Rugged stone churches and dazzling monasteries dot a pristine landscape of rocky mountains and rolling hills. Transylvanian towns have stepped out of time, while vibrant Bucharest is all energy.
The highlight of the small Arbore church is a scene from Genesis (entrance 10 ROL), which adorns the western wall. It is the only church in the region with no belfry towers because it was not built by a prince, the monastery was founded in 1503 by Luca Arbore, the advisor of Stephen the...
Among the most picturesque treasures of Romania are the Painted Monasteries of Bucovina (in northeastern Romania). Their painted exterior walls are decorated with elaborate 15th and 16th-century frescoes featuring portraits of saints and prophets, scenes from the life of Jesus, images of...
Agapia Monastery is one the most important Orthodox nuns convent in Romania, initially built between 1641-1643 and later expanded. The monastery is famous around the world due to its interior frescoes painted in 1858 by the great Romanian painter Nicolae Grigorescu. There are two...
Cloudy weather followed us to Iași – the second largest city in Romania. It is situated on the Bahlui River near its confluence with the Prut River in the Moldavian plain, just 13 km west of the border with Moldova. In 1565, Iasi became the capital of Moldavia and for a short period of...
Our next stop was the capital city of the historical region of Western Moldavia, in northeastern Romania. Because of its privileged location in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Piatra-Neamƫ is considered one of the most picturesque cities in Romania. It lies in the valley of the Bistriƫa...
In the afternoon we have stopped in front of the Aranykakas restaurant in Sândominic. It was supposed to be only an overnight stop, but in the end, we spent there 6 days. Once we have parked, our rear batteries stopped charging, so we have started some troubleshooting the next morning. We...
We spent our last night in Romania in a pleasant city split by the Crișul Repede River. It’s known for baroque and art nouveau architecture, remnants of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Secessionist buildings line central Strada Republicii. Nearby, the neoclassical State Theater dominates...
We made one night in the unofficial capital of the Transylvania region. It is home to universities, vibrant nightlife, and landmarks dating to Saxon and Hungarian rule. Surrounding its central square, Piața Unirii, is the Gothic-style St. Michael’s Church and the dramatic Matthias...
We arrived late afternoon at Alba Iulia – an ancient star-shaped citadel in the city which has been the seat of Transylvania’s Roman Catholic diocese since the High Middle Ages. Between 1541 and 1690 it was the capital of the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom and the latter...
We made a second visit to Saxon village located in a long valley surrounded by hills and vineyards. The village was founded in 1283 and is dominated by Saint Mary’s citadel and church. This hilltop medieval construction, surrounded by three fortified walls, has been listed in UNESCO.