In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Romania
Roșia Montană
Half a day to one day: see the Roman gold mines and the mining landscape, then move on. Not a base.
Roșia Montană is a village in the Apuseni Mountains with a mining history from Roman times, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The main draw is the Roman galleries and the open-pit landscape. Most visitors come for a few hours on a day trip from Alba Iulia, Cluj-Napoca or a nearby town.
- Country
- Romania
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (cold, many paths muddy)
- 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 150–300 excl. bed · High RON 300+ 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 112 · Fire and 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.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | RON 8–12 |
| Meal at a local restaurant | RON 30–60 |
| Beer (0.5 L) | RON 6–10 |
| Guide for Roman galleries (per group) | RON 100–150 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CLJ · Cluj-Napoca International Airport
- About 2 h by car; bus connections via Alba Iulia or Câmpeni
Typical fares
- Bus from Alba Iulia to Roșia Montană
- about RON 20–30, about 1.5 h (check)
- Taxi from Abrud to Roșia Montană
- about RON 40–60
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
Walkable on foot; the Roman galleries and the main sights are within 1 km (0.6 mi) of each other. A car helps for reaching the village from the main road.Walkable on foot; the Roman galleries and the main sights are within 0.6 mi (1 km) of each other. A car helps for reaching the village from the main road.
See and do
Known for
- Roman gold mines (Galeriile Romane)
- UNESCO World Heritage mining landscape
- FânFest (summer festival)
- Tăul Brazi lake
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Alba Iulia | Car via Abrud and the DN74, about 1 h 15 min; bus via Câmpeni | About 1.5 h |
| Arieșeni | Car via Câmpeni, about 1 h | About 1 h |
| Aiud | Car via Câmpeni and the DN74, about 1 h 30 min | About 1.5 h |
| Blaj | Car via Câmpeni and the DN74, about 1 h 30 min | About 1.5 h |
| Câlnic | Car via Alba Iulia, about 1 h 45 min | About 2 h |
| Baia de Arieș | Car via Câmpeni, about 40 min | About 45 min |
Sleep
- Village centre
- A few guesthouses and a hostel; quiet, limited dining.
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 Roman gallery? | Unde este Galeria Romană?OON-day YES-teh gah-leh-REE-ah ro-MAH-nuh |
| Do you speak English? | Vorbiți engleză?vor-BEETS en-GLEH-zuh |
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
- Mine tours may require a guide: check at the local museum or the town hall.
- No ATM in the village; bring cash (RON).
- Some paths around the open pits are unstable: stay on marked trails.
A quiet village; the main risks are uneven ground around the mines and stray dogs. Keep valuables out of sight.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Roșia Montană yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Roman gold mines (Galeriile Romane)
- UNESCO World Heritage mining landscape
- FânFest (summer festival)
- Tăul Brazi lake
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Roșia Montană town hall: www.primariarosiamontana.ro/
- Wikivoyage: Roșia Montană, revision 4267791 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4267791
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/rosia-montana). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.