Tours in Romania
Romania simply surprising
Romania - Europe’s best-kept secret, from the shores of the Black Sea to the peaks of the rugged Carpathians you cannot fail to be charmed and inspired by this unique and very different holiday destination. Discover ecclesiastical treasures, ancient citadels, mediaeval towns and villages straight out of the pages of a fairytale, spectacular scenery, unspoiled nature, and fantastic tales or legends such as the Golden Fleece, the Pied Piper and of course Dracula. You will also find the bustling nightlife, restaurants and modern shopping malls of the capital, Bucharest, or the museums, galleries, and the diverse architectural styles of the great cultural cities of Cluj, Sibiu, Iasi and Timisoara. But, most of all this is a friendly country, rich in folklore and tradition, mystery and romance, a paradise for anybody seeking adventure or an escape from the overcrowded “sameness” of the West.
Far from the Madding Crowd - the ultimate stress-free experience
With more and more people turning their backs on purpose-built holiday resorts we offer the simple life, of the traditional Romanian village. Rural tourism offers a unique insight into a way of life long forgotten in many areas of the modern world, an enchanting enclave where the visitor will encounter age-old traditions, and make acquaintance with the miller, the farrier, the blacksmith, the potter, the weaver, the woodcarver and the shepherd - inhabitants of communities that are far from merely working museums. Take a ride in a horse-drawn cart, traveling at an easy pace through pastoral landscapes that have evolved over centuries, free from the blight of intensive agricultural practices, or simply stroll through meadows and orchards infused with birdsong, and filled with the scent of countless wild flowers - an environment that remains unspoiled and unpolluted, and is safe for children to freely roam. The village and countryside possess a therapeutic quality, for here you really can escape the hustle and bustle, the constant roar of traffic, the crowds and congestion, and the pressures of the workplace. Romanians are renowned for their hospitality so you will certainly appreciate the tantalizing flavors or organic, home-produced food and wine, freshly prepared in the country kitchen.
Fortress Europe - the Cultural Legacy
The cultural heritage of Romania is a fascinating reminder that this was where East and West came together. The curve of the Carpathians was a bastion, and the Danube a barrier, and the southern plains and mountain passes saw some of the greatest battles between the Ottoman Empire and the Crusaders. The legacy of centuries of war and settlement is a unique blend of language and religion and a diversity of cultural monuments and architecture, ranging from the citadels of the early Dacian civilization, and the ruined cities of the Romans to the fortress churches and mediaeval walled towns of the Transylvanian “Saxons”, and the beautiful baroque, neo-classical and art-nouveau architecture which dominate cities which became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Further south you will find a distinctive style best represented by the churches and palaces of Brancoveaunu, while hidden away in the far north are the acclaimed Painted Monasteries of Bucovina, and the fascinating wooden churches of Maramures. Bran Castle and Peles Palace are both already well-known by tourists, but represent only a small part of the Romanian patrimony which includes numerous restoration projects and some 30 UNESCO listed heritage sites including the aforementioned Painted Monasteries, the fortress churches and the walled town of Sighisoara.
The Call of the Wild
The huge swathes of unspoiled forest in the Romanian Carpathians are home to the most significant population of large predators in Europe - 50% of the remaining Bears (about 5,500), and about 30% of it’s Wolves (c.2,500) and Lynx (c.1,500). It is the only place in Europe where large carnivores live in fairly high densities and in close vicinity to humans. But this is only the beginning; you will also find an incredible variety of resident and migratory birds including many of the more spectacular species, such as Pelicans, Spoonbills, Storks, Hoopoes, Golden Orioles, Ural Owls, and according to some botanists, the best preserved flower meadows remaining on the continent. Of special note is the Danube Delta, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, sheltering over 3400 species of vertebrates and invertebrates, many of them rare or endemic. Some 280 species of birds have been recorded, together with over 160 species of fish, among them the much sought after Sturgeon.