Villages, cities and people
When it comes to city breaks most travelers are heading for famous
cities like Rome, Paris, Prague, London or Amsterdam, never taking
into account other delightful, less known corners of Europe. Even
with the latest development of tourism in the former Soviet Block,
Romania has remained among those few undiscovered destinations.
And if however the scenic Carpathian Mountains with their lovely
resorts, breathtaking views and ski slopes manage to bring some
overseas visitors in Romania during the winter, and the Black Sea
Coast greets them with plenty of sunshine and beach parties throughout the hot summer months, not many know that Romania has a great
potential of delivering some very interesting city breaks as well.
Located in western Romania, in the Banat region, Timisoara is a cosmopolitan metropolis, an architectural splendor, the symbol of Romania’s democracy, and one of the most beloved cities in the country.
The best kept secret in Romania, maybe in Europe, Timisoara’s cultural and architectural richness can be easily compared to those of
Prague, Paris or Vienna, so I don’t think it will take too long before
tourists will actually burst inside.
These being said, Timisoara is the place where various cultures blend
together nicely, where the relatively young inhabitants appreciate
equally a pleasant afternoon at the museum and a crazy night out, and
where most of Romania’s festivals take place.
Located in the charming Transylvania, the medieval Sibiu with its
small town feel in a big-city format is the Gothic fairy tale of Romania. After enjoying a year in the spotlight in 2007 when it was elected
the cultural capital of Europe, Sibiu’s fame has been celebrated with
great fanfare all over the country.
The city’s cultural heritage doesn’t need any presentation, nor do its
famous squares and the windy streets crossing the Old Town, but the
lovely Christmas Market taking place here in the winter, the medieval festivals in the fall, the blooming trees’ fragrance shrouding Sibiu
in the spring or the lovely summertime over this ancient settlement
are some delightful experiences that need to be witnessed and enjoyed by any traveler to Romania.
In the beautiful city of Iasi every stone, museum, monastery, park or
memorial house talks about the past. Located in northeastern Romania as the former capital of Moldavia, Iasi stretches over seven rolling hills just like Rome, offering visitors a charming landscape and a
valuable lesson of history.
Iasi is also the city that gave birth to some of the most important Romanian writers, and the place that is praised most of [