Most important things to do in Northern Romania

In the Romanian province of Bucovina, District Suceava, very close to the Ukraina border, you have a lot of things to and to discover.
 A good possibility is staying in Suceava with its good hotels, and exploring every day, a bigger or smaller neighboring area. Don't think now to Maramures and Satu Mare, nevertheless they are also in the extreme North of Romania. Now we shall be focused on Bucovina.

Observe please the hills and the mountains, making this area so beautiful and picturesque. The villages seem to be rich, the houses are big. Traditions are well kept and the rural society seems to be still o.k.! Don't miss in one day of your holidays in the area the black pottery of Marginea, which is very cute and has a long tradition.

On the day when you are going to visit the Putna Monastery, allow yourself some extra hours for an instructive trip to Radauti. The town of Radauti is easy accessible through a wide plain, the only one proper plain in the hilly Bucovina! A few centuries ago Radauti was an interesting ethnic mix, counting Romanian, Germans, Jews, Polish and other nationalities.

The St Nicholas Church of Radauti, nowadays the Metropolitan cathedral

Radauti has been for centuries an important trade point, which is still today, despite the huge difference comparing to the prosperous Suceava, the local star and capital. Radauti hosted even an important Orthodox archbishop, but faced many internal and fratricide fights, making it to decay a little, for the profit of Suceava.

If you arrive in Radauti at noon, or at night, it is the right time to do a culinary trip to restaurant Nordic, asking about Lidia Sticlet. I hope she is still there, at her leading place, and will strive to fill the most bizarre and cosmopolitan culinary wishes (nevertheless, she has a soft spot for the Romanian national meals, like cabbage rolls, with a half dry white wine).

The ancient Bogdana Monastery, build by the grounders of the Moldavian dynasty, namely bogdan I, which is burried here.

If you enter the town at other moment of the day, start your cultural trip from the very centre, with the Etnographic Museum. You will be able to understand better afterwards the rich long history of the town, as also the agricultural civilization of the area. Observe and admire the rich collections of wooden icons, sledges or horse wagons made by the local craftsmen, as also other agricultural  tools widely used in the area. The objects concerning the Hutzuls are of the utmost importance, because this mystery civilization is really fascinating. No one was able to answer to the simple question " Where come the Hutzuls from?". But they do exist in many remote villages, are Orthodox of the ancient calendar an their mainly occupations are shepherds and horse keeping ( they breed a special art of horses, also known as Hutzul, which is huge and strong).

The Etnographic museum from Radati is a good starting point for your trip in this area

Walk further on the streets of Radauti, towards Jewish temple, build at 1876. Very intrepid bankers, trade agents or industrials, the Jews build schools, hospital, temples, and even an establishment for old people! The Jews started to come by the end of the XVIIIth century, and were forced to leave the city in 1941, when the German troops occupied the town. Very few people escaped the Holocaust, and consequently nowadays there are very few people of this ethnic group in the town (mainly old people).

Next comes the Orthodox church of St. Nicholas, which is really an important worship building with big dimensions and interesting architecture. Next to St Nicholas church you may see Catholic or Lutheran churches, which belonged once to the German colonists, brought by the Austrian administration of Bucovina. They were craftsmen, skilled glass blowers, bricklayers, carpenters as also army officers or official clerks. But a visit in Radauti is not complete without seeing the Bogdana Monastery. Its very old and very simple, without the normal signs of importance and opulence of a Royal church. The Bogdana monastery looks simply like a peasant house, with a round pointed roof. Thick walls, no towers, these are other characteristics of this amazing church. For a history or culture freak is simply a must, because here is buried Bogdan, the first ruler of Moldavia, who reached the area coming by horse from Maramures with an important suite.

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Christmas preparations in Romania

There are some interesting traditions in Romania about Christmas preparations. And these traditions are carefully held in mostly Romania to the countryside mainly, don't imagine that life in Bucharest is very different from the life of Rome very much. You can't avoid these traditions to get lost.

The Romanian traditions are being kept mainly at the countryside (fortunately, 50 % of the population still lives there)

This is a good reason, and maybe the only one, to be against globalization. We don't need the life to be the same in every corner of the world, we need local colors, local smell, local flavor, and this is the most important thing I appreciate when visiting a new place. Cultural exchange is the best and most important issue  in travel, at least for me.

