Europe, Romania

Overview

Romania has the majestic castles, medieval towns, great hiking and wildlife, and cheap skiing of much of the 'undiscovered' former Eastern Bloc. You'll be floored at how different it is, but you'll almost certainly see signs that it's chasing the dreams of the rest of the West.

When To Go

May and June are the best months to visit, followed by September and early October. At these times, you can visit the medieval painted monasteries in southern Bucovina, and enjoy them minus the tourist hordes. Spring and autumn are also the best times for birdwatching in the Danube Delta. Romania has harsh winters, when tourism is centred on the ski resorts like Poiana Brasov and Sinaia. Snow lingers as late as mid-May and the hiking season doesn't begin in earnest till June. The resorts along the Black Sea coast start filling up in late June and stay packed until mid-August.

Visas

Canadian, Japanese, US and EU citizens with valid passports have the luxury of being able to visit Romania visa-free for 90 days. As of January 1, 2007, the same applies to travellers with Australian or New Zealand passports. Those from many eastern European countries can travel visa-free for 30 days. All other foreign visitors need a visa to enter, which must be purchased in advance. Visa requirements change frequently; check at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before departure.

Weather

Romanian winters can be extremely cold and foggy, with lots of snow from December to April, with an average temperature just under 0°C 32°F. In summer there's usually hot, sunny weather on the Black Sea coast and east of the Carpathians, with days around 30°C 86°F not uncommon. The majority of Romania's rain falls in the spring, with the mountains getting the most, the Danube Delta the least. In general, Romania's climate is transitional between temperate regions the southeast can feel positively Mediterranean and the more extreme weather characteristics of the continental interior. The average annual rainfall is 660mm, yet in the mountains that figure is usually over twice that amount, while in the Danube Delta it's often half that.

Getting There

Romania is easily accessible, served by buses, trains and planes galore. There are plenty of scheduled flights to Romania from a dozen or so Western countries, and, with a single plane change, from a great many more. Most flights arrive at Bucharest's Otopeni international airport. There are also flights to Timisoara, Constanta Arad, Satu Mare, Târgu Mures and Sibiu.