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Major city · Romania

Craiova

Give Craiova one full day: Romanescu Park, the Art Museum and the centre on foot. Two nights if you use it as an Oltenia base.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
RON
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (hot, 33 °C+), Jan–Feb (cold, grey)
Airports
CRA · OTP
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…Mine-suspected land still exists in Bosnia and Herzegovin…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Balkans ↗Mine-suspected land still exists in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in pockets of Croatia's former front line: outside towns keep to tarmac and waymarked paths, and treat red triangle signs and taped-off fields as absolute.
  • Balkans ↗Serbia refuses onward entry to travellers who reached Kosovo from a third country and then try to cross straight into Serbia; route Kosovo–Serbia legs through North Macedonia or Montenegro, or start the loop in Serbia.
  • Balkans ↗Hire cars need written permission from the rental company and valid insurance for every country on the line; Kosovo sells its own border insurance and some contracts exclude Albania, Kosovo or Bosnia outright.
  • Romania ↗Romania is in the EU and the Schengen area; the EU Entry/Exit System applies to non-EU visitors. Check the official EU and Romanian sources for your passport.
  • Romania ↗Drivers need an electronic road vignette (rovinieta) on national roads; rental cars normally include it, but check.
  • Romania ↗Brown bears live in the Carpathians and sometimes enter towns and roadsides: never feed or approach them, and follow local warnings.

Craiova is the largest city in Oltenia and the region's practical hub, about 3 hours by train from Bucharest. Its draw is a compact, walkable centre with a strong art museum and one of Europe's largest landscaped parks. Most travellers see it in a day or use it as a base for the Danube, the Horezu monasteries and the Jiu valley. It is a working Romanian city, not a resort: come for the museums, the park and the low prices.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Craiova, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee8–15 lei
  • Beerdraught in a bar / can in a shop8–15 lei4–7 lei
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi, 5 km12–18 lei
  • Metro or bus rideTram or bus ticket2 lei
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entrycheck10–30 lei
  • Budget bedFamily room or apartment (up to 4), a night, per roomRON 250
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, 3-star hotel or pension, a night, per roomRON 200
  • High-end bedDouble room, 3-star hotel or pension, a night, per roomRON 300

A day, not counting the bed: Budget RON 180 · Mid RON 330 · High RON 600

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Nicolae Romanescu ParkCraiova Art Museum and its Brancusi roomMihai Viteazu Square and the musical fountainOltenia region base
Airports
CRA Craiova International Airport (About 8 km east of the centre; Wizz Air routes from London Luton, Birmingham, Rome, Milan Bergamo, Bologna and Charleroi. No domestic flights. Check the current route list before booking.) · OTP Henri Coanda, Bucharest (Fallback: train from Bucharest to Craiova takes about 3 h 15 min.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Craiova: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

3°C

−4°C

7 rd

Feb

5°C

−3°C

7 rd

Mar

11°C

1°C

8 rd

Apr

18°C

6°C

9 rd

May

23°C

11°C

10 rd

Jun

27°C

14°C

9 rd

Jul

30°C

16°C

7 rd

Aug

30°C

16°C

6 rd

Sep

25°C

12°C

6 rd

Oct

18°C

7°C

7 rd

Nov

10°C

2°C

8 rd

Dec

4°C

−2°C

8 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is walkable: Mihai Viteazu Square, the Art Museum, the cathedral and the Oltenia museum buildings sit within about 15 minutes of each other. Trams and buses cover the rest; buy a ticket from a kiosk or machine (2 lei). Taxis are cheap and plentiful, about 2.30 lei per km plus a 2.30 lei start fee. Romanescu Park is about 2 km south of the centre: walk 25–30 min or take a taxi.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Preajba de Padure village

caution

Door to door: About 1 h each way

Bus from Autogara Nord, about 45 km

Seven buses daily, fewer at weekends; about 9 lei one way. Simple village stop, not a sight in itself.

Calafat and the Danube

go

Door to door: About 1.5–2 h

Bus or car, about 90 km south

River town and border crossing to Bulgaria; pair with a Danube day.