Globalization shall not mean losing roots or losing traditions. This is maybe the reason to be against globalization for many people.

Romania still consists on 50 % villages, where you still can find happy healthy people living according the local age-old habits. For the wine farmers, the harvest shall have been made until beginning of November. Mean while the wine started the noisy fermentation (lasts one week), which is followed by the still fermentation for three weeks. That means, it is best time to filter the wine, because these sediments can spoil it. A talented somelier tastes it daily trying to correct the smell and flavor by mixing to other sorts. It is really a story of hard work until you enjoy a glass of wine.

The Romanian vineyards are a place where the traditions are strictly kept

There is a tradition among the wine farmers to drink in Autumn by the middle of October young wine, still fermentating, but not in the noisy stage, with a grill of sheep pemmican.Smells wonderful this mix, check it. I will hold this tradition every Autumn. I promise.

In Bucovina and Transilvania there are other traditions, given by the sheep owner. There are huge sheepherds coming back in the village for the winter, after grassing all summer long on the mountain peaks. You can imagine, is a good oportunity for celebration, but you can't imagine the proportion until you haven't seen it. There are festivals, where the people are cooking polenta in big boilers, eating after with cheese. They also grill the pemmican, or even fresh mutton.

Romanian were a people of shepherds. My both grandparents still  had sheeps 70 years ago. It is also my dream for retirement

So, in vineyards the wine for Christmas is preparing in the cellars; the salty smoked pemmican waits in the larders. Another important tasty part in the Christmas menu will be the sour pickles. Still possible to set them now, even a little too late.

The spiritual side is not neglected, specially to the countryside, where the communion life goes around the church, gathering people at least once every week, on Sunday. By the beginning of December will start the Christmas fast, lasting 3 weeks ( no meat allowed!).

At a bigger scale, the Romanian leading restaurants do all these things. And everybody prepares the pigs for Christmas slaughtering, which is an event you may not miss (but is a bloody festival, take care).

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Winetasting in Tarnave vineyard

On the nice road between Medias and Targu Mures, and namely in Ganesti/Seuca, I have been honored to take part on a profesional winetasting, organized in Butoiul Sasului. Our very friendly hosts have been Mr Janos Jancsi and Ildiko Molnar.

Serge Gunnar Nguyen and his friends.

I did not come alone, but with my group of tourists from Norway who were visiting Romania, special mention and thanks to their guide Kjell and excellent busdriver Oivind!

Norwegian tourists taking part to a profesional winetasting. They were speaking very much after the fourth sort of wine!

This vineyard of Tarnave, in the very heart of Transilvania, is a little cooler than other Romanian vineyards. Consequently, the harvesting must be made in the late Autumn, not earlier than the half of October. This year was very good for wine production, with a dried summer and a long warm Autumn. Along many times, the most appropriate grape varieties have been proved to be Italian Riesling;  Sauvignon; Muscat Ottonel (very important: they are all exclusively white wines. The Reds need a moo soil, which is not possible to be found here.) The over mentioned varieties are well adapted to resist and fight against diseases, long drought periods, long chilly winters. They give in average a production of 8-10 tones/hectare and reach a net sugar content of 210-270 gr/kg, resulting excellent wines with 12-13 degrees alcohol. We tasted all these wines, and they have been very convincing, as explained by Mr Jancsi. Of course, the sweet light Muscat Ottonel has conquered the heart of our ladies, and especially the happy group around Serge Gunar (the sultan of the harem obviously!).

This blessed bus has been our wheel hous for 6 days in Romania, and his driver  Oivind our guardian angel!

But we proved also a much more appealing for the men Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a red wine, made from grapes who are purchased from other regions of Romania, e.g. Recas. Neither the Red, nor the Muscat Ottonel was available to purchase, and thus the big hit was the Italian Riesling.

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Romania seen by  a Norwegian group

A few enthusiastic tourists from Norway, during a more extensive Europe tour, reached also Romania as a main destination. The trip has been excellent organized by PR Norge, the permanent guide Kjell Hagberg and the bus driven by Oivind Brenhagen, and I was on behalf of Karpaten Tours.

Autumn, the painter of the nature, was an excellent time for visiting Romania

It was for me a big honor and a deep pleasure guiding this group in Romania, and helping them to discover this exotic unknown country for many of them. If they felt so good as I did, surely means that they must come back, as they repeatedly promised.

