Romania for Digital Nomads

Romania is the land of fairy tale castles, unspoiled nature, and legends. It was the first country I did a full month as a digital nomad, and it exceeded all my expectations. I still can’t believe how underrated it is, and how many tourists still skip it on their European itineraries. You have some of the most colorful villages and beautiful castles, with a fraction of the crowds. On top of that, lightening fast wifi and lots of cute cafes to work from. Here’s a guide to Romania for digital nomads.

Introduction

Romania is a country that straddles the border of what is considered central and eastern Europe. If you ask a Romanian, they will profusely claim you are still in Central Europe, since there’s still a negative stigma around the word “Eastern” in Europe due to the past Soviet Union. The history here runs deep, and you’ll see remnants from different historic settlers from the Saxons to the Romans. One of the most famous historical figures of Romania is definitely Dracula, who was very much a real person (although not in the way you may think). This land has seen many invaders, wars, tragedy and violence. But today, it’s a mostly peaceful and safe place. What you’ll see in Romania now are gorgeous castles, pretty little towns, quaint countryside villages and impressive mountains. The biggest threat these days may be a buffalo that will block oncoming traffic on the rural highways.

Practical Info

Visa

Romania is part of the EU, but not yet in the Shengen zone. If you are coming to Romania from a Shengen European country, you will NOT use up any of your 90 days on your Shengen Visa. This is great news for those who are reaching the end of their 90 day stay in the Shengen, and need to go somewhere until their visa resets.

To enter Romania, you need a valid passport for at least another 3 months. Americans can stay in Romania for up to 90 days, visa free and at no cost.

To check your visa requirements for Romania, click here.

Wifi

The wifi in Romania was among the fastest I’ve experienced in Europe, although their ranking has slipped a bit since then. According to Speed Test in June 2020, mobile wifi speeds average 57 mbps download, while fixed broadband averages 213 mpbs.

This speed was consistent basically throughout the country, even in the countryside (except in the Fagaras Mountain). If your accommodation has wifi, you can basically expect it to be reliable and lightening fast.

SIM Card

I was able to get by without mobile data in Romania, simply because there was usually public wifi, even in small towns. But if you prefer to be connected even when hiking or in the countryside, you can grab a prepaid SIM card at any newsstand in the cities or in a specific provider shop. The best network provider in Romania is Orange. If you prefer to buy a prepaid SIM card in the store directly, they will charge a small fee (about 5 euros) for the SIM card on top of loading it (6 euros for 4 GB of data and calling time).

Weather

Romania, like most of Europe, has 4 distinct seasons. When you visit will affect your experience in some way, but honestly, each season offers something positive.

Spring

The beginning of spring is usually still cold, but by mid-April the temperature starts to increase comfortably. The average day time temperatures in spring are about 61 F, but usually much colder in early spring (in the 50s) and with moderate to frequent rain.

Late spring is a great time to visit for fair weather, ideal for spending time in nature and in cities without the sweltering summer heat yet.

Summer

Summers in Romania never get too hot, with day time temperatures averaging around 86 F. This is great weather for hiking in the high mountains when all the snow has melted. In the cities, it can feel humid and a bit stifling. However, summer is a lively time, and there are lots of social activities, and you’ll see more people out and about.

Autumn

Autumn starts off almost as warm as summer, and remains a very pleasant temperature of around 63 – 75 F in the day time until mid-November. Autumn is probably the best time of year to visit in my opinion, since the weather is the least rainy, making it perfect for outdoor activities and hiking trips. By the end of autumn, the temperature drops off quickly, and it’s common to have snow before the end of November.

Winter

Winters in Romania are very cold, with day time temperatures going as low as 23F (-5C). Snow is guaranteed on the mountains, making highlight attractions like the Fagaras Mountains inaccessible for hiking. But winter is also an incredibly charming time of year, especially leading up to Christmas. Romania is a very religious country, and they take Christmas festivities to glorious heights. Christmas markets pop up as early as mid-November, and you can feel the holiday spirit wherever you go.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Romania is simply amazing for what you get. I lived in the city center of a historic UNESCO site, ate out everyday, and traveled 3 days out of the week. In the end, I paid $1200 USD for a month in Romania as a digital nomad. I lived very comfortably, and had I been budget-oriented, I could have gotten by on even less.

