Hi there! I am honoured and excited that I have been given the opportunity to share with you all one of my most astounding experiences on my best friend Renita’s blog.
I am Martina, a 24-year-old Maltese girl, currently starting my final year of medical school. As you can imagine, yes, I do spend the majority of my time studying, but in the (little) spare time that I do have, I enjoy learning new things, travelling the world, and creating new memories and experiences. I love challenging myself in trying new things, and one thing that was always on top of my bucket list was to spend some time studying abroad. I’ve always wanted to explore how different health care systems work and I also wanted to challenge myself to live independently and to meet new friends from different countries and different backgrounds.
I was elated when I was accepted for a medical exchange programme in Bucharest, Romania. I was accepted to work for one month in the Thoracic surgery department in one of the local hospitals.
When I was choosing in which country to go, I had a couple of options to chose from, but ultimately I chose Romania. Romania is often over-looked as a tourist destination, but after speaking to medical students that had their exchange in Romania, as well as after I did some research of my own, I was intrigued by this country and I knew that I had to get out of my comfort zone and go for it. When I first told my parents that I chose Romania for my exchange, they were instantly worried. Their reaction was no surprise, since there is still a stereotype around this country, that it’s a country where communism and vampires live. Even my boyfriend was skeptical when I told him where I was going. However, being the hard-headed woman that I am, I decided to still go ahead, and looking back, I am glad that I did!
I travelled to Romania on a direct flight by Wizz air, an airline that I had never used before. Apart from the slight delay, the flight went on smoothly and I landed at Henri Coanda International Airport in Romania, early Monday morning. I was nervous and excited at the same time, but the fact that a Romanian student was going to pick me up and take me to the dorms made me feel more at ease.
Cost of living
When compared to Malta, the cost of living in Romania is very cheap and hence it is a very affordable destination. You can easily have a good meal in a nice restaurant for 8 euro! They have their own currency which is the Romanian Leu. 1 euro is equal to approximately 4.80 Romanian Leu. Transport is also very cheap in Romania, and very accessible. We often travelled either by subway, which was very efficient and very cheap, or by bus. When we went out in the evening we made use of Uber’s, which were also very cheap.
Where I was living
During my stay, I was living in the student’s dorms, which were located right across the beautiful Dambovita river, where we used to enjoy having a nice stroll in the evening. The dorms were around 30 mins away by car and by bus from the old town, so it was quite easy for us to go out and explore.
Places to visit
If I were to list all the places one could visit when travelling to Romania, I could go on for ages. Hence I am going to share with you my favourite spots that one can’t miss when travelling to Romania.
1. Bucharest 
Bucharest is the vibrant capital city, full of life and things that one can do and see. One definitely can’t miss the city’s Old Town, which is located right in the centre of Bucharest. In the Old Town, one can find many bars, clubs, and restaurants. We used to enjoy going out clubbing or out for a cocktail or two. One can also find many shops and museums such as the Parliament Palace, which is the biggest parliamentary building, and the Art Museum. In the old town, one can also find small hidden gems which are very Instagram-worthy spots, like the Macca-villacrosse passage, and the Pasajul Victoria, which are a must-see for every tourist.
For bookworms like me, located in the Old Town one can find the most beautiful bookstore that I have ever been in, called Carturesti Carusel.
2. Brasov Ah, the quiet, beautiful city of Brasov, situated in Transylvania. This is the complete opposite of Bucharest. The pace of life is much slower, and you immediately feel relaxed as you wander through this medieval city.
There are so many things to do in Brasov! You can visit the old town, starting first from the Piata Sfatului, which is the square located at the heart of Brasov. You can also visit the famous Black Church, which is the biggest gothic church in Eastern Europe.
We also took the Brasov cable car, which took us on top of Tampa mountain, where there is the “BRASOV” Hollywood like sign. The view was unremarkable, and we could see all of Brasov underneath us.
Whilst in Brasov, one must not forget to visit Bran, a small commune in Brasov county. I fell in love with this place, the atmosphere and all the gorgeous castles that one can visit.
The most famous one is Bran Castle, often referred to as the Dracula’s castle. Be prepared to spend quite some time queuing to enter this castle because it is very famous amongst tourists. There is also Rasnov fortress which is found in Rasnov city, which is also found in Brasov county. For a small fee, you can visit these Romanian landmarks and be amazed by the picturesque sceneries.
Whilst I am mentioning castles, I can’t forget to mention the Peles Castle, which served as the summer residence for the royal family. It is not located in Brasov, but it is found in Sinaia. It was my personal favourite, with its stained-glass windows and leather-covered walls, as well as the expensive paintings and all the nature surrounding the castle. It was simply magical. The entrance fee for the tour is not expensive, and I suggest that one doesn’t miss it once they are in Romania.
3. Transfagarasan road trip Towards the end of the exchange, my boyfriend came to visit so we could spend some time exploring Romania together. We desperately wanted to do the Transfagarasan road trip together, so we rented a car (which was very very cheap!)
The Transfagarasan highway is one of Romania’s main attractions. It was such a unique driving experience, and we didn’t expect to see such fascinating scenery. We kept stopping the car to take photos and admire the surroundings and hence we took longer than anticipated to finish the road trip. The actual driving time to finish this road is around 3 to 4 hours, but it will take you at least 7 hours to finish it.
There are many amazing stops along the way, such as the Balea waterfall and the Balea lake which is found at the highest point of the Transfagarasan road. Another amazing stop was the Vidraru Dam, which is one of the largest hydroelectric dams in Europe. This dam which was completed in 1966, created the artificial lake called Vidraru Lake on the Arges river. The view from here was also amazing. This road trip was one of the highlights of my month in Romania, and I would highly recommend it to everyone who loves a good old road trip.
4. Vama Veche Ok, so if you love the sea, sun and you love to party till the sun shines, this small seaside village is for you. This village is known for its many parties on the sand and its many clubs. You can also take a swim in the Black Sea and sip a colourful cocktail or a Romanian beer. It’s slightly more expensive compared to other places in Romania, but if you’re a party animal, you simply can’t miss this. Just make sure you are well rested before going to Vama Veche because you will be partying all through the night.
Some final words of advice
I would surely recommend anyone out there to visit Romania once this pandemic permits. I was blown away when I set foot on this beautiful country. It wasn’t anything like I had imagined or expected. This country has a mix of intriguing history, breathtaking landscapes, charming castles and fascinating mountains.
Romanians are very friendly and warm people. They made our stay an unforgettable one, and I honestly made many friends throughout this experience. One thing that one should take into consideration before visiting Romania though, is that not many people knew how to speak English well. We were lucky enough that we were accompanied by the Romanian students most of the time, but when I ventured by myself I often found it quite challenging to communicate with the locals.
My advice is to just go for it and visit Romania before it becomes a trendy destination, overcrowded with tourists, and make sure to plan your time well, because there are just so many things to do and see, that you can’t afford to lose a second from your time!
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