Europe

There simply is no way to tour Europe and not be awestruck by its scenic beauty, epic history and dazzling artistic and culinary diversity.

BÁNFFY CASTLE

Bánffy Castle is considered one of the biggest castles in Transylvania. From the fourteenth century through 1944, Bánffy Castle was occupied by members of the Bánffy family, whose ranks included the first governor of Transylvania under the Habsburgs as well as a 19th-century Hungarian...

MARAMUREŞ

The northwestern Romanian region of Maramureş is home to many villages where century-old traditions are still part of daily life. The inhabitants of this area have preserved, to an amazing extent, the rural culture and crafts of their Dacian ancestors. Maramureş villages are distinguished...

SĂPÂNŢA CEMETERY

Our last stop in the Maramureș region was Săpânţa located about 20 km west of Sighetu Marmaţiei. The village’s graveyard, known as the Merry Cemetery, became famous for its colorful tombstones decorated with witty epitaphs and naive paintings representing scenes from the lives of the...

POIENILE IZEI

We have visited one of the most beautiful churches in the historical region of Maramureș. The unique church of Saint Parascheva was built in 1632, it is a classic example of local architecture with its double roof, a tower with three bells (1673), and two-level windows. The church´s...

MOCĂNIŢA STEAM TRAIN

In the land of the deep forests and high mountains, on the bank of the Wasser river and just a few kilometers south of the Ukrainian border the last forestry narrow gauge steam railway in Europe operates. The Mocăniţa narrow gauge steam train is used all year long since 1932, each day the...

RODNEI MOUNTAINS

We spent the whole afternoon in Rodnei Mountains around Borșa. Rodnei Mountain National Park has been designated a biosphere reservation by UNESCO for its abundance of glacial features and profusion of flora and fauna species. Borșa is a small ski resort and tourist complex in the...