A trip to Romania is a rare opportunity to learn the basics of Romanian cooking. While there are not many cooking schools or programs to choose from yet, the list is growing every year.
AMobile Cooking Romania (http://mobile-cooking-romania.com) A travel company offering package tours to major tourist destinations, combined with themed gourmet cooking classes and dining events with international chefs and sommeliers.
ASociété Gourmet (www.societegourmet.ro) This Bucharest-based outfit offers themed cooking classes. Most of the courses feature international cuisines, but there are also regional courses, such as regular weekend truffle hunts in Transylvania. It also has kids programs.
Dare to Try
răcituri
– jelly made from pig's hooves
ciorbă de potroace
– soup made from chicken entrails
brânză în coajă de brad
– cheese wrapped in tree bark
Going Meatless
Devout Orthodox Christians observe a vegan diet on Wednesdays and Fridays and for extended periods during religious holidays. On these days, some restaurants offer a meniu de post (menu without meat or dairy). This menu may include mains like cartofi piure cu şniţele de soia (mashed potatoes with soy schnitzels), sarmale de post (vegan cabbage rolls), zacuscă de vinete cu ciuperci (eggplant and mushroom dip) or tocăniţă de legume de post (vegan vegetable stew).
Aside from that, nearly every restaurant will have a list of vegetarian salads. Salată de roşii (tomato salad) is sliced tomatoes doused in olive oil and vinegar. Also popular is salată de castraveţi (cucumber salad) or tomatoes and cucumbers combined in a salată asortată (mixed salad).
For entrées, look for murături (pickled vegetables), ciuperci umplute (stuffed mushrooms), or potato dishes, including cartofi ţărăneşti (country-style potatoes), which is often served alongside meats.
Leave Room For Dessert
Romanian cooking excels in the sweets department, so be sure to leave plenty of room for a 'second' main course. More pedestrian – but still delicious – desserts include strudels, crêpes (clătite) and ice cream (îngheţată). The local favourite, though, has to be papanaşi. This is fried dough, stuffed with sweetened curd cheese and covered with jam and heavy cream.
HOLIDAY TREATS
Romanian celebrations and rituals are intricately bound up with food.
Martyrs' Day (9 March) Little mucenici (martyrs) are baked on this day; in most of Romania they are pieces of unleavened dough in a figure eight. However, in Moldavia they’re brushed with honey and sprinkled with walnuts, and in Wallachia they’re boiled with sugar then covered with crushed walnuts and cinnamon.
Easter The high point of the Orthodox calendar. The main meal revolves around lamb; especially delicious is stufat de miel, a lamb stew made with green onions and garlic. Breads play an important side role, particularly pască, a traditional Easter sweet cake, and a sweet egg bread called cozonac.
Christmas Dinner centres on pork, starting with a soup of smoked pork, and ham or pork chops as the main course. Sarmale will also be served. Sweets include cozonac, walnut cake and even pumpkin pie. In Transylvania, you will find singeretta, sausages made with pig’s blood, liver, kidneys and fat.
Romanian Drink
The Hard Stuff
Sure, Romanians enjoy a good beer or glass of wine, but when it comes to serious drinking, the only real contender is fruit brandy – schnapps, eau-de-vie – or as the Romanians say, ţuică. Typically, ţuică is made from plums (surveys say three-quarters of the nation’s plums end up in a bottle), though apricots and pears can also be applied to this nefarious craft.
The best batches are from the backyard still, and nearly everyone has an uncle or grandpa who makes the ‘best in Romania’. You’ll often find ţuică sold in plastic bottles at roadside fruit stands, sitting there innocently next to the apples and watermelons.
A shot of ţuică before a meal is a great way to break the ice, and Romanians say it does wonders for the appetite. Unless you’re a seasoned drinker, though, hold the line at one or two shots. Home-made batches can run as high as 50% to 60% alcohol (100 to 120 proof).
