Gay Romania travel: our ultimate gay guide for LGBTQ travelers

Bucharest’s gay scene may be small, but hey, some of the best things come in small packages. We were surprised to discover quite a few different hotspots where gay folk could hang out. From Thor's Hammer to Iub, Q Club to Control, the gay bars and clubs were just as lively as the kind you would find anywhere else. After all, stepping into a gay space is like slipping into a pair of slippers. They always fit. It always feels comfortable. It always feels like you’ve come home. You can also join a Gaily tour of Bucharest with a local guide to show you the main sights of Bucharest along with a few of the best queer-friendly bars.

As the shining capital of Romania, Bucharest’s Old Town looks like something straight from the pages of a storybook. With architecture that dates back centuries, the Old Town streets are bursting with the pride of its fascinating past. We think the best way to fully take it all in is with an LGBTQ like the Gaily gay tour of Bucharest. With this tour, you’ll be paired with a local guide and get all the niche historical and cultural nuggets that you don’t always get from other tours, including an insight into what gay life is like in Romania.

Bucharest's Parliament Palace is the second-largest building in the world, beaten out only by the Pentagon in Washington D.C. Although, when it comes to the most weight, the Parliament Palace takes the cake. Weighing over 4,098,500,000 kilograms, it is the heaviest building in the world, and certainly one of the most opulent we've seen. Also get your money pic at the balcony where Michael Jackson famously greeted his fans back in 1996 when he cried out by accident, “Hello Budapest!”. You can turn up and arrange a tour yourself (though call in advance to book your time slot to avoid disappointment) or book one of the Bucharest skip-the-line tours!

As hard as we tried, we couldn’t find Tim Curry masquerading as a sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania when we visited Bran Castle on a day-trip from Bucharest. Though what we did find was just as exciting. After all, this was the apparent fabled location that Bram Stoker’s Dracula is believed to have lived. The reality is it isn't – Vlad the Impaler actually lived at the Poenari Castle, but Bran Castle has instead managed to capture everyone's imagination better and become one of the top tourist attractions of Romania! It is extremely touristy here, to the point of being a bit suffocating, but the views of Transylvania from the castle make the journey worthwhile. The castle’s past is also fascinating. Having been around since the early 1200s, it has been home to royal families and was a medieval fortress. It is certainly impressive, but expect to be part of a long slow-moving line of people walking through it.

High up in the Transylvanian region is the mountainous town of Brasov. Ringed by the Carpathian Mountains, and ideally situated to visit as part of a day-trip to Bran and Peles Castles, Brasov is a bustling city that feels like a medieval village. Cobblestone streets and terracotta roof tiles add to its charm, along with lively cafes to stop for refreshment. Make sure you visit the Gothic-style Black Church (blackened by smoke during the great fire of 1689), the narrowest street in Romania (the Rope Street) and the many old watchtowers that are all that remain of the city's walls.

Eat your heart out Buckingham Palace! Peles Castle is a stunning building that houses the Peles National Museum. Whilst it belongs to the royal family of Romania, the King decided to continue housing the museum, so people could learn about the history of the castle. It does still get used for fancy ceremonial events from time to time and has also been a major filming site for several movies. There are gorgeous fountains in the castle gardens, including some with rather homoerotic statues that Stefan couldn't help posing with – see the cover image of this post! We definitely think visiting Peles Castle is a must while you're in Romania.

Nestled on the shore of the Black Sea lies a beach resort town called Constanta. We can never last too long in a new place without scouting out its nearest beach. So we were thrilled to take the time to visit Constanta. Outside of the beach, there are tons of museums across the city to discover. There is the Natural History and Archaeological Museum, which provides vast materials from the ancient Greek and Roman eras. While there isn’t a lot of English signage, it is well worth visiting just for how beautiful the artefacts inside are. Sparkling jewels, vases, and striking statues are a hard sight to beat. 

Maramures is described as Romania’s most traditional region, also nicknamed the ‘Land of the Wood’. And it is not hard to imagine why. Most of the houses and buildings are made purely from timber, with just a steep shingled rooftop. You can visit the Maramures area from Cluj, and get to know the locals who take great pride in their traditions that have been preserved for hundreds of years. Take in the overwhelming views of the mountains and even wander among some of the last forests in Europe that are still untouched by human hands. If you're lucky you might even spot wild deer, wolves or bears!

