People in most parts of the world seem to know very little about Romania these days. Either they have no idea about its location on the atlas, or they have heard something about terrible happenings in the country. The mention of the name of the country could be greeted with questions about the execution of Ceausescu, the gypsy problem, etc. Some might go as far as to suggest that Romania is still languishing in medieval times.
It is not that there is no element of truth in these words. However, it is only a very small part of an old picture. There are many positive things about the Romania of today that will totally transform your negative opinion of the country. First, Romania is a country of immense natural beauty in South Eastern Europe, and the variety of geographical features it offers is simply amazing.
The beauty of Romania is evident from the towering arc of the Carpathian Mountains in the North West to the serene Black Sea coast and the mouth of the Danube in the East. Romania has everything from the sunny hills and undulating vineyards of Moldavia to the great fertile plains of Walachia, drained by gurgling streams and rivers with clear water. It is a land of natural beauty and diversity that can truly leave a foreign visitor spellbound.
To continue, the Black Sea invites the tourists by its series of modern resorts where the latest architecture highlights the landscape. In addition, this harmony between nature and architecture can be found in the big cities too. As far as the population is concerned Romania has about 22,303,522 inhabitants.
The capital city of Romania is Bucharest, which has its own attractions. Iasi is another interesting city, as are Brasov and Sibiu, the last being the cultural capital. Another thing that is interesting about Romania is that almost every district of the country has something special and unique to offer.
Oltenia in the south is famed for the exquisite quality of its carpets and embroidery. Maramures is renowned for its wooden sculptures. Bucovina is a land of quaint traditions from the past. And if you are interested in history, Dobrogea is where you will find the ancient ruins.
Another great region of Romania is Transylvania that most likely is famous for the legend of Dracula. This legend is related to the rule of Vald the Impaler, 1456 – 1462. He used to punish his people by impaling them, which is a terrible death. If a man dared not to serve him loyally, he used to end impaled by the merciless ruler.
This extremely cruel and bloodthirsty mode of punishment made people think that such barbarity is not possible by any human being. It was therefore attributed to some creature out of hell. This idea, along with the association with blood, gave rise to the legend of a vampire, who drank human blood. Visit the Bran castle in Brasov county of Transylvania and you will have many creepy experiences.
On the other hand, taking into consideration that evil cannot exist without a bright side, Romania suggests you to visit its famous monasteries, especially in the North of Moldavia. If you want to find the peace of your soul, you can visit any monastery in Romania. You will find there above all silence, and once you entered its territory, you even feel you are a better person. You can go there and pray and have some holy water or just enjoy the unique landscape.
Now that we have told you a lot about the treasures of Romania, hopefully you will visit the country and find out for yourself.