Palincă (called horincă in Maramureş and jinars in the Cluj-Napoca region) is similar, only it’s filtered twice and can be even stronger.
Not all ţuică is the real deal. If you’re wondering if your drink is authentic or merely fruit-flavoured alcohol, rub a bit on your arm and give it a sniff. If you smell the fruit and not the alcohol, it’s the genuine article.
Wine & Beer
Though it definitely flies under the radar for wine production, Romania is a top-10 world winemaker by volume and produces many excellent wines.
The country’s wineries turn out both reds (negru and roşu) and whites (alb). There are five traditional winemaking regions: Târnave plateau (outside Alba Iulia; whites), Cotnari (outside Iaşi in Moldavia; whites), Murfatlar (near the Black Sea coast, whites and reds), Dealu Mare (Prahova county; reds) and Odobeşti (in southern Moldavia; whites and reds). In recent years, the area around Drăgășani, in Oltenia county northeast of Craiova, has emerged as one of the most exciting new wine regions, specialising in both red and white grapes.
For day-to-day tippling, though, Romanians are beer drinkers at heart, with quality ranging from passable to pretty good. Most breweries are owned by international brewers and it's sometimes easier to find a Tuborg or a Heineken in a pub than a Romanian label. That said, some of the better Romanian brands to look for include Ciuc, Ursus, Silva and Timişoara’s local favourite, Timişoreana. All are broadly similar pilsner-style pale lagers, but each has its passionate defenders. Ursus and Silva both produce highly regarded darks.
In Bucharest, be sure to stop at the restaurent Caru' cu Bere. Not only does it cook traditional Romanian food uncommonly well, it brews its own beer – and it’s very good.
Wines to Watch
Cotnari’s Fetească neagră (slightly sweet red)
Grasă de Cotnari (a sweet white)
Fetească Regală (sparkling wine)
Murfatlar (quality reds)
Tămâioasă Româneasacă (sweet white)
Crâmpoşie Selecţionată (dry white)
Outside of the main winemaking regions, Drăgășani in Wallachia is home to several of the country’s most promising new wineries. These include Casa Isărescui, owned by the governor of the national bank, and Crama Bauer, Avincis and Prince Știrbey. Look for these labels at good wine shops.
Directory A–Z
Accommodation
Children
Customs Regulations
Discount Cards
Electricity
Embassies & Consulates
Food & Drink
GLBTI Travellers
Health
Insurance
Internet Access
Legal Matters
Money
Opening Hours
Post
Public Holidays
Telephone
Time
Toilets
Tourist Information
Travellers with Disabilities
Visas
Volunteering
Work
Directory A–Z
PRACTICALITIES
ACatch up on current affairs with the Nine O’Clock (www.nineoclock.ro), an online daily newspaper. Foreign papers can be found at some bookshops and gift stores of upmarket hotels.
AState-run Romanian Radio is the main broadcaster, operating on AM and FM; programs are in Romanian.
ASmoking in prohibited in all public indoor spaces, including all hotels, bars, clubs and restaurants, though the rules may be spottily enforced.
ATeleviziunea Română (TVR) is the state broadcaster, with several channels and regional studios in large cities. There are a few private channels, including Pro TV and Antena 1. Programs are in Romanian, though movies are often broadcast in their original language and subtitled.
ARomania uses the metric system.
Book Your Stay Online
For more accommodation reviews by Lonely Planet authors, check out http://lonelyplanet.com/hotels/. You’ll find independent reviews, as well as recommendations on the best places to stay. Best of all, you can book online.
Accommodation
Romania has a wide choice of accommodation options to suit most budgets, including hotels, pensions, hostels and camping grounds. Book summer accommodation along the Black Sea coast well in advance. Elsewhere, advance booking is usually not necessary.
AHostels Big cities like Bucharest and Cluj have modern-style hostels with internet access and laundry service and are open to all age groups.
AHotels Hotels range from modest family-run affairs to boutiques and high-priced corporate chains – with a commensurate range of prices.
