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Voykit pocket guide · Romania
Snagov
Spend half a day in Snagov for the monastery and lake; add a boat or bike if you have extra time.
Snagov is a lakeside village 40 km north of Bucharest, known for Snagov Monastery (Vlad the Impaler legend), the protected Snagov Lake and Forest, and outdoor rentals. A few hours cover the main sights; a full day lets you add a boat or bike tour.
- Country
- Romania
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, occasional thunderstorms)
- Stay
- 0.5 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 150–250 excl. bed · Mid RON 250–400 excl. bed · High RON 400+ 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.
Get in
By air
- OTP · Henri Coandă International Airport (Bucharest)
- About 45 min by minibus to Snagov
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Frequent minibuses leave Bucharest’s Presei Liberei terminal for Snagov (≈1 h). In‑village bike and kayak rentals are available; a bridge links the monastery island.
See and do
Known for
- Snagov Monastery
- Lake Snagov
- Snagov Forest
- Vlad the Impaler legend
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bucharest | Minibus from Presei Liberei terminal, about 45 min, then walk or tram to centre | ≈1 h |
| Măgurele | Minibus to Snagov, then local bus or taxi, about 20 min total | ≈1 h |
| Ploiești | Minibus to Snagov, then regional train from Snagov station, about 1 h 30 min total | ≈2 h |
Sleep
- Snagov guesthouse area
- Small guesthouses near the lake; good for a night if you want to stay after sunset.
Language
Romanian is a Romance language, closer to Italian than to its Slavic neighbours, so Italian, Spanish or French speakers catch signs and menus quickly. English is common among younger people and in tourism; in Transylvania, Hungarian is the first language in Székely areas (Harghita, Covasna) and German still helps with older people in Saxon towns. A few words of Romanian are warmly received.
- Key words: bună ziua (good day), mulțumesc (thank you), vă rog (please), da / nu (yes / no), cât costă? (how much?), nota, vă rog (the bill, please).
- Diacritics matter for search: ș and ț (Brașov, Timișoara); signs and apps also spell them without, as Brasov and Timisoara.
- Use the polite 'dumneavoastră' form and titles (doamna, domnul) with older people and officials.
- Moldovans speak the same language; in Moldova more people also speak Russian.
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
- Minibus schedules vary on weekends; check the latest times before travel.
- Boat rentals are seasonal; confirm availability in spring and early autumn.
Generally safe; watch for occasional summer thunderstorms and keep valuables secure on minibuses.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Snagov yet. Suggested stay: 0.5 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Snagov Monastery
- Lake Snagov
- Snagov Forest
- Vlad the Impaler legend
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Snagov official site: primaria-snagov.ro/
- Wikivoyage: Snagov, revision 4986735 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4986735
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Snagov
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, ambulance, fire112
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/snagov). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.