Bucovina offers a glimpse into pre-industrialized Europe. Situated in the upper righthand corner of Romania, the bucolic region is a place where natural and architectural treasures have yet to be discovered by mainstream tourists.

In Bucovina, daily life hearkens to a simpler time. It is a land where horse carts rule the streets, where livestock roams freely, and where old couples sit in the shade, spitting sunflower seeds and watching daily life go by.

Northeastern Romania is not only a romantic vision of the past, however. Concealed amongst its rolling verdant hills, Buvovina boasts some of Europe’s most exquisite artistic gems.

BUCOVINA ROMANIA: A WINDOW INTO THE PAST

Dotted with slant-roofed village houses and lovely groves of beech trees, the bucolic area offers a window into another era. As in neighboring Maramureș, the region clings to its past. It is common to find women in traditional dress, children tending to the fields with manual tools, and horse carts in lieu of cars.

Bucovina is truly off the beaten path by European standards. Aside from a few travelers that have made their way to the region from Transylvania, I often found myself exploring the region’s gems without any other tourists in sight.

While both public transport and English language speakers can be lacking, the small region of Bucovina is nevertheless a highly worthwhile tourist destination. It offers a plethora of activities for those interested in nature, and a slew of attractions for lovers of religious architecture.

The region’s crown jewels, of course, are the painted monasteries of Bucovina.

THE PAINTED CHURCHES OF BUCOVINA

Much like the charming wooden churches in Maramures, the painted monasteries of Bucovina are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The painted monasteries are renowned not only for their beautiful interior frescoes, but also for the fact that their exterior walls are covered in biblical depictions. The depictions were initially intended to spread the message of Christianity to the largely illiterate peasants and today, they remain as a token of Romania’s rich artistic heritage.

The monasteries each have frescoes of predominantly different colors and most of them are remarkably well preserved.

Our first stop was the town of Gura Humorului, the gateway to two of the more prominent churches in the region—the Humor Monastery and the Voronet Monastery.

• THE HUMOR MONASTERY

Humor is the smaller of the two monasteries, with red frescoes and a wall surrounding the outside courtyard to protect from Turkish invaders. Humor Monastery is one of the religious masterpieces of Bucovina. And along with Voroneţ, is probably the best preserved.

Built in 1530 on the premises of an older church, the monastery of Humor has particularities that differentiate it from Romania’s other painted churches. It is smaller than some of the other monasteries, and doesn’t have a steeple.

The dominant color of its well-preserved frescoes is a reddish brown.

• VORONET MONASTERY

Voronet—the most famous of Romania’s painted churches—is a true artistic gem. Its blue frescoes are so intact that many have deemed it the “Sistine Chapel of the East.”

The Voronet Monastery’s frescoes depict the moral stories of the Bible. The artistic renditions, intended for illiterate peasants, illustrate how to act in accordance with Christian norms.

While beautiful and impeccably preserved, the frescoes of the Voronet Monastery contain a secret in color mixing. The monastery is renowned for its brilliant shade of blue, known as “Voronet blue.” Nobody has ever been able to replicate the color.

To this day, the unique hue remains a mystery to the modern world.

• SUCEAVITA MONASTERY

Suceavita, largest monastery in Bucovina, contains paintings on an emerald green background. Like the humor monastery, it lies within tall, fortified walls.

Suceavita’s exterior paintings are exquisite. Its rich and monumental murals are the best-conserved and the most impressive of all the painted churches in Bucovina.

The monastery’s frescoes date back to 1601, which makes Sucevița the youngest of Moldavia’s painted churches. The frescoes illustrate a mix of themes from the Old and New Testaments.

There are several other defensive structures within the Suceavita Complex, including four towers. The thick walls today shelter a museum that presents an outstanding collection of historical and art objects.

• MOLDOVITA MONASTERY

Moldovita is another one of Bucovina’s exquisite masterpieces. Defined by its golden hues, the well-preserved church dates back to 1532. The predominantly gold and deep blue paintings on the exterior walls were completed in 1537.

