A Few Thoughts on Romania
From what we’ve seen there are at least two different Romanias. One is in Wallachia, which includes Bucharest, and the other is Transylvania (Moldavia is another large province that may also have a different character but we didn’t go there).
It’s sad to say but Bucharest seems to resemble every American’s picture of what Eastern Europe was like under the Soviet occupation. The exterior of the buildings are not well kept, the neighborhoods do not seem to be prosperous and there is a general feeling of poverty. You can find coffee shops in most areas but there are large tracts where we couldn’t find any restaurants. The very touristy Old Town area is rather small and not as charming as you might expect. Many of the older buildings are gone; they were destroyed by the Communists and the Earthquakes of the 20th century. It’s hard to believe but we couldn’t even find quaint / cheap places to eat near the University.
Still, if you make an effort, you can find some fun things to see and do and most people speak English (if you speak Italian you should be able to get by nicely). Here’s our must do list for the city…
- The Palace of Parliament.
- The Spring Palace (Ceausescu’s House).
- The National Museum of Art (it’s free the first Wednesday of every month).
- The Zambaccian Museum (it’s free the first Wednesday of every month).
- The Village Museum.
- The Romanian Athenaeum. It’s the home of the Enescu Philharmonic and is a magnificent building.
- Eat at Energeia. It’s a little more expensive than most but the food was great.
- Have Brunch at Diani 4 and try their fancy coffee drinks.
- For a quick bite go to Latin Pizza. It was the best pizza that we’ve had in a while.
- Visit Peles Castle. It’s a day trip from Bucharest and worth wrestling with the disorganization and the crowds. Cash only!
Transylvania has a completely different character – it’s a mountainous region with babbling brooks and hilltop fortresses. Whereas Wallachia was under the Ottoman rule for many years Transylvania was under the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Even today a part of the population still speak Hungarian and German. We found the region to be utterly charming. Culturally it reminded us a lot of our time in Budapest.
Here’s our must do list for the region…
- Go to Brasov. It’s the largest city in the region and ideally located for making day trips to other sites.
- Do the self guided “Walking Through Old Brasov” tour. You’ll see all of the remaining city walls, towers and bastions.
- The Black Church. The entrance fee is 10 Lei but you can see the church and attend an organ concert for 12 Lei.
- See The Basilica of Saint Nicolas in the Shei Quarter. Don’t forget to visit the First Romanian School / museum which is right next door.
- Climb Tampa Mountain (or take the cable car) for the best views of the city.
- Have coffee at Cafeteca and enjoy some marshmallows.
- Eat a “Chocolate Blob” aka Grille Joffre at La Vatra Ardealului. They have good coffee, too.
- Eat at Dei Fratti. It’s the best Italian food we’ve had since we left Italy.
- For traditional Romanian dishes eat at Casa Românească.
- For some good home cooked style food eat at Brasovia. Cash only.
The region is replete with historic towns and churches – many of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites…
- Harman’s Fortified Church is a short bus ride from Brasov and is a must see.
- Rasnov Fortress is also a short bus ride from Brasov and is a must see.
- Go to Bran Castle. No, it was never Dracula’s home but he was imprisoned there for a few days.
- Take a trip to the old town of Sighisoara.
- Explore Sibiu. It was once the largest town in Transylvania.