The F1 driver Oivind at work, while we the other were most on vacation!

I will never forget their excellent behavior, I wish I have only tourists like these.  The Romanian adventure started in Oradea, in a hotel chosen by Kjell (he knows so many thing about Romania, much more than I do) and took place in a wonderful Autumn, probably the best season for visiting Romania, due to the many colors all around (Autumn is the best painter, not only in Romania). Due to the cooperative staff from Restaurant Ramada Oradea we managed to improvise a frugal lunch in 15 minutes, which was a good performance. Good start indeed. The people were very impacient waiting for me due to the introduction of Kjell and Oivind, excellent team players.

The organizer guide Kjell , impressed by the carnival in Sighisoara

The tourists have been very happy discovering a clean, nice, smiling Romania during 6 days of an excellent structured program, made by Kjell himself. We taste together many of the good local wines, and they enjoyed mostly the Riesling! But also Muscat Ottonel and the red Cabernet Sauvignon had their fans.

I assisted them to discover a colorful Romania, with his popular dancers and singers, with Dracula, with the imperial guard in Alba Iulia. The visited area, middle of Transilvania, is one of the Europe's best preserved medieval sites, also nominated as UNESCO heritage, contains 700 citadels.  But there are still some other landscapes to be discovered, very soon I hope.

Visiting Dracula House, nowadays a restaurant, was much more relaxing than we thought first!

I wait some comments from Norway for this post.

A part of the Norwegian group to the wine tasting

And the other part, fortunately you can't hear them talking! Because after tasting 4 sortiments of wine they spoke a lot! 

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The people need to sell all this production!

A small tribute for a great wine

I lived up to now a peaceful, wonderful and intense life. I tried all the joys of this Earth life, and I deeply enjoyed it.

Among the Romanian vineyards you are kindly asked to find the Tarnave!

Above and before anything else I remember  a glass of a special wine, an old wine of Tarnave, the heart of Transilvania. It is the famous Traminer from Blaj, made in 1940-1960, following the same methods like the heavy Rieslings of Rhine, or the Alsacian wines. The taste of this wine is in a certain way the taste of Transilvania, if you allow me.I am deeply convinced, that you will understand the history of Transilvania deeper and better drinking this wine than reading  a few volumes about it.

A little piece from the Tarnave vineyard

I also had the privilege to open ( and even drink, to be honest) many bottles of exquisite Romanian wines. I can also mention the spectacular Grasa or Tamaioasa from Cotnari. Describing them requires a few pages, it is much simplier to drink it. Translating all the resulted sensations in words, enumerating the right smell or taste impulses, this is the real labor of the wine afficionado when meeting these wines. I would mention rather as a memory practise honey, wax, nuts, overiped fruits, late flowers, Eastern spices, etc-it is quite an experience!

This a product from Tarnave, a Riesling, but we may not forget the Traminer!

I was also very enthusiasthic discovering the classic wines of Minis, I became wiser from the Samburesti, and I let myself becoming tipsy and dizzy in Murfatlar.

As I enjoyed all these things, I also push you to spoil yourself with these exquisite wines. The opportunities will come for sure, you only need to stay eager and grab them.

But let's go back to my favorite Traminer of Blaj. This wine still holds a typical scent of fresh hay. This sortiment came in Transilvania at 1900 , and you can barely find it dried, only scented. Enjoy it with a shells soup, or a white Mediterranean chicken, cooked with butter and Provence herbs in a pan ( only for advanced connaisseurs).

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The Big Romania Tour

What I am going to propose now is an Essential Tour of Romania, much more comprehensive than all my former Romanian Tours. You must do for that noble purpose 2100 km, but it worth the pain: you will know a lot about Romania and the related matters ( history, geography, people, wine tastings etc). Thus Romania will appear to you no more as an unknown exotic country, but as a familiar one, and that's why I deeply recommend you this fantastic Tour.

I estimated for this Essential Romania Tour 17 days (with an average of 120 km daily), but you can also make it on your own (contact me for reservations) and stay longer in your favorite places. It is the best when you allow an extra week comparing with my proposition, you'll get even more.

Day 1. Bucharest with a walking Tour in the Downtown, among its seducing mix of Architecture Styles. Also in Downtown visit the Art Museum and feel the agitated Night Life.

