Traveling As A Vegan In Romania – Why You Should Go In Lent

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Written by Caitlin Galer-Unti, from The Vegan Word 

“You should visit Romania during Lent this year—it’s a vegan paradise,” my Romanian friend dropped casually into conversation one day.

I was confused. Romania, a vegan paradise? All I knew of Romanian cuisine was meat-stuffed cabbage rolls. And why during Lent?

She went on to explain that during Lent, traditional Orthodox believers follow a strict fasting diet that eschews meat and dairy. Thanks to their influence, she said, vegan food is featured on many menus during Lent. Restaurants that generally may not have a single vegan option release a Lenten menu featuring plant-based fare.

Despite being a vegan of nearly a decade (at that point), and an experienced vegan traveler, I had never heard of Romanian fasting traditions. Vegans who’ve been to Eastern Europe know it’s not usually the easiest place to find plant-based food, so I was excited…