LIBEARTY BEAR SANCTUARY

It's the world's largest brown bear sanctuary: the Libearty sanctuary is home to around a hundred of them, in 69 hectares of forest. Opened in 2005, the sanctuary takes in abused bears from zoos, circuses and private owners. Until the mid-2000s, it was not uncommon to see plantigrades chained up or locked in cages in front of restaurants or hotels, to lure tourists. Since then, the situation has improved considerably, and almost all of them have been rescued from the clutches of their owners. Unable for the most part to return to the wild, these animals find here a place of freedom, as well as the food and care they need. Those who are fit are released back into the wild. The sanctuary was created by Cristina Lapis, president of Millions of Friends, one of the country's oldest animal protection associations.

The visit is highly supervised: it can only be undertaken in the company of a guide, in groups of no more than 50 people. The guide will lead you past various enclosures and tell you the story of several bears, the conditions in which they lived, the care they receive here and the traumas they still suffer. It's an instructive experience that respects the animals and lets you see them up close. Although this is not a zoo. Visits take place in the morning only, in Romanian or English. During the vacations, it's strongly recommended to buy your ticket online in advance.