Sure, we were gifted. Seaside, mountains, delta, green fields, wide and narrow valleys – you name it, we have it. Picturesque gypsies, too, as you might have heard of. Blonds, brunettes, redheads, long-legged ladies – all are part of intern folklore about the beautiful, unspoiled Romania.
Well, folks, the truth is – and that might come as a shock to you – Romania is truly beautiful. If you know where to look.
I have four hints – and if you take my advice, but don’t enjoy the experience, feel free to leave the complaint at the front desk. Oh, we don’t have a front desk. Guess why: there are no complaints!
1. Medieval towns – so well preserved, that one would easily believe we still hang people in the main squares. Well, we do, except it’s just for the show. And yes, please beware at dawn for the wolves, even the ones locked up in the zoo. Sometimes, when there is a full moon for example, they tend to become werewolves and ferociously kill all living things. Of course, when there are living things left, after the attacks of the vampires. Because the medieval towns that I recommend lie in the heart of Transylvania.
Sibiu, my hometown, is one of them. That’s why I began with it. And also because it has medieval towers, bridges, squares, houses, statues – everything you love about the Dark Ages. A lot of pubs and open cafes, too, so you can wait comfortably for the werewolves.
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| Sighisoara. Copyright: Wikipedia |
Also, don’t miss Sighișoara. The functional middle-ages town will take your breath away (the vampires again), especially if you go there by the end of the July, when the Medieval Festival takes place. But if it is too crowded for you, any other time would be ok.
You can add Brașov to your list, with its beautiful Black Church – and since you got there, knock at the gates of the Bran Castle, which is not only the home of the head of the vampires – honestly, don’t believe that bullshit –, but also the marvelous perfectly preserved castle of a true queen.
2. The Danube Delta – by far, my favorite destination in Romania. You have never seen anything like the Danube Delta, which is on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. It is a land in itself, a land that although belongs administratively to Romania, it has its own laws, the laws of nature. It is a paradise for odd birds, monstrous fish and weird cows that take a bath in the sea. You can take a bath with them if you go to Sfântu Gheorghe, a village with no cars whatsoever, because it is a village that has no roads at all. In this place, where the Danube embraces the sea, all the streets are covered in sand. There you will find one of the last beaches in the world that are totally unspoiled by man – no cafes, no sunbeds, just you and the sea. To reach it, you have to take a 15 minute walk towards a sandy road, accompanied by frogs, birds, water lilies, lavender and some noisy mosquitoes, which you have to learn to live with. The locals cook delicious fish courses and almost all of them have motorized boats, so you must take a trip to the heart of the Danube “jungle”. Breathtaking (or have I used that expression already?)!
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| Danube Delta. Copyright: Wikipedia |
3. High up in the mountains – if you are not that type of the „mountain-freak” who can’t wait for the week-end to leave for the clouds, well, you haven’t been trekking our mountains yet. I will only tell you that whether you choose Bucegi Mountains (the holy Kogaion for the ancient Dacians), Făgăraș Mountains (the highest in Romania, with the peak Moldoveanu, 2544 m, holding the reccord), Piatra Craiului Mountains or Retezat Mountains (both natural reservations), you are surely to find glacial lakes, fairytale peaks and valleys, dark caves and crystal clear water springs. No wonder they have caused so many legends about fairies, dragons and creatures beyond imagination. Other creatures, such as the Carpathian bare and the marmot, still wonder about the narrow paths of the mountains. Chances of meeting them? Well, let’s say a 9, on a 10 grade scale.
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| Fagaras Mountains. Copyright: Wikipedia |
4. Maramureș – a place who forgot about the ages. Villages from the past, where the most kind Romanians will treat you as if you were part of the family. You’d better visit this part of Romania in winter, when horse-carried slays slither on the snow-covered roads, children sing tradional carrols, and yes, pigs are slaughtered, but for a noble cause: a feast of traditional meal that will convince you not to ever eat chicken again. Trust me, it is that good!
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| Maramures county. Copyright: Wikipedia |
Despite of the accute self-ironic sense of the Romanians, despite of the propaganda about poor roads and violent thiefs, despite even of the werewolves (have I told you about the werewolves yet?), trust me, Romania is THAT good!