Day 2. From Bucharest to Brasov, whether on the Prahova Valley (sometimes too busy, but you have some compensations: wonderful mountains, The Peles Castle), or through Cheia (again mountains, but the street is not overcrowded; plus, you have to visit the interesting salt career from Slanic). Visit Brasov and stay there over night.

Day 3.After admiring the wide panorama from Rasnov, and the Bran Castle ( with its Dracula sensations), go on DN 73 through the Rucar-Bran gorges , with its extraordinary mountain sights. Afterwards in the hills, between orchards, Curtea de Arges and his fantastic churches.

Ramnicu Valcea is a nice small city on the River Olt

Day 4. From Curtea de Arges you can reach Sibiu whether on the spectacular Transfagarasan Road (which is open only shortly in summer), or along the Olt from Ramnicu Valcea for the culture and monasteries freaks. The day ends in the charming city of Sibiu, the former European Capital.

Sighisoara  looks like a German fortress from the Medium Age

Day 5. Go to Sighisoara on DN 14 and navigate through the many Saxon fortresses. Once arrived in Sighisoara, admire its medieval spell !

Day 6. You need only 1 hour for reaching Targu Mures, an interesting cultural city, where you can hear many people speaking Hungarian. Visit the Cultural palace, and afterwards go to Cluj Napoca, a dynamic collegiate  and culturally city. A well known local specialty is the cabbage a la Cluj, matching fantastic with a glass of old wine.

Day 7. Say Good-bye to Cluj Napoca, moving North to Baia Mare. Notice on the way Gherla with its pregnant Armenian legacy . Go back and forth between the nice villages from the valleys of the river Mara and Cosau.

Day 8 and 9. It is not too much to appreciate Maramures. E.g. Sighetul Marmatiei has an interesting jail and a visible Jewish inheritance; the merry Cemetery from Sapanta, where every cross has a poetry on it, refering to the dead; the high wood churches simply scrap the shy; the villages are simple genuin and charming, and the people very generous. Further through Pasul Prislop (DN 18) to reach Campulung Moldovenesc.  But stay to the countryside, in a small pension.

Day 10 and 11. Take your time to admire the many painted Churches from Bucovina and the interesting churches from this part of Romania.

Day 12. On the roads DN 2 or DN 2 E lead in the district Neamt. Around the town of Targu Neamt the monasteries from Agapia, Secu, Varatec are full of life and match wonderful with the superb landscapes.

The City of Iasi and its massive Culture palace

Day 13. Cross the Romanian Moldavia from West to the East reaching its local Capital of Iasi.. This city is full of life and has some secret trumps: student life, important churches and a fantastic Museum of Culture.

Day 14. Start the long downhill to the South. You won't get the time to bore, as the landscapes are very different: hills with forest, vineyards or orchards; empty plains; aquatic or arid areas. Short before Barlad, you cross the River Prut, which will be your escort until Braila and Galati.

Day 15 and 16. Cross the Danube in order to reach Tulcea, the turning plate of the Danube Delta. A good ship travel will offer a detailed picture of this natural paradise.

Constanta is a very nice touristic city

Day 17. From Tulcea to Constanta on DN 87. visiting on the way the Muslim fortress of Babadag, the Lipovan villages of Jurilovca and Sarichioi, as the antic Greek fortress of Histria.

Wine tasting possible every day, if you want it!

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The Romanian Mountains

The Romanian Carpathians are young and strong, but nor very high comparing to the Alps. The highest Romanian Peak, accessible from the Transfagarasan Road, is Moldoveanu and proudly measures 2521 meters. Climbing it you can feel literally with the head in the clouds, as the Romanian say for pie-eyed people. The ascension is not very difficult, you don't need an oxygen mask, but need nevertheless to take some precautions.

The Peak Moldoveanu  is the highest in Romania and the most spectacular. Not very difficult to climb, but you need nevertheless some precautions. Most important: don't drink wine while climbing!

Maybe Moldoveanu is the most spectacular Romanian peak, but the Romanian mountains, whether lived or savage, are a must for the people who appreciate that and look for adventures. They are usually full with forests, despite the massive cuts from the last years, and you can find many labelled paths, for your delights. There are also many cabins, some of them neglected and very primitive, while others are unexpected luxurious and expensive, judging the environment. In the Fagaras mountains, near the Transfagarasan Road, you can find in winter even an ice hotel. Staying there is a matter of taste indeed.

