Highlights. Places to visit in Romania

www.WorldWideRomania.com

Brașov town centre

A milion miles from the traffic-clogged capital, a stroll through the old town of Brașov recalls a peaceful, sleepier Romania. Take a day or two and unwind after the frenetic capital.

Bucharest Art Deco

Though more infamous for its ugly blocks and the enourmous People’s Palace, Bucharest is teeming with beautiful, interwar buildings of style and grace. A meander round the backstreets of the city centre will yield architectural delights.

Castelul Bran  (Bran Castle)

The somewhat tenuous connection to Dracula does not take away from the fact that this castle ticks all right creepy, vampiric boxes.

Cimitirul Vesel (Merry Cemetery)

The dazzling and pretty gravestones at the Merry Cemetery in Săpânța celebrate life rather than mourn death. To get the most out of it, go with a Romanian speaker who can translate the irreverent inscriptions.

Cota 1400, Sinaia

Wolves, bears and the Dracula myth combine to add a hint of mystery and menace to the stunning mountain that continuously surprise and delight visitors and locals alike. Enjoy the sights on a leisurely drive up to Cota 1400, then enjoy a leisurely lunch looking out over the panorama or take the cable car even higher to Cota 2000.

Danube Delta Birdwatching

With 300 species of bird frequenting area, the Danube Delta is equally beguiling for expert ornithologists or laymen who enjoy the idea of tranquility, birdsong and messing about in boats. European waterways don’t get much richer than this.

Casa Poporului (People’s Palace)

It has been described as a giant eyesore and a monument to madness, but the colossal People’s Palace, Europe’s largest building, is still an awe-inspiring sight. For an insight into the mind of a megalomaniac, take the fascinating tour.

Castelul Peleș (Peleș Castle)

Previously an elegant home for Romanian’s royals, the beautiful Peleș Castle and its 160 room, some of which can be explored, easily hold their own against any West European Counterparts.

The tour offers a melange of oldem-day interior design.

Sighișoara a medieval citadel

An imposing clock tower, Saxon fortifications and the birthplace of Vlad Țepeș (Vlad the Impaler) are a few of the draws of this well-preserved and atmospheric medieval town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Voroneț

Gothic spires, vivid frescoes and an excellent state of preservation characterise the churches of Romania’s north, of which Voroneț is arguably the best. Here the way of life seems as little changed as the churches.