The large and vivid Siege of Constantinople highlights the frescoes.

• ARBORE MONASTERY

Little Arbore boasts interior frescoes that rival those of even the most impressive Romanian churches. Arbore is the only painted 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 Great. Four decades later, Dragos Coman—one Romania’s great 16th century mural painters—completed its exterior frescoes.

Its most renowned depiction is a scene from Genesis, which adorns the western wall.

• SAINT JOHN THE NEW MONASTERY

Saint George’s Church, also known as Saint John the New Monastery, is one of the eight religious complexes that make up the Churches of Moldavia World Heritage Site.

Built between 1514 and 1552 to serve as the Metropolitan Church of Moldavia, Saint John the New Monastery is now the seat of the Archbishop of Suceava and Radauti.

The style of St. George’s frescoes resembles those at Moldovita and Humor.

Although only some parts of The Hymn of the Dead and the legend of the Prodigal Son can still be seen on the southern wall, the church is nonetheless impressive, especially due to its mosaic roof and belfry tower.

• PATRAUTI CHURCH AND PROBOTA MONASTERY

Unfortuntately, our tour of Romania’s beautiful painted churches excluded both the Patrauti Church and Probota Monastery. The Patauti Church is the oldest surviving religious site founded by Stephen the Great (in 1487).

• DRAGOMIRNA

Though not one of the eight UNESCO-recognized monasteries, Dragomirna is worthy of a visit. The cream-colored structure is the tallest medieval monastery in northern Moldavia. It is renowned for its unique proportions and intricate details, mostly carved into stone.

Though it does not contain the frescoes that made the other churches famous, it has a beautifully carved steeple and is still actively bustling with praying monks.

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We spent two days admiring the beautiful painted monasteries of Bucovina and driving around the serene mountain landscape before saying goodbye to Romania and crossing the border into Moldova.

The post Painted Monasteries of Bucovina Romania appeared first on Erika's Travels .

Transylvania’s forested mountainsides and time-warped cities are forever embedded in the popular imagination. Even before arriving, most visitors can picture this fairytale land of haunted castles and fog-draped mountains. The region’s mere name conjures images of haunted stories, where Count Dracula emerges at night to suck on the blood of the innocent.

But as mythical as it seems, Transylvania is a real place. Its castles are some of the most beautiful in Europe and its cities are off the beaten path gems. Though it lies smack in the middle of Romania and offers many of the country’s top tourist attractions, travel in Transylvania is far from mainstream.

Transylvania is magical, scenic, and doused in intrigue. It is full of places to see and things to do. A place that is both etched into our imaginings, yet largely unexplored.

VISITING TRANSYLVANIA: THE HOMELAND OF DRACULA

Many of the things to do in Transylvania revolve around Bram Stoker’s fictional masterpiece, Dracula. The bloodthirsty vampire brought the mountainous region in Central Romania to life for the rest of the world.

Even travelers who (like me) never thought twice about vampires and cringed at the mere mention of the Twilight Trilogy, would be hard-pressed to visit Transylvania without following in the footsteps of Dracula.

The bloodthirsty count is as synonymous to the region as ruins are to Rome. He is everywhere, inescapable. He watches from the towers of Bran Castle and lingers in the alleyways of Sighisoara.

• THE LEGEND OF COUNT DRACULA

Though Dracula is a fictional character, Vlad the Impaler became the inspiration behind Stoker’s notoriously bloodthirsty vampire.

Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad the Impaler, was born in 1431 to Vlad II Dracul, the Duke of Wallachia. A member of the Order of the Dragon, Vlad the Impaler attempted to protect Christianity in Eastern Europe and defend the region from the Ottoman Empire.

Vlad II Dracul’s son earned notoriety during his rule for the brutal torture methods he employed against his enemies. His victims numbered in the tens of thousands and would often be impaled en masse, hung on stakes and lined up for for passersby to see.