If we shall speak about the Romanian Carpathians, I won't forget to mention the terrific Transalpina Road

You can also observe the charming Romanian Carpathians from the car, or the bus, during a trip on the fantastic Transalpina Road, Bicaz Gorges, Suceava-Bistrita, or Rucar-Bran. Amazing in some areas, you will be able to observe the Millenial unchanged way of life of the shepherds, who climb the mountains in Spring with their flocks looking for good grass, and return only in autumn. They are stone strong, don't suffer on stress or depressions.

Lepsa in Vrancea County

Some mountains areas have developed themselves through building many pensions for the touristic crowds, and I must name a few: Bocovina, Rucar-Bran, Tara motilor in the Apuseni Mountains, or Lepsa in Vrancea county.( wine tasting in Focsani, Panciu, Odobesti is a must)

A necessary mention for the Dobrogea Mountains, who will make you a sad philosopher. They measure only 700 Meters height nowadays and you can climb them very easy, but in their times of glory were higher than the Mount Blanc. Much older than the Carpathians, they are almost completely eroded now. Nearby, the vineyards from Niculitel.

Apuseni Mountains offers some unique landscapes

There are many things to do in the Romanian Carpathians, and you can get some magnificent landscapes with your camera. But during the climbing is not allowed to drink wine, don't forget. You can ask any further details at dorugiu@gmx.net, I still have some discounts for September.

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The Big Romania Wine Tour

Romanian leading vineyards are spread throughout the country, and a  complete Wine Tour is also  a Big Romania Tour

As wine and vineyards have in Romania a long traditions, the leading vineyards are spread throughout the country, in all its historical provinces as Moldavia, Wallachia, and Transilvania. Up to now I have offered many Romanian tours, but I strove that my tours are shorter and smaller, as I thaught to offer Romania on a small budget. But many of my clients remonstrated, and said that they would have stay longer, in order to know Romania deeper.

O.K., let's do it, let's think big and globally, but I have to warn: Romania has many hidden faces, and even I don't know them all after living a life here! But I will strive to show you many of the Romanian mysteries, to the best of my knowledge. I also have something for those who are not wine afficionados, as me and most of my tourists: this is not exclusively a Romania Wine Tour, but also a Romanian culture tour, facilitating an in depth sight view of Romania. Even this Tour is not complete, there are a few vineyards from Transilvania missing

DAY 1

Arrival in Bucharest, departure to the Black Sea coast. Dinner and accommodation in Constantaor Eforie Nord, one of the seaside summer resorts.

Bucharest and its eclectic mix of architecture style has a secret charm

DAY 2Morning at leisure (you might have a sun bath, or just relax). Lunch with wine tasting at Murfatlar - in the biggest vineyard of Romania. In the afternoon visit to Constantaand Tulcea the city at the entrance of Danube Delta. Dinner and accommodation.
DAY 36-hour Danube Delta Tour, with lunch on board. Dinner and wine tasting at Niculitel the second largest vineyard of Dobrodgea. Special here are the Romanian red wines(”Feteasca”and”Babeasca”) of Niculitel

Wine tasting are important on this tour, but bear in mind that is also a Romanian Culture Tour , the  people who  are not so fond of wine will be also able to find interesting things to do and learn!

DAY 4Departure to Iasi. We cross the Danube at Galati and we arrive late in the afternoon in Iasi, the capital of Moldavia after visiting the small but exceptional winemaker of Husi (the famous wine - ”Busuioaca de Bohotin”) Tis was one of the favorite wines of the former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.. Dinner and wine tasting at Bucium, one of the largest winemakers of Moldavia.
DAY 5What about dinner in a monastery with wine made by the monks and their blessing for the rest of our tour? Morning at leisure, or a visit to Iasi to see the Mitropolitan Cathedral, Culture Palaceand Golia monastery. Lunch and wine tasting at Cotnari, one of the oldest wineries of Romania, where we can find the unique Romanian wine "Grasa de Cotnari" 

DAY 6.. Departure to Focsani, the center of Romanian wine. Here we will visit a couple of winemakers and have many wine tastings such as: specific in the area “Champagne” of Panciu, the famous wine of Odobesti and others of VINCON - Vrancea

Focsani is not only a Romanian Wine Capital, but also a cultural  city.

