The Best Places To Visit In Romania

Are you planning a trip to Romania? You are probably wondering what are the best places to visit in Romania.

Romania is a beautiful country which has lots to offer, from beautiful mountain peaks, gorges, rivers, caves, ancient villages, fortified churches, to wild beaches and beautiful wildlife. So much, that a top 100 wouldn’t be enough to list all the beautiful and unique places. 

That is why, in order to make it easier for you, we have selected our team’s 10 favorite places to see while in Romania.

10 Best places to visit in Romania

The Danube Delta

The Danube Delta is the second-largest and best-preserved river delta in Europe. It is located in the Eastern part of Romania and it is the place where the Danube River meets the Black Sea. 

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its more than 5,500 flora and fauna species, making it one of the largest biosphere reserves in the world, preceded only by The Great Barrier Reef in Australia and The Galapagos Archipelago in Ecuador.

The Delta is heaven for nature lovers and, while more than half of the biosphere is intact, there are plenty of options in terms of accommodation and activities. 

While the 300 birds species are the main attraction to the Danube Delta, you can also see wolves, foxes, deers, boars, wildcats during the watching season, which lasts from early spring to late summer.

Sighisoara

Sighisoara is one of the few medieval citadels in Europe still inhabited and a must-visit if you are in Transylvania. 

Sighisoara feels like an open-air history museum with more than 10 towers, 6 churches, most of the 164 houses being at least 300 years old, including the alleged childhood home of Vlad Dracul, prince of Walachia, on whom Bran Stoker based his character Dracula on. 

With charming narrow cobblestone streets, colorful houses, and friendly locals, Sighisoara is lovely throughout the year, however, during the warmer months, some of the most enjoyed activities are taking in all the history and charm while enjoying a cold beverage at one of the many terraces.

Lacul Sfanta Ana

Lacul Sfanta Ana (St. Ana Lake) is the only volcanic lake in Romania.

Legend has it that Ana, a young woman from a closeby village, was supposed to marry a man that she didn’t love after her parents arranged their marriage. She didn’t have a choice but to marry him under the pressure of her parents, however, during the night of their wedding, she ran away and jumped in the lake.

Her body was never discovered and the lake was named after her.

Reaching the lake, deep in the heart of Transylvania, can be done by car following a scenic road surrounded by mountains and lush pine tree forests.

Barsana

Barsana village is located in Maramures, the Northern part of Romania, and is home to Barsana Church which was built in 1720 in wood. 

In fact, the whole region of Maramures is known for its wooden churches, 9 of them being part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Asides from the wooden churches, Maramures is one of the most beautiful areas in Romania and is home to centuries-old traditions that are still kept.

Maramures is also known for the local crafts, from carving wood to hand-processing wool and the large scale of using water mills for washing rugs and textiles.

It is home to one of the 2 steam trains in the country that is still functional and open to the public, as well as one of the best places to try Romanian traditional food.

Biertan

Biertan is one of the most beautiful Saxon villages in Transylvania and, the Biertan Fortified Church, which sits on a hill at the center of the village, is one of the best-preserved in the country. 

The fortified church has historic importance as it was the seat of the Lutheran Evangelical Bishop between 1572 and 1867

For those that are passionate about history and architecture, Biertan will surely impress through typical Gothic elements such as large stained glass windows, pointed arches, and ornate towers.

Bucharest Old Town

While Bucharest is a big city and can feel overwhelming at times, due to its fast pace, the Old Town of Bucharest is a charming place to discover the city in a more relaxing way.

Known for the multitude of cobblestone streets filled with cafes, restaurants, and boutique shops, the Old Town Bucharest is also home to some of the most iconic buildings such as Curtea Veche, which was the first Royal Court in Bucharest, Hanul Manuc built in 1808, which nowadays acts as a restaurant serving Romanian traditional food, the Stavropoleos Orthodox church, erected in 1724 in typical Romanian architecture, the CEC Palace, built in 1900, and last but not least, Carul cu Bere, a historic building turned restaurant. 

Geamana – The sunken village

The story of how this place came to be it’s tragic and, while it became touristic, we Romanians are hoping to raise awareness about this ecologic disaster.

During communism, the copper exploitation through the Rosia Poieni mine reached the village of Geamana. The locals were offered money to leave their land and homes behind, in order for the exploitation to continue. 

Rosia Poieni is the second-largest copper reserve in Europe and its decanting basin completely erased the village of Geamana and polluted water streams and lands surrounding it.

What you see today is the church’s tower, which sits on a hill 100 meters above the rest of the village. 400 houses are completely covered in toxic waste.

Peles Castle

Peles Castle is one of Romania’s best and most beautiful places to visit. It was built between 1873 and 1914, during the reign of King Carol I of Romania, under which Romania gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire.

The castle was one of the many properties of the Romanian Royal Family, however, once the country was taken over by communists and King Michael, the son of King Carol I, was forced to abdicate, the Castle was nationalized. After the 1989 revolution which saw communism fall, the property was handed back to the Royal Family and nowadays it is open to the public.

Almost half a million people visit the castle every year, first because it’s a beautiful piece of architecture, blending Neo-Renaissance and Gothic styles, and second because of the nature surrounding it and the imposing Carpathian Mountains.

Sarmizegetusa Regia

Sarmizegetusa Regia is a historic site, dating to the 1st century BC. It acted as the capital, political and military center of the Dacians, the ancestors of Romanians, before the wars with the Roman Empire.

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and those passionate about history will see the resemblance to Stonehenge in the UK.

Turda Salt Mine (Salina Turda)

According to the website, Turda Salt Mine is the world’s most spectacular natural underground formation, shaped by people.

Close to Cluj-Napoca, one of the most beautiful cities in Transylvania, Turda Salt Mine is a must-visit if you are in the area. Asides from its breathtaking beauty, the salt mine has health benefits as well, among the most-known, helping with respiratory issues, such as asthma.

It is more than 120 meters deep, which means you need to wear a jacket if you visit, holds more than 38 million tons of salt, and offers plenty of entertainment, such as underground river boat trips, sports, movie screenings, making it a great destination for people of all ages, including families with kids.

So this is our list of the best places to visit in Romania. We hope you enjoyed reading about them, and that if you get the chance to visit, you will enjoy them just as much as we did.