December in Romania?

December 6, 2007 4:14 PM

What should a couple of early-twenties, American girls do and see, if they were to find themselves in Romania somewhere around December 15 - 22?

Last year, my little sister was on a trip with me in Italy that I had engaged the hive-mind for(very successfully), so she's asked (very nicely) for any recommendations on what to do/see/eat in Romania. She's flying into Bucharest probably on the December 15th and will be there for 5 - 7 days before heading to Poland. In between that she's very open-- anything from organized tour groups to free-form adventure, anywhere in Romania.

Bonus question: Does anybody have any experience with Adventure Transylvania?

posted by cosmonaught to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

It can be pretty cold in Romania that time of the year. But that wouldn't stop me from going to the amazing region of Maramures, which would be amazingly cheap and hospitable that time of the year. I'd probably rent a car, drive through Transylvania and continue on to Maramures that way.
Amazing food, amazing people, amazing music, loads to see and do. I wouldn't do the tour group thing, and if you're wondering about safety, I wouldn't worry. I traveled all through the region, often alone or with another girl and never had a worry. Just use common sense.

Please let us know what you choose to do; I'd be happy to give you more specifics once you narrow it down.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 5:41 PM on December 6, 2007

Brasov/Sinaia perhaps?
posted by aramaic at 7:04 PM on December 6, 2007

How are her language skills? I lived in Romania ten years ago, Transylvania actualy, and while I'm sure this has changed somewhat, it was a little tough to get around outside of Bucharest without knowing a little Romanian [which isn't a tough language] or some French or German. I lived in Cluj-Napoca which is about eight hours north of Bucharest by train and there is a sort of neat overnight train that goes there. You get on at night, go to bed and wake up in Cluj. The city itself is very easy to get around, decent public transportation and cabs, or was when I was there, and has a neat mix of old and new stuff to check out including Romania's oldest pharmacy.

When I was there, there weren't a lot of touristy destinations and that may have changed somewhat. Generally speaking the Muzeul Municipiului Bucuresti (folk museum or museum of the people) in Bucarest is worth going to for some history of the place and seeing the ways Romania evolved through all sorts of odd governments. I was particualrly taken with Timisoara which was the birthplace of the revolution and also a lovely place to look around. Brasov and Sinaia have amazing architecture and are worth seeing as well.

Really if she's open to anything I'd get a decent train schedule and go exploring. It's fairly safe to travel as a female alone though I wouldn't wander around city areas at night if I didn't know the place, but same as anywhere really. Youcan take a bunch of little day trips from Bucarest and see different parts of the country. If for some reason she stops by the Freedom Forum Library in Buc. tell them Jessamyn said hi. I helped set that place up way back when.
posted by jessamyn at 7:55 PM on December 6, 2007

I hear sex tourism is pretty popular in Romania, and women are starting to patronize that market more and more.

Seriously, though, the Dacian fortresses of the Oraste mountains are something I have always wanted to see. Here's a list of World Heritage Sites in Romania courtesy the Wikipedia.
posted by Sukiari at 8:19 PM on December 6, 2007

To Jessamyn and the original poster: I've got some Romanian skills now, but they are probably a lot less necessary than they would have been ten years ago. I wasn't there then, but I had no problem getting around before I had any Romanian - just two years ago. Most folks under 30 speak at least basic English, most older people spoke some French (if you've got that.) German, Italian and Spanish will also help; there have been millions (literally) of Romanians working in the relevant countries for several years - many of the younger guys in Transylvania and Maramures are almost always gone, working outside the country, and I was shocked many times by otherwise rural Romanians who spoke wonderful Spanish or something else unexpected.

That old pharmacy is still there, and Cluj has clearly put a lot of money into fixing a lot of things up (judging from the newness of it all.) The ethnographic museum on Memorandumului is the most fascinating and well-organized museum I've seen in ages. The outdoor museum on the edge of Cluj would be great to see in winter (it was 42 degress centigrade when I was there - a bit too hot.) The Turda Gorge is cool and close. Sibiu and Sighisoara are wonderful nearby cities. From what I understand, there are loads more good restaurants and transportation is much better than it used to be. I was just there three months ago, but I understand that since I've left there's been lots of change - the big outdoor market in Cluj has been moved into a new indoor facility, for instance. The university has *doubled* in size from just a dozen years ago; it's now Romania's largest, with all the student activities and outlets that would entail.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 8:53 PM on December 6, 2007

http://www.romaniaandmoldova.com/ -- written by Leif Pettersen, author of LP's Romania guidebook.
posted by nitsuj at 9:24 PM on December 6, 2007

I have both the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide books on Romania; of these, the Rough Guide is far superior to the Lonely Planet. I can't say why; it's just got more to do with the vibe they each cast off. The Rough Guide gave me a much better "sense" of Romania before I went. (And there'll be a new edition of it in April!)

The site above is interesting, and may be very accurate for Moldova, Wallachia and other parts of Romania. But much of its warnings and recommendations are pretty off-center when applied to Transylvania or Maramures (two of the better regions of Romania to visit.) I met loads of Roma in cities like Sibiu and Cluj. Befriended several of them (and several befriended me.) Aside from one psycho guy with an infant in his arms, who was extraordinary pushy, I never had an issue. I never felt unsafe in the cities, never got scammed and I found people to be relentless honest and friendly. I've just read Bruce Benderson's memoirs of a relationship with a Romanian hustler; I found it captured some aspects of Romanians quite well, but it felt out-of-date in many ways (it was mostly written about events in 1999.) A lot has changed, and quickly. The details of Leif Pettersen's website seem outdated. And I'm a little put-off by things such as recommendations for accomodations in the $80-$150 range (as if that's the only way), when you can stay quite easily and comfortably in an "expensive" place like Cluj for about $25 a night.

I guess what I'm saying is, don't take anything on that site as the gospel. It makes Romania look a lot sketchier, more expensive and hassling than I found it (or the regions of it with which I'm familiar), and I'd hate for somebody to be discouraged from visiting this compelling land.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 11:15 PM on December 6, 2007