Accommodation

An entire apartment in Sibiu can cost as little as $400 USD a month. In Bucharest, the prices are similar, with entire apartments on Airbnb available for $400 – $600 USD for a month. If you really want to save money, you can even opt to rent a room in a shared flat for as little as $300 USD.

Food

Food in Romania is very affordable. A trip to the supermarket for the week can cost less than $40 USD easily. A meal out in a trendy cafe can be as little $4 USD for a full breakfast and coffee. Even drinking in Romania is cheap, and beers usually cost a dollar, and a bottle of wine at the shop can be $2 – $6 USD. I ate out at least once a day in Romania, went drinking with friends a few times a week, and bought groceries. I spent about $350 USD for my month-long stay.

Transport

Transportation in Romania is also quite affordable. There are highway coach buses running between most major cities and smaller towns making it somewhat easy to get around. Spoiler: these aren’t so reliable and once my bus just did not show up and I was stranded. However, for $5 – $12 USD, they are still a good option even if you have to rebook a bus or two sometimes. You can also opt to take the train from city to city. A 3 or 4 hour train ride can cost $6 – $10 USD one way. I took weekly roundtrip trips out of my base, Sibiu, by mostly train and bus and paid around $150 USD on transport. If you will base yourself in a bigger city like Bucharest, and plan to take Uber around, expect to pay more.

Activities

The only type of activities you may spend on is to enter some castles and museums. Otherwise the best of Romania is free! Such as hiking, exploring cute villages and towns, going into the mountains, etc. Entry fees to museums and castles vary, but it will usually be less than $5 USD except for the popular ones. Peles Castle costs about 30 Romanian lei to enter ($8 USD) and Bran Castle is 40 lei ($10 USD). I visited basically every single castle I could get to, and did go on a ghost tour of Hoia Baciu, and paid about $150 USD on activities.

Where to Stay

Bucharest

Bucharest is the capital city, and by far the biggest city in Romania. If city life is your thing, look no further. Here, you’ll have everything you crave from city life: hip cafes, trendy bars, thriving nightlife, and museums. It’s by no means the most beautiful city you’ll ever see, but Bucharest will surprise you in it’s charm. There’s a lot to do here and a lot of well-spoken English speakers to meet.

Sibiu

Sibiu is where I chose to stay, because I knew I wanted to travel extensively around Transylvania. It seems to lie directly in the middle, so if this is your plan you’ll be happy with the location of Sibiu as your base. Sibiu is a popular tourist spot in Romania because of it’s beautifully renovated old town that looks too perfect to be real. I loved the “small town” feel of the city center, while still having some conveniences of a small city (like the giant shopping center on the edge of town). Plus the beautiful villages and little Saxon castles nearby to explore on days off, made it ideal for biking trips.

Cluj-Napoca

Cluj-Napoca can be thought of as the second city of Romania. It’s a student city, so there are a lot of younger folks here and it always feels lively in the city. It’s a cleaner and quieter city than Bucharest, but still with a lot to enjoy, including many decent cafe and bars to explore. If you want a city break, but without the hectic aspects, Cluj-Napoca is awesome.

Things to Do in Romania

Visit a Winery

Romania has a thriving wine industry that little people seem to know about, probably because they don’t export as much. The climate and soil here are ideal for growing grapes, which allowed Romania to become the largest wine producer in Eastern Europe. You should definitely plan on sampling the local grape during your stay in Romania. You can find vineyards all throughout Transylvania, with most concentrated in the highlands.

Eat the Food

I’ve never had Romanian food outside of Romania, and I’m sure that’s the case for most people. Luckily for us unknowing visitors, the food here is amazing. The cuisine pulls influence from German, Turkish and Hungarian flavors. But for the most part, this cuisine is a flavor of it’s own.

Most Romanian dishes are a comfort food: hearty, filling and flavorful. Try the national dish, sarmale, which is cabbage rolls stuffed with meat. Other must eats are the eggplant salad, stuffed bell peppers, tripe soup and the most important Romanian dessert, papanasi.

Ghost Hunting

If you are a lover of all things creepy, Romania may be one of the best destinations for you. Take yourself on a self guided ghost tour around the country and uncover some truly creepy details about Romania’s past. A must visit for paranormal enthusiasts is Corvin Castle, the most haunted castle in Romania, as featured on Ghost Adventures. Another paranormal hotspot is the Hoia Baciu Forest, the location of ufo sightings in the 60s, numerous mysterious disappearances of people who wandered in, and of course ghosts.

