Romania is a country with countless assets. Avoid the clichés of Dracula-concrete-poverty and discover its varied landscapes, its grandiose landscapes and its rich architectural heritage. Painted monasteries, flowery villages, birds of the delta and a joie de vivre, Romania is vast and diverse enough to allow thematic stays, active or relaxing, urban or rural, but in any case enriching. Stays in the plural... because once you have tasted it, you will certainly come back.
All to the countryside!
Orchards and flowers surround the villages transformed into huge gardens where animals (farmyards, horses, cows) are omnipresent, where walking and cart are still the main means of transport. Life is often harsh, especially in winter. But these places live permanently, depending on the harvests, transhumances, colourful festivals or simply the comings and goings of the inhabitants. We do not live in the same way in the plains, foothills or forests and, as in France, village architecture changes according to the region: colourful Saxon houses around Brasov, friezes and wooden tiles in Bucovina, thatch in the delta, sheepfolds of Apuseni or Marginimea Sibiului...
Nature-loving visitors will pack their bags in southern Transylvania, Bucovina or Maramures, in pleasant guest houses or with locals. In these regions where agrotourism is now well organized, you can experience the country rather than fly over it. The opportunity to discover crafts, traditions, the pleasure of walking in the countryside... and to shine in the surroundings to discover other villages, monasteries, lively cities. This is what an ideal holiday in Romania looks like!
And to top it all off, the Romanian table is undoubtedly one of the pleasures of the stay with its authentic family cuisine based on fresh produce. Sour soups (ciorba) and sarmale, fondant stuffed cabbage leaves, serve as national dishes. In summer, the vegetables in the garden are great picnics and accompany the mici, small minced meat sausages. The country produces excellent wines, sweet reds and sweet whites, and refreshing blond beers. No meaningful meeting takes place without a tasting of plum brandy. Noroc! (Health!).
Countless churches and monasteries nestle in the bucolic hills. Hermits and religious did not make mistakes in choosing sites. Isolated in the middle of the forest or enthroned in the heart of almost forgotten or immensely popular villages, many represent masterpieces of religious architecture. Good news, the agrotourism areas are home to the most beautiful buildings.
A mountain of adventures
The Carpathians.... This name conveys many clichés and contains many legends. The writers populated them with vampires. Geographers stretch them out in an arc. Historians have built them as ramparts. And because they cut the country in half, engineers struggle to cross them with roads, bridges and tunnels. Today, tourists are turning them into a vast playground... From the resorts of the Prahova Valley, such as Sinaia and its superb royal castle, the Bucegi Mountains can be explored on foot, mountain bike or ski. It is the most obvious, the most popular solution. But other massifs, more wild and less frequented, deserve your attention. Hiking trails equipped with summary huts allow you to enjoy sumptuous and varied landscapes and, for the most patient, to observe wildlife (bears, wolves, birds of prey)
Urban gift packages
Romania is a rural and somewhat wild country, certainly, but not only. Here, lovers of old stones will also find their happiness, mainly in Transylvania and Banat, where the Saxon and Austro-Hungarian heritage can be seen on the walls. It will often be necessary to pass through vast concrete suburbs born of forced rural exodus. But behind this unattractive packaging, there are sometimes charming city centres, paved, colourful and marked by a rich and multicultural history. The choice is yours.... Sibiu, the "little Vienna", undoubtedly the most beautiful. Brasov and its superb baroque square. Sighisoara and its perched citadel. Cluj-Napoca, lively and rich in monuments. Timisoara, the economic centre of the West, (formerly) multi-ethnic, with its Romanian, Serbian, German, Hungarian and synagogue churches and vast flowery parks
Bucharest is apart. Unjustly absent from the collections of "weekend stay" guides, the capital deserves more time than you probably plan to spend there. Bogged down, chaotic, very sad under a grey sky, it pushes away more than one tourist. But those who make the effort to tame it are rewarded. There are the most beautiful museums in the country, which tell the story of religious art and the peasant world. But also a wide choice of quality discos and restaurants. What Ceausescu left behind from the old centre is reborn around Lipscani Street. Elsewhere, we prefer the grandiose, the unusual dimensions, whether for the homes of the rich merchants of the 1920s, the palaces of Petit Paris, the communist administrative buildings and of course the immense Maison du Peuple. The result is the most heterogeneous capital in Europe, a unique city
Under the sun exactly
Let's face it, the Romanian coastline is not the best thing for lovers of wild coastlines. But if the sun, a little sand, the crowd and the party are the ingredients for a successful holiday, don't hesitate any longer. Mamaia and the other resorts will delight you. In addition to the expected seaside activities, you will enjoy thalassotherapy sessions here at a low price. In need of culture? Be aware that Dobruja has some treasures to discover by car: ancient ruins of Histria, Lipovenous villages on Lake Razim, Babadag Mosque, vineyards in the Murfatlar Hills. As for urban walkers, they will be able to walk through the historic centre of Constanta, from Turkish minarets to Roman remains.
If the Romanian coast alone does not justify a trip, it is the case of an area located a little further north, where the Danube divides into three arms to finish its long journey across Europe in style. By multiplying to flow gently into the Black Sea, it creates a moving territory that seems to float. This natural reserve, unique in Europe, rushes with the songs and cries of millions of birds (pelicans, waders, various ducks, fish-eating raptors) in stopover or at home. Boats and boats replace cars to silently transport residents and tourists to island villages. There, after a stroll in the humid forest, a day of gentle sailing, fishing rod or ornithologist binoculars in hand, it will be time to rest in a welcoming pension and taste the soups and dishes made from these huge fish that inhabit the waters of the region. And by learning a few words in Romanian, you will certainly make your hosts very happy and their welcome will undoubtedly be the best memory of the trip.
Smart info
When? When? The April-October period is ideal but the heart of summer can be hot and bottled. During the harsh winter, country roads become difficult and grey makes cities ugly. But you can hike through snow-covered Bucovina or ski in the Carpathians.
Getting there. Daily direct flights to Bucharest. Count 150 to 300 € on average
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