Transylvania, Romania
Romania's Transylvania region is never short on attractions: well preserved castles and fortresses, scenic landscapes, lots of history, well preserverd customs and beautiful cities. Some of my favorite sites and attractions in the area include: the otherworldly Turda Salt Mine (visit in the morning before the crowds arrive), the Hunedoara Castle and the delightful medieval town of Sighisoara. Timisoara, Sibiu and Brasov are three of the region's nicest cities. Don't miss the excellent Faust theater play while in Sibiu.
The historical region of Maramures in the northern part of the country is delightful to visit with its beautiful wooden churches and fabulous green landscapes. Start with the Barsana Monastery and check out the quirky merry cemetery in Sapanta. The sombering Memorial to the victims of Communism in Sighetu Marmatiei is also very interesting. You can also take a ride on Europe's last functional steam forest train, Mocanita.
Next, visit the the fortified churches around Brasov and Sibiu - Viscri, Prejmer and Biertan among many others. While in the area, visit the nicely restored Rupea citadel and Fagaras fortress, as well as the Sinca Veche monastery cut into stone with the beautiful religious complex built on site. Another nice idea is a hike through the woods to the scenic Sapte Scari Canyon.
Other cool sites include the ancient Dacian capital of Sarmizegetusa Regia (together with its Roman counterpart, Sarmizegetusa Ulpia Traiana), the beautifully restored Alba Iulia Citadel, the Densus stone church - one of the oldest functional churches in the country (originally built in the 7th century on the site of a 2nd century Roman temple) and the Rosia Montana gold mines dating since Roman times. Detunata, Racos, Ruginoasa pit and Scarisoara ice cave are sites of geological wonders that are also worth visiting.
Finally, if you're looking for relaxation in exquisitely restored castles or domains, then Daniel Castle, Gaal Mansion with its splendid forest and Count Mikes Estate are excellent choices. Ursa Mica is a very nice glamping resort set in a beautiful mountain area and featuring excellent dark skies for astrophotography, nicely preserved WWI trenches from one of the largest battles in Romania and some cute little foxes if you're lucky to see them. Cuibul de Lemn is a nice little hotel set in another scenic mountain area close to Rasnov and Portal Village is an absolutely delightful resort with excellent food and a nice nearby forest that's close to Sibiu.
Another beautiful area is the one around Balvanyos and Sfanta Ana Lake which also has some very nice attractions: the Bear Observatory and the Mohos Peat Bog reserve with rare plants including the carnivorous Drosera Rotundifolia.
Additional info:
- entry on Wikipedia
- profile on Wikivoyage
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- Transylvania
- Ruginoasa pit
- Ruginoasa pit
- Racos columns
- Racos columns
- Emerald lake
- Emerald lake
- Racos volcano
- Racos volcano
- Detunata Goala
- Detunata Peak
- Detunata
- Coltesti fortress
- Coltesti fortress
- Scarisoara ice cave
- Scarisoara ice cave
- Scarisoara ice cave
- Rosia Montana mines
- Rosia Montana mines
- Rosia Montana mines
- Rosia Montana mines
- Transylvania
- Transylvania
- Transylvania
- Mocanita train
- Mocanita train
- Transylvania
- Prejmer fortified church
- Prejmer fortified church
- Viscri fortified church
- Viscri fortified church
- Biertan fortified church
- Biertan fortified church
- Biertan
- Carta monastery
- Carta monastery
- Carta monastery
- Carta
- Olt bridge Carta
- Fagaras fortress
- Sinca Veche monastery
- Sinca Veche monastery
- Sinca Veche
- Sinca Veche
- Rupea citadel
- Sighisoara
- Sighisoara
- Sighisoara
- Hunedoara Castle
- Hunedoara Castle
- Hunedoara Castle
- Turda Salt Mine
- Turda Salt Mine
- Turda Salt Mine
- Turda Salt Mine
- Turda Salt Mine
- Turda Salt Mine
- Transylvania
- Transylvania
- Transylvania
- Transylvania
- Densus Church
- Sarmizegetusa Regia
- Sarmizegetusa Regia
- Sarmizegetusa Regia
- Sarmizegetusa Regia
- Sarmizegetusa Traiana
- Sarmizegetusa Traiana
- Maramures
- Rogoz Church
- Surdesti Church
- Sapanta Merry Cemetery
- Sapanta Merry Cemetery
- Sapanta Merry Cemetery
- Maramures
- Sapanta Church
- Barsana Monastery
- Barsana Monastery
- Barsana Monastery
- Barsana Church
- Maramures
- Maramures
- Maramures
- Sighet Memorial
- Sighet Memorial
- Sighet Memorial
- Sighet Memorial
- Sighet Memorial
- Sighet Memorial
- Alba Iulia
- Alba Iulia
- Alba Iulia citadel
- Alba Iulia citadel
- Alba Iulia citadel
- Decebalus monument
- Fire Magic, Bistrita
- Fire Magic, Bistrita
- Fire Magic, Bistrita
- Fire Magic, Bistrita
- Kurtos Kalacs
- Baia Mare
- Rasnov citadel
- Rasnov Citadel
- Rasnov Citadel
- Deva Fortress
- Deva Fortress
- Deva Fortress
- Bison in Hateg
- Turda Gorges
- Turda Gorges
- Turda Gorges
- Transylvania
- Transylvania
- Rosu Lake
- Sibiu
- Bridge of Lies, Sibiu
- Sibiu
- Sibiu
- Sibiu
- Sibiu
- Sibiu
- Cluj-Napoca
- Timisoara
- Timisoara
- Timisoara
- Brasov
- Brasov
- Brasov
- Brasov
- Brasov
- Tampa Hill
- Bran Castle
- Rasnov Dinopark
- Rasnov Dinopark
- Rasnov Dinopark
- Rasnov Dinopark
- Rasnov
- Sapte Scari Canyon
- Sapte Scari Canyon
- Sapte Scari Canyon
- Sapte Scari Canyon
- Daniel Castle
- Daniel Castle
- Daniel Castle
- Daniel Castle
- Mikes Estate
- Mikes Estate
- Mikes Estate
- Mikes Estate
- Mikes Estate
- Mikes Estate
- Ursa Mica Glamping
- Ursa Mica Glamping
- Ursa Mica Glamping
- Ursa Mica Glamping
- Ursa Mica Glamping
- Ursa Mica Glamping
- Ursa Mica Glamping
- Ursa Mica Glamping
- Ursa Mica Glamping
- Ursa Mica Glamping
- Ursa Mica Glamping
- WWI trenches
- WWI trenches
- Gaal Mansion
- Gaal Mansion
- Gaal Mansion
- Gaal Mansion
- Gaal Mansion
- Gaal Mansion
- Gaal Mansion
- Sfantu Gheorghe
- Ika Fortress
- Balvanyos Hotel
- Balvanyos
- Balvanyos
- Balvanyos
- Sfanta Ana Lake
- Sfanta Ana Lake
- Sfanta Ana Lake
- Tinovul Mohos
- Tinovul Mohos
- Tinovul Mohos
- Tinovul Mohos
- Tinovul Mohos
- Tinovul Mohos
- Bear observatory
- Bear observatory
- Cuibul de Lemn
- Cuibul de Lemn
- Cuibul de Lemn
- Cuibul de Lemn
- Portal Village
- Portal Village
- Portal Village
- Portal Village
- Portal Village
- Portal Village
- Portal Village
- Portal Village
- Plaiul Foii
- Plaiul Foii
- Plaiul Foii
- Plaiul Foii