Drobeta-Turnu Severin

go

Door to door: About 2 h

Train or car along the Danube, about 110 km

Roman ruins and the Iron Gates start here; better as an overnight.

Horezu monasteries

overnight

Door to door: About 2–2.5 h

Car, about 110 km north

Horezu pottery and the painted monastery; too far for a comfortable return day.

Târgu Jiu

go

Door to door: About 2 h

Train or car, about 110 km north-west

Brancusi's outdoor sculptures; a solid half-day if you have a car.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Centre (Mihai Viteazu Square and Unirii)

Walk to the Art Museum, the cathedral and the main restaurants; best for a one-night stop.

Around the railway station and Autogara Nord

Practical for early trains and buses; a short taxi ride from the sights.

Calea București / Electroputere side

Mall, supermarkets and cheaper chain hotels; 10–15 min by taxi or tram from the centre.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
150–250 lei excl. bed
Mid
250–450 lei excl. bed
High
450 lei+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, 3-star hotel or pension1 × 1 night × RON 200RON 200
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × RON 330RON 660
Airport taxi, CRA to centre, one way1 × RON 50RON 50
Tram or bus ticket, one ride2 × RON 2RON 4
eSIM, about a week of data2 × RON 40 · checkRON 80
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeRON 99
Trip total≈ RON 547 per person per day, bed includedRON 1,093

2026 estimate in lei; long-distance transport excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee8–15 lei
Shawarma or fast food15–25 lei
Pizza main at a mid-range restaurant25–40 lei
Beer: draught in a bar / can in a shop8–15 lei / 4–7 lei
Taxi, 5 km12–18 lei
Tram or bus ticket2 lei
Museum entrycheck10–30 lei

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Craiova is a normal Romanian city: violent crime against visitors is rare, and the practical risks are stray dogs, unlicensed taxis and hot summer afternoons. Take marked taxis, keep to lit central streets at night and use 112 for anything urgent.
  • Stray dogs occur in some districts; keep distance and do not run.
  • Use marked taxis and agree or check the meter; avoid unlicensed drivers at the station.
  • Summer afternoons in Jul–Aug are genuinely hot; shift sightseeing to morning and evening.
  • Some museum rooms keep short hours and close one day a week: check before you go.
  • Card payment is common in hotels and malls but not everywhere; carry some lei in cash.

Emergency numbers

Police, ambulance, fire, mountain rescue
112
Police (non-emergency)
955

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

CraiovaCraiova

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

La această adresă, vă rogTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, ambulance, fire, mountain rescue112
  • Police (non-emergency)955

Embassy

No embassies in Craiova: most countries are represented in Bucharest (about 3 h by train). US citizens: the US Embassy is in Bucharest.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Craiova station → Bucharest, train: about 3 h 15 min, roughly €12
  • Craiova → Timișoara, train: about 7 h, roughly €20
  • Taxi in town: about 2.30 lei per km plus a 2.30 lei start fee

Say or show

  • Bună ziua — Hello (BOO-nuh ZEE-wah)
  • Mulțumesc — Thank you (mool-tsoo-MESK)
  • Cât costă? — How much is it? (kuht KOS-tuh)
  • Pot plăti cu cardul? — Can I pay by card? (pot pluh-TEE koo KAR-dool)
  • Unde este toaleta? — Where is the toilet? (OON-deh YES-teh twa-LEH-tah)
  • Ajutor — Help (ah-zhoo-TOR)

112 works from any phone, including without credit.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Craiova. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (hot, 33 °C+), Jan–Feb (cold, grey) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for CRA: Wizz arrival times, taxi and bus fallback, late-arrival rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Mihai Viteazu Square, the Art Museum and cathedral, the Oltenia museums, Romanescu Park.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Art Museum, Oltenia Museum, Romanescu Park) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Danube and Jiu valley day-trip fixtures with rail and bus cutoffs.

Meanwhile

Back to Romania

Sources