Yet, despite the terror that is associated with Vlad the Impaler, he is respected—even idolized—-for his fierce campaigns against the Turks and his success as a warrior. He has become an important figurehead in Romanian history and a legend of folklore.

THINGS TO DO IN TRANSYLVANIA

Transylvania is the heart of Romania. The region is blessed with things to do—from exploring beautiful cities, to visiting Medieval castles, to adventuring out in nature. For lovers of outdoor adventure, Transylvania offers a plethora of hiking. In winter, its slopes welcome skiiers and snowboarders from around Europe.

Travelers who have limited time in Transylvania will likely want to focus on the area’s rich architectural heritage and vibrant cities. The Romanian region is home to the majority of the country’s castles, and three of the most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe.

VISIT SIBIU: ROMANIA’S PASTEL CITY

My Lonely Planet guide described Sibiu as the prettiest city in Romania and, after spending a day in the picturesque place, I could certainly see why.

Sibiu is one of Transylvania’s premier tourist attractions and undoubtedly one of Romania’s main architectural and cultural highlights.

Sibiu was our first glimpse of Romania’s delightful Saxon towns and our fist stop in Transylvania. Though it was immediately apparent that Transylvania is more developed than the Maramures region, Sibiu’s lopsided buildings and peeling paint gave the city a rustic charm.

The warped architecture almost looks as though it belong to the modern world. It gave me the sense that I was walking in another space and time–in a place with little symmetry and no straight lines.

Every street in Sibiu looks like an image from a postcard. Rows of pastel-colored houses run along winding cobblestone streets that lead to the main square in the center of town.

It is beautiful.

The Saxon town dates back to the German occupation of Transylvania in the twelfth century, when the German settlers were recruited to defend the borders of Hungary. The Saxon settlers brought a cultural and architectural heritage that is unique to the region. Since Transylvania once belonged to Hungary, Sibiu beautifully blends elements of Romanian, Hungarian and German culture.

There are three main city squares in the center of Sibiu and they provide a meeting place for residents of the city. They are wonderful spots to people watch as young and old, beggars and lovers, gossip and relax after a day of work. The largest of the three, Grand Square, is surrounded by a rings of beautiful buildings and bell towers that give stunning panoramas of the city from above.

Though still relatively new as a tourist destination, the European community has recognized the beauty and importance of Sibiu and, in 2007, it was deemed the cultural capital of Europe in conjunction with Luxembourg.

WALK THE STREETS OF SIGHISOARA

Sighisoara is famous for its Saxon architecture, its maze of picturesque cobblestone streets and its fairytale setting. Yet, most of all, the town is known as the birthplace of Count Dracula

In order to better understand the fear and fascination associated with vampires, I picked up a copy of Bram Stoker’s novel while in Sibiu and read through it voraciously during the two relaxed days I spent in Sighisoara.

Sighisoara is beautiful and attracts numerous tourists both for its architectural uniqueness and for its connections to Vlad the Impaler.

As the homeland of Dracula, it is the most touristy town in Romania. For the first time during my visit to Romania, I saw crowds of tourists, tacky souvenirs and more hotels than houses.

Yet, though Sighisoara could fall under the category of a “tourist trap,” visiting the pretty hill town is a must for anyone traveling to Romania. Its winding streets, pastel-colored houses and rows of slanted roofs give the city a charming fairytale aesthetic.

I spent two days absorbing the charm of the tiny walled city and took our time visiting the sites, which included a fortified Saxon church, a covered wooden staircase, and a thirteenth century bell tower with an impressive astrological clock that reminded me of the Glockenspiel in Munich.

ENJOY THE SAXON ARCHITECTURE OF BRASOV

After spending two lazy days in Dracula’s birthplace, I took a rickety train to Brasov, another famous Saxon city. Brasov is a vibrant city, with stately colored buildings, pretty pedestrian drags and a black church that dominates the city’s historic center.

The Black Church is the largest Gothic cathedral between Vienna and Istanbul and it gained its name after Habsburg invaders set off a fire that charred its exterior in 1681. It is among the top things to see in Brasov.

