Romania or Bulgaria?
The practical differences, drawn from our own write-ups rather than from a brochure. We are not going to tell you which is better - they are different trips. What follows is what actually changes between them.
Places written up here 127 117
UNESCO listings among them 10 12
Cost level Budget Budget
Busiest month in our write-ups September June
Currency Romanian leu (RON) Euro (EUR)
Plugs and voltage C, F - 230 V C, F - 230 V
Everyday languages Romanian Bulgarian
Driving side right hand side right hand side
Region Southeast Europe Southeast Europe
Capital Bucharest Sofia
Romania
Old-world hospitality is genuine; rural life continues in ways western Europe has forgotten.
What we have written up
- Adamclisi Tropaeum Traiani monument
- Alba Carolina Citadel fortress
- Anina Railway railway
- Apuseni Natural Park nature park
- Baia Mare city
- Băile Felix spa town
Worth knowing before you go
- The leu is the currency; cards work in cities, carry cash in villages
- Tipping is about 10%
- Petrol station coffee is inexplicably good - a national quirk
Bulgaria
Nodding means no and shaking means yes - the famous reversal is real, if fading.
What we have written up
- Aladzha Monastery monument
- Arbanasi old town
- Asen's Fortress fortress
- Baba Vida Fortress fortress
- Bachkovo Monastery monument
- Bacho Kiro Cave cave
All 117 places in Bulgaria →
Worth knowing before you go
- Tipping is around 10%
- Bulgaria adopted the euro in January 2026 - old lev prices may still appear alongside
- Sofia's free walking tours are a good orientation day one
Counts describe this site, not the countries: "places written up here" means how many pages we have finished, and it keeps growing. Currency, plugs and languages are practical facts and change rarely; check anything visa-related with the relevant official source before you book.