| Romania. An amazing country. People don't know | | | | not tastier. So don't choose a hotel. They are far |
| too much about it. Some know it is an Eastern | | | | too expensive, the service is poor (there is still a |
| European country, others heard of the appalling | | | | lot of work to be done in Romania when it comes |
| dictator Ceausescu. Some know Romania from | | | | to customer care and tourism) and the food is |
| television: they've seen reports describing the | | | | not so great. If you want to taste tradition, |
| poverty of the land or counting how many | | | | choose to spend your holiday in a village or in a |
| homeless children live in the streets, begging, | | | | country house outside a village, where the |
| starving. Others will describe Romania in other | | | | hostess will welcome you (on your first visit) with |
| words: the land of beautiful women, a mixture of | | | | special, customary appetizers bread and salt and a |
| Latin and Slavic culture, mysterious and fascinating. | | | | shot of palinca - a Romanian traditional alcoholic |
| Bucharest, the capital of the country, used to be | | | | drink, very popular in Transylvania. The bread and |
| called the "Little Paris" and Romania has many | | | | salt have a symbolic meaning: they comprise the |
| other wonders waiting for you. | | | | Romanian way of saying, "welcome in my house". |
| A wonder is Transylvania - the country between | | | | You'll probably not find the same custom |
| forests - a real Romanian territory, full of history | | | | everywhere you go, some traditions are lost, but |
| and imposing in its splendor. The land has it all: | | | | don't be surprised if you do encounter it. |
| bucolic scenery, heights that take your breath | | | | So where should you go to be pampered as you |
| away (the Western Carpathians, also called the | | | | deserve and have a real, genuine Transylvanian |
| Apuseni Mountains, cross the county from North | | | | experience? Not far from Brasov, in Miclosoara (a |
| to South), medieval towns (Sighisoara being the | | | | little village in the foothills of the Carpathians) you |
| most famous of all and the place were prince | | | | find "The Count's" guesthouses. Here you have |
| Dracula was born) and rustic villages, places were | | | | plenty of winter activities including skiing at Poiana |
| many ancestral traditions were piously kept and | | | | Resort, bear and wolf tracking (oh, yes, the land |
| the people are friendly and welcoming. | | | | is wild: a large bear population - you'll not find it in |
| When traveling to Transylvania there is no better | | | | other European countries), bird watching (there |
| way to enjoy your journey than to stay at a | | | | are plenty of rare birds in the region including |
| small, privately owned bed and breakfast villa. | | | | eagles, ural owls, wall-creepers, black-storks), |
| Remember: you are in a wine country. Romanians | | | | hiking cross and cultural activities (many of the |
| make delicious wines, some of which you will | | | | places you could visit are listed as UNESCO World |
| never find in stores, for these are homemade | | | | Heritage). |
| wines as tasty as the most expensive brands, if | | | | |