Rulotika – a weekend on wheels and the adventures around
If you are now wondering what I was wondering a few months ago, namely what is Rulotika, you've come to the right place! Not only will I give you a detailed overview of all the features of this small caravan, which is a 100% Romanian design, but I will also give you our honest opinion and a few places in Țara Hațegului which are worth visiting.
What is Rulotika - camper box concept?
"Rulotika is a Romanian brand of mini tourist caravans ready for adventure, designed for those who love traveling to the mountains or the sea, camping or enjoying the great outdoors." – text taken directly from the concept website, which I highly recommend for you to read it.
It's like a caravan, only much smaller, because inside there is strictly sleeping space and lots of storage space. It has a 140×200 memory foam mattress, generous storage space on either side of the bed that can hold a lot of things, two sockets at one end where you can connect a small fan heater, and a reading light and USB slot at the other end. The light from the skylight is more for ambiance, and its intensity can be adjusted with a button. All of these features work when Rulotika is connected to the power supply, which is why it comes with the necessary electrical wiring.
The side window and skylight both have insect screens and shutters, and it stays quite warm inside overnight. If you rent it, you need to bring your own bedding, pillows, and blankets. I honestly recommend sleeping bags because they retain heat better, and a blanket that isn't too thick, but it depends on when you're traveling with it.
Outside, it has a huge box, specially designed for storing outdoor items, next to which a special bike rack can be mounted. The outdoor kitchen is super cozy and really spacious: it has side storage space, a generous cooking countertop, a sink with a water tank, and an outdoor shower. It also comes equipped with a terrace awning and water pump, but you can find all these details on the website. There are also the updated prices for renting and for buying it.
How did we find Rulotika?
Short story to understand that this was a promotional project on our part for this concept, but even so, our opinion is extremely sincere, as we conveyed to the owner, Alex. Some time ago, I posted this post on Instagram about 12 campsites in Romania that we tested and recommend (btw, follow me there too, as I'm much more active and you'll find good tips on both travel and outdoor activities in Romania), and that's how this great opportunity arose for both sides: for me, a perfect collaboration for our style of traveling and showing my community information about Rulotika, and for him, more visibility for the project that is just getting started.
The only weekend that suited our schedule was October 25-26, which was outside of camping season and when it was quite cold in the evenings. But even so, we eagerly awaited the moment to test Rulotika in the cold to have a complete experience. And we loved it SO MUCH! Even during the day, we had a very mild and pleasant autumn!
We stayed in Alex's campsite - Camping Tranzit Deva – and visit some tourist attractions in Țara Hațegului, which I will present below. On this occasion, we also tested a transit campsite and were pleasantly surprised by its many facilities. I have already added it to the list of campsites in this specific article, but I'll write a brief summary here: it's a small campsite, open all year round, with one toilet and one shower for each gender, with a huge communal area containing a washing machine, dishwasher, wood-burning stove, lots of crockery, and much, much more.
What can you visit in Țara Hațegului?
I find this area of Romania extremely appealing. It is very close to the Retezat and Parâng Mountains for hiking in the summer, but also only two hours from Timișoara and one hour from Sibiu. We have passed through it many times on our travels around the country and have always found it fascinating. This time, we focused on the attractions close to Deva.
Râpa Roșie
Râpa Roșie is located in Alba County, about 3 km from the town of Sebeș. The road is easily accessible by car, even though it is mostly dirt. There are paths you can take to reach either the top for an overview or the bottom of the formation. In short, Râpa Roșie is a geological nature reserve consisting of clay, sand, and reddish gravel deposited 60–80 million years ago, during the Miocene epoch. Erosion caused by water and wind has carved the steep walls into bizarre shapes that can reach up to 100–125 meters in height, and the intense red color is due to iron oxides in the soil.
Corvin Castel
Also known as the Huniazilor Castle or Hunedoara Castle, it is one of the most impressive and well-preserved medieval castles from Romania and from all over Eastern Europe. The style in which it was built around 1440 is Gothic-Renaissance, with Neo-Gothic influences in later restorations. There are many legends surrounding it, and the so-called ghosts and curses have inspired many films. In the summer, various medieval festivals and other similar events are organized, and the entrance fee is 50 lei/adult in 2025.
Simeria Arboretum
Also known as Simeria Dendrological Park, this is the place to visit in autumn! It is like an authentic autumn painting. I admit that I did not know about this place, and if I had not had this opportunity, I probably would not have discovered it anytime soon.
Founded in 1830, it is the oldest and largest arboretum in Romania and one of the largest in Europe. It contains over 2,200 species and varieties of trees and shrubs, originating from all continents, such as oaks, beeches, lindens, pines, sequoias, ginkgo biloba, metasequoias, cedars, magnolias, Japanese maples, and many other species. Although it was built in the romantic English style, with narrow paths, small lakes, and charming bridges, it now serves as a research center for botanists, dendrologists, and landscape architects. Some sequoia trees are over 40 meters tall, and the oldest Ginkgo Biloba tree in the country (planted around 1850) is located here.
I Giardini di Zoe
It is one of the most spectacular and elegant private parks in Romania, a true landscape gem inspired by Italian Renaissance gardens. The garden was created by italian Giovanni Salvatelli, originally from the Marche region (Italy), and is named after his granddaughter, Zoe. It has been open since 2018, but even now in 2025, work is still being done on certain parts of the garden, and I think it will be a work of art when all the plants and trees have grown. The entrance fee is 25 lei/person, and it can usually be visited between March and November.
In October, we caught an explosion of warm colors, and with the clouds in the sky and a few drops of rain, we felt like we were in a dramatic Italian story. We loved it so much, and it's worth spending 1-2 hours to visit it at your leisure.
Other notable tourist attractions near Deva
Conclusion
We loved all the places we visited and would have liked to visit Deva Fortress and Germisara Roman Thermal Baths as well, but we only stayed here for a weekend and it was impossible to see everything. No problem, we will definitely be back. We loved the fact that we caught autumn in all its splendor and enjoyed it to the fullest (we went to the Arboretum twice just to admire the colors of nature).
And about the Rulotika I can honestly say that we enjoyed it very, very much. Firstly, my intention to promote Romania through camping and a more active way of discovering it was appreciated, and secondly, because it is a project 100% for people who are passionate about nature. For us, it was a more luxurious tent, with heating and plenty of sleeping space where we could unpack our bags without getting in each other's way, and we managed to stay at the campsite for an extra weekend in the off-season.
Nothing compares to coffee brewed outside in the crisp autumn air. It's our favorite part of camping, when we admire our surroundings, discuss our plans for the day, and take a moment to appreciate each other for sharing this hobby.
I recommend Rulotika if you want to try camping, but with more comfort. Alex is very easy to talk to (you can follow him directly on Instagram) and will help you with everything you need. I can also answer any other questions you may have that haven't been covered here. We already know where we want to take Rulotika next summer, so come join us on this adventure!
EN 
RO