Go Hiking

Besides beautiful fairy tale castles and colorful historic towns, the main highlight of Romania is the untouched natural beauty. The most impressive natural feature in Romania is by far it’s mountains. No matter where you stay in Romania, you won’t be far from some hiking trails and mountains.

Places to Visit

Sibiu

Even if you don’t choose Sibiu as your digital nomad base, it’s a must visit so plan to stop by here for at least a day or two. Sibiu has one of the most beautifully preserved old towns in Romania, and one step into the town square feels like you’ve landed in a Disney movie. It’s colorful and adorned with beautiful architecture.

Here you’ll find a wonderful art museum, trendy cafes and traditional restaurants. Beyond Sibiu, the surrounding areas are great for cycling trips. Characterized by rolling hills, littered with charming villages and historic towns, the nearby areas are a great way to experience authentic old world Romania.

Corvin Castle

This castle was put on the map by the show Ghost Adventures, when they did their Transylvania Halloween special. It is said to be extremely haunted, and has the creepy past to back up this claim. But it’s also a beautiful castle, and quite different in appearance than the others in Romania which usually look more Saxonic.

The castle is a bit out of the way, so it’s best to come by car. I went by bus and it wasn’t too bad.

Brasov

Brasov is the biggest city in Transylvania after Cluj Napoca, and honestly would make a great digital nomad base too. It has several points of interest within the city itself, including the standout of the skyline, The Black Church. You can see this church from all around the city, including from Mount Tampa, the mountain towering above Brasov. While here you can hike up Mount Tampa to the famed Brasov sign.

Also be sure to check out the beautiful Town Hall Square, Rope Street, one of the most narrow streets in Europe, and go inside the Black Church itself. While wandering around Brasov, you’ll find many historic towers to explore on foot. Check out Graft Bastion, White Tower and Black Tower among many others.

Sighisoara

Easily one of the most visited villages in Transylvania, is Sighisoara. It’s famed as the hometown of the real Dracula, also known as Vlad Tepes. But today, it appears anything but creepy. Instead you have the most dreamy village set atop a hill. It’s skyline is dominated by colorfully tiled clock towers and turrets.

It’s a beautiful place to wander around and admire the colorful historic buildings. For photographers, this is easily one of the most photogenic corners in Romania. It can get crowded during the day, namely from the tourbus crowd. But again, this is Romania so the crowds never reach Western Europe levels. Stay overnight to really soak in the magical ambience of this quaint village.

Peles Castle, and Sinaia Valley

One of the most famous castles in Romania is Peles Castle. It’s beautiful in it’s own right for sure, and worth the trip alone. But the entire Sinaia Valley is a wonderful area to spend a full day exploring. I’d advise coming early in the morning to check out Peles Castle first before the tourbus crowd arrives. If you want to tour the interiors, you’ll need to go on a guided tour, which costs 40 lei.

After Peles Castle, go for a walk around the area, and discover the wonderful natural beauty of the area. Along the way, you’ll encounter other points of interest such as Pelisor Castle, the Sinaia Monastery, Dimitrie Ghica Park, the Sinaia Casino and Stirbey Castle.

Bran Castle

No trip to Romania is complete without visiting Bran Castle.. or is it? Personally, I’ve visited this castle once and wasn’t entirely impressed. While it is a beautiful castle, it’s not nearly as impressive as others in Romania, but by far the most crowded.

It’s claim to fame is being the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s book, Dracula. Besides that, it has almost no connection to the real Dracula, Vlad Tepes. But it’s a popular stop on the tourist trail in Romania, so I’ll leave it up to you to decide if it’s worth it.

Fagaras Mountains

Romania has a number of mountainous areas to explore, but the best one is probably the Fagaras mountain range. This area is where you’ll find the famous Transfargarasan Road, one of the most windy and spectacular roads in Europe. Unfortunately, outside of summer and early autumn, the road is completely under snow.

But if you can come in summer, this area is a dreamland for outdoor enthusiasts. The Fagaras Mountains are a popular day hiking and multi-day trekking spot. One place not to miss is Balea Lake, a beautiful mountain lake located at high altitudes. A visit in late autumn will have it already frozen over, also a beautiful sight.

Romania for Digital Nomads

Romania is one of my favorite digital nomad destinations in Europe, because it ticks all the boxes of things I personally like: hiking spots, beautiful castles, cute towns, and ghosts stories. But objectively speaking, I know that Romania may not be for everyone. Here are the pros and cons of Romania for digital nomads.

