Romania rewards travellers willing to look past the Dracula clichés. Its real draws are a remarkable variety: painted medieval monasteries, intact Saxon villages, serious mountain wilderness, a vast river delta, and a capital city that has been rebuilding its identity since 1989.
Transylvania
The most visited region, and deservedly so. Brașov is the practical base — a well-preserved medieval town ringed by the Carpathians, with good transport connections. From here you can reach Bran Castle (the "Dracula's castle" of popular imagination, though the association with Vlad Țepeș is thin), the stunning Peleș Palace in Sinaia, and the Saxon citadel of Sighișoara — arguably the finest preserved medieval town in Romania.
Sibiu stands apart: a confident, well-restored city with a handsome main square and a string of excellent museums, including the superb open-air folk museum at Dumbrava. Corvin Castle (Huniazilor) near Hunedoara is the most dramatic castle in Romania — a Gothic-Renaissance fortress that looks like it was designed by a child imagining what a proper castle should look like.
The Painted Monasteries of Bucovina
In the Moldavia region, a cluster of 15th- and 16th-century monasteries bear exterior frescoes that have survived six centuries of weather and warfare. The colours — vivid blues, greens, reds — depict biblical scenes, saints, and the Last Judgement. Voroneț (the "Sistine Chapel of the East"), Sucevița, Moldovița, and Humor are the ones most worth the effort. The area around Suceava makes a good base.
The Danube Delta
Where the Danube meets the Black Sea, a vast, labyrinthine wetland of channels, reed beds, and lakes hosts over 300 species of birds and 160 species of fish. It is the second-largest river delta in Europe and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Tulcea is the gateway — from here, ferries and private boats fan out into the delta. Staying overnight in one of the small fishing villages (Sulina, Sfântu Gheorghe) is far better than a day trip. Bring mosquito repellent.
Bucharest
Bucharest is chaotic, contradictory, and more interesting than its reputation suggests. Ceaușescu's megalomaniac Palace of the Parliament dominates one end of a brutally cleared boulevard, while a few streets away art nouveau villas crumble alongside 1930s modernist apartment buildings. The city's cafe and restaurant scene has transformed since the 2010s; the Floreasca, Dorobanți, and old city centre neighbourhoods are worth half a day each.
The Black Sea Coast
Constanța is Romania's ancient port city, with a 2,500-year history and a decent archaeological museum. Mamaia is the main resort strip — busy, brash, and fun in July and August. At the southern end of the coast, Vama Veche has a counter-culture tradition and a more relaxed, bohemian character than the manicured resorts further north.
The Carpathian Mountains
The mountains running through the centre of Romania offer serious hiking, ski resorts, bear-watching (Romania has Europe's largest brown bear population), and a string of highland villages that feel genuinely remote. Poiana Brașov and Predeal are the main ski resorts, both close to Brașov.