DAY 7Today we continue the yesterday program with wine tasting. Lunch and wine tasting at one of the wineries. Diinner and accommodation.
DAY 8Departure to Brasov, one of the most beautiful medieval cities of Transylvania. Lunch break. We will visit the Dracula Castle and have dinner and wine tasting at “Cerbul Carpatin” with Romanian Folk music.
DAY 9Departure to Ploiestiover Cheia Gorges to have lunch somewhere on the Romanian wine road, the largest red wine region of Romania: the Prahova area. Visit to the greatest winemaker of this area, in Ploiesti. Dinner and accommodation.

The savage Romania is also a highlight during a trip

DAY 10We visit several wineries of this area (Dealu Mare, Urlati etc.) and late in the afternoon we come to Bucharest. Lunch and wine tasting at Dealu Mare or Urlati wineries. Dinner and accommodation.
DAY 11Bucharest sightseeing, we visit the Palaceof Parliament (former Palace of Socialism during Ceausescu’s dictatorship - second biggest building in the world after the Pentagon). Lunch at a fancy restaurant. Last wine tasting and farewell dinner.
DAY 12 Transfer to airport. Departure. Please, let your air company know that you carry a precious luggage, containing at least 10 bottles of best Romanian wine!

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The genuine Romania and its unexpected sights

The last untouched European forests are in Romania, as this country had had for years a coherent policy in that field. Extending and generalizing, the last villages from Europe are also in Romania to be founded. You will notice in some remote settlement from Bucovina or Transilvania, with strong traditions, a strange feeling: the society seems to be entirely in order.

In Romania the meals taste and smell very different comparing with your usual meals

If you wanna know Romania in its deepest corner, don't avoid a stay in a remote pension, or even in the house of a local. Everything is different, comparing with what you usually, and even comparing to a hotel. All the meals taste and smell totally different comparing with what you eat at your place. The day starts with a strong breakfast based of fresh product from the neighboring farmers, maybe even a brandy or a glass of wine  for warming up!

In many places in Romania you may have the feeling that this society is still o.k. and still in order

Then you can walk or take the horse wagon, and you will got another dimension of life. Only thus you can discover a lot of details of the life to the countryside: the market, the bar, the land works, the animation around the fountains, cheese production (or other important local activity, like wine making), the acurate handicraft, the church, the football matches, the take off of the children to the school and their way back. You might be very upset about the proximity of the domestic animals, but you will accept the idea soon: the cows on the street  and the geese also free, the goats and the sheeps emitting unheared noises, and the bees visiting the flowers. You will be very pleased by the rural architecture, the nice peaceful houses, the sunny gardens, the monasteries. The smell of hay slightly excite your nose. You will find for sure during your walk in an unexpected tree a small, wizened, but very flavored tasty apple.

Wine tasting is a part of your Romanian trip, as this country is mainly a wine country

In the evening, a rich dinner, with wine of course. You will not succeed eating everything on the table, I can bet. As your vacation gets longer, you will find some differences from this idyllic image, as our grandparents described. The life at the countryside is not easy, even on the contrary, very tough. The old people living there alone see often the stranger only as a source of income, which is not so terribly wrong, as long the quality and the sincerity of hosting are still o.k.!

The local craftsmen keep the Romanian rural society stil in order

A total different way of life can you experiment visiting on the Romanian Black Sea coast. This coast is not very long, and were during the communist time a must do for every people in vacation. Forget the illusion to find lonely beaches. Mamaia and other resorts are overcrowded day and nights and lives passionately, you must do the same. Whether peaceful, or frenetic, don't let the best Romanian wine to stay out of your vacation!

Mamaia on the Romanian Black Sea coast means  a huge difference comparing  to the  peaceful  villages.

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Best time for a Romanian vacation

Which is the best time for visiting Romania? Which is best time for a wine tasting? There are a lot of opened questions about the unknown Romania, about its wine and its people. I am going to try to give you some answers to these questions, as you must be aware and get more from your Romania trip.

Wine tasting is in my opinion a part of any  Romania trip

When it comes to wine and wine tasting, any season is advisable, as I already discussed. But, broadly speaking, what about Romania and the best time for visiting it?

