround Piatra Neamt by cable
car (there is also a small skiing slope if you are here during winter or early spring)
and a pretty nice Historical Museum, but you really need a guide to enjoy it.
But what it is really fabulous is in the area around Piatra Neamt, in the county of
Neamt (you guessed it Piatra Neamt is the capital of Neamt county).
What can you see ? First of all, don’t even think of missing Bicaz gorges.
Found at almost 50 km away, it is the natural gate between Transylvania and Moldova,
the gorges will certainly impress you. Few kilometers away, in Transylvania, you will
find Lacu Rosu (Red Lake) a lake formed almost 200 years ago from a landslide which
blocked a few springs… An area was flooded, but this area had a lot of iron reserves…
the trees from the flooded area did not disintegrate in water, but they were naturally
protected by iron and survive to the day… like a forest of pales getting out of the lake…
Right, we are the country of Dracula, the Impaler.
Going North, you will be amazed by the picturesque area around Bicaz lake,
an artificial lake created for a major Communist-era hydro-power project. And the
nature is so beautiful in Neamt, why don’t you check out its animals as well…
Here is one of the few places in Europe where you can see the European buffalo,
a rarity – as it is the case with America, the buffalos roamed freely centuries ago,
but as the people settlements multiplied, the buffalo disappeared. It was reintroduced
in Romania from Poland and Germany and there are efforts to move some individuals
into the wild. However, despite the fact they are huge and apparently powerful animals (you don’t want to meet an angry buffalo at large), they are very fragile – all the European buffalos who still live across Europe are the heirs of only 12 different animals (the only ones which survived decades ago) – inter-breeding makes them genetically fragile…
Talking about animals, why don’t you go and ride some horses… In Neamt, it is the so-called “stallions warehouse” where the best stallions are cared for the sake of all the Moldovan mares :). For really few euros, you can ride some of the most impressive
horses this side of the Carpathians. The last, but not the least, don’t forget the mighty Neamt Citadel, one of the most impressive citadels around (recently restored) and the large number of Orthodox Monasteries. It is said that Neamt has the second highest density of monasteries in the world after Athos Mountain… and some are really beautiful.
Keep in mind that Romanian weather is comprised of four distinct seasons. The hottest period of summer is experienced in July and August, while autumn brings milder days and generally dry conditions. The winters can be bitterly cold and heavy snow isn’t unusual across the country.
How to get here: countless airlines fly into Bucharest International Airport but also to Cluj, Brasov, Iasi, Timisoara. There are two major low-cost companies flying from dozens destinations to Bucharest (Paris, London, Brussels, Barcelona, Milan, Rome, all are connected). Just check out the offers of Wizz Air and Blue Air… even the traditional airlines could offer you extremely competitive fares.
For foodies, escaping to a Romanian destination can open up a whole treasure trove of culinary delights, whether that means splashing out at a nice restaurant somewhere really fancy, hopping into local cafés and bistros for a spot of cake or afternoon tea to break up your wanderings, or getting to know the local cuisine at those hidden gems where you can have a really authentic experience.
Essential information
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Comfortable shoes for sightseeing are a must
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Book a taxi from a hotel to save money
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A customary 10% Tip is usually expected
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Buy bottled water to drink
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Currency: Romanian Leu
What is your favorite city in Romania?
