- Winter getaways: a combination of favorite destinations with warm weather, discovering the Northern Lights, and city breaks.
- Short vacations take precedence: Romanians opt for an average stay of five days.
- Affordable adventures: the average price of a round-trip flight is €129.39
Bucharest, January 10. After the winter holidays, many Romanians feel melancholic. To bring a bit of joy to the cold season, they are seeking new travel opportunities. Kiwi.com, one of the leading travel-tech companies, has taken a look at the destinations Romanians choose to escape the cold and has found surprising results.
Winter Escapades As temperatures drop and summer is still far away, Romanians are booking more trips to countries where the temperatures are higher, such as Italy, Spain, Turkey, Portugal, the United Arab Emirates, Malta, and Greece. However, for those who are not afraid of the cold, the popularity is increasing among countries like Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Iceland, known for the Northern Lights and spectacular landscapes. Other destinations gaining ground after the first week of 2025 include Hungary, Moldova, and Indonesia.
The most sought-after cities by Romanians who booked flights in 2025 remain the well-known international centers: London, Milan, Paris, Rome, Brussels, and Barcelona. City breaks are highly appreciated, offering the perfect way to take advantage of a short vacation during this time of the year. Trending cities include Marseille, Thessaloniki, Malaga, Istanbul, Narvik, and Malmö, a mix of popular urban centers, warmer weather destinations, and the pursuit of the Northern Lights for those who don’t mind the low temperatures.
Paris vs. Rome on Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday in 2025, and Romanians are taking the opportunity to spend an extended weekend with their loved one. Figures provided by Kiwi.com show a 56% increase in bookings during the week of Valentine’s Day compared to the previous week. 40% of these bookings are made by couples, and Paris has become the favorite destination, surpassing Rome this year. For those looking for a sunnier getaway, Barcelona, Málaga, Tenerife, and Malta are also popular destinations.
Short Trips Prevail On average, Romanians book vacations of about five days. 65% of them plan to return within three days from their short getaways, 20% will spend between four and six days on vacation, and only 10% will enjoy longer trips of seven to ten days. Romanian travelers seem to appreciate the flexibility and accessibility of short getaways, which allow them to explore multiple destinations without sacrificing too many vacation days.
Affordable Adventures Most Romanians travel in the second week of January, thanks to the public holidays on January 6 and 7, which offer the ideal opportunity for an overseas adventure. On average, they spend seven days on vacation. The main destination during this period is the United Kingdom, followed by Italy, Germany, France, and Spain. The most popular cities include London, Milan, Dublin, Brussels, and Paris. For those who booked flights at the beginning of the year, the average ticket price was €129.39. By comparison, the average price of a round-trip ticket in 2024 was €142.55.