Cluj is probably one of the more accessible parts of Romania, with many budget airlines flying to this fascinating destination. It is also a great place to go to for LGBTQ travellers eager to explore a more hip and alternative queer nightlife scene. The wide array of hipster style cafes and clubs are particularly popular with young students. Delirio Club is considered a hot spot for queer people to hang out in. Cluj has also recently started hosting an annual Pride festival, which really sets the city alive with colour. You can join a walking tour of the city to learn why it's sometimes called Cluj-Napoca and see the best sights.

In the northeast of Romania is a region known as Moldavia (not to be confused with neighbouring country Moldova) which is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage rated churches. What makes these churches so special, we hear you ask? Well, they're painted with absolutely incredible Byzantine frescoes that date back from the 15th and 16th centuries! Joining a trip to the villages of Bucovina from Lasi gives you the chance to marvel at the paintings on three of these stunning churches, as well as enjoying the peace and serenity of this idyllic rural area. You'll even get to see the rare black pottery of Marginea being made by local craftsmen.

Coda Tours organises fun gay tours that include visits to Romania, Moldova and Ukraine. This two-week gay trip usually takes place every April/May. It includes stays in four or five-star hotels led by a fabulous LGBTQ guide. It's a fantastic way to make new friends, especially if you're travelling solo. We also love that it covers 3 very cool (and highly underrated countries) in 1 trip. Read more about Moldova in our gay guide to Chisinau and also our Moldova LGBTQ country guide.

If you didn’t try Papanasi, then you didn’t really go to Romania! They're like a kind of doughnut ball, similar to Dutch oliebollen or the German Berliner, except they have one big ball with a little ball on top, a bit like a hat! Served as a dessert, Papanasi is made from deep-fried dough filled with soft cow's cheese then topped with sour cream and either runny jam or a sour cherry compote. You can find this on any dessert menu throughout Romania – and it's the perfect way to wrap up a three-course meal when you’re on a date night. It’s sweet, light (just like us!) and absolutely delicious.

When you're on your holiday, the last thing you want to think about is trying something healthy. But the Sarmale dish doesn’t even feel like a nutritious meal. It’s packed full of the good ole’ green stuff…. By which we mean cabbage, what were you thinking of?! Sarmale is made by wrapping cabbage or vine leaves around minced meat, rice, eggs, and spices. Similar to dolmades from Greece, although the Romanian fillings are slightly different. Sarmales are usually served with sour cream or Mamaliga (more about that below). Sarmales are particularly popular in the Wallachia region of Romania.

Anytime you see the word “Ciorba” in Romania you know you're getting soup, and you can’t get any more authentically Romanian than the Ciorba de Fasole in Paine. Served in a bowl made from bread, this bean soup works as a great entrée or side dish for your meal but can definitely be filling enough all on its own! It often comes served with a mix of fresh vegetables and can be enjoyed hot or mild. We tried this on a relatively cold day during our trip and it warmed us right up. The mix of spice and sweetness of the beans hit the spot and worked as a great starter for the rest of the meal.

This tastes much nicer than it sounds, trust us! Mici (also known as Meech or Mititei) are grilled sausages, which are made from a mix of beef and spices. Expect to see it being served up in diners or fast food places. One of the best things about Mici, besides its taste, is how it was invented. It is believed that the owner of a busy pub in Bucharest ran out of casing for his sausages one day, so he instead decided to cook the sausages on the grill, with only its filling. And sure enough, it became a hit! For Romanian barbeques or summer parties, Mici is often the most popular food item going.

Sweet tooths and lushes unite! Visinata, or Vishinate, is a super sugary, cherry flavoured alcoholic drink in Romania – kind of like a sour cherry liqueur. With no particular recipe, each Romanian has their own unique way of making it. The most common method is mixing sour cherries with sugar over a few days so they ferment, then adding vodka to stop the fermentation. Because it's so cheap and easy to make, it gets drunk a lot! No party in Romania is truly complete unless everyone is holding a glass of Vishinata in their hand, especially in the humid summer months.

If the musical ‘Oliver’ were set in Romania, the famous little orphan would have asked for more mamaliga. But what is it? Mamaliga is a porridge made from yellow corn flour, and if anyone is known for their love of mamaliga, it is the Romanians. In fact, it is so Romanian, that even the character Jonathan Harker from Dracula starts off his day eating it when travelling through Transylvania! One of the opening lines in the famous Bram Stoker novel reads “I had for breakfast more paprika, and a sort of porridge of maize flour which they said was ‘mamaliga”.

For a light snack to munch on whilst exploring the elusive sights of Romania, you can’t go wrong with a slice of Cozonac. It's a type of sweet leavened bread, made with walnut paste, poppy seeds and other additions, depending on the region. People from different parts of the country may also add raisins, orange or lemon zest, nuts or different essences such as vanilla or rum. Cozonac definitely hits the spot for those sugary cravings of an afternoon. It's typically served during the Easter or Christmas period, with tins of the stuff flying off the market shelves. Sure beats a box of Roses, we think!

