Romania

10 Fun Facts About Romania

The Romanian language is 1700 years old and is one of five romance languages spoken in the world.
It’s impossible to miss the Parliament Palace in Bucharest. It’s the heaviest building in the world and the second largest!
Despite Romania’s recent communist past, 82% of the population identifies as religious, with 70% identifying as Romanian Orthodox, a more mystical-leaning branch of Christianity.
Do you like espresso? Francesco Illy, the founder of the world famous Illycaffe and the inventor of the automatic steam espresso coffee machine is from present day Timisoara, Romania.
The tallest wooden church in the world is in Maramures (and if that isn’t enough to pique your interest, it’s also coated in 8.5 kilos of gold!)
Ever watched an Olympic Games gymnastics meet? Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci won the first ever perfect 10!
Romania has one of the largest populations of Roma in the world, and some of them live in palaces built with ornate metal roofs resembling castle towers.
The Danube Delta is the best-preserved delta in Europe. The river ends in Romania before spilling into the Black Sea.
Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson named Romania’s Transfagarasan Highway the world’s most beautiful road in 2010.
Bottoms up! Romania is the fifth booziest country in the world, the ninth biggest beer producer in Europe, and the 13th largest wine producer in the world.

What is Romanian culture like?

Over the centuries, Romanian culture has been influenced by many empires and neighboring countries. The name itself comes from the Latin word Romanus, meaning citizen of the Roman Empire. Romania also belonged to the Ottoman Empire, the Soviet Union, and even the Austro-Hungarian Empire! No doubt, you’ll also notice some similarities between Romania and its Eastern European neighbors like Easter egg traditions, traditional attire, and circle dances.

When is the best time to visit Romania?

If you’re looking for mild temperatures and plenty of sunshine, mid-May to mid-September is the best time to visit! While this is peak tourism season in Romania, we didn’t find any sights to be overcrowded.

Winter is also a nice time to visit if you want to take advantage of skiing or lower prices on lodging and entrances to Romania’s sights.

What are Romania's landscapes like?

A trip to Romania isn’t complete without a trip into its nature (We were big fans.). Its wild open spaces make Romania one of Europe’s last medieval landscapes. Just check out the Carpathian Mountains! Romania houses ⅔ of the range, and here it’s covered in uninterrupted lush forests. Because of its untouched landscapes, Romania hosts 45% of Europe’s big carnivore population. Even if you’re not into mountains and forests, don’t worry. Remember the Danube Delta? The Danube River runs through Southern Romania and spills out into the Black Sea. Translation: Romania has 245 km of beaches.

What do they eat in Romania?

Remember all those empires that once occupied Romania? They definitely shine through in Romanian cuisine. Baklava from the Ottoman Empire, schnitzel from the Austrians, and musaca from the Greeks to name a few. Other stars of Romanian cuisine include pork, cabbage, and roasted vegetables.

Jot down these must-try dishes:

Ciorba Radauteana – a soul warming chicken soup
Jumari cu ceapa – fried bacon bits
Cozonac – a sweet bread filled with a sweet walnut paste, poppy seeds, or Turkish delight

Mucenici – sweet dough rolls topped with honey and walnut paste
Zacusca – a delicious vegetable dip made with eggplant
Parjoale Moldovenesti – meatballs from Moldavia

Mamaliga – Romanian polenta
Mici – grilled meat rolls
Papanasi – cottage-cheese filled donuts topped with jams
Iahnie cu ciolan – beans with smoked pork hock
Sarmale – cabbage rolls

Are vampires and Count Dracula really from Romania?

Maybe this will be a relief, or maybe this will be a disappointment: there are no vampires in Romania. Your blood is safe here.

Count Dracula is a fictional character based on the ruthless Romanian leader, Vlad the Impaler. He was the son of Vlad II Dracul and is most famous for three things: reclaiming the country from the corrupt boyars, saving Wallachia (present-day Transylvania) from Ottoman invaders, and doing so through barbaric acts (read: impaling his enemies and leaving them to die).

Bram Stroker’s novel Dracula popularized the connection and each year tourists flock to Bran’s Castle (pictured above) to see Dracula’s home. But, while we’re at it, you should know Vlad never lived here. It did, however, inspire the castle on the novel’s cover. Bran’s castle is still beautiful and you may enjoy visiting, but if you are looking for Vlad’s actual house, check out Poenari Castle. It’s 1,480 steps to get to the top.

Can you still find folk art in Romania?

If you love woven wool rugs, pottery, and wood carvings, you’ll definitely love it here. Traditional folk art is still strong in Romania. Even the traditional attire showcases their handiwork through the elaborate embroidery, intricate trimmings, and use of tiny glass beads.

During your time in Romania, we hope you also get to enjoy folk music. Many Romanian folk musicians are Roma, and the music can be mournful but still quite beautiful.

In June, Bucharest hosts a multi-day folklore festival. But on an average day, Romanian folk art traditions are strongest in the Maramures region.

What do they wear in Romania?

In the cities, expect to see a Western-style aesthetic, but many Romanians still rock their traditional garb. Especially in rural areas, you’ll see women wearing wool skirts and embroidered vests. Men will wear white blouses with cinched pants, a wool or leather belt, and a cap or hat. In the Summer, men wear straw hats to beat the heat.

Fun fact: The embroidery patterns on the vests and the straw hats change according to the region!

Hairstyles can be another traditional way to show off regional pride, but it can also be a sign of marital status. Unmarried women wear their hair in braids while married women may cover their heads with cloths called ‘naframa’.

Let’s not forget the country’s large Roma population. You may see them around dressed in bright colors. Women may have flowing skirts while men may have white shirts with colorful sashes.

Culture alert: Learn how to make straw hats at the Straw Hat Museum! It’s housed in a 100-year old peasant house.