Only for honeymooners in Romania

As Romania is an unforgettable country, and your marriage or honeymoon is also supposed to be like that, I think you can have the both in the same time. That's why I would like to propose you Romania as the perfect destination for honeymoon or/and wedding.

The wonderful city of Iassy, perfect destination for honeymooners and culture freaks

But first of all, you must fill the first condition: you must be deep in love, over the ears! Then if you are looking for the best location for your marriage, please consider The Kiss Gate. It is a modern sculpture carved by Constantin Brancusi, an artist we are very proud of, lieing in a central park of the city of Targu Jiu. It not at all unusual having there your civil ceremony, and many Romanians do the same thing. Simply unique and unforgetable.

This is the Kiss Gate, one of the best place worldwide to have wedding

After that comes the religious ceremony, at least for us the orthodox. It lasts one hour and is very touching for sure. If you like to live it (my warm recomandation) and you are not an orthodox you need a prior baptisation. Almost 90% of the Romanians are orthodox, but you can also find many other churches, as we, the Romanian orthodox are very tolerant.

The religious wedding in an orthodox church is simply touching

The next could be the wedding party. Usually there are 300 guests eating and drinking all night long, waiting to dance with the bride and keen to give to the young pair  a present for the good start in the common life. If you can understand the words of the Romanian popular songs you will laugh a lot, some of them are really funny.

An interesting tradition we care a lot: the bride will launch pieces of cake and the catchers will be blessed and protected (future brides?)

And then I am sure you don't need whether a guided tour, nor to be part of a group. Take really care of your beloved one, put her/him first, even before you. This is the real love, and this is the secret of a long happy marriage. The passion is there, but you need sometimes the patience, please remember that. and about the location, I would reckon the wonderful city of Iassy for many reasons: there are a lot of students , plenty of clubs and concerts. The city is not so impressive big as Bucharest, but also not a small insignificant provincial town. Not at all, but on the contrary, as Iassy has been for centuries the Capital of Moldavia. You will be able the feel the arrogance and pride of a former capital and visit some of the renowned buildings and museums of the city (there are a lot, if you are a culture freak is the perfect destination). One hotel of Iassy has been drawn by Gustave Eiffel, that would be another recommendation.

I think is a nice busy schedule, and must disappear, as I don't intend to disturb your honeymoon in Romania. 

Read more »

Things to do in Iasi

The city of Iasi (pronounce Iashi) is a former capital of the medieval state of Moldova (or Moldavia). Iasi counts nowadays 400 000 inhabitants, being further one of the Romania's most important cities.

Iasi is very spiritual and very cultural, mentioned even these days as the cultural capital of Romania. Iasi has many museums and if you are a culture freak you are going to love this city. Prominent personalities of the Romanian culture lived for a while in Iasi, e.g. national poet Mihai Eminescu and the fabulous story teller Ion Creanga.

In the very center of the city there are 4 museums under the same roof: Palatul Culturii. You need a few hours, even days to search thoroughly through these museums, but you are going to feel much richer, culturally speaking.

The magnificent Culture Palace holds four museums under its roof

Very close to the Culture Palace with its four museums you have another attraction, of a totally other sort: two malls, if you wish to go shopping. Observe inside the pretty young girls, going out for a chat or a coffee. To be honest,most of  the Romanian ladies are very beautiful indeed, very aware about that and very attractive. Easy to observe in these malls: they are oversized, expensive and usually almost empty. The investment is huge, the look wonderful, I can only hope that the ROI is also satisfying.

Iasi offers excellent shopping possibilities

As an important cultural center, Iasi has been hosted since a few centuries a few Romanian leading universities: Technical, Medicine, Computers etc. Many of the graduates of these universities, mainly from the Computer School, work abroad, Sillicon Valley is full of Romanians. These students are very important for the life of Iasi. They make actually most of the clients, both for museums or malls. During the scholar vacations the city of Iasi looks really sad and deserted.

Hotel Traian is one of the city's best

One of the most important things to know in Iasi is that some of the best Romanian wines are made here, in Cotnari or Bucium. In these villages you can take part to memorable wine tastings at acceptable prices (10 Euros a wine tasting with 5 wine sortiments). Besides, you can find in Iasi restaurants the best wines from the above mentioned vineyards, remember Francusa or Tamaiosa de Cotnari (white wines, the second with a fantastic aroma).

Going in a restaurant in Iasi and asking for the right wine might be a problem. Search first the house wine (vinul casei) which comes usually unbottled, and thus much easier accessible. Otherwise a free quarte bottle costs between 10 and 20 Euros. About food, check always The Promotion of the Day (Meniul Zilei), two or three dishes meal at the price of 4 Euros.

