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Voykit pocket guide · Romania
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Spend one full day in Drobeta-Turnu Severin: see the Roman bridge remains, the Water Castle and God’s Bridge, then relax by the Danube.
Drobeta-Turnu Severin is a small Danube‑front town in Oltenia with a handful of historic sites and easy river‑bank walks. One day covers the main attractions; a second day is only needed for extra hiking in Iron Gates Natural Park.
- Country
- Romania
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold, limited services)
- 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 45–70 excl. bed · Mid RON 70–120 excl. bed · High RON 120+ 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 |
| Meal at a local taverna (fish dish) | RON 30–50 |
| Local bus ticket | RON 3–5 |
| Train ticket Bucharest → Drobeta (2nd class) | RON 120–250 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CRV · Craiova International Airport
- About 90 km (56 mi) north, bus or car ~1½ hAbout 56 mi (90 km) north, bus or car ~1½ h
Typical fares
- Bucharest → Drobeta (CFR train)
- about RON 150 one way, 3 h 30 min
- Local bus to God’s Bridge
- about RON 30 round‑trip
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
Town centre is walkable; local buses run hourly to the museum park and God’s Bridge (check schedule). Taxis are available for longer trips.
See and do
Known for
- Roman bridge remains
- Water Castle
- God’s Bridge natural arch
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| God’s Bridge | Local bus from town centre, about 30 min | ≈1 h total |
| Iron Gates Natural Park | Bus to Corabia, then local transport; about 45 min | ≈2 h total |
Sleep
- Hotel Continental
- Overlooks the Danube; clean rooms, reasonable rates.
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 (Romania page)
- Unlicensed taxis and inflated meters: Use Bolt or Uber, or the taxi-order kiosks inside OTP arrivals; check the posted per-km rate on the door before getting in.
- Fake police asking for your wallet: Real police do not inspect your cash; offer to walk to a police station or call 112.
- Bar and club bill padding: Avoid bars where strangers invite you in; check prices before ordering and read the bill.
- Exchange booths with bad rates: '0% commission' booths hide it in the rate; use a bank ATM and decline conversion.
- Dynamic currency conversion: Always pay and withdraw in lei (RON).
- Overpriced rovinieta resellers: Buy on erovinieta.ro (CNAIR) or at a fuel station; third-party sites add large fees.
Generally safe; stay alert on night trains and keep valuables secure in crowded stations.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Drobeta-Turnu Severin yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Roman bridge remains
- Water Castle
- God’s Bridge natural arch
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: Drobeta-Turnu Severin, revision 4938931 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4938931
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / ambulance / fire112
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/drobeta-turnu-severin). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.