Ok, it may not look that great, or even sound that wonderful, but for a punchy starter to your meal, you need to try the Ciorba de Burta. It's a beef tripe soup, topped with sour cream, vinegar and a garlic dip, known as ‘mujdei’, but is much more delicious than you might think. Romanian journalist Radu Anton Roman described it as “sour and sweet, hot and velvety, fatty but delicate, eclectic and simple at the same time”! Romanians also swear that this is the ultimate hangover cure, so if you do plan on going hard on the town on one evening, make sure to hit up the nearest food place serving up Ciorba de Burta the following morning!

A Cluj-style cabbage dish that is all the rage in the northern regions of Romania, Varza a la Cluj is one of the oldest recorded recipes from the whole country! The base of the recipe is pickled cabbage, which is chopped up then boiled along with meat (usually chicken or goose) and plenty of pepper. Romanian parents never had to tell their kids to eat their vegetables to grow up big and strong, since all over the country cabbage is a beloved food! If you get the chance to try this delicacy from Cluj, make sure you take it. You just might be converted into a cabbage-lover yourself…

Travel insurance: In case of accidents, thefts or cancellations, you need to have travel insurance when travelling, and Romania is no exception. We use, love and recommend Heymondo Travel Insurance because they offer affordable and comprehensive cover for all manner of problems you might encounter. It's also really easy to make a claim online if you need to.

How to get there: You can get to Romania by land via trains, buses or car from bordering countries but the easiest and (in our opinion) best way to visit is by flying into one of the international airports, particularly the two just outside of Bucharest. Many budget airlines go here from the major European cities. From Bucharest airport, you can reach the city centre via bus or train but be careful of local taxis as taxi scams are one of the most common crimes in Bucharest. We like to organise a private airport transfer with Welcome Pickups on arrival, as they provide professional, English-speaking drivers to meet you at the airport and take you straight to your accommodation without any hassle.

Visa requirements: Citizens from most European countries, America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand don't need a visa to stay in Romania for up to 90 days as a tourist. If you're travelling from somewhere else or just want to make sure, you can check your personal visa requirements for Romania here.

Getting around: Most Romanians don't have cars, so there's a good public transport system within the country consisting of trains, buses, light rail and a metro system in Bucharest. Here's a handy guide on getting around within Romania.

Vaccinations: Before travelling to Romania you should make sure you're up to date with routine vaccinations like measles, mumps and chickenpox, as well as getting vaccinated for Hepatitis A. Some travellers may also need vaccinations for Hepatitis B and rabies, depending on what you'll be doing. Check the CDC website for the most up to date info before you head to Romania.

Currency: The currency in Romania is called the Romanian leu, for which the currency code is RON although it's often written as lei in the plural form. $1 US converts to about 4.32 lei, €1 is worth about 4.75 lei and £1 is around 5.47 lei.

Tipping culture: Salaries in Romania are generally low, so it's expected that you would leave a tip for good service at restaurants, hotels or for your taxi driver or tour guide. Generally, a tip of 5-10 lei or 10-12% of your bill is acceptable, but you can read more about tipping etiquette in Romania here.

Internet access: If you want to get online you'll usually be able to access free WiFi in hotels, cafes, restaurants and bars in Romania, particularly in Bucharest. If you will be travelling to more rural areas and/or know you're going to need a lot of bandwidth then you may need to bring a portable WiFi device with you.

Online privacy: There isn't any internet censorship in Romania, so you will be able to use gay dating apps like Scruff or Grindr to connect with locals. If you just prefer to keep your online activities anonymous then we recommend ExpressVPN. Their VPN service is an affordable and reliable way to browse the internet with complete privacy.

Accommodation: We always use Booking.com when searching for accommodation and they have lots of excellent choices within Romania! Not only that but they offer excellent 24/7 customer support, an easy to use online booking system and free cancellation for many listings if your plans change.

Sightseeing and adventure: There are lots of exciting things to see and do in Romania, even beyond the ones we've already mentioned. We always use GetYourGuide to find the best tours, day trips and tickets for attractions in Romania, and definitely recommend them. The online booking system is easy to use and they also have excellent customer support available 24/7.

When to visit: Romania has four distinct seasons, with cold winters and hot summers. We personally think spring and autumn are the best times to visit so that you can avoid any extremes in temperature and the tourist crowds – plus you'll get to see spring blossoms or autumn leaves!