I still have many things to say about Iasi, it is one of my favorite cities in Romania. It really has a charm, even charisma, but also the arrogance of a former capital.Bye bye for the moment, keep in touch and keep on following my blog.

Read more »

Best Culture and Wine Tours of Iasi

The Romanian City of Iasi is really amazing. It combines in a happy manner culture, history and archaeology, with entertainment and frenetic night life. Within one or two days you can experience all these things in an original mix, turning your ordinary Iasi Tour in an unforgettable event.

Remember first of all that Iasi is build on 7 hills, similar with the ancient Rome, and you can know and meet it  under excellent circumstances by feet or by bike. Thus you can go very close to its remarkable people, buildings and museums, experiencing the local flair and flavor.

You can take part to a professional wine tasting in Cotnari by Iasi

A brilliant idea is to start is to start and end your Iasi Tours in the Downtown, to the Culture Museum. The Culture Palace is a breathtaking building, dating back from 1925 and hosting no less than four museums, together with a leading library. If you are lucky not to find the Culture Palace during its neverending restoration works, you can use this opportunity for visiting all these museums. Thus you are going to use one or two days from your precious time, but you are not going to regret it! Discover first the History Museum of Moldavia, with artifacts from the old days up today. Run further in the Iasi Art Museum to enjoy fantastic painting and carving works from the Romanian school, but also from Italian, French and Flemish ones. If you are the technical freak, don't miss the Technical Museum, also hosted by the Culture Palace.

The breathtaking Culture Palace hosts no less than four good museums, deserving a visit

You can have a well deserved shopping or eating break in the Moldova Mall, which is actually a controversial modern building, just a few steps away from the Culture Palace. Critics and opponent can't forgive the arrogance of Moldova Mall, and are not able to understand who gave it the building approval. But the most modern mall of Iasi is a few streets further, namely Iulius Mall. which is really upscale and state of the art.

Old and new are permanently mixing in this breathtaking city with a student thrill! Close to the Culture palace discover the Dosoftei Museum of The Romanian Old literature, and the leading city hotels ( if you wanna stay and eat in style, make the good choice and select the Traian Grand Hotel, city's oldest!).

Iasi is doubtless a city of churches, you can find wonderful churches at every step and corner. Throwing a stone in Iasi , it will probably break a church window (local legend!)

Mix than with the locals, walking through the city, heading to the entertainment areas of Ciric and Bucium, where you can take part to wine tastings ( they are not running usually such fine events, but I can arange, would be great for your vacation and Iasi Tour!). Cotnari is another name to remember, when it comes to a Iasi Tour. It is very close, and is one of the best Romanian vineyards, with excellent white flavored wines ( note, ask, and taste the strong flavored Tamaioasa and Frangusa!). But please don't miss on the way the churches of Iasi, and don't be afraid visiting them inside. The Romanians are between the most tolerant people worldwide, they will be very happy to see you there. The priest will salute you, and on some very rarely events will accept even the women in the holly altar (unfortunately, it only happens 100 years after the church inauguration, so you must be very meek). Anyway, a fantastic peaceful atmosphere will seduce you inside.

Read more »

Best Hotels in Iasi

There are a lot of things to do in Iasi, which is a very nice cultural city, even a magical one I dare to say. You need more days in Iasi for sure, and nevertheless you won't be very happy when leaving it, feeling that you still have something to discover.

Hotel Traian was designed by Gustave Eiffel, 150 years ago, but still holds on!

The first mention as the best hotel in Iasi is for Traian. I can agree with you, might be a personal ranking and impression, it is to discuss. But doubtless the hotel represents the most significant and beautiful building in the city, designed by the renowned Gustave Eiffel. The staff welcomes you warmly, they are very kind and speak more languages. Not very expensive, thinking to positioning or other factors, a room costs only 80 Euros.

The spectacular hotel Unirea in Iasi, at night

Very close to Hotel Traian is a sort of local skyscrapers, Hotel Unirea. Going to the last floor you can have a charming panorama of this wonderful city. Also the rooms offer excellent views, mainly the upper floors. The rooms are very modern and comfortable, but the service only satisfactory, comparing to Hotel Traian.

The boutique spa hotel Majestic in Iasi

A little cheaper is the small pension Majestic. Also central, but quiet, friendly and warm, proposes unique rooms organized with good taste. Really deceiving was for me the breakfast, unfortunately, but I can only hope that the things have improved.

Discover the Iasi museums, once you solved the lodging, and make also small trips to Bucium or Cotnari for wine tasting. The life flows so relaxing here in Moldavia, comparing with Bucharest. Walking on the streets and mixing with all the students gives an excellent youth feeling. Don't you dare to speak more to the local beauties from the Medicine School, wearing white tight gowns even in their spare time!

Read more »