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
Tulcea
Visit Tulcea for a half‑day gateway to the Danube Delta; stay 1 night if you plan a ferry trip to Sulina or Sfântu Gheorghe.
Tulcea sits at the western entrance of the Danube Delta. The town itself offers a few museums and historic sites, but most visitors use it as a base for short ferry trips to the delta villages. One full day plus an overnight if you catch a ferry is enough.
- Country
- Romania
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, mosquito season)
- Stay
- 1 night
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 120–180 excl. bed · Mid RON 180–260 excl. bed · High RON 260+ 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 | RON 5–8 |
| Local dish (ciorbă de pește) | RON 12–20 |
| Ferry ticket (Sulina round trip) | RON 80–100 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Tulcea Airport
- General‑aviation only, no scheduled flights.
Typical fares
- Bucharest → Tulcea minibus
- ≈ RON 120 per person, about 4 h
- Tulcea harbour → Sulina ferry
- ≈ RON 80 round trip (check schedule)
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
Minibus from Constanța (≈2 h) or Bucharest (≈4 h). Train from Medgidia (≈3 h) arrives at a station outside the centre. Taxis and local buses connect the promenade and ferry dock.
See and do
Known for
- Danube Delta gateway
- Tulcea Art Museum
- Azizyie Mosque
- St. Nicholas Cathedral
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sulina | River ferry from Tulcea harbour, daily | ≈2 h each way |
| Sfântu Gheorghe (Tulcea) | River ferry, daily except Tuesday | ≈2 h each way |
Sleep
- Delta Nature Resort
- Five‑star resort in the Delta, suitable for an overnight stay.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Scuzaţi-măskuˈzatz mə |
| Thank you | Mulțumescmulˈt͡sumesk |
| How much is it? | Cât costă?kɨt ˈkostə |
| Where is the ferry? | Unde este feribotul?ˈunde ˈeste feˈribotul |
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
- No regular airline service; check charter availability if needed.
- Tulcea railway station is on the outskirts – allow extra time for a taxi.
- Ferry schedules to Sulina and Sfântu Gheorghe vary; verify daily times before travel.
Tulcea is generally safe for tourists; stay aware of pickpockets in busy ferry terminals and follow local advice on water safety.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tulcea yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Danube Delta gateway
- Tulcea Art Museum
- Azizyie Mosque
- St. Nicholas Cathedral
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: Tulcea, revision 5298705 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5298705
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Tulcea
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; other embassies also in Bucharest.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tulcea). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.