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R o m a n i a

A Legendary History

The very name "Romania" reminds us that ancient Rome exercised a decisive influence on this country and on the monuments of that era.

There are feudal fortresses, Byzantine decorated monasteries and adorned village houses to be admired, while "Dracula's" castle is only one among many other fascinating castles and palaces.

Living Cultural Traditions

You can see folk festivals in Transylvania that are genuine expressions of local culture, not merely staged for visitors. When you buy local woodcarvings or pottery you buy things made to give pleasure while in use, not just valueless souvenirs.

One of the many extraordinary aspects of this country is its vibrant rural culture. For decades the outside world heard little about it. Not that Romania's heritage is simply one of folk art! Bucharest used to be called the "Little Paris", and with good reason, too!

Today first class opera and concert halls, permanent art exibitions, like that of the sculpturer Brancusi, fine museums and galleries are all specific for Romania's new sophisticated artistic sensitivity.

Modern Facilities and Affordable Prices

Better still this is all backed up by the comfort of a widening range of hotels and restaurants, good domestic transportation by air, train and bus, and surprisingly low prices. Going to the opera is quite affordable, let alone local dishes and wines. Romania is fun to visit. Come and see for yourself.

Things to do while in Romania

The choice of activities and places to visit is extensive. You can ski in traditional or purpose-built mountain resorts or laze in the hot sun on the beaches at the Black Sea, comparable to those on the Mediterranean.

You can hike through unspoilt landscapes, where rivers run clear, or go boating in the 5,640 sq km (2,200 sq miles) water wilderness of the Danube Delta. Out of this total surface 4,340 sq km (1,695 sq miles) are to be found in Romania. There one can see pelicans and other endangered birds among floating iles overgrown with reeds.

One can also enjoy the architecture, museums and galleries of the cities.

The Danube Delta - A living paradise

At the end of the great river Danube's 2,860 km (1788 miles) journey from the Black Forest mountains in Germany to Romania's Black Sea coast a natural paradise spreads out.

Over countless centuries the silt brought down by the river has enlarged the Delta into a network of channels, lakes, reed isles, tropical woods, pastures and sand dunes that now cover nearly 5,640 sq km (2,200 sq miles).

This amazing wetland shelters over 300 species of birds, countless species of fish from royal sturgeon to carp and perch, while its 1,150 kinds of plants range from sinuous lianas in oak forests to water lilies.

It is no wonder that UNESCO designated the Delta a "Reservation of the Biosphere".

The Monasteries in Bucovina

The decorated monasteries are the major attraction in Bucovina because of the vivid frescoes on their churches.

The latter depict Biblical and other religious scenes, designed in segments almost like strip cartoons to stir the imagination of the local people and so educate them in the Orthodox spirit.

The churches stand in the centre of the monastery complex and all of them have high pitched roofs and little sunlight comes inside. There are five main monasteries of this kind.

The Bran Dracula's Castle and the Royal Resort of Sinaia

A trip to take from Brasov is to the castle of Bran, supposed to have been the home of Prince Vlad Tepes, who inspired Dracula's legend.

Also, don't miss the castle of Peles, fancifully built in 1883 at the foot of a mountain side for King Carol I, in Sinaia.

This resort was first made popular by the King and it is worth a stay either in summer for its glorious mountain scenery, hiking and riding, or in winter for skiing, not to mention health cures.

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