Romania Travel Bucket List 2019

Romania is one of our favourite countries in the world. Old world traditions, myths, ideologies and architecture combine with new technology, a revitalised spirit and a desire to have a good time to create a fusion that is unique to Romania and its people. We recently released an article that detailed how we’d spend two days in the country’s capital, Bucharest, and thought that with the turn of the new year, we should write an article of what you should aim to do in this country in 2019. Whether you’ve visited the country before or are newly discovering the delights that Romania has to offer, we hope this list will provide inspiration and encouragement for making plans to visit this gem of a country at some point this year!

Learn to Cook Romanian Food

The city of Bucharest is home to multiple cooking classes that happily cater to people visiting the country. Although not specifically set up for tourists, the classes will accommodate you and allow you to learn how to cook a selection of Romanian or Romanian-inspired dishes. You’ll also have the chance to make new friends and meet some of the locals who attend the classes as well; this could be an excellent opportunity to get some insider information on where to have some drinks afterwards!

Book an Adventure Tour

If you’re not overly comfortable with making travel plans while in a foreign country, or if there are so many places on your to-do list that you just don’t know where to start, chances are there will be adventure tours that cater to what you’re looking for! Our tours cover a wide range of activities in Romania, however, you’ll need to book in advance to secure your place. If you’ve already arrived in the country and are looking for something to do, why not try checking out tours that offer multiple day excursions as they often cover travel and you won’t have to worry about making your own plans! We’d suggest checking out our Danube Delta tours as you’ll have a chance to explore Bucharest for yourself, but also experience the Danube Delta and other beautiful natural attractions.

Learn Some of The Language

Unfortunately, Brits are renowned for going on holiday and being able to speak very little of the local language, with many people resorting to pointing and shouting to get their point across! Make sure that you break this stereotype this year by heading to a Romanian language class or by teaching yourself some of the language; we’ve highlighted a great language learning app in our article on the best travel apps. Having visited the country numerous times, we’re happy to report that locals don’t necessarily expect visitors to speak fluent Romanian, however, we have found that a little effort can go a long way, and maybe even open up new opportunities that would have passed you by had you not taken the time to learn some basic phrases. ‘Hello’, ‘goodbye’, ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ are a good place to start and will differentiate you as an inquisitive traveller as opposed to a ‘typical’ tourist.

Visit Cluj-Napoca

Located towards the north of the country, the city of Cluj-Napoca is the second largest in the country with the largest student population. The city is in the region of Transylvania and is the unofficial capital of the region. There are many museums and galleries to visit with one of the main attractions being The National Museum of Art which holds a large collection of Romanian artwork. The Cluj-Napoca is cloaked in history with various generations of architecture visible throughout its streets. We’ve highlighted this city as it can often be overlooked as a destination, so why not make 2019 the year you make the trip?

Stay With a Stranger

Not quite as ominous as it may sound, staying with a stranger can be a great way to learn about the town or city you’re staying in and you may even get a lovely home-cooked meal! Using a service such as Airbnb or CouchSurfing will mean that you’ll have the opportunity to stay in someone else’s home with them and learn about day-to-day Romanian life. We’d recommend checking out the reviews and comments of hosts on these two platforms to make sure you know that the person you’re staying with is well-versed in looking after guests.

Go to a Live Event

Whether this is live music, theatre or sports, chances are you’ll be in an audience of many and sharing in the event as part of a group. Often, these events will bring people together and give you an opportunity to mix with like-minded individuals that are interested in the same things. If you’re travelling solo, why not put posts out on Facebook or Twitter to say that you’re attending and you may be able to buddy up! Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca are vibrant cities with great nightlife, so you’ll definitely find something that will take your fancy!