Epic little towns in the Romanian Bucovina

If you came in Bucovina and stay in Suceava do discover the legendary painted monasteries,

you have the wonderful chance and opportunity to discover a few interesting places, according to your specific interests and hobbies.

You can, e.g. to ride your bike on the hills around, and discover the churches and the villages on slow speed, which I recommended more times. Not far from Suceava, beyond the hills, are the mountains, and you can walking and hiking in these wonderful mountains, watching carefully the the rich world of local plants and animals. For the fans of urban life and civilization I have also some tips. Discover first the city of Suceava, and compare it afterwards with the little towns of Radauti, Gura Humorului, Campulung Moldovenesc, Falticeni or Vatra Dornei. And that's the today issue.

The little town of falticeni, a Romanian Florence. Here the communist blocks of flat

I would propose as a first target the town of Campulung Moldovenesc. It lies at 600 meters height and enjoys an excellent tempered climate. It si very long (good 15 kilometers), as its development has been made along the main road. Very long are here the winters, as also very snow rich, and the summers chilly and rainy. The mountain peaks of Rarau and Giumalau are close to the town, and many hiking paths lead from the town to those peaks. In downtown you can still see some interesting buildings from the Austrian period, before 1918. Shortly, the best conditions to make a good climatic and tourist resort. which Campulung really is. Discover in Campulung Moldovenesc , whose economic life is tighten to the wood, the impressive "Museum of wood crafts". It is old, hosted in a wonderful building, with 10 exhibiting rooms, as also an exhibition outside, under the sky. You will try to imagine how old these artifacts have been used in the area for wood working, hunting and fishing. There is even an amazing horse driven wine barrel (for me the most important piece from the museum, you can bet on it). Outside expo contains two traditional houses, two or three centuries old.

Aerial view of the picturesque Campulung Moldovenesc

Also in Campulung Moldovenesc a private collection, named Ioan Tugui, has an convincing expositions of 5000 wooden spoons, mainly from Bucovina. Besides many carpets, pottery and coins.

Much better renowned in Romania and worldwide is the picturesque town and tourist resort Vatra Dornei, lieing in an breathtaking depression, on a height of 800 meters. The town developed first as an important trade point in the area, on terraces at different levels. All around, small mountains, not higher than 1300 meters, and only 3 months yearly of hot season. If you dream to ski, Vatra Dornei is the right place, with 120 days of snowy days every year. All the mountains around have a volcanic origin, and in the area there are many sources of mineral waters. The downtown Vatra Dornei and mainly the nice Casino are very well kept. Find and discover there the Museum of Natural Sciences, with his Ethnographic or Biology departments. A special mention for the huge Central Park (wider than 50 ha, means aproximately 100 accres). It is protected as a natural reserve, and the squirels in the park are friendly, you may feed them! I reckon, that a good occasion to discover Vatra Dornei could also be the Festival of Winter Traditions, starting on 28th December.

vatra Dornei is a favorite target for ski and winter sports

Last for today, but not least, the town of Falticeni, which is comparable with the Italian Florence, due to the high density of notorious culture people having the roots in the area: Ion Creanga, Mihai Eminescu, Ion Irimescu and many others more. Their presence and relation with Falticeni is remembered in the local Gallery of Important People. 

Falticeni is lower than the other mentioned towns (400 meters) and you can see all around charming orchards. You can discover the local traditions in the best conditions taking part to the local festival, one in Summer, on 20th July, and one in Winter, on the 27th December.

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The romantic secrets of Varatec Monastery

The Romanian people have for sure a religious vocation, I think that the number of churches and monasteries is bigger than what you can find in other countries. Please correct me if I am wrong!

Making donations for a monastery, or much better, building a monastery, was for any wealthy Romanian the best way to gain social recognition, and most of them kept long time alive this tradition. Thus, many of the monasteries are rich, have lands, forests, art works etc. For a good cause, because the Orthodox church has a pregnant social mission, when not turning in a concern, due all its properties.

The Agapia monastery is a bigger, richer sister of Varatec

Only 40 km away from Piatra Meamt and 8 km from Targu Neamt, on the road leading between these towns, you can the wonderful monastery of Varatec, which is nice, sunny and only 200 years old. It was grounded by the daughter of a priest from Iasi. Entering the monastery you will be charmed by the richness of flowers and the tidiness. The nuns must be very aplicate, and they have also an efficient management.

Veronica Micle has been for years the inspiring lover of the Romanian national poet, Mihai Eminescu

The Church of the Monastery is a worship with two towers, whose roof is bell formed. From a strictly administrative point of vue, Varatec has the same management with the nearly Agapia, which is much bigger and better renowned due to the original painting made by Nicolae Grigorescu, the most important Romanian painter, whose masterpieces are very expansive nowadays (an excellent investment).

In Varatec the painting was made at 1840 and remade 40 years latter. The golden rood screen is simply breathtaking, beyond the religion matters. Simply a masterpiece, I hope you will agree! The Museum of the monastery mirrors the richness of the administration ( at 1850 the monastery possessed 4 churches, 17 bells, 700 nuns and an important yearly earning). Thus, the museum will proudly show you rare books and short editions, priceless icons, church suits etc ( only a part are donations, the monastery owned many workshops).

Spending vacations in isolation at Varatec was very frequent among the  local  aristocracy in the XIXth century

Discover further a smaller church, carrying the name of St John The Baptizer. Besides, a small white grave stone hides a very romantic tragedy, ending at 1889. Inside the grave rests Veronica Micle, the inspiring lover of Mihai Eminescu, the most important Romanian poet. After Eminescu died at 1889, Veronica Micle searched in Varatec shelter, silence, trying to forget all disappointments. He didn't succeed, and died in the same year, committing suicide with overdose of arsenic!

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