Bucharest
Known in the early 1900s as ‘Little Paris’, Bucharest is an attractive European city with wide tree-lined boulevards and Belle Epoque architecture.
Revolution Square (Piata Revolutiei)
The site of the mass gathering of people in front of the former Communist Party Headquarters in 1989 as Nicolae Ceausescu’s dominance came to an end. Also the home to The Royal Palace, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Athenee Palace Hotel and Kretzulescu Church.
The Royal Palace (Palatul Regal)
Home to the monarchy until it was abolished in 1947, the Royal Palace is now home to the Romanian National Art Museum with over 100,000 pieces of work from Romanian & European artists covering the last 5 centuries including Grigorescu, Brancusi, Monet, Rembrandt & Cezanne.
Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 11am-7pm May-September, Wednesday to Sunday 10am-6pm October-April
Closed: Mondays & Tuesdays
Tickets: The Gallery of European Art: 8 lei, The National Gallery: 10 lei, Combined ticket: 15 lei
The Arch of Triumph (Arcul de Triumf)
Romania’s very own Arc de Triomphe, built in 1922 to honour the Romanian soldiers who served in WWI. Standing 85ft high the interior staircases allow visitors a stunning panoramic view of the city.
Sighisoara
Located in the heart of Transylvania, the medieval town of Sighisoara hasn’t changed much in 500 years. The birthplace of Vlad the Impaler – the inspiration behind Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula, the town offers 500 year old frescoes, the 13th Century Venetian House and the 210ft high Clock Tower built in the 14th Century – worth a visit a midnight.
Bran Castle
Known as Dracula’s castle, Bran Castle may look the part but there is no actual evidence of any link between the legend and this national monument. Now a museum, the castle is home to art & furniture collected by Queen Marie, the last Queen consort of Romania and wife to King Ferdinand I.
Open: Mondays 12pm-4pm, Tuesday to Sunday 9am-4pm October 1st to March 31st, Mondays 12pm-6pm, Tuesday to Sunday 9am-6pm April 1st to September 30th
Tickets: Adult 37 lei
Brasov
One of the most visited places in Romania, the town of Brasov offers a mix of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture, surrounded by the Southern Carpathian Mountains. Visit the old Town Hall Square (Piata Sfatului) and Black Church (Biserica Neagra), the largest gothic church in all of Romania.
Carpathian Mountains
One of the last large forests in Europe, the Carpathians is home to over 400 unique species of mammal including the European Brown Bear. With trekking, hiking, horse riding, rock climbing and wildlife spotting there is plenty to do in Romania’s National Parks.
