Romania Fast Facts

The often underestimated travel destination Romania borders on Bulgaria, Moldova, Serbia, Ukraine and Hungary. Not only is it home to the Dracula legend, but it is also full of beautiful landscapes, impressive churches and abounds in wonderful hiking areas. See andyeducation for education in Romania.

Fast facts to know

• Romania is now the fifth largest wine producer in the EU.
• Romania’s Transylvania (Siebenbürgen) is known worldwide for the legend of the vampire Dracula. She is based in part on the ruthless Romanian general Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad the Impaler.
• Life in Romania is often simple.
• In Romania you can hike very well – far away from mass tourism.
• Traditions, festivals & folklore play an important role in Romania.
• Romanian is a Romance language.
• The Romanian Henri Coanda invented the jet plane.
• In Romania is the second largest building in the world (Palace in Bucharest).
• The Danube Delta is part of the World Natural Heritage.
• Romania has one of the most attractive and varied natural landscapes in Europe. The fauna of Romania is one of the most diverse in Europe.
• Romania is considered a safe travel destination. In the cities there is the usual petty crime.
• Europe’s second largest underground glacier, the Scarisoara Glacier, lies beneath the Bihor Mountains in Romania.
• Romanian streets are known to be home to thousands of street dogs.
• The city of Timisoara in Romania is the birthplace of the horse-drawn tram and electric street lighting.

Exciting cities in Romania

• Bucharest
• Sibiu
• Sighisoara
• Kronstadt
• Constanta

History of Romania

• 5th century BC by the Thracian peoples of the Geti and Dacians.
• Successively roamed by Goths, Huns, Gepids, Slavs, Avars and Bulgars during the migration of peoples.
• 6th century Large parts of today’s Romania belong to the Bulgarian Empire.
• Since the 14th century, Wallachia’s foreign policy was shaped by the neighborhood of the expanding Ottoman Empire.
• 16th century The Kingdom of Hungary disappears as an independent political power. The Principality of Transylvania becomes practically independent.
• After the fall of Poland, the Russian Empire exerted much influence over the Romanian principalities.
• 1848 Romanian Revolution.
• 1881 Kingdom of Romania is proclaimed, the principalities are united.
• 1907 peasant uprising.
• 1919 Hungarian-Romanian War, which ends with the occupation of Budapest by the Romanians.
• 1919/20: Romania’s new borders are recognized in the peace treaties of Versailles and Trianon.
• The new multi-ethnic state of Romania was characterized by political instability in the interwar period.
• In World War II, Romania fights on the side of Germany. Romania loses around 378,000 soldiers and civilians. The Romanian government murdered about 270,000 Romanian Jews.
• After World War II, Romania came under Soviet influence.
• 1965 Socialist Republic of Romania is proclaimed.
• From 1990: in the post-communist period, Romania slowly recovered from the consequences of decades of dictatorship and mismanagement.

Climate & travel weather in Romania

• West of the Carpathians: temperate climate (relatively humid summer, mild winter).
• East of the mountains: continental climate (warm summers, cold winters).
• Coastal region on the Black Sea: Mediterranean climate (very hot summers, mild winters).
• Carpathians : very cold winters, lots of precipitation.
• Recommended travel time:
  • Winter sports: December – March
  • Mountain hikes: July – September
  • Beach holiday: June, September
  • Tours: May, September

Ideas for trips in Romania

• Transylvania (Transylvania).
• Salt mountain Turda.
• Exit the Transfogarasche elevated road.
• Vidradu Dam.
• Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest (second largest building in the world).
• Ride on the Wassertalbahn.
• Zarnesti Bear Sanctuary.
• Bran (Dracula Castle).
• Castle Bran.
• Voronet Monastery.
• Hiking in the Carpathians.
• Neamt Monastery & Castle.
• Hunedoara Castle.
• Farmhouse Rosenau.
• Peles Castle.
• Wooden churches in the Maramures.
• Overnight at the Ice Hotel at Lake Bâlea.

Eating & drinking in Romania

• Influences of different cultures noticeable – e.g. B. from Russia, Turkey, Hungary.
• Mostly simple cuisine.
• Characterized by the abundance of fish in the Black Sea, grilled sturgeon fillets are considered a delicacy.
• Corn porridge is the Romanian national dish.
• Lunch is often hearty, mostly roast meat, most often pork.
• Traditional garlic sauce is usually served with meat dishes.
• Stews are also popular – e.g. B. with meat, beans, cabbage.
• Herbs that are often used: lovage, savory, caraway, bay leaf, basil.
• Season well, but not too spicy.
• Vegetarian dishes are rare.
• Turkish and Austro-Hungarian influences dominate the desserts.
• Romanian cheese is outstanding.
• Romania produces very good wines.
• The national drink is the plum brandy “Tuika”.
• Typical dishes:
  • Soup Ciorba de Perisoare (vegetable stew with meatballs).
  • Oui cu smântâna (cream chicken).
  • Stortschag (fish goulash with potato pieces, cream, dill).
  • Spicy pike and carp meatballs with ground peppers and paprika.
  • Minced meat rolls.

Particularly scenic

• Black Sea coast
• Rock formation Sphinx and Babele
• Piatra Craiului mountains
• Cheile Nerei-Beusnita National Park
• Scarisoara Ice Cave
• Retezat National Park
• Dona Delta
• Bicaz Gorge
• Bigar waterfall
• Rapa Rosie
• The Red Canyon
• Basalt columns Detunatele
• Tauz water hole
• Mud volcanoes near Berca