The Positives

The Cost

The cost of living is very affordable. If you are coming from using the dollar, euro or pound, your money will go a long way here. I was able to eat out everyday, go drinking with friends and do some shopping and still save a ton of money during my month in Romania.

English Widely Spoken

If you are staying in a city, and want to communicate with anyone under the age of 35, chances are they speak English. It is very easy to meet and connect with people since there is almost no language barrier.

The Wifi

The wifi is very fast and reliable. Even in the smaller towns, you’ll have no problems connecting and getting work done while in Romania.

Beautiful Castles and Towns

Visiting Romania is the most authentic place to feel transported back in time. The castles are so well preserved and still at the height of their beauty. The historic towns are painted colorfully, and you’ll even see horses and carts still being used in Romania! If you’ve ever wanted to time travel, Romania gets you pretty close.

Offbeat Travel Destination

Another reason to love Romania is because although I listed all these amazing things about it, people still hardly visit. You’ll really feel like you are discovering an unknown place while here. Only at some of the most famous castles will you encounter other tourists.

The Food

I have a hard time deciding if Romanian food is unhealthy or not. On one hand, it’s full of veggies and fresh ingredients. But it’s very filling, and you’ll have a hard controlling yourself around papanasi and the mici sausages, so weight gain is likely. No doubt, the food here is surprisingly very memorable. Plus you can’t really get it anywhere else so enjoy it here.

The Negatives

Scams

I encountered people who tried to scam me in almost every city I visited. I say tried, because luckily, no one was very aggressive or insistent. What usually happened was a taxi driver tried to rip me off, I gave them a very assertive NO, and they immediately gave up. Still, this is an extra annoyance that does tend to ruin your mood.

Infrastructure

Getting around Romania was not the easiest. The buses are definitely unreliable and never on time. The trains are old, creaky, and also rarely punctual. Taxi drivers try to rip off foreigners, so your only option is uber which isn’t available everywhere. You can bypass these hassles by renting your own car, but the roads are also not always the best, with potholes and sometimes random buffalos or cattle blocking the road (true story).

Safety in Romania for Digital Nomads

Romania is an overall very safe destination. In 2020, it ranked at number 25 in the Global Peace Index. For reference, the US is ranked at number 121. Violent crimes are rare, but petty crime does happen, especially to tourists. To avoid becoming a target, try to stand out less. Keep valuables hidden and try to dress appropriately for your surroundings.

Moreover, the petty crime and theft that does happen mostly happens in certain areas. These are: train stations, on the train, in larger cities and/or late at night. Be extra vigilant in these situations to avoid being mugged. Scams are also an issue, so just be a little wary of that. Taxi drivers are a big offender for scamming tourists into overpaying, so opt to take uber instead when possible.

Roma “Gypsy” People

Also, it’s worth noting that Romanian people are not the same as Roma people. The Roma are the gypsy people known to live all over Europe. They are not from Romania, but migrated here a long time ago. In some cases, they are notorious for begging on the streets and scamming people in big cities across Europe, such as Paris.

Many people in Europe mistakenly identify the Roma people as being Romanian, therefore there is some negative stigma around Romania in general. But this is incorrect, besides the fact that there is a large population of Roma folks living in Romania. And while in my experience they don’t seem to cause any problems, locals have advised me otherwise.

Some locals claim that certain villages or areas dominated by Roma people can be dangerous, just because they have their own social conduct system. I have no comment on if this is true, but since it was advised by a local, maybe it’s best to be cautious and stay out of these areas.

Solo Female Digital Nomad in Romania

As a solo female traveler, I felt no imminent threat while in Romania. In fact, I probably got too comfortable, and started walking home late at night alone and even through dark alleys and parks. While I’d advise against that, overall I do feel like Romania is very safe for women.

At night, I’d often see families out and about even when it was late. There are always people around, and no one ever bothered or harassed me. I’d even go as far as saying Romania is one of the safest destinations in Europe for solo female travelers.

Final Word

Romania was my gateway into the digital nomad lifestyle, and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to begin this amazing journey. The wifi was awesome, people were friendly, and I saw so much beauty in the form of historic towns and castles, and unspoiled nature. If you aren’t afraid to go somewhere offbeat with an open mind, Romania is an extremely rewarding place to visit.

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