To make life easier for those looking to live in Romania’s capital, here are some of our top tips for remote workers in Bucharest. Indeed, this city is relatively easy to navigate and is home to lots of remote workers and digital nomads already. An important tip for newly-arriving remote workers in Bucharest will be to rent a hotel room or Airbnb for a couple of days while you get a sense of the different neighborhoods and are able to visit some apartments in person. Equally, it is a good idea to take out good health insurance before arriving in Romania.
Below we suggest some additional tips for remote workers in Bucharest.
This is an important tip for remote workers in Bucharest and any other major city. Becoming a member of the international communities available will give you a chance to gain a sense of belonging in the city and allow you to meet other remote workers. Indeed, remote workers in Bucharest highlight just how easy to it is to meet locals in the city, and becoming an active member of any local community will give you opportunities to do this. Furthermore, joining a group will also give you a chance to practice your Romanian!
This city is filled with so many wonderful green spaces that one of the top tips for remote workers in Bucharest is certainly to take some time to enjoy as many of them as possible. Cismigiu Park, located close to the Old Town, offers an English-style elegant setting right in the heart of the city, and the many cafes and restaurants that surround it are equally wonderful. Unmissable too are the lakes and the river at Herastrau Park (the city’s largest!) and Youth Park. These spaces are perfect for refreshing the mind after a day of hard work, and you’ll even find free wifi connections to keep in touch with others here!
Learning Romanian is one of the most important tips for remote workers in Bucharest. English is widely spoken in the city, but the depth of conversations is likely to be affected. If you want to make local friends and really understand the culture and history of the city, learning the local language is a great place to start. A great way, of course, will be to take private classes which fit your own schedule. Alternatively, you can sign up for group classes at any of the city’s great schools where you might find additional motivation to learn among peers - the Ariel Language School at Bucharest University and the ROLANG School are great choices! You can also keep your Romanian flowing by listening to podcasts and radio!
This is an important tip wherever you are. It is best to avoid the airport exchange rates as they tend to be poor, and roadside individuals offering “best” exchange rates are likely to not be legitimate. As such, using indoor ATMs to immediately withdraw cash in local leu is probably the best option. Carrying cash is always a good idea in Bucharest, as smaller shops and cafes may not accept credit cards.
Romania is not in the Schengen Area yet. As such, you should check with your local consulate whether you need a visa, although citizens of Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia among others, do not currently require visas. Entry permits for visa-exempt individuals are granted for up to 90 days in any 6-month period, after which visitors must leave the country. You should also make sure your passport is valid at least 3 months beyond your intended departure date, and be ready to prove economic solvency at the border. Romania currently recognizes and accepts multiple-entry Schengen visas as valid for entering the country.
For more information about living in Bucharest as a remote worker, check out our complete Bucharest guide.