5 stunning places to visit in Romania

I think my country is incredibly beautiful. No, really, I do truly believe it is. Unfortunately, the only well-known place here is Bran with its very spooky lore and Dracula themed atmosphere. It's unfortunate, really, given that we have plenty of waterfalls, ancient extinct volcanoes, glacial lakes and stunning caves. We also have more man-made wonders that don't get enough recognition. Today, I'm going to be presenting you a list of five of my favourite places to see in Romania.

1. The Red Volcano in Racoș

The Racoș Volcano, or the Red Volcano is the last volcano that ever erupted in Romania, about 10.000 years ago. In its crater you can still see the pathways left by the flowing lava all those years ago. The whole area is declared a Natura 2000 site, which means it is protected.

The Volcano's soil has a very Mars-like appearance (hence the name), also giving it a bit of a Wild West flair , for which it was used as a filming place for the 'Django' Tv series. Within 10 to 20 minutes hike from the volcano you can also find The Basalt Columns and The Emerald Lake, named so after its mesmerizing emerald green colour. The price of access is 20 lei, which is about 4$, and it can only be paid in cash. The ticket grants access to the volcano, the basalt columns and the lake, as well as the Sükösd-Bethlen Castle found in the Racoș Village. You can get there either by car or by train and there are plenty of accommodations around, including in Viscri Village, King Charles' favourite place.

Here are some pictures from my favourite romanian travel blogger:

2. The Howling Waterfall

Ok, I admit, the name may not sound so pleasant for this one, but it is named so because of the very loud sound the water makes on its way down the cliffside. It's about 49 feet in height (or 15 m) and at points breaks off into smaller, secondary falls. During summer, when rain is not as abundant, the 'howling' quiets down a bit, but during the rainy season it can be heard from far away.

The waterfall is an easy hike away from Bușteni. The hike is so easy that I did it with my parents when I was 11, so you don't need to worry too much. The trail takes about an hour, depending on where you start it and it's marked by a red circle with a white border.

3. Transalpina

Thanks to the beloved car show Top Gear, the Transfagarasan highway is a very well known tourist spot. But, in the heart of Transylvania, its darker cousin resides...the Transalpina highway. The Transalpina is the highest road in Romania, also being the most dangerous. This may not be for the faint of heart, but it definitely has its fair share of scenic views. The highway crosses four beautiful cities: Gorj, Valcea, Sibiu and Alba and reaches its highest altitude of 2145m or 7000ft high while passing extremely close to 5 mountaintops over a portion of 20km (12 miles).

The Transalpina is littered with tourist attractions, mostly rustic villages and old monasteries filled with legend, but there is also an artificial lake and a glacial lake on the way.

4. Constanța

Now, I don't know exactly how underrated Constanta is, but I know the whole Romanian seaside doesn't exactly feature in a bright shiny spot. Our beaches aren't the best, I'll agree, but in Constanta they are superb. The city can give you the perfect #eurosummer vibes, at a much lower price than Italy or Greece. And less crowded, as well.

Constanta is our major city-port at the Black Sea, dating back well over 2.000 years to 657 BCE, when the Greeks founded it and called it Tomis. The city has a theatre, a delphinarium, a natural reservation on its outskirts, a history museum and a Grand Casino (undergoing renovations, but set to reopen in June 2024). It also has a bustling turist port, where you can eat fresh caught fish, greek and lebanese food while admiring the yachts (and their owners, if you're into that). The city also boasts a Grand Mosque, now a museum that attests to the history of Muslim people in Romania. Music festival Neversea takes place in Constanta on Neversea beach every year. In short, it has a lot to offer besides the beautiful beaches.

Here are some of my personal photos from last year:

5. The Dealu Monastery

Situated in the vicinity of the unassuming Targoviste, Dealu Monastery was first founded by Mircea the Old, its first appearance in official documents being in 1431. It was rebuilt between 1499-1501. The first printing press in Wallachia was brought here and the first book ever printed in Wallachia came out of here in 1508. The monastery possesses the head of Michael the Brave as well as the remains of Radu the Great.

In the present, the monastery is very peaceful and has a lovely garden overlooking the city and the hills around it. Even if you are not religious, the history and the beautiful flowers will instill a feeling of peace within you.

I hope this article opened your eyes to some of the more or less known Tourist attractions in Romania. The country definitely deserves more tourist attention than it gets, unfortunately nobody actually cares enough to promote it. I hope I can do a little bit of good with this list. Until next time!