It often feels like a forgotten corner of Europe, doesn’t it? But forget about Romania at your peril I say, because this country absolutely deserves a top spot on Europe’s travel map! And to help you plan your time there, I’m bringing you my complete packing list for this country. Kicking off with 10 great tips about how to prep yourself and your gear for a trip to this eastern European gem, the latter half of this article contains a complete item-by-item breakdown of everything that needs to go into your bag for an amazing adventure here. With epic hiking, exciting cities and plenty of ..read more

  The 2nd most visited city in Romania after the capital Bucharest, this list of the top things to do in Brasov will show you exactly why this destination is a must-visit on your travels in this country too. Dating as far back as the Medieval era, Brasov was always the first stop for weary travellers after the gruelling crossing of the Carpathian Mountains. Nowadays, you can more easily take a 2.5hr train from Bucharest and arrive ready and refreshed to enjoy the dozens of fantastic things to do in this Transylvanian city. From epic hiking to famous castles, traditional villages and craft ..read more

  If you enjoy wild paths and untamed landscapes, then Romania is the hiking destination you need to put on your list right now! And there’s no better spot to visit in this country for a good stomp than the Carpathian Mountains. Actually spread over 7 European countries, Romania is home to over half of this amazing range, which offers hundreds of trails, breathtaking views, mountain lakes, waterfalls and spectacular caves galore. Low to medium in height compared to the Alps (very few areas here measure over 2000m), this makes the Carpathians not only easy to navigate and hiker-friendly, b ..read more

Perhaps one of the weirdest European capitals, I’ve got to say that despite this (or perhaps because of it!) I was rather drawn to bizarre Bucharest. The biggest city in Romania – a country that sits between Bulgaria, Serbia, Moldova, Ukraine and Hungary, but is utterly unlike any of them – it’s perhaps no surprise that its capital, Bucharest, is a little bit quirky too. For this is a city without a discernible centre, with an Old Town that isn’t really that old and where the best places to go as tourists are into the local surrounding suburbs to discover riotous ruined pubs and cool cafes. S ..read more

Getting straight to the point – Romania is incredibly cheap. In fact, I think it’s maybe one of the cheapest countries to travel in Europe and therefore ideal for those of us on rather a tight budget! But with some great cities, stunning mountains and even a protected wetland area, Romania isn’t just great for backpackers because of the prices. Nope, there’s a whole heap of amazing stuff to see and places to visit in this large and diverse country. So if you’re looking for inspiration for your next shoestring travel expedition, check out my list of the 10 best things to do in Romania for back ..read more

Snuggled over in the east of Europe, Romania often feels like the land time forgot. Out of the countries I’ve wandered in this part of the world, Romania consistently stood out as a destination belonging, at least in part, to a different age. Even travelling here in 2018, it felt hard at times to believe I was in the EU, as horse-drawn carriages trudged by, grubby old communist trains creaked along on ancient tracks and mountain roads twisted and turned their way to rural villages that seemed to have changed little in centuries. But amongst all of these things, or perhaps because of them, Rom ..read more

There’s no denying Bucharest, the capital of Romania, is a strange city. Visiting it as part of my grand Eastern European tour, I was accustomed to visiting capital cities with glaring attractions, landmark sites and streets upon streets of action. Getting to Bucharest – a city with no discernible centre, aside from a rather drab and unconvincing Old Town – was therefore something of a surprise. But despite arriving on an overnight bus from Bulgaria, having had little sleep and having little to no idea of my chance of success, I set about trying to find the soul of Bucharest and on the way en ..read more