Great Reasons to Take Your Family to Romania

5 reasons why Romania is a great choice for family vacations

Traveling with kids is without a doubt more demanding than traveling with your partner or with a group of friends. You need to find fun activities that are entertaining for kids whilst at the same time trying to accomplish the purpose of your visit, be it relaxing or discovering the culture of a place. Their presence affects the type of accommodation you choose, your means of transportation and even your itinerary. You want something that is easy to get to, not very expensive and that has something for everyone.

Romania is quite a hidden gem in Eastern Europe and though the number of tourists has been increasing in recent years, families with kids are still a little bit reluctant to spend their vacations in this yet mysterious destination.

Here we’ll give you 5 reasons why Romania is a great choice for family vacations and hope they will make you wish to discover the beautiful country!

It is easily accessible

To reach Romania you don’t have to change 3 planes, 2 boats and travel half a day by car. Bucharest, Romania’s capital, is connected with all major cities in the world. There are flights daily, sometimes even more than one, and all major airlines are well-represented: KLM, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, amongst others. There are either direct flights or flights that include a stopover in other European capitals or Asian cities.

Traveling across the country is equally easy. It is recommended to rent a car, as the process of renting is simple and safe, but public transportation between major attractions is also quite well organized.

There are many family-friendly attractions

There are various attractions and landmarks the whole family will enjoy. Some museums have displays with animated stories that kids can easily follow and understand. Natural attractions have light and easy trails, or are connected by a cable car. Before deciding what to visit, it is always best to search for information on the official websites.

To make your work easier, here are the best attractions in Romania that all family members will enjoy:

Turda Salt Mine and underground amusement park: Situated in the heart of Transylvania, close to Cluj-Napoca, this can only be described as an out-of-this-world place. Adults will marvel at the interesting architectural structures and learn about the history of the salt mines. Kids, on the other hand, can ride a ferries wheel (it is the only salt mine in the world that has an amusement park inside it!), take a trip down an underground lake on a boat, have fun in a playground or play bowling and tennis.

Arsenal Park: Also in Transylvania, this is THE place to be in Romania if you are an adventure and nature lover! There is an extensive range of activities you can take part in, from Paint Ball, to Treasure Hunts to Escape Rooms and paragliding opportunities. The best of all is that there are special Family Bootcamps, which combine kids’ interests with those of the parents.

Corvin Castle – It is Transylvania’s most important Gothic architectural monument. To reach the castle you need to cross a long stone bridge and, with every step you take, you feel as if you have travelled back to medieval times. Adults and kids alike are fascinated by the imposing towers, grand bastions and the vast inner courtyard. The fairy-tale like atmosphere is completed by the spellbinding legends and stories that fill the corridors of the castle.

Praid Salt Mine: Not far from Turda you can find another lovely salt mine. A playground, a 3D cinema, an acrobatic adventure park are all things you can enjoy here. Not far away there is the Sovata health center, a thermal spa with supervised swimming areas, aquatic activities, and mud baths, that all make for a winning family holiday recipe.

Danube Delta: A true paradise for all nature lovers, the Danube Delta is fascinating to discover, having over 320 species of birds during the summer months. Even if kids are too young to appreciate nature in its purest form, they will still eagerly want to explore the unknown. Add to this the remote beaches and the delicious food cooked from local ingredients and you’ll get one of the most relaxing holidays ever.

Romania is full of entertaining activities for kids

Horse-back riding through the countryside, traveling in a horse-cart, spending a full day at a farm, riding a dog-drawn sleigh in winter, exploring bat-caves, there are various activities that kids will definitely enjoy.

They can also go to a sheepfold and see how shepherds live, how they milk the sheep and how they make cheese. At the bear observatory they can observe bears in the wild as they come to eat their food or follow the footprints of the wild animals in the winter snow. They can take part in various workshops such as pottery, where they can get their hands dirty, trying to make their own bowl or vase.

Riding an old narrow-gauge steam train or staying in an ice hotel during the cold months of winter are other activities that will surely keep boredom at bay.

Romania is educational

Whether your kids are passionate about history and love to hear stories about courageous rulers fighting off invaders or are more into creative arts that put their imagination to use, Romania has an endless stream of information for them to absorb. During a visit to the Danube Delta or in a natural reservation they can learn about the natural habitats of animals. During a stay in a village they can take part in a local’s daily routine and feed the animals, water the plants or collect vegetables. They can also learn about traditional crafts, such as painting eggs, pottery or brick making. (Don’t worry; these activities are also educational for adults).

Not only that, but seeing a way of life probably much simpler than theirs will be educational and useful in so many ways. Although modern amenities started being part of people’s lives even in the Romanian countryside, there are still remote areas where kids spend their days playing in the dirt, running on the streets, walking in the nature, truly living their childhood. Visiting such a place will be an interesting experience that will make them appreciate more the things that they have, seeing that not everyone has access to them.

Last but no least – Romania is cheap

When you are traveling with your family, the costs are bound to increase. So being able to enjoy a trip at a lower price is not something to disregard, is it?

Romania is one of the best bargains you can get: renting a car that fits the whole family is a relatively inexpensive way to travel the country, as is public transportation, although a little bit more inconvenient. There’s also plenty of affordable accommodation. You can stay at a luxury hotel for half the price you would pay in another European city and, as an even cheaper alternative, there are many Airbnb apartments to rent and family guesthouses to stay at in the countryside.

Food and entrance tickets to tourist sights are also affordable. You can eat a set lunch (including two main dishes, dessert and drink) for as low as 5$.

To sum up, according to Lonely Planet (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/romania/essential-information ), you are likely to spend around 32$ per day if you are to travel on a budget, 60$ per day for midrange and 90$ per day for a luxury trip.

***************************************
About The Author:  Daria Mot is a travel writer and travel consultant for True Romania Tours (http://true-romania.tours/ ), a tour operator offering thematic tours of Romania, focused on culture, photography, nature and rural life. All tours are tailor-made for small groups and families and promote a sustainable type of tourism.
***************************************