During my time in Brasov, I walked the city’s streets, took a tram to the top of a mountain for an aerial view of the city, found the narrowest street in Europe, and ate delicious food in the outdoor cafes that line the pedestrian boulevards.

Like many other tourists, however, I primarily used Brasov as a springboard for visiting the beautiful castles of Transylvania—Rasnov, Bran and Peles.

EXPLORE THE CASTLES OF TRANSYLVANIA

Exploring the castles of Transylvania is among the top things to do in Romania. These storied structures add to the region’s allure and rival those found nearly everywhere else in Europe.

The Bran Castle is a symbol of Romania and one of the top places to visit in Transylvania. The castle’s association with Count Dracula has put it at the very top of many Romania bucket lists.

Yet, while not every Romanian castle is as famous as Dracula’s Bran Castle, they are all worth visiting.

• RASNOV CASTLE

The Rasnov Castle sits roughly an hour south of Brasov, overlooking a town that shares its same name. The Teutonic Knights built the castle in 1215. Parts of it are remarkably well preserved.

In truth, Rasnov is more of a walled city than a traditional castle. Within its walls, it is possible to experience what village life must have been like, for the streets and buildings remain largely intact.The citadel contains pretty houses with balconies, narrow streets and a 143-meter deep well that took 17 years to build.

From the highest tower, visitors are rewarded with stunning view of the beautiful and expansive plains that flank all sides of the castle.

• BRAN CASTLE

From Rasnov, I took a bus to the Bran Castle—perhaps Transylvania’s most popular tourist attraction.

Despite the hype, I enjoyed the castle’s gorgeous setting and marveled at its whitewashed fairytale turrets. Bran Castle is far more than just an over-hyped tourist trap. Its interior contains sixty rooms, many of which are adorned in riches, ornate furniture and pretty paintings.

The Teutonic Knights built the Bran Castle in the early 1200s. It is dramatically positioned on a rocky outcrop overlooking the village of Bran.

In the 1400s, the Bran Castle was used as a defense against the encroaching Ottoman Empire. Five centuries later, the castle lost its strategic significance and became a royal residence of Queen Marie.

Though Bram Stoker makes no mention of the Bran Castle in particular, people have associated its narrow corridors, secret passageways, mountain setting and dramatic appearance with the descriptions in Stoker’s novel. In truth, however, there is significant controversy over whether the castle even had anything to do with Vlad the Impaler.

Many argue that Dracula’s real castle lies in another area of the country altogether.

• PELES CASTLE IN SINAIA

Peleș Castle is perhaps the most beautiful in all of Romania—a country well known for its castles.

The Peles Castle was built in the mid-1800s as a summer retreat for King Carol I. It is a Neo-Renaissance style structure, renowned for its stained glass from Switzerland, numerous beautiful paintings and rooms that draw from various cultural influences. It was the first castle in Europe to be complete with electricity and running water and contains a courtyard with carved statues that overlook a clearing in the forest.

Situated amongst the forested mountains of Sinaia, it is an unmissable East European gem.

The Peles Castle is Romania’s ultimate fairytale palace. The castle reminded me a bit of the chateaus in the Loire Valley and Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, with its elaborate spires, intricate exterior and surreal setting.

I visited the ground floor of the castle on a compulsory tour. The tour brought showcases the castle’s elaborate themed rooms. One room reflected Moroccan style, with stucco and geometric art. Another had decorative paneling and likely the most beautiful carved wooden staircase I have ever seen. In each room, I saw an overload of jewel-encrusted weaponry, carvings, paintings and intricate furniture.

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Transylvania is a highlight of Romania’s tourist circuit. Alongside Maramures and Bucovina, it provides a glimpse into the Europe of old—where quaint carless streets meander though colorful villages and fairytale castles dot the mountainsides.

Despite flying largely under the tourist radar, there are tons of reasons to travel to Transylvania. The area is full of things to do and places to visit.

