Romania featured in Vogue, CNN lists for best places to visit in 2025

Romania seems poised to become a bigger tourist attraction in 2025 after being recommended as a stellar destination by Vogue and CNN.

Both publications signal that their choice for Romania was determined by the overtourism noticed in other locations. “The lifestyle editors at Vogue thought long and hard about the best places to travel in 2025. Interest in globetrotting is at an all-time high, but so is overtourism,” the editorial team at Vogue says in the opening of its list of recommended destinations in 2025.

The well-known monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine, which put Romania at the top of its 10-destination list, argues that the country is finally stepping out of the shadow of its tumultuous 20th-century history.

“It’s one of the fastest-growing economies in the European Union, its gastronomic and cultural scenes are thriving, and it’s that rare country that truly has it all—from the buzzing arts scene in Cluj-Napoca to awe-inspiring hikes in the Carpathian Mountains, from Black Sea beaches on its eastern coast to the world-class museums of its capital, Bucharest,” says Liam Hess for Vogue.

The author argues that there has never been a better moment to visit Romania. Aside from Bucharest, he also recommends touring Transylvania, “and not just for those Dracula-worthy medieval castles. There’s a whole world of luxurious (and well-priced) outdoor and wellness-oriented stays to explore, from long-time favorite Bethlen Estates to newcomer Matca, which offers everything from beekeeping lessons to hay bathing rituals.”

The CNN list of places to visit in 2025 features both tourist destinations, like the rail trails in the US state of Vermont, but also cities like Stockholm and countries. In all, the list offers 25 destinations worthy of visiting in 2025, and Romania is among them.

Romania, according to CNN, is “a country that has everything, from the beach resorts of the Black Sea to the drop-dead gorgeousness of the Carpathian Mountains.” The list also moves past the “Dracula thing at Bran Castle” and recommends visiting Timișoara, Cluj Napoca, Sibiu, Brasov and Sebes.

While Bucharest’s Old Town is “overloaded with tourist bars and restaurants,” the city is still worth visiting due to its recent history, and locations such as the Palace of Parliament.

“A more idyllic past can still be found in the Romanian countryside. There’s probably no better way to explore this than the recently launched Via Transilvanica, an 870-mile (1,400-kilometer) hiking trail through rural landscapes and villages seemingly frozen in time,” the article notes.