First of all, depends on you and on your vacation schedules. There is no way to quit a job for a trip to Romania (don't do like me, I quitted a job for visiting Rome!). Bear in mind that Romania has huge differences between seasons, due to its continental-temperate climate (very important: the 45 degrees of northern latitude crosses through Romania. Why should this latitude be so important? It marks the half of the distance between Equator and the North Pole, the most extreme climates of the world). In spring and autumn there are strong winds; on the other hand winter ans summer are getting longer due to global heating. In summer of the last years have been registered temperature of 40 degrees Celsius; also very unusual, the Black Sea froze. But the width of Romania, the diversity of its forms of relief and the diversity of its folkloric festivals are almost a guarantee of a high quality vacation in any season.

The winter is tough in hills and mountains and a paradise for the skiers. The snowy villages are superb under a blue clear sky, while the houses and the animals smoke. The hot soups, boiling wine or brandy will warm you up. Unfortunately, the closed roads will not allow to discover the remote villages, which are by far  the most interesting. On Christmas and New Year you have the unique opportunity to see some very interesting and picturesque customs, coming from the ancestors. Also a good occasion for the families to stay together, and have traditional meals, sprinkled with wine. A wine tasting in winter is unforgettable, and sometimes even necessary to warm you up.

The winter as you like in the pictures!

The summer is the best time for discovering mountains, while the life in Bucharest is almost unbearable. It is maybe the peak season, if you allow me a cliche! The seaside is full of people, while other groups are simply invading the cities of Transilvania, Bucovina, Danube Delta and Maramures. But you must be very careful and book in advance for a hotel room.

The Summer in the romanian Carpathians

The spring means Valentines, field flowers invading gardens, and orchard in hills and mountains. The singing birds start their concert and the people clean their homes. It is maybe the best time for discovering the cities, as the blocks disappear behind the trees in blossom. Billions of birds from the all world come back in Danube Delta. Also important for Eastern, the biggest orthodox celebration.

The Spring in Romania means a total resurection 

The autumn is very cute and picturesque, mainly in the mountains, when the forest is literally on fire due to falling leaves, which take very different colors. Harvesting time, inclusive for the grapes, which will do an excellent opportunity for wine tasting.

For a skilled photograph, the autumn is by far the most beautiful season

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Romania at its best

Starting from The fore posted Bucharest Architectural Tours I thought it would be interesting for you to see and feel Romania at its best. So, I made a short selection of Romanian highlights, and of course, wine tasting will be also included (so, please, don't worry about it)

Bucharest is a charming mix of different Architecture styles, and a walk in the Downtown  is  a gift for booking up to 01.10.12

This Romanian vacation comprises 6 days, 5 nights of stay in a leading 3*** hotels in the heart of Bucharest. The most spoil of you could book only this stay at the special price of 295 Euros (comprising airport transfer and breakfast; no other meals or entrances fees included!). As bonus for booking in September, you will receive a free walking Architectural Tour in Bucharest downtown.

A wine tasting may never luck from  the Romania  higjlights

For the more active of you who also aim getting more from this vacation, I prepared a more generous package, including:
Day1: Arrival in Bucharest Airport, introduction to the guide, Hotel Transfer
Day2: Bucharest walking Architectural Tour in downtown(free bonus), followed by a visit in the wonderful Village Museum.
Day3:Trip to Niculitel and wine  tasting ( some of the best Romanian wines available here)
Day4:Trip in the Romanian Carpathians, visit of the Peles Museum  in Sinaia (former Residence of the Romanian Kings, nowadays turned to an amazing interesting Art Museum). Lunch in Sinaia.

The Peles Castle ids the former residence of the Romanian kings and nowadays  a leading Art collection

Day 5:Rest, relax., walking in Bucharest parks, shopping in Bucharest
Day6 : transfer to the Airport, goodbye kiss from Romania and the guide.

Maybe you noticed the special free bonus from me, The Bucharest Walking Architectural Tour in Downtown! This much more complete Romania Tour comprises 3 meals daily, all the trips and transfers, and all the Museums entrance fees, and mean only 670 Euros/person a place in single room!
Hope you will enjoy it, as other tourists and I also do, and keep in mind another important thing: this price include a special 5 % discount for booking up to 1.10.2012. For booking after this deadline the price will increase to 5 %. So, my tip, please hurry up!

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