Romania Tips

Though Romania’s younger generation is embracing English, learning a few Romanian phrases will earn you friends and grease social interactions. Start with these: Buna (BOO-na) = hello; Multumesc (moolt-soo-MESK) = thank you; La revedere (lah reh-veh-DEH-reh) = goodbye; and Vorbiti engleza (vor-BEETZ eng-LEH-zuh) = “Do you speak English?”

Bucharest is an easy city to navigate. Individual neighborhoods are walkable and an all-day subway pass costs just over a dollar (trains run between 5:30am and 11:30pm). The subways are generally safe, but keep an eye out for pickpockets. www.metrorex.ro (Romanian only)

When taking cabs, first make sure the car has a meter and then double-check on the fare before entering (rates per kilometer vary depending on the type of car). Be prepared for the 50-cent tax that is tacked onto every ride, and never take taxis with fares higher than 90 cents (or about 25 lei) per kilometer. Cab rides from neighborhood to neighborhood shouldn’t be more than $10.

Heading into the Romanian countryside? Avoid the temptation to take the train – it may be inexpensive, but it’s also unreliable and the cars themselves are rather Spartan. The roads are easy enough to navigate, making a rental car the best option to get around the country. EuroCars in Bucharest rents mid-size cars for about $50 per day, compacts for $40, and SUVs from around $130. Gas runs a little over $4 per gallon. 011-40-74-482-3488; www.eurocars.ro

Restaurants in rural Romania serve traditional cuisine almost exclusively, which means that it is nearly impossible to get away from menus based on pork, beef, and chicken.

Romanians are friendly, and if you happen to be invited to someone’s home for dinner, be aware that a small gift is usually expected. As in most countries, flowers are a great idea, but be sure to bring a bouquet with an odd number of blossoms as even-numbered bouquets are reserved for funerals.

Although Romania joined the European Union in 2007, it has retained the use of its traditional currency, the leu (plural: lei).