Romania
Famous places to be visit
For those who don’t know, I am born in a small country called Romania situated in East Europe.
Despite the fact that Romania is 42 times smaller than Canada :)!!!!!, there are astonishing places in my country that may take your breath away.
I will try now to do a virtual travel with you through the tenth best places in Romania:
- Sighisoara, Mures County
It is a very old (Middle Ages) city, a medieval fortress very well conserved, full of towers and is also called “pearl of Transylvania”.
You must visit the Clock Tower, the Hall of Arms and Torture Chamber.
Sighisoara Medieval City
- Sibiu
It’s called in german Hermannstadt -The Heart City because it is situated in the center of Romania…like a heart in my country’s chest. In Sibiu you must visit the Bridge of Lies which is known to be one of the oldest iron bridges ever built in Romania, and the second ever built in Europe.
Sibiu -Bridge of Lies
Since you are in the area, you must not miss a visit to Mud Castle of Fairy Valley near Sibiu. You will feel like in a fairy tale, trust me!
- Brasov
Brasov is a very well known city for tourism – many people visit it throughout the year. It is located in the Carpathian mountains and is known for its churches, the town square, and its medieval natured walls. For example, when you go to Brasov, you would go with the gondola (which I have done many times before) and visit the great cafes in the well known Council Square (Piata Sfatului). Did you know that Brasov is also the home of the famous Bran Castle?? (you may also know it as Dracula’s Castle!!).
Brasov-Piata Sfatului
Dracula’s Castel -Bran
- Deva
Deva, is another city located in the Transylvania region, much like Brasov is. Deva is well known for its great castles and for being on the Mures River. An interesting fact is that Deva had Jewish occupancy in the 1830s. When Romania entered WWII, Deva was a safe place for Jewish refugees to stay. Way to go, Deva!! The best place to visit is the Great Fortress of Deva which is located on top of a volcanic hill.
Deva City view
- Cluj-Napoca
Cluj is the 4th most popular city in Romania and is known for the “creepy” Hoia Forest (which has been said to be haunted), the great ethnographic museums that help you learn about the history of Romanians, and all the churches that have been built during various dynasties, such as the Hungarian one.
Cluj City
The Neolog Synagogue in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, is the city’s only working synagogue. It was originally built for the local Neolog congregation. It was built based on the plans of Izidor Hegner, an engineer, between 1886 and 1887.
It is currently dedicated to the memory of those deported who were victims of The Holocaust.
Neolog Synagogue in Cluj-Napoca
- Bucharest
Bucharest is the Capital City of Romania and is my place of birth! Other than Bucharest being my favorite city, it has some great architectural structures that are well known in Europe. Like you may know from Paris, we also have the Arc of Triumph in the heart of the city. Bucharest is also the home of one of the largest buildings in the world, which was built during the unfortunate communist period – the Palace of the Parliament. When visiting Bucharest, you should go to see the National Village Museum, the Palace of the Parliament, and the many parks located throughout the city.
Parliament Palace
Parliament Palace
- Transalpina
Transalpina is the highest road in Romania. It’s one of the famous Romanian high altitude roads. With a length of 146 km, it goes through the Carpathian Mountains, topping out at 2.145m (7,037ft) above sea level in Pasul Urdele. Its name comes from Latin which means “The country beyond the mountains”.It crosses over 6 mountains all part of the big Carpathian mountains chain.
It’s quite famous and it attracts an impressive number of tourists due to the experience it provides: driving through a mountainous region and being surrounded by nature on all sides. You can only imagine the landscapes you are bound to admire on your trip. But what you might not know is that Transalpina also offers a beautiful natural setting. In fact, if you take this path instead of the one leading to Transfagarasan, you will be taken aback by what nature has to offer you. Transalpina, known as “The Devil’s Path”, is Romania’s newest attraction twisting and turning from North to South across the Parang mountains. Transalpina road was opened in 1938, built under King Carol II *At that time Romania was a Monarchy.
Transalpina Road and Heights
- Mud Volcanoes (Vulcanii Noroiosi)
Mud volcanoes are an amazing place you can ever imagine! But first…you have to bring a friend with you in case you fall into the mud! And don’t forget to bring water and a bag of chips or something else. The mud in the mini volcanoes look like jacuzzies or hot tubs with mud instead of water. Mud volcano or Mud dome is a landform created by the eruption of mud or slurries, water and gases. My grandpa lives here, in the village of mud volcanoes, so let me know when you plan a trip there to be your personal guide :).
Mud Volcanoes at sunset
- Danube Delta (Delta Dunarii)
The Danube Delta is a unique ecosystem, the best preserved in Europe, a World Heritage Site. The Danube Delta consists of an intricate network of waterways and lakes divided between the three main estuary channels of the Danube. This area of floating reed islands, forests, pastures and sand dunes covers 3,000 square miles and is home to a fascinating mix of cultures and people as well as a vast array of wildlife. Located at the tip of the three channels, Tulcea makes a great starting point for exploring the Danube Delta.
Did you know that The Danube River is the most international river on the planet – its course runs across — or forms a part of the borders of several countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and four capitals: Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade?!
The Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve has the third largest biodiversity in the world (over 5,500 flora and fauna species), exceeded only by the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Galapagos Archipelago in Ecuador.
The Danube Delta is home to over 60% of the world’s population of pygmy cormorants (phalacrocorax pygmeus), 50% of red-breasted geese (branta ruficollis) and the largest number of white pelicans (pelecanus onocrotalus) and Dalmatian pelicans (pelecanus crispus) in Europe.
It also is home to the world’s largest reed bees expanse – 625, 000 acres / 240,000 ha.
Danube Delta -white pelicans
- Romania
It is hard to choose what place should be the first to visit because it’s my country and I love each millimeter of it. I’ll give you a last shoot of why you must see it with your own eyes.
Romania’s Treasures
Fun facts about Romania:
- Romanians speak Romanian- the only Latin based language in the South Est European region;
- Romania holds the Guinness World Record for the largest flag: 349×227 meters (1145X 745 ft.);
- The House of Parliament-in Bucharest is the largest building in Europe, and the second largest after Pentagon-USA. It is also the heaviest building in the world;
- Romania is almost equally divided between planes, hills and mountains. The highest peak stands at 2544 meters above sea level. It is crossed by many rivers, and almost all of them end on the Danube River, the southern natural state border of Romania.
- Timisoara City was the first European City with electric street lights, while Peles Castle was the first European castle entirely lit with electricity.
- The Movile Cave in Dobrogea is a unique ecosystem (low on oxygen), separated from the outside for 5.5million years, which is completely based on chemosynthesis (not photosynthesis).
Hi Ina,
I really enjoyed learning about Romania in this post. Your country sounds and looks beautiful! It would be wonderful to see all the different places in person. I would love to see the medieval fortress, mud castle, the Danube Delta, and of course Dracula’s castle. I might be afraid of the haunted forest though. What is your favourite place to visit in Romania? Are you looking forward to going back to Romania one day?
I look forward to reading another post soon. 🙂
Mrs. Bennett
Thank you Mrs. Bennet for your kind words, indeed, Romania is a very beautiful country. I wish, when all this pandemic will be over, you visit my country.
My favorite place is at the Black Sea and at my grandfather village, near The Mud Volcanoes.
I will sure be back to Romania…or to another adventure one day, after my father finish his diplomatic mission here, in Canada.
looking forward to be your guide in Romania :),
Ina
What a amazing country ina! Im suprised its 42 times smaller canada!
-map13
Yes, it is small compared to Canada 🙂