Region

Oltenia

Base in Craiova or Târgu Jiu for 3 nights; treat the Danube and the Olt valley as day-trips, not hotel moves.

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Key facts · Romania

Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Romanian leu (RON, lei)
Language: Romanian
Plugs: C · F · 230 V
Time zone: EET, UTC+2

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

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.

Oltenia is Romania's southwest: five counties (Dolj, Gorj, Vâlcea, Olt, Mehedinți) between the Danube and the Olt. It is not a first-trip region — most visitors come for one thing (the Brâncuși ensemble at Târgu Jiu, the Danube gorge, a spa week at Călimănești) and pass through. Sleep in Craiova for the airport and city food, in Târgu Jiu for Brâncuși and the mountains; the Danube towns and the Olt valley resorts are day-trips or single nights.

Where to sleep

9 places in this region

Sleep base

CraiovaCity guide
Largest city, CRA airport, best restaurant and hotel supply in the region.
Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
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Târgu JiuCity guide
Brâncuși ensemble in the city park; gateway to the Gorj mountains and Rânca.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
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Day trip

HorezuCity guide
Pottery village and the Horezu monastery; ski at Rânca above it.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
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CalafatCity guide
Danube port opposite Vidin, Bulgaria; Bistreț lake bird reserve east of town.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
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Also here

Drobeta-Turnu SeverinCity guide
Danube bank, Iron Gates boats, bridge to Serbia.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
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CălimăneștiCity guide
Olt valley spa town; mineral springs and the Cozia monastery nearby.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
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SlatinaCity guide
Industrial Olt county town; no reason to sleep here unless passing.
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Râmnicu VâlceaCity guide
Olt county seat on the river; useful stop between Sibiu and Craiova.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
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Băile GovoraCity guide
Small spa resort in Vâlcea county; quiet, mineral springs.
Best May–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
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Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

3 nights: Craiova 2 + Târgu Jiu 1 (Brâncuși on the way north)
5 nights: Craiova 2 + Drobeta-Turnu Severin 1 + Târgu Jiu 2
7 nights: Craiova 2 + Calafat or Drobeta 1 + Târgu Jiu 2 + Călimănești 2

Craiova + Târgu Jiu + Drobeta + Călimănești in 3 days is four half-days of driving on DN roads with trucks.
Rânca and the Transalpina road are seasonal; the high section is normally closed from late October to late May — check before driving up.
The Danube bank at Calafat and Drobeta is a working border area; keep documents with you.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Târgu Jiu	Craiova	130 min	unknown	Train or DN6 by car; the Brâncuși park is a 15-minute walk from the station.
Drobeta-Turnu Severin	Craiova	110 min	unknown	Danube bank and Iron Gates boat departures; check sailing times the day before.
Horezu	Râmnicu Vâlcea	70 min	unknown	Pottery workshops close mid-afternoon; go in the morning.
Călimănești	Râmnicu Vâlcea	30 min	unknown	Spa baths and Cozia monastery; easy half-day.

Bags between cities

No luggage-forwarding culture here; travel with your bag or leave it at the hotel desk in Craiova or Târgu Jiu.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Craiova	×	×	ok	go	go	go	×	×	go	go	ok	ok
Târgu Jiu	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	ok	ok
Horezu	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Calafat	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	ok	ok
Drobeta-Turnu Severin	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	ok	×
Călimănești	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Râmnicu Vâlcea	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	ok	×
Băile Govora	×	×	×	ok	go	go	go	go	go	go	×	×
Romania (country-wide)	ok	ok	ok	go	go	go	ok	ok	go	go	ok	ok

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Craiova plain and the DanubeDolj, Olt and Mehedinți lowlands	cold	cold	ok	best	best	ok	hot	hot	best	best	ok	cold
Gorj and Vâlcea hillsTârgu Jiu, Rânca, Călimănești, Horezu	cold	cold	ok	ok	best	best	ok	ok	best	best	ok	cold

best: dry, mildok: workablehot: short walking windows

Craiova plain and the Danube: Continental: 35 °C (95 °F)+ July–August days, cold fog in December–January. Rain spreads through May–June.Continental: 95 °F (35 °C)+ July–August days, cold fog in December–January. Rain spreads through May–June.
Gorj and Vâlcea hills: Cooler than the plain; mountain roads and ski lifts depend on snow from December to March.

May–June and September–early October are the reliable windows. July–August is hot in the cities but the mountain resorts are at their busiest.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
CRA (Craiova International)	Craiova centre	Taxi or rideshare from the terminal	~15 min	Wizz Air routes from several European cities; no domestic flights. Confirm the current route list before booking.
Bucharest	Craiova	Train (CFR) or car on the A1/DN6	~3 h by train, ~2 h 45 by car	Frequent trains; the A1 motorway now runs much of the way.
Timișoara	Drobeta-Turnu Severin / Craiova	Train or car via the Danube corridor	~4 h to Drobeta	Scenic along the Danube; slower than the map suggests.
Sibiu	Râmnicu Vâlcea / Craiova	Car over the Olt valley (DN7) or train	~2 h to Râmnicu Vâlcea	The Olt valley road is the main link between Transylvania and Oltenia.

Regional passes

Verdict first

CFR train tickets

buy

Cheap and adequate for Craiova–Târgu Jiu and Bucharest–Craiova; buy at the station or online.

Rovinieta vignette

buy

Required for any car on national roads; a short-duration vignette is enough for a regional loop.

Rânca / Transalpina tolls

check

Mountain road access and ski passes change by season; check locally.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Ciorbă de burtă and mici	Craiova: city centre grills	Lunch is the main meal; kitchens slow down after 21:00.Lunch is the main meal; kitchens slow down after 9:00 PM.
Grilled Danube fish (crap, știucă)	Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Calafat	Ask the price per kilo before ordering; riverside places vary widely.
Oltenian polenta with cheese and cream	Village guesthouses in Gorj and Vâlcea	Usually part of a fixed menu; say if you want it without pork.
Horezu pottery-cooked stews and plum brandy (țuică)	Horezu and Râmnicu Vâlcea	Țuică is strong; small glasses, and never before driving.

Go next

Transylvania

Car or train over the Olt valley via Sibiu, ~3 h

The natural next region north.

Bucharest area

Train or A1 motorway, ~3 h

Where most trips start and end.

Timișoara

Train or car along the Danube, ~4–5 h

Gateway to Serbia and Hungary.

Northern Dobruja

Via Bucharest then east, long day

Only with a second week.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 2 bases
Day trips: 4, 30 min to 2 h 10
Nights suggested: 3–7 nights
Ways in: 4 listed
Best months: May, Sep, Oct (all zones)

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

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Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

officialRomanian Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism
officialCraiova International Airport
officialCFR Călători (Romanian railways)
secondaryWikivoyage: Oltenia, revision 5234819 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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