Top Places To Visit In Romania
Joining the European Union as recently as the 1st January 2007, Romania has seen a surge of interest from travellers after its change in status.
From those in search of the 'real' home of Dracula to those who have simply heard of the beauty of the country, as ever it is advisable to look beyond the capital city, Bucharest, to see the 'real' Romania - Ceauşescu's monolithic constructions are hardly representative of the largely agricultural country.
If you're not scared of walking boots and want to experience the variety of landscapes on offer, use my top five places to visit as a starting point for your own exploration of the country.
1. Danube Delta - a wildlife paradise and on the Unesco world heritage list.
Although I have no particular interest in bird watching in general, my visit to the delta with a wizened old fisherman and his tiny boat was magical - gliding around the twists and turns of the swamp-like delta we came across poised herons, giant swathes of lily pads, and huge flocks of brightly coloured flamingos.
How to get there: Take a bus to Tulcea. From there, you can take a ferry to Sulina (close to the coast), or arrange a bird-watching tour of the delta with an operator such as Ibis Tours.
2. Ice Caves - the ones I visited were the Scarisoara caves, close to Cluj Napoca.
After a mild couple of hours' hiking through idyllic Romanian countryside, we reached the entrance to the ice caves in a clearing of a hilltop wood.
Climbing down an ever more rickety ladder, the temperature plummets and the metal guide rail sticks to your hand.
Inside, cave after cave of stalagmites and stalactites glitter silently and the tiny lights on the floor of the caves lead you out to the entrance again, where the huge natural 'sculpture' awaits your interpretation.
As ever, it is advisable to look beyond the capital city, Bucharest, to see the 'real' RomaniaPhilippa Parry
How to get there: Either arrange a tour through the Tourist Information office, or take a tour with the Retro Youth Hostel (Potaissa street 13, Cluj Napoca) which also includes a lunch at the house of a lady local to Scarisoara - be sure to accept her home-made plum brandy, it makes the hike back downhill a lot swifter!
3. Salt Mines - also with Retro Youth Hostel we visited the Turda Salt Mines, a place that has also been used as a health destination for ailing Victorians (as well as modern people looking to cleanse their lungs), and as a refuge for those in danger during WWII.
The main chamber is indescribably huge, and the immense stacked wooden staircase leading down to the 'floor' passes the inscriptions of the year that each new level is reached by the workers.
4. Bran Castle - If you're in search of vampiric legends and gothic castles, visit Bran Castle.
Though certainly not Vlad Tepes' (a.k.a. 'Dracula') home (it is doubted that he ever even visited here), it is the place where the legend has stuck.
How to get there: take a bus from nearby Braşov. Avoid the tourist hunters lining the streets selling 'bite me' t-shirts and mugs - unless you have a taste for kitsch souvenirs.
5. Sighişoara - a tiny rural citadel, it is a beautiful place to relax with a beer in a courtyard.
Visit the armoury for Vlad the Impalers gruesome torture weapons, and find a place to party away the evening with locals by following the sounds of the raucous disco.
How to get there: it is on the main trainline to Oradea from Budapest. Train tickets are cheap, though the trains can be crowded.