So even if you’re not quire sure what to think about vampires, pack some garlic in your suitcase and keep your eyes peeled as you head out into the heart of the stunning and storied region.

The post Travel in Transylvania Romania: Things to See and Do appeared first on Erika's Travels .

We began our journey in Romania by flying into the tiny Cluj-Napoca airport and venturing into Maramures–a region that has been culturally and geographically cut off from the rest of the country by the Carpathian Mountains. It has also, somewhat surprisingly, been left out of most tourist itineraries.

Undoubtedly, tourism in Maramures will pick up in the coming years, for the area has a wealth of cultural, natural and historical attractions. But for now, the area remains untouched and virtually unexplored.

Traveling in Maramures was like stepping back in time. In this small region, time seems to have stood still for centuries. The winding mountain roads pass through villages that hearken to a pre-industrialized world. Maramures is home to the last peasant culture in Europe and traditions have not vanished in the face of modernity.

Our purpose in traveling to northern Romania was to visit the wooden churches of Maramures that date back as early as the 1300s. Eight  of the wooden churches are recognized as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, but I believe the entire region deserves recognition, for it is unlike any place I have ever visited.

Our first stop in the loop of Maramures was Surdesti, a village that boasts the tallest wooden church in Europe. We arrived at Surdesti early in the morning and were immediately taken aback by the beauty of our surroundings. The church sits on a small hill, encircled by a beautiful cemetery in a wooded area. Its tall steeple rises up to the treetops and is so majestic that I felt an immediate sense of awe. We were lucky that our early arrival coincided with the priest’s morning prayers, for the door was unlocked and we ventured inside.

The interior of the church is completely covered in fading frescoes and woven tapestries. The entire time, I had difficulty comprehending how old everything was. The floors of the church creaked with each step and the wood had become worn in places. It was so much more welcoming than many of the austere stone churches that I have been accustomed to seeing during my travels.

The next church we visited was in the beautiful village of Budesti. Visiting Budesti was certainly one of the most surreal experiences in Maramures. Endless rows of wooden houses lined the streets, their entrances decorated with ornate wooden fences that were intricately carved by hand. Peasants worked the fields with scythes and pitchforks and horse-drawn wagons barreled down the gravel roads.

From Budesti, we ventured to the Ukrainian border to visit the Merry Cemetary of Sapanta. The Merry Cemetary was the creation of Stan Ioan Patras and, unlike other somber cemeteries that commemorate death, the Merry Cemetery is unique for its celebration of life. Every tomb was individually crafted by the artist to depict the accomplishments of the deceased.

We spent our second day in Maramures much like our first. From Sapanta, we ventured South to the churches of Desesti, Poienile Izei and Barsana. Each church is unique, though they are all characterized by their simple wooden exterior, ornate interior frescoes and beautiful cemeteries.

On our way to Poienile Izei, we came across a special surprise. We had made the wrong turn down a narrow road and found ourselves unknowingly in the town of Glod. Thinking that we were near the church of Poienile Izei with its famed frescoes of hell, we found the house of the priest and asked for the key to the church. Due to the fact that few tourists venture to this region of Romania, the churches are nearly always locked. To visit the inside, one must often search for the priest’s house and ask for the key.

By asking locals, we found the house we were looking for and the priest’s wife happily led us up the hill to a small wooden church. She opened the door and, to our surprise, the walls were completely white and the pews covered in woven blankets. It was nothing like the descriptions of Poienile Izei, but we enjoyed hearing her descriptions of the traditional, homey church nonetheless.

In the end, I’m not even sure if the church we visited was Poienile Izei, but our visit to the town of Glod and our interaction with the priest’s wife was the perfect finale to or stay in Maramures. For it encapsulated everything that is so special about the region-0-its authenticity, its traditional heritage and its opportunity for off-the-beaten-path adventure.

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Note: Though I began my trip to Romania in Cluj, I realize that most travelers to Romania will likely fly into Bucharest. If you will be visiting the country’s capital city,  I recommend you read Gemma’s article on things to do in Bucharest.

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