On the territory of modern Romania, people lived already 42 thousand years ago. In the 16th century, the Slavs began to settle on the territory of modern Romania.
According to Inside Watch, Romania has achieved and continues to achieve the greatest success in sports in gymnastics, rowing and athletics.
In the past, Romania was divided into three political formations – Moldova (a country between the Carpathians and the Dniester), Wallachia in the south and Transylvania in the west. The unification of the first two took place in 1859 (under the name of Romania), all three parts united in 1918. Romanians also populate Moldova (where 69.5% of Moldovans live).
Even before the new era, the territory of modern Romania was inhabited by the Thracian intertribal associations – the Dacians and Getae, who were conquered by the Romans in 106 and created the province of Dacia, which they owned until 271, and at that time there was a partial Romanization of the country. At the same time, ancient Greek colonies were founded on the Black Sea coast: Callatis, Thomas, Istria and Achilleia at the mouth of the Danube.
The population is 22.7 million people. The vast majority of the population – Romanians – 90%, the rest – Hungarians, Germans, Gypsies, Turks, Serbs, Bulgarians, Ukrainians, Russians (Old Believers). Around 3 million Romanians live outside the country around the world.
International credit cards are NOT ACCEPTED for payment in hotels, restaurants and shopping centers – they can only be cashed out, but the rate is usually somewhat less favorable than when exchanging cash. Restaurants do not usually accept foreign currency and traveler’s checks. ATMs accept mainly VISA and MasterCard cards.
Most believers are Orthodox Christians. There are also other confessions – the most common of the minority – Catholics; there are also Muslim and Jewish communities.
The bus service between the cities is very well developed – the bus fleet is modern and comfortable. In big cities in buses, trolleybuses and trams, tickets are purchased from the conductor. The preferred form of transport in the city is a taxi. The fare depends on the type of taxi, brand of car, time of day, service areas, etc. To rent a car, you must have an international driving license, a credit card or sufficient cash. The offices of the largest car rental companies (Hertz, Avis, National, etc.) are located in airports and major cities. The cost of car rental – from 40 dollars per day.
Most of the restaurants offer a wide selection of dishes, both international and national Romanian. The most famous dishes are hominy (porridge made from crushed corn – an analogue of thick semolina – served as a side dish or dessert), chorba (rich clear soup made from lamb, beef, pork, fish, chicken), various homemade sausages and other meat dishes. The cost of lunch in a restaurant with wine or beer is about $ 15-20. A large number of fast food eateries at low prices. Lunch with beer costs about $8-10.
The most famous Romanian wines are dry reds: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Feteasca white dry – Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat. Romanian beer of the most popular Ursus brand. The prices for Romanian-made wines are very low (on average $3-5 per bottle of good wine), which is why wine is the most common souvenir.
In Romania, the production of shoes and clothing is well developed. In large cities, there are many hypermarkets and malls where you can have shopping opportunities – the quality of goods is European, prices are much cheaper. Of the souvenirs, wine, homespun clothes, clothes made of sheep wool and sheepskin, wood crafts, souvenirs depicting Dracula and Romanian castles are especially popular.
The tap water is drinkable, but bottled natural mineral water is inexpensive and available at any resort. It is recommended to take with you the medicines and medications you need, activated charcoal and/or Imodium-type preparations, as the stomach can be upset from climate change and unusual food. We recommend taking sun umbrellas on the beach, offered for an additional fee, and be sure to use sunscreen with protection factors of 15-30. Most large hotels have doctors, medical insurance is required to receive services.
It is recommended not to wear expensive jewelry, not to accept invitations from unfamiliar people and not to leave money, photo and video equipment in the hotel room. Leaving for the beach/mountain, leave valuables (watches, money, jewelry and documents) in the hotel safe. If you wish, you can take a camera or video camera to the beach, but with full confidence that they will be supervised during your swim. During a beach / ski holiday, it is advisable to leave your passport in the hotel safe. A passport is also needed when flying on board national or international aircraft. Do not lose your arrival card, which is issued at customs upon arrival, as it must be presented upon departure from the country.
Current frequency 50/60 Hz. Mains voltage – 220 V. Sockets – European.
Light cotton clothing is most acceptable for staying at summer resorts. Beach outfits are quite democratic. Evening dresses are quite simple, democratic. When relaxing in the mountains, appropriate warm sports clothing and footwear is required.
Government offices are open from 9:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday; Shops – from 9:00 to 18:30 (large – until 22:00 on weekdays) and from 9:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays; Banks are open from 10:00 to 16:00 on weekdays.
As a rule, in restaurants and bars, the amount of tip is 10% of the bill (if it does not include service charges), in cheap eateries – 1-2 lei, for a porter at a hotel or airport – 2-5 lei, for a taxi driver – the bill is rounded off at big side.
When importing into Romania an amount of more than the equivalent of 5,000 US dollars, you must fill out a declaration and go through the red channel.
