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Voykit pocket guide · Romania
Giurgiu
Skip Giurgiu unless you need the Danube bridge crossing to Bulgaria: half a day for the clock tower and fortress ruins, then move on.
Giurgiu is a Danube border town 70 km south of Bucharest, known mainly as the Romanian side of the Ruse-Giurgiu bridge. Its sights—a 1700s clock tower, a 14th-century fortress ruin and a short walking street—fill a morning. Most travellers pass through on the Bucharest–Sofia/Istanbul train or bus. The city has no reason to stay overnight unless you are crossing early.
- Country
- Romania
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat), Dec–Feb (cold, short days)
- Stay
- 0 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 RON 80–150 excl. bed · Mid RON 150–250 excl. bed · High RON 250+ 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, fire, ambulance 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.
Get in
By air
- OTP · Henri Coandă International Airport (Bucharest)
- About 1 h 15 min by bus or car to Giurgiu; check
Typical fares
- Bus Bucharest → Giurgiu
- about RON 25–35, 1 h (check)
- Train Bucharest → Giurgiu
- about RON 20–30, 2.5 h (check)
- Taxi from bridge to city centre
- RON 15–25; negotiate
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
Four bus lines cover the city; walking works for the centre. Taxis are available but agree the fare first.
See and do
Known for
- Danube bridge to Ruse, Bulgaria
- Clock Tower (Turnul Ceasornicului)
- Giurgiu fortress ruins
- Border-crossing point (road, rail and foot)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ruse, Bulgaria | Walk across the Danube bridge (15 min) or take a taxi/bus | About 30 min |
| Bucharest | Bus (hourly, about 1 h) or train (2.5 h) | About 1–3 h |
| Snagov | Bus or car via Bucharest, about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- City centre (near Unirii square)
- Walking distance to the clock tower and main street; limited options.
- Near the Danube bridge
- Handy for early crossing; few hotels, mostly basic.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bună ziuaBOO-nuh ZEE-wah |
| Thank you | Mulțumescmool-tsoo-MESK |
| How much? | Cât costă?KUHT KOS-tuh |
| Where is the bridge? | Unde este podul?OON-deh YES-teh PO-dool |
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
- Border tax applies when crossing the bridge by vehicle; walking is free with ID.
- Taxis at the bridge may overcharge: negotiate or walk to the city centre.
- International trains stop at Giurgiu Nord station, not the central station.
Giurgiu is generally safe. Watch for pickpockets on crowded buses and at the border crossing. The main risk is traffic on the bridge approach road.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Giurgiu yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Danube bridge to Ruse, Bulgaria
- Clock Tower (Turnul Ceasornicului)
- Giurgiu fortress ruins
- Border-crossing point (road, rail and foot)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Giurgiu, revision 4764867 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4764867
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Giurgiu
La această adresă, vă rog
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance112
Romanian is a Romance language; English is limited outside the centre.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/giurgiu). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.