Romania Travel Guide

Many images come to mind when foreigners think of Romania but perhaps at the forefront would be Nadia Comaneci, the fourteen-year-old Romanian gymnast who enthralled and dazzled the world during the 1976 Montreal Olympics when she was the first gymnast in the history of the sport ever to receive perfect scores of ten for her routines. Other images coming to mind might be Transylvanian castles and Dracula, which are the Best of Romania. However, there's a lot more to the country than famous gymnasts and bloodcurdling tales. Although Bucharest has its share of ugly grey Soviet-style block buildings, there are also hidden cathedrals and tiny alleyways leading to the strangest sites. The countryside, with is miles of meadows, rolling green fields and mountains, is ideal for biking, hiking and swimming. And skiing in the Transylvanian Alps is something you should do just for bragging rights alone. You can also tike bicycle trips on a series of well-marked trails, staying at Bed and Breakfasts along the way in just about any village.

In the very north of Romania is a county called Maramures which is a valley completely enclosed by high mountains. Arriving here, often by horse-drawn carriage — no joke — feels like a trip back to the medieval era. In fact, this is one of the few places left on the planet where rural medieval life still goes on, where peasants still live off entirely what they grow, where little villages are still full of superstition, where mentioning anything modern will be greeted with curiosity and suspicion. Maramures is Europe's last true peasant culture, steeped with handmade old wooden churches, ancient festivals, traditional music and costumes, and ornately carved gates in front of every house. Truly, this is a land largely untouched by the modern world.

If you're going to spend some time in Maramures — and you should — don't miss the village of Sighetu Marmatiei, close to the Ukrainian border. The village is known for its colorful Winter Festival but even in the summer it's well worth a look for its vibrant markets, domed churches, and winding streets.

The Saxon town of Brasov in the heart of Transylvania is surrounded by castles, mountains and mountain villages. The city itself is still encircled by medieval stone walls, parts of it crumbling and not terrible safe to walk along. Mt Tampa is just outside the city and it even has its own oversized-letter, lit-up sign ala Hollywood. Lots of outdoor cafes, restaurants and bars can be found in the city, which many feel is a little on the touristy Dracula side, but fun just the same.

Romania geography enables an easy travel to its neighbors including Ukraine, Bulgaria, Moldova and Hungary.