APensions (pensiunes) Small, locally owned inns that offer excellent value and are occasionally borderline luxurious.
SLEEPING PRICE RANGES
The following price ranges refer to a double room with a bathroom, including breakfast (Bucharest prices tend to be higher).
€ less than 150 lei
€€ 150–300 lei
€€€ more than 300 lei
Camping & Mountain Huts
Camping grounds (popas turistic) run the gamut from a handful of nicely maintained properties in scenic areas to grungy affairs, with wooden huts packed unattractively side-by-side like sardines. Bare mattresses are generally provided and sometimes you have to bring your own sleeping bag.
Often a better bet is camping rough. Wild camping is technically prohibited in parks and legally protected zones, but outside these areas you will rarely be disturbed, provided you exercise discretion, stay quiet and leave the area pristine when you leave. Camping can be great along the Black Sea coast, particularly in places like Sfântu Gheorghe or Vama Veche.
In most mountain areas there’s a network of cabins or chalets (cabanas) with dormitories and occasionally restaurants. Prices are lower than those of hotels (about 40 to 60 lei for a bed) and no reservations are required, but arrive early if the cabana is in a popular location.
Hostels
Hostels in Romania are not as well developed as in other European countries. Large cities, such as Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Sibiu and Braşov, do have good-quality private hostels with group kitchens, laundry facilities, wi-fi and engaged, English-speaking staff.
Outside the big cities, though, the concept of a youth hostel means something quite different. These hostels are often only open from June to August and are located in university dormitories or other institutional spaces that have been repurposed as seasonal lodgings.
Hotels
Romanian hotels are rated according to a ‘star’ system, which provides a rough approximation of what you can expect – though stars are awarded according to a property’s facilities and not on intangibles like appearance, location and value.
AThe top end (four and five stars) is usually a guarantee of Western European levels of comfort and luxury. Expect in-room refrigerators, flat-screen TVs, climate control and key-card door locks. Five-stars will usually have a pool or sauna. A double in a four- or five-star hotel will run anywhere from 300 to 500 lei (higher in Bucharest).
AThree-star hotels hit the sweet spot between comfort and price. While three-star properties may not have pools or fancy fitness rooms, expect a well-managed property, with well-proportioned, clean rooms, air-conditioning, en suite baths and wi-fi. A three-star double typically costs around 200 to 250 lei per night outside of the capital and 300 to 400 lei in Bucharest.
ATwo-star and lower properties are usually only acceptable if saving money is the main criterion. Furnishings and carpets are likely to appear frayed, beds will be uncomfortable and appear worn. A double room at a two-star property runs anywhere from 140 to 200 lei per night, depending on the location.
Pensions & Private Rooms
A pension (pensiune) is a small, privately run guesthouse where you’ll normally get a clean, comfortable room and breakfast. Occasionally you’ll have the option to take half or full board (one or both main meals). Singles and doubles typically run around 100 to 120 lei per room.
One rung down from a pension is a room (cazare) in a private home. Many families rent spare rooms in their homes as a way of supplementing income. You can spot these places by a 'cazare' sign in the window or by the homeowner holding a sign at the side of the road or at the train station.
Private rooms work best in a rural or farm setting, where the homes are decorated in traditional rural style and where the stays can include hearty meals and authentic extras like visits with shepherds, hikes or horseback rides.
USEFUL ACCOMMODATION WEBSITES
AHostelling International Romania (www.hihostels-romania.ro) Local Hostelling International site.
ALonely Planet (lonelyplanet.com/romania/hotels) Recommendations and bookings.
ATourist Info (www.turistinfo.ro) County-by-county listings of private rooms and pensions. In Romanian but easy to navigate.
ARural Tourism (www.ruralturism.ro) Scenic guesthouses and farmstays around the country.
Children
Travelling with children in Romania shouldn't create any specific problems: children often receive price breaks on local transport and for accommodation and entertainment; age limits for particular freebies or discounts vary from place to place, but are not often rigidly enforced; basic supplies for children are easily available in cities.
