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Information on Romania

Medieval castles, mist-covered cobbled lanes and eerie legends of vampires cloak Romania in a thrilling cloud of mystery and intrigue. Emerging from its Soviet-era ‘freeze’, this wonderful and underrated land offers both traditional tourism and a unique ambience of intrigue and adventure. Visitors will find superb wildlife, hiking and skiing in Romania, which is touted as the most beautiful country in Eastern Europe.

Romania’s capital, Bucharest, known as the ‘Paris of the East’ in the 1930s; however, the effects of earthquakes, the bombings of WWII and the regime of Ceausescu have together destroyed many of the city’s beautiful buildings. Ceausescu was responsible for the flattening of 7000 homes and many churches in southern Bucharest to build a Civic Centre. The focal point of the Centre is the massive Palace of Parliament. Built with the intention of being the largest building in the world, it is now second to the Pentagon in the United States of America.

There are still some ancient sights in central Bucharest, the 16th Century Old Court Church, which houses well-preserved frescoes being one of these. The final resting place of the Ceausescu family, the Ghencea Vicil Cemetery, is in Western Bucharest.

A must-see is the medieval town of Brasov, in the Transylvanian hills. The premier attraction in Brasov is the Gothic Church. Following a fire in 1689, its blackened appearance led it to be named the Black Church. There are many attractions nearby and visitors use Brasov as a base for sightseeing. Bran Castle, the mysterious building known as Dracula’s Castle, is 30km south of the town. There are no links between the castle and Dracula despite the myths surrounding it. Rasnov Castle and ski resorts are also within easy reach of Brasov.

Sighisoara is a beautiful medieval town in the hills in Transylvania. The mysterious Dracula House is situated inside the walls of this medieval citadel. It was here that Vlad Tepes was reputed to have been born in 1431. The building is now a bar and restaurant.

Many visitors head to the sunshine of the beautiful Black Sea coast, where Constanta, Romania’s largest port and second largest city, is the main gateway to other resorts. Although the beaches are dirty and crowded, the town is beautiful and noted for its excellent museums. Mamaia is an eight-kilometer stretch of beach north of Constanta and has over 60 hotels.

Nature lovers will enjoy the Fagaras Mountains, in the centre of Romania. They form part of the Carpathians and stretch for some 75kms south of the main Brasov-Sibiu road. Here, you’ll find more than 40 glacial lakes, the highest of which is Lake Mioarele at 2,282m. The Fagaras Mountains offer the best hiking in the country, with well-marked trails and plenty of wildlife.

Many people are lured to Romania by the Transylvanian legends of Dracula. Visitors are treated to medieval castles, historic towns and dramatic alpine scenery. The landscape along the Black Sea coast is diverse. There are mountains, rolling hills and farmlands inland and white sandy beaches and resorts. Bucharest, the capital city with its elegant restaurants and cultural attractions, is slowly re-inventing itself following the neglect by the ruling communists. The Carpathian Mountains offer spectacular skiing and many hiking opportunities.

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