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Voykit pocket guide · Romania
Calafat
Visit Calafat for a half‑day to see the Danube bridge and park; stay only if you need a night before crossing to Bulgaria.
Calafat is a small Danube‑front town in Dolj County, best known for the New Europe Bridge to Bulgaria. Its sights cluster around the riverfront park and museum, and it is a convenient stop for a quick crossing or day trip from Craiova.
- Country
- Romania
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, limited services)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- RON
- Money
- Currency is the Romanian leu (RON, plural lei); Romania does not use the euro. About 5 lei to €1 in 2026 — check the live rate.
- Daily spend
- Budget €30–45 excl. bed · Mid €45–70 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, Vodafone and Digi sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at the airport; Digi is the cheapest. Passport ID is required to register a SIM — check.
- Emergency
- Police / ambulance / fire 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European round two-pin; Schuko (F) sockets take C plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: About 10%, left in cash even when paying by card.; Café or bar: Round up or leave a few lei.; Taxi or Bolt: Round up; app tips optional.; Guesthouse host or driver-guide: RON 20–50 per day for good service.; Hotel porter: RON 5–10 per bag.
- Water
- Tap water in cities is treated and generally safe; many locals prefer bottled mineral water (apă plată = still, apă minerală = sparkling). Avoid untreated wells in villages.
- Toilets
- Use cafés, malls, museums and fuel stations; some stations and parks charge RON 1–3. Village and monastery toilets can be basic — carry tissues.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee in a café | €1–2 |
| Meal at Restaurant Max | €5–10 |
| Taxi (first 5 km (3.1 mi))Taxi (first 3.1 mi (5 km)) | €8–12 |
| Museum entry | €2–3 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CRA · Craiova International Airport
- ≈70 km (43 mi) north, shuttle or taxi available (check schedule)≈43 mi (70 km) north, shuttle or taxi available (check schedule)
Typical fares
- Craiova → Calafat train
- ≈ €15, 3–3½ h (check schedule)
- Taxi Calafat centre → bridge
- ≈ €8–12, 5 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is walkable; taxis are available for longer trips. Public transport is limited, so plan on foot or taxi.
See and do
Known for
- New Europe Bridge
- Art and Ethnography Museum
- Bistreț Lake bird reserve
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bistreț Lake | Taxi or local bus north of town, 10 min | ≈15 min |
| Ciurumela Forest | Taxi eastward, about 20 min | ≈30 min |
Sleep
- Casa Italia
- 3‑star hotel, 3‑min walk from centre, rooms from €35
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Scuzaţi-măskuˈzət͡sə mə |
| Thank you | Mulțumescmulˈt͡su.mesk |
| How much is it? | Cât costă?kət ˈkosto |
| Where is the bathroom? | Unde e toaleta?ˈunde e ˈto.aleta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and eye contact; 'bună ziua' by day, 'bună seara' in the evening; avoid: First names with older people before they offer them
- Visiting a home: Take shoes off at the door; bring flowers (an odd number), chocolate or wine; avoid: Even numbers of flowers — they are for funerals
- Churches: Cover shoulders and knees; women may cover their hair in monasteries; stand quietly at the back during services; avoid: Crossing in front of the altar area or photographing people praying
- Conversation: Food, football, travel in Romania and family are safe topics; avoid: Dracula as the country's identity, calling Romanians Slavs, and careless talk about Roma or Hungarians
- Hospitality: Accept at least a taste of what you are offered; thank the host by name; avoid: Refusing all food and drink outright
- Queues and transport: Give seats to older people and parents with children; avoid: Loud phone calls in train compartments
Scams and watch-outs
- Train service from Craiova runs four slow personal trains daily, 3–3½ h; check the CFR schedule.
- Bus connections to Craiova are frequent, about 2 h; confirm times locally.
- Ferry to Vidin no longer runs regularly; verify if reinstated before travel.
Calafat is generally safe; petty theft is rare. Stay aware of traffic near the bridge and follow local advice on night walks.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Calafat yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- New Europe Bridge
- Art and Ethnography Museum
- Bistreț Lake bird reserve
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Calafat: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12345
- Wikivoyage: Calafat, revision 5323058 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5323058
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Calafat
La această adresă, vă rog
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / ambulance / fire112
US consulate in Bucharest; Romanian police 112 for emergencies.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/calafat). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.