Wondering what to pack for Romania? Don’t worry, this Romania packing list will help you decide what to take! No matter which season you are travelling in, we’ve listed the essential things to pack when travelling to Romania, plus a few optional items that you might want to add.
Romania is an amazing country to visit! You might have heard stories about Dracula and Transylvania – which is a real place!
Or you might have heard about the legendary Transfagarasan Road, which was rated World’s Best Road by BBC’s Top Gear.
Or maybe you’ve just seen some gorgeous posts on Instagram with the amazing scenery and sights that Romania has to offer.
Either way, Romania has peaked your interest and now you’re thinking of visiting, but you’re not sure what to pack for a trip to Romania.
Keep on reading, and we’ll go over the essentials of what to pack for Romania. And then you can get planning and packing! (Or you can just scroll to the bottom of this post and download the Romania packing list…)
Weather in Romania
Romania has four seasons, similar to other parts of Europe and is considered to be a continental climate. Depending on what time of year you are visiting Romania, you will need to pack differently!
Winters are cold, with temperatures hovering around 0°C but can be a few degrees cooler in the western area of Romania. Expect to see snow on the ground, although there isn’t too much unless you head to the mountains where ski resorts are popular in the winter.
Spring is cool and rainy so be sure to pack a rain jacket and umbrella!
Summer weather can be expected from June to August with warm sunny days, although it can still be quite rainy as well! Temperatures can be hot in Bucharest with temperatures around 30°C, but will be more pleasant along the Black Sea coast.
Fall is a great time to visit, as the weather is slightly cooler and drier. The trees start to change colour and are gorgeous to see! (And this is from a Canadian who is used to seeing the trees change colour every year!)
Tips to Pack for a Trip to Romania
While everyone has their own personal preference for suitcases and travel bags, just be aware that there are lots of cobblestone streets in Romania!
Similar to other areas of Europe, suitcases with wheels and spinner type carry-ons may be tricky to manage on many of the streets in Romania.
My personal preference is to use a backpack, although the boys do use small wheeled suitcases. I love the Osprey bags and use either the 40L Fairview, which can pass as a carry-on on most flights or the 55L Fairview if we are travelling for longer than a week or two.
And if you are planning to visit a church while in Romania, be sure to pack a scarf. Romania has many Orthodox churches and they may require shoulders and knees to be covered, some may even ask for a headscarf to be worn.
But now that we’ve got the weather and some general tips out of the way, let’s get on to the packing list for Romania!
Clothes to Pack for Romania
When packing for a trip to Romania, think layers!
A few tanks and tees, a long sleeve shirt, sweater and a jacket or blazer would be good to pack. Tanks and tees can be worn underneath the jacket, blazer or sweater if it is chilly, or worn alone when it is warm.
For bottoms, bring a pair of pants or leggings, a skirt or even a dress if you wish.
Of course, don’t forget to add in a pair of pj’s, undies, bras and socks!
Accessories to Bring
Good comfortable footwear is important when travelling to Romania. Chances are you will be doing a fair bit of walking or hiking, so be sure to pack a comfortable pair of sandals or boots that are good to wear on cobblestones.
Be sure to pack a raincoat or thin jacket, even if you are travelling to Romania in the summer, as weather can change depending which region you are visiting.
Bring a thin puffy coat if you are travelling in the winter, as well as warm socks, a scarf, a hat and mitts!
Kids Clothes
Packing kids clothing is similar to an adult packing list.
We usually try to bring 7 tops, with a mix of long-sleeve and short-sleeve tees, and 4 bottoms including pants and shorts for each child.
A sweater and coat are also good to bring, with comfortable shoes as well.
If you are travelling in the colder weather, be sure to pack a good jacket, hat, mitts and warm socks!
As well as packing clothes for kids, it’s also a good idea to pack some activities and books, and even some small toys, depending on the age of your children.
You know your kids best and what they like, but if you’re looking for some ideas, here are some suggestions for what to pack in a carry-on or some great travel gifts for kids, including some of the best activities for preschoolers to travel with.
Toiletries
Even if you are staying in hotels, I would still recommend packing shampoo, conditioner and soap, as not all hotels will supply these! Also include a toothbrush, toothpaste, brush, travel hairdryer and whatever makeup you use daily.
Most hotels will provide towels, so you don’t necessarily need to pack one, but we always do – just in case! Sometimes hotel towels can be thin and scratchy, OR if you are staying in a hostel or other type of accommodation you might need to bring your own towel.
Most travel towels roll up small enough that it won’t take up that much room in your luggage.
We always travel with this one and quite often take a Turkish towel as well, which can easily double as a scarf.
First Aid Kit
We’ve got a whole post dedicated to the things you should have in a travel first aid kit.
But if you don’t want to bring a whole first aid kit, at minimum be sure to bring some bandaids, gauze, antiseptic ointment and any medication you may need.
Read more | 10 Things to Have in a Travel First Aid Kit
Electronics
The list of electronics seems to grow more and more each year.
Like luggage, everyone will have different preferences, so feel free to cross off some of these items or add in your own.
We usually carry a laptop, phone, camera, tablet and kindle, with all of their charging cords.
But whichever electronics you take, be sure to take the charging cord AND a travel adaptor.
Romania uses the standard European plugs which are different than North America.
Documents to Take to Romania
Romania is a member of the European Union, but is not part of the Schengen Area.
Canadian and U.S. citizens, as well as citizens of Australia and New Zealand, do not need a visa to visit Romania, but if you are travelling from another country, it’s best to check visa requirements before travelling.
In addition to a passport, it’s also wise to bring a copy of your health insurance card, driver’s license, and a letter of consent if travelling solo with kids.
It’s also a good idea to have an emergency contact card with your name, phone and email of close contact back home, citizenship and the number of your embassy as well as a trip reference card with a hospital name and address at the destination, embassy contact in destination, accommodation address and contact numbers.
You can download a template for these cards here.
Travel Wallet
To keep all of your documents, papers and money in one place, but also secure, we recommend carrying a travel wallet.
I use this family travel wallet, as it holds my documents as well as my kids’, plus it has the RFID blocking material which protects the information on our cards inside.
Money in Romania
Even though Romania is part of the EU, they don’t use the euro (…yet).
Romanian currency is the Leu.
ATMs and banks are easy to find and many places will prefer cash although debit/credit is still accepted in larger cities.
Miscellaneous Items
Other things you may want to consider packing, are workout clothes, running shoes, bathing suit, lip chap, pen and notebook, a book to read and gum for the plane.
We also always travel with a door stop alarm, and if we are travelling for longer than a week, we also bring a travel clothesline and a bit of laundry soap.
Seasonal Packing List for Romania
If you are planning to visit Romania in the winter, be sure to bring warm clothes! Layers are a good idea, a fleece top, warm jacket, a hat, gloves, warm socks and a scarf are recommended.
For a trip in the spring or summer, be sure to pack a rain jacket and umbrella as well! Shorts and light shirts are great for the daytime but you may want long pants and a sweater for the evenings.
If you are travelling to Romania in the fall, pack layers. The temperature can be lovely or it can be chilly. Rain is also common and snow can begin to fall as early as November in some parts of Romania.
Whichever season you are visiting Romania in, I guarantee that you will love it!
Download the printable Romania packing list here or click on the photo below.
If you’re looking for some inspiration on what to see and do in Romania, some unusual spots to visit or an itinerary that’s perfect to do with kids, take a look at the posts we have on our Romania page.
