Is Romania Safe to Visit? Myths VS Reality

General Safety Situation in Romania

Romania became a full European Union and Schengen member most recently. Once ruled by a ruthless communist regime, Romania has since changed drastically.

Romania is known for its castles, medieval villages, Black Sea beaches, and Carpathian mountainous landscape. But due to its difficult past, Romania was also known as a poorer country.

Romanians immigrated to greener pastures in the west. Eventually they brought back the money to Romania, where they heavily invested in their homes.

Poverty decreased, and the European Union has been allocating funds to build out infrastructure. The result in 2025 is a healthy country that is on par with the West at this point.

Throughout our visits to Romania, we always felt right at home. I'm also a person of color (POC), and as a woman, my wife never felt threatened by anybody in particular.

You won't have to watch your back, your pockets, your bags, or your drink at a bar, and nor will you ever feel threatened when traveling across Romania.

That includes visitors from the LGBTQ+ community and religious minorities.

The locals are welcoming and treat everybody equally great! Many speak either English, German, or French as a second language, making communication a breeze.

That said, you need to use your common sense as a traveler, like in any other place in this world.

Stereotypical Situation that You WON'T Encounter in Romania

Romania has a horrible, a very unjust and outdated reputation across Europe. We were told all kinds of tales in Western and Central Europe and were shocked that none were true.

Europeans know Romanians as thieves and robbers. That's because some Roma people from Romania (a group of people found across Europe and not just in Romania), had been caught thieving in Western Europe.

Romanians are not just Roma people! About 10% of the Romanian population are Roma people, and they are not all criminals either.

Roma people in countries such as France and Italy are notorious car thieves, or they break into cars. But they are not the only ones! Criminal organized crime gangs from Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania, for that matter, break into cars and homes in Western Europe.

On the other hand, pickpockets and fraudsters in tourist hotspots such as Paris, Rome, and London tend to be Roma people from Eastern Europe.

These criminal groups live in Western Europe during the peak tourist season to scam and rob tourists. They target only Western European cities.

You will not encounter these scammers and thieves on your trip to Romania.

Cars are parked on the roadside in cities and villages in Romania, and all areas are safe. Nobody breaks into cars, and you can walk around at night without ever feeling threatened.

The safety standards of Romania for visitors match up to the ones of Austria.

Compare that to France, Spain, or Italy. You can't walk in certain areas around these western countries at night, and your car and belongings are always at risk of being stolen or damaged.

We never had any issues with hotels and Airbnb hosts in Romania. Some are self-check-ins, but most still follow old-school rules with hosts warmly welcoming you.

The food is top quality. We never had any problems with food poisoning or scammy establishments.

What are some safety concerns that travelers may encounter in Romania?

Bucharest

Certain areas of the capital, Bucharest, can be a bit rough. Especially the outskirts and disadvantaged residential areas should be avoided.

That said, the old town during the day feels rather safe. But the old town is also a party area at night, which comes with sketchy titty bars. These are usually tucked away in other European capitals such as Berlin and Luxembourg City. Amsterdam, for example, has the red light zone in the old town, but the one in Bucharest feels less like a theme park, and it has a dark feel to it.

Therefore, I recommend remaining sharp during the night in Bucharest.

The same goes for other similar party areas in Romania, including Mamaima Beach, which is known for its vibrant party clubbing scene.

We had only one potential scammer approach us on our trip across Bucharest, and it was in broad daylight in Bucharest. She asked for help in English, which was weird because she approached only tourists.

I also recommend NOT driving in Bucharest. You can drive a rental anywhere in Europe, and you'll never have any issues. Romanian drivers are much better than Italian drivers, but Bucharest is a different beast in itself. Also, certain “gangs” seem to take over the roads in Bucharest past midnight, and you really should avoid being on the road in Bucharest at night.

Countryside

The only dangerous thing that you will encounter in the countryside in Romania is the wildlife.

Romania is primarily known for its wild bear population, and the bears roam free on the famed, and super Tourist popular, Transfăgărășan road in the heart of the Carpathian Mountains.

Do not feed the bears, do not play with baby bears, and do not get out of the vehicle to take pictures of the bears. Several tragic bear attack deaths have been taking place lately. Tourists are reckless, endangering humans and bears.

Safety Tips

• Avoid contact with shady people on the street trying to sell you illegal substances or snake oil. They can scam you too.
• You do not have to give tips in Romania. Some waiters will coerce you to give a 10%, 20% tip on your bill. This is not the norm for locals, and they target tourists.
• Keep away from drunk tourist groups, especially at night in Bucharest.
• Use your common sense when traveling in Romania; it's just a destination like any other in Europe.
• Don't ever leave your drink unattended in a bar or club.
• To get into exclusive clubs on Mamaima Beach or in Bucharest, purchase tickets from known sources only. Your hotel front office may help.
• Travel with at least 2 different credit or debit cards or cash, because establishments connected to Russia are blocked for payments by Western card providers (e.g., Visa). A good example is Lukoil, a Russian gas company.
• Save the emergency 112 number on your phone, this, by the way, is the common European emergency number, and it will work anywhere in the union. The operators speak clear international English.

Read up on the common tourist scams in Europe.

Famous Places to Visit in Romania

Romania has a lot to offer and has been basically left alone by mass tourism so far. I shared 24 reasons why you should be adding Romania to your bucket list.

Here are a handful of famous places to see in Romania:

• Transylvania — A famed scenic region in Romania.
• Bran Castle — The Dracula castle.
• Constanța — The ancient Roman Black Sea port.
• Transfăgărășan Road — The iconic alpine road.
• The Salt Caves — Massive underground salt caves that have been turned into children's and family playgrounds.
• The Danube Delta — A UNESCO biosphere with rich biodiversity.
• Sighișoara — One of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe.
• Monasteries of Romania — Well-preserved, and UNESCO protected, Romanian Orthodox Christian churches and monasteries.
• Sarmizegetusa — The holy place of the Dacia people who lived here before the Roman invasion.