Hi! Have you heard about Romania? Hmmm … maybe you heard about Dracula, about vampires (mostly known as bats, which are harmless), or about Hagi. At least these are the things I’m sure reached the whole world, as every time I speak to someone about my country they ask about one of them.
Text by Carmina Nitescu
My name is Carmina and I am a traveller. I live in Romania, of course, but, although I am a resident, I’ve always had a traveller’s eye ready for new adventures in my own country. I love to discover new & unique places, but I also like to go to the same places several times to discover new points of view, new things to do. Today I am glad to be your personal guide through one of the most interesting countries in the world!
Romania is situated in the Eastern Europe, we have a population of about 20 million people on 238 398 km². We are one of the countries with access to the Black Sea and we are neighbors with Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. That’s for a quick view over us.
Don’t worry, this is not a complete guide of what’s to see or to do in Romania. It’s a very short guide to help you see the unique beauty of Romania and decide, according to your interests of travel, if my country is worth a visit.
Romania is about nature
Yes, we have access to the Black Sea and long sandy beaches, the Carpathian Mountains cross our country and define the area of Transylvania, an important part of the Danube makes our border with Bulgaria and our lands have an abundant spontaneous flora like only few countries in the world still have.
If it’s your first time to Romania, “a must see” is the Danube Delta. The Danube River springs from the Black Forest in Germany and, after 2850 km, flows into the Black Sea in Romania. The region where it reaches the sea is called the Danube Delta and it’s a protected natural area, part of UNESCO World Heritage. With over 300 species of birds and 45 freshwater fish species, the Danube Delta is one of the nicest places you can visit if you like nature. You can travel to the heart of the Delta by boat from the town of Tulcea and stop in the middle, in a small village called Mila 23 or even go to Sulina, which is one of the spots where the river reaches the sea. Here, in the heart of the Danube Delta you can participate in photo tours, bird watching tours, kayak & canoe tours, fishing tours and you can also enjoy the local food made here. The Danube Delta is also home to several communities that have lived here throughout time, so here you will find a mix of people, traditions and food influences from Romania, Turkey, Russia. Some of their houses still have rooftops covered in reeds, this being a tradition that some of the locals have been keeping to this day.
Another uniqueness about Romania: its six salt mines. The salt mine called “Salina Turda” is situated in the town of Turda, at about 35 km from Cluj. This is the best known salt mine and it is the only one strictly open to the public. We have five other salt mines in Romania (Slănic Prahova, Salina Ocnele Mari, Salina Cacica, Salina Praid, Salina Târgu Ocna) that are open to the public, and have some parts in operation as well, salt still being extracted nowadays. All of the salt mines are ready for visiting and most have activities available to the public: event venues, sports activities (tennis, ping-pong, karting).
Romania is about culture & traditions
The Palace of Parliament in Bucharest is the second biggest structure in the world, after The Pentagon; Bran Castle is known as “Dracula’s Castle” and, along with Peleș Castle, they are the two most visited castles in Romania (which should not be visited in one day, as you deserve some more time to truly see them and also enjoy their whereabouts). But these are not the only ones we have.
If you take your time to discover more parts of Romania, you will find plenty of castles, monasteries & citadels. We have the last still inhabited medieval citadel of Europe – that is Sighișoara, a small town in the heart of Transylvania.
Also in Transylvania we have a small community of Saxons that each August celebrate through a festival called “Săptămâna Haferland” (“Haferland Week”). Ten villages from the Haferland area participate in this festival (Haferland is the area between Rupea and Sighisoara, where they used to have oat crops) and each year the festival gathers thousands of people that come to get to know their traditions, taste their food, learn their songs and see the Fortified Churches.
Another unique place related to culture is “The Merry Cemetery of Săpânța” which is… a very different kind of cemetery. If you have never thought you could actually laugh in a cemetery, well, in this one you will laugh a lot when reading the poems on each cross (you’ll need a local guide for that, one who really knows how to translate properly).
Bucharest, the capital, as well as Sibiu, Brașov and Oradea (“the Art Nouveau” city of Romania) are among the cities where you’ll find a lot of history, as well as little known roads in their center. Each city is different, each city has its story that is waiting to be discovered.
Romania is a wine country
With eight regions suited for wine, Romania is also a wine country. Whether you come to Romania’s capital, Bucharest, in the south of the country, or to the cities of Cluj (in the west) or Iași (in the east), vineyards are somehow nearby and wineries are waiting for you to visit them.
Worldwide, Romania is not yet known for its wines, but every time I talk to people from Europe, Australia, USA, and they taste wines from Romanian grape varieties or international ones, they are delighted with the wines. Especially with the ones made from local grapes, as they are so different from what they have ever tasted.
If you come to Romania, you must try our wines, you must taste our food! As in any other part of the world, wines go well with food made in the same region where grapes grow, so, when you’re coming here, look for restaurants or even a “Local Gastronomic Point” (available in the countryside) and ask for local dishes and local wines.
We are Romania. You are welcome! (Carmina Nitescu)
Credit Photo: Carmina Nițescu & Călin Stan