For general suggestions on how to make a trip with kids easier, pick up a copy of Lonely Planet's Travel with Children.
Customs Regulations
AYou’re allowed to import hard currency up to a maximum of €10,000 or the equivalent.
AGoods valued over €1000 should be declared upon arrival.
AFor foreigners, duty-free allowances for items purchased outside of the EU are 4L of wine, 2L of spirits and 200 cigarettes. For more information, go to www.customs.ro.
Discount Cards
A Hostelling International (HI) card yields a token discount in some hostels (but note that an HI card is normally not necessary for staying in most private hostels). You can become a member by joining your own country's Youth Hostel Association (YHA) or IYHF (International Youth Hostel Federation); see www.hihostels.com for details.
Holders of an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) are privy to many discounts in Romania. A full list (in Romanian) of ISIC discounts as well as many helpful hints for student travellers in Romania can be found at the local ISIC website www.isic.ro.
Electricity
Embassies & Consulates
The website Embassy Finder (http://embassy-finder.com) maintains an up-to-date list of consulates and embassies around the world. Embassies are located in Bucharest, while several countries maintain consulates in other cities around the country. New Zealand does not maintain an embassy in Romania; official affairs are handled through the country's embassy in Belgium.
Australian Consulate ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0374-060 845, 24h hotline 0061-1300-555-135; www.greece.embassy.gov.au; Str Praga 3; mCalea Victoriei)
Canadian Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %021-307 5000; www.romania.gc.ca; Str Tuberozelor 1-3; h8.30am-5pm Mon-Thu, to 2pm Fri; mAviatorilor)
French Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %021-303 1000; www.ambafrance-ro.org; Str Biserica Amzei 13-15; h9am-noon Mon-Fri, 2.30-4.30pm Wed & Fri; mPiaţa Romană)
German Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %021-202 9830; www.bukarest.diplo.de; Str Gheorghe Demetriade 6-8; h8.30am-11.30am Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri, 2pm-4pm Wed; mAviatorilor)
Irish Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %021-310 2131; www.embassyofireland.ro; Str Buzeşti 50-52; h9.30am-12.30pm & 2-5pm Mon-Fri; j24, 42, 45, 46)
Netherlands Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %021-208 6030; http://romania.nlembassy.org; B-dul Dimitrie Pompeiu 5-7; h9am-noon Mon, Tue & Thu; mPipera)
UK Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %021-201 7200; www.gov.uk; Str Jules Michelet 24; h8.30am-5pm Mon-Thu, to 4pm Fri; mPiaţa Romană)
US Embassy ( GOOGLE MAP ; %consulate 021-270 6000, embassy 021-200 3300; https://romania.usembassy.gov/; B-dul Dr Liviu Librescu 4-6; h8am-5pm Mon-Fri; g301)
Food & Drink
TIPS FOR GETTING BETTER RESTAURANT SERVICE
Waiting tables can be a back-breaker and servers who do it night-in, night-out deserve respect. Still, it needs to be said that service at some Romanian restaurants can be absolutely exasperating: slow, inept, indifferent, even rude. Here are a few pointers to improve the dining-out experience.
AGreet the staff as you enter. A nicely timed ‘bună ziua’ (literally 'good day') can go a long way towards breaking the ice. A greeting lets the staff know you’re there and gets things going on the right footing.
ADon’t linger over the menu. If a menu is posted outside, give it a quick perusal to see what you might want before entering the restaurant. The server will usually take a drinks order first. When he or she brings the beverages, this is the time to order the food.
AKeep some small bills handy. These can be a lifesaver when it comes to paying and getting out fast. You’ll need to signal the server that you want your bill, which will be brought in a folder or pouch. You’re then free to stick the money in and go. Paying with a big bill inevitably means another delay as you wait for the change.
Lonely Planet Romania & Bulgaria Page 47