Practical details
Romania sits at the crossroads of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, bordering Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to the east, with a Black Sea coastline in the southeast. The Carpathian Mountains arc through the country's center, culminating at Moldoveanu Peak (2,544 meters); the Danube forms much of the southern border and empties into the Danube Delta, one of Europe's best-preserved river deltas, before reaching the Black Sea. Its history runs from Dacian-Roman heritage through the medieval principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, Ottoman influence, unification in 1918, and the 20th-century communist era. The capital, Bucharest, is known for its wide boulevards and has been nicknamed "Little Paris"; in Transylvania, Brașov, Sibiu, and the UNESCO-listed fortified citadel of Sighișoara rank among the country's most visited sites alongside Bran Castle, while the wooden churches of Maramureș are also UNESCO-inscribed. Culinary highlights include sarmale (stuffed cabbage rolls), mici (grilled minced-meat rolls), and ciorbă (sour soup). The best time to visit is generally May through September, when weather is milder and drier; winters can be cold and snowy in the Carpathians. The official language is Romanian, the currency is the Romanian leu (RON), and the country is a European Union member. Current opening hours, prices, visa rules, and transport details are not written without sourced verification; where details are missing, this guide honestly says it does not know. (Source: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage)
