Romania’s capital gets a bad rap, but in fact, Bucharest is dynamic, energetic, and more than a little bit funky. It’s where unreconstructed communism meets unbridled capitalism; where the soporific forces of the EU meet the passions of the Balkans and the Middle East. Many travellers give the city just a night or two before heading off to Transylvania but, frankly, that’s not enough. Spend at least a few days to take in the museums, stroll the parks, and hang out at trendy cafes.

 

After a century of being name-checked in literature and cinema, the word 'Transylvania' enjoys worldwide recognition. The mere mention conjures a vivid landscape of mountains, castles, spooky moonlight, and at least one well-known count with a wicked overbite. A melange of architecture and chic sidewalk cafes punctuate the towns of Braşov, Sighişoara, and Sibiu, while the vibrant student town Cluj-Napoca has some vigorous nightlife. Bran Castle, too, is well worth the trip – even if 'Dracula' never did spend much time there.

 

Legend has it the Pied Piper re-emerged from Hamelin in Braşov, and indeed there's something whimsical about the city, with its fairy-tale turrets and cobbled streets. Dramatically overlooked by Mt Tâmpa, the trees sporting a russet-gold coat (and cocky Hollywood-style sign), this is a remarkably relaxed city. Wander its maze of streets, stopping for caffeine injections at bohemian cafes, and lose yourself in a beguiling coalescence of Austro-Hungarian gingerbread roofs, baroque statues, medieval spires, and Soviet flat-tops.

 

A stopover in Braşov affords an excellent chance to take in some spooky hilltop fortresses; the best known is certainly Bran Castle. The castle is often referred to as ‘Dracula’s Castle’, though its links to the real Vlad Ţepeş are tenuous at best. Facing the flatlands and backed by mountains, the 60m-tall castle is spectacular. It was built by Saxons around 1380 to defend important Bran pass from incursions from Turks and Tatars.

 

From the moment you enter Sighişoara's fortified walls, wending your way along cobblestones to its central square, the town burns itself into your memory. It's like stepping into a kid's fairy tale, the narrow streets aglow with lustrously colored 16th-century houses, their gingerbread roofs tumbling down to pretty cafes. Horror fans won't be disappointed either, for this UNESCO-protected citadel was reputedly the birthplace of one of history's great 'monsters' – Vlad Ţepeş (The Impaler).

 

Instantly charming, with a maze of cobbled streets and baroque squares, Sibiu - Romania's cultural first lady - has a magic all its own. Composers Franz Liszt and Johann Strauss were drawn here in the 19th century, and in 2007 Sibiu became the first Romanian city to be named an EU Capital of Culture. Most months have myriad things going on, from festivals and exhibitions to theatre and opera. There are plenty of cafes for people-watching in the three main squares.

 

North of Transylvania, Maramureş is regarded as Romania's most traditional area, scattered with steepled wooden churches and villagers’ homes fronted by ornately carved wooden gates. Some of the churches date back as far as the 14th century and reflect a time when Orthodox Romanians were forbidden by their Hungarian rulers to build churches in stone. Several of the structures are now UNESCO-listed heritage sites. good base for exploring this rural charm is the Valea Izei (Izei Valley), accessible by car or bus from Sighetu Marmaţiei. The valley follows the Iza River eastward from the city to the village of Ieud and beyond.

 

Cluj-Napoca, shortened to 'Cluj' in conversation, isn't as picturesque as its Saxon neighbors, but it's famed for cafes, clubs, and student life. Even outside the clubs, Cluj is one of Romania's most energized and welcoming cities.

 

The painted monasteries of southern Bucovina are among the greatest artistic monuments of eastern Europe. In 1993 they were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Erected in the 15th and 16th centuries, when Moldavia was threatened by Turkish invaders, the monasteries were surrounded by strong defensive walls. Biblical stories were portrayed on the church walls in colorful pictures so that illiterate worshippers could better understand them. The most impressive collection of monasteries is located west of Suceava. It includes the Humor, Voroneţ, and Moldoviţa Monasteries.

 

Timişoara, the regional hub of western Romania, has a nationwide reputation as a beautiful and lively metropolis, and for a series of 'firsts'. It's also one of the country's most attractive urban areas, built around a series of beautiful public squares and lavish parks and gardens. It's known as Primul Oraş Liber (First Free Town), for it was here that anti-Ceauşescu protests first exceeded the Securitate’s capacity for violent suppression in 1989, eventually sending Ceauşescu and his wife to their demise.

 

After passing through several countries and absorbing countless waterways, the Danube River empties into the Black Sea just south of the Ukrainian border. The Danube Delta (Delta Dunării), included on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, is one of Romania’s leading attractions. At the inland port of Tulcea, the river splits into three separate channels: the Chilia, Sulina and Sfântu Gheorghe, creating a constantly evolving 4187-sq-km wetland of marshes, floating reed islets and sandbars. There are beautiful, secluded beaches at Sulina and Sfântu Gheorghe, and the seafood, particularly the fish soup served in restaurants and pension kitchens throughout the region, is the best in Romania.

For many visitors, the main drawcard is birdwatching. The delta is a major migration hub for tens of thousands of birds, with the best viewing times being spring and late autumn.

 

DON'T MISS

• Caving in the Apuseni - The karst zone of the Apuseni offers fabulous possibilities to explore subterranean wonders such as Meziad and the even more spectacular “Bears’ Cave” at Chişcău.

• Hiking the Făgăraş - Cutting across the country are the sinuous Carpathian mountains, whose best-known range is the awesome Făgăraş, harboring Romania’s loftiest peaks, the highest of which is Moldoveanu (2544m).

• Wildlife-watching in the Carpathians - Explore forests looking for markings made by large carnivores – there’s a good chance of spotting bears from purpose-made hideouts, though wolves are more elusive.

• Skiing - The superior slopes and facilities of Poiana Braşov exert the greatest pull, though there’s also terrific skiing at Buşteni, Predeal, and Sinaia.

• Birdwatching in the Delta - Europe’s most extensive wetland, with the continent’s largest pelican colonies, the Delta is heaven for birdwatchers, especially during the spring and autumn migrations.

• Black Sea Coast - Bountiful sun, sea, and sand combine to make the Romanian coastline the perfect spot to rest up for a day or two.