Roaming Romania - Visiting the home of Dracula

Welcome to Euro Odysseys, your guide to budget-friendly European adventures! Join me as I share stories and top recommendations for exploring some of the continent's most exciting cities.

This past January, I had an unforgettable experience in Romania, where snow blanketed the streets and icicles hung from the rooftops like nature’s ornaments. Staying in a cosy Airbnb in Bucharest’s Old Town, my days were filled with history and adventure, whilst my nights buzzed with the city’s energetic nightlife.

 Control Club quickly became a favorite. This iconic underground venue mixes live music with a buzzing bar scene, drawing a young, diverse crowd always up for a good time. This really made me appreciate the vibrant, energetic culture of Bucharest, as clearly it is more than meets the eye.

Many of my favorite discoveries in Bucharest happened by chance - like taking a wrong turn down an alley adorned with rainbow umbrellas, wandering into an unexpectedly elegant passageway, or stumbling upon a closed orchestra rehearsal.

I would definitely recommend Pizza Colosseum, a fantastic pizza spot tucked away off Calea Victoriei, where you can soak in the vibrant atmosphere created by the colourful umbrella-covered rooftop. They impressed me not just with their food, but also with how accommodating they were about my nut allergy—something I rarely find when traveling.

During the day, we dove into Romania’s history. The Palace of Parliament - the second-largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon - was simply jaw-dropping. Its construction used so much marble and crystal that it could practically be its own wonder of the world.

We took a 15 euro bus tour into the Carpathian Mountains, where we explored Peles Castle a neo-Renaissance masterpiece. We also delved into Romania’s spooky legends at Bran Castle, often linked to Dracula’s lore.

Along the way, we wandered through Brasov, a beautiful medieval town, its cobbled streets made even more enchanting by the falling snow.

I had to save the best for last: Therme Bucharest, one of Romania's hidden gems. Imagine clusters of pools with in-water bars, extraordinary saunas (including one that shows movies), and all for around 15 euros - anywhere else, this would easily cost double!

I hope you enjoyed reading and that this blog has persuaded you to visit what is now one of my favourite countries!