Home of Bran Castle in Transylvania, where the Dracula legend was created thanks to a 15th century Wallachian prince - Vlad Tepes (pronounced TZEP-pish) aka Vlad the Impaler, because of his enthusiasm for impaling his enemies on stakes - as well as beautiful forests, lakes, and historic destinations, Romania is an authentic slice of old Europe. Now that it's being allowed into the EU in January of 2007, it's a great time to go & ski, check out the sites, take a wine tour, or even hit the Black Sea for some R&R.
What to see & do in Romania:
- Bucharest The country's capital has variously been referred to as Little Paris or "the Paris of the East" because of its pre-communist era beauty: wide tree lined boulevards, magnificent architectural buildings, and a reputation for the highlife. Make sure to visit the Parliament Palace and the Village Museum, which can be included in a full day city tour. For extra travel points, take an excursion to Snagov Lake, the tomb of Dracula, and Mogosoaia Castle.
- Transylvania Home to some of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe, as well as the legend of Dracula. Worthy of a visit are Sighisoara, Brasov and Sibiu, feted along with Luxemburg as the 2007 "European Capital of Culture." Peles Palace, Corvinesti Castle, Fagaras Fortress, and Bran (Dracula) are all stunning & picturesque, as are the fortified Saxon Churches, such as Biertan.
- The Maramures Region Located in the North of Romania, it boasts a unique lifestyle that has remained unchanged for years. Scattered through out the mountains are exquisite wooden churches, houses and sculptures in village museums - many of which have been entered into the UNESCO world heritage listings. The wooden churches of Maramures are exceptional, and the ancient village of Sapanta features the Merry Cemetery, where each grave is decorated with an illustrated stone cross and poem which depicts the person's life with humor.
- Southern Bucovina Continuing North are the famed painted monastaries, where frescoes painted on the buildings' exteriors depict various different biblical stories.
- The Biosphere Reservation of the Danube Delta In the Delta, the main means of travel is by boa, via the many criss-crossing channels. Over 300 species of birds reside here, along with 45 freshwater fish species, and more than 1,200 species of trees and plants and various mammals. Start your visit in Tulcea, a convenient gateway to the other villages and surrounding areas.
- Black Sea Coast Romania's Black Sea coast stretches over 200 Km, featuring resorts galore - most notably Mamaia, Eforie, Neptun, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn & Mangalia - golden sandy beaches, water sports, and even the Murfatlar Winery.
- Other fun activities: Skiing in the Transylvanian Alps, hiking the Carpathians, biking, and horse-back riding through the Calimani Mountains of Bucovina.
To customize a package, visit GoRomaniaTours.com
- The Travel Snob
(photo: abgrup.as.ro)
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