WHERE TO GO
Although still regarded by many as an ‘off the beaten track’ destination, Romania is a country full of surprises, folklore and exciting places that leave long lasting impressions in visitors’ minds. Often compared to a “Latin island in a Slavic sea”, Romania features a uniquely familiar feeling of Eastern Europe with the Latin temperament and friendliness of its people. Romania is probably also the last place in Europe where you can still see unspoiled and active countryside, with the traditional rural civilisation still alive.
IN NUMBERS
- Romania is the ninth largest wine producer in the world.
- Bucharest’s mass transit network is the fourth largest in Europe.
- Romania contains 60% of Europe’s Bears.
- Bucharest is the sixth largest city in the EU.
- The Carpathian Mountains are home to one of the largest virgin forests in Europe, with 400 unique species of mammals.
TOP 5
The cityscape is vibrant, with Byzantine churches crumbling next to palatial Beaux-Arts town houses and minimalist International-style blocks.
Is home to the largest Gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul.
Built by Saxons from Braşov in 1382 to defend the Bran pass against Turks, the castle may have housed Vlad Ţepeş.
One of the most spectacular roads in the world. This exquisite mountain road took 4 years to build between 1970 and 1974 during the reign of Nicolae Ceausescu.
Is considered to be one of the most beautiful fortresses in Europe. It is located in the historic region of Transylvania. Central Sighisoara has preserved in an exemplary way the features of a small medieval fortified city and it has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
THE MOST ...
- Europe’s second largest underground glacier, the Scarisoara glacier, is found underneath the Bihor Mountains in Romania.
- The Romanian Palace of Parliament in Bucharest is the second largest administrative centre in the world, second only to the Pentagon in the United States.
- Romania has the second-largest outdoor museum in the world – the Astra Museum in Sibiu features more than 300 buildings.
- The Danube to Black Sea canal in southeast Romania is the world’s third longest man-made navigation route, after the Suez and the Panama Canals.
- Romania is Europe’s richest country in terms of gold resources.
WHAT ELSE TO DO
- Visit the wonderful monasteries : the best place to start is in Bucovina, in northern Moldova. There is no other place in the world with so many Orthodox monasteries.
- Enjoy a beer at the Beer Wagon: a place where you can experience Romanian nightlife. It reminds one of why Bucharest was once called “Little Paris”.
- Explore the local agro markets: if you enjoy slow food you should definitely explore the Romanian local agro-markets. It doesn’t get more real than this.
- Drink Tuica: a traditional Romanian Drink made from plums and prepared using traditional methods.
ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME?
Tucked away in a tiny village in the Maramures county, near the Ukrainian border, the Merry Cemetery (Cimitirul Vesel) is not only a very unique burial site, but also an open-air museum and a tourist attraction in its own right. Designed in 1940 by the local woodcarver Stan Ion Patras, Sapanta’s cheerful cemetery stands out for its colorful high wooden crosses carved in oak and painted with scenes of the deceased’s life.
