Romania Pictures

“Good evening, I am Count Dracula. I bid you welcome”. This line is derived from Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”, a tale of a Romanian blood-sucking aristocrat. The title character was inspired Vlad Dracula, prince of Walachia (an area which is now part of Romania) who had a bloody reputation of having impaled tens of thousands of his enemies during his reign in the 15th century. The word “dracul” in Romanian means “devil” or “dragon”.

Another famous personality from Romania is the first ever perfect 10 1976 Olympic Games gymnast, Nadia Comaneci. Born in 1961, Comaneci brought honor to her country in the Montreal Olympics in 1976 by earning 7 perfect 10s throughout this event. Her record has never been beaten since.

Located in southeastern Europe, Romania is primarily a country of majestic mountains, fertile plains, and historic castles and vllages. The Carpathians dominate its landscape and cover a third of its land area. This thickly forested mountain system has a large number of bears, lynx, wolves, deer, and wild boar.
Though highly industrialized since World War II, Romania’s way of life is still vastly influenced by agriculture. Almost half of the population is still living in rural areas in farm situations.

Conquered by the Roman Empire in 106 AD, Romania is the only country in Eastern Europe that can trace its language and ancestry back to the ancient Romans. This influence was later challenged by Slav, Greek, Turkish and Hungarian cultures. The Middle Ages was dominated by the rule of the Byzantine Empire and its influences which are visible in present-day Romania in its castles and churches.
Modern day Romania is a country which had emerged from Communist rule with the execution of its leader Ceausescu and his wife. 1989 saw Romania’s evolution into democratic reform and subsequent steps towards opening its doors to the world. In 2004 it joined NATO, and in 2007 it became a member of the European Union. This means Romania uses the Euro as its official currency.

The Black Sea Coast offers sun-worshippers a chance to partake in watersports or just relax on its sandy white beaches. Hotspots on the coast are Costinesti, Eforie Sud, Constanta, Eforie Nord, Mamaia, Neptun, Techirghiol, Aurora, Jupiter, Navodari, Mangalia, Saturn, Olimp, and Venus.

So what is there to see and do in a country rich in history and cultural diversity? Plenty! The streets of Bucharest alone are paved with historical sites and sounds seen nowhere else in the world. Dubbed as “Little Paris”, Bucharest has a reputation for the “high life” and is the country’s capital and its largest city. A point of interest is the Calea Victorirei, the street where the Vernescu House, the Boulevards Gh. Magheru, Carol I, Calea Mosilor, Calea Dorobantilor, and the Soseaua Kiseleff are.

Lake Techirghiol is famous for its curative thermal springs as well as its salt waters and mud. The Romanian Riviera spas (in Eforie, Mangalia, and Neptun) are reputed to ease aches and pains. Baile Felix and Baile Herculane are some of western Romania’s best known spa towns. Hiking and horseback-riding in the Carpathian Mountains is a wonderful summertime experience. Winter brings in skiing crowds at the Poiana Brasov and Predeal resorts. Semenic and Sinaia are the best places to go bob-sleighing during this season.

The picturesque mountain lakes of Fagaras and Retezat offer great views while Apuseni , Mehedinti, and Bihor offer great opportunities to explore the ten thousand caves in the country. If nature watching is your thing, there are over 300 species of birds, otters, foxes, wildcats, and boars to be observed while cruising along the UNESCO World Heritage Site and biosphere reservation, the Danube Delta.

Muramures has quaint little villages such as Sirbi, Budesti, and Calinesti where you can visit old wooden churches and witness traditional practices as well as sample a few vintage wines. Bring home glass paintings, woodcarvings, ceramics and pottery, and wooden architecture to show off to friends and family and make them envious of your visit to the beautiful country of Romania.

Last, but not the least, visit the mysterious and historic Bran Castle. Filled with secret chambers and a labyrinth of narrow corridors, it is the perfect backdrop for the evil Count Dracula. Even when Queen Victoria’s niece, Queen Mary remodelled it into a charming summer house, its air of menace and intrigue has never left it. It is rumoured that after the Queen died, her heart had been placed in a silver box and was kept in a niche in the castle where it was found years after. Macabre goings-on indeed!

Yes, it would appear that Romania has everything for the adventurous heart from scenic landscapes to controversial and mysterious legends. It is truly a place worth visiting.

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