Radio România Internațional

Tag: Bukovina

  • The Golden Apples Cultural-Touristic Route

    The Golden Apples Cultural-Touristic Route

    The Cultural-touristic “Golden Apples” Route includes destinations such as Bukovina, the Danube Delta, Mărginimea Sibiului, Târgu Jiu and Oradea. All these travel destinations have got the Golden Apple Award from the World Federation of Travel Journalists and Writers (FIJET). Bukovina was the first to get the aforementioned award back in 1975 for the famous outdoor paintings of its churches. The award can be admired in the museum of the Moldoviţa Monastery.

    This travel route with award-winning destinations was also approved by the Ministry of Tourism in 2021, according to Laura Dragu Popescu from the Professional Travel Employers Association, Gorjul, the founder of the aforementioned route.

    Laura Dragu Popescu:” The purpose of having these routes approved was that of promoting and developing a travel product with a cultural component and showcasing a travel programme available to travel lovers in Romania. And it also showcases the travel destinations FIJET awarded in our country. There are 7 destinations awarded in the Golden Apples Route. Let’s start with Targu Jiu, which got its Apple Award in 2014. We continue with Oradea and Sibiu. Then we go to Moldoviţa, in Moldavia, which has on display the first Golden Award Romania received back in 1975. Next we go to the Danube Delta and we present to the public a series of destinations, which are worth seeing.”

     

    Out of the destinations proposed by this route, Laura Dragu Popescu with the Professional Travel Employers Association Gorjul, invites us to discover those from Romania’s western regions.

    Laura Dragu Popescu:” Târgu Jiu is probably one of the most beautiful cities in Romania. Its uniqueness is visible everywhere and the Brancusi Axis, created by the famous Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi attracts thousands of visitors monthly. After Târgu Jiu many tourists choose to travel to Timisoara and Oradea in order to visit the western part of Romania. Timișoara got the Golden Apple award last year, in 2023, while the city was European Capital of Culture. It is very close to Targu Jiu and a very visited spot by those who want to make the most of the city’s cultural, medical and sports potential, being at the same time, an attraction for young people, because Timișoara is a major university center.”

    In Timișoara one can visit the Museum of the 1989 Revolution, which has been enlarged and diversified after additional research was conducted into the anti-communist uprising in Romania more than 30 years ago.

    Furthermore, in Timisoara one can find a genuine melting pot, where various ethnic minorities have been living in peace for a very long period of time. So the cultural agenda is also very rich, you know. The city is also famous for its Christmas Fair, which begins in December and ends later in January as the Serbs, Germans and Romanians here celebrate Christmas on different dates.

    So, the Christmas Fair in Timișoara is the longest of its kind in Romania.

    Let’s now carry on our journey together with Laura Dragu Popescu, with the the Professional Travel Employers Association, Gorjul. Close to Timișoara, on the Golden Apples Route of course, there lies the city of Oradea, part of the historical region known as Crișana.

    Laura Dragu Popescu:” This is an interesting city from the touristic point of view. There are 89 Art Nouveau objectives, out of which 26 have been declared historical monuments. The city is 900 years old and from the viewpoint of a travel agency it’s a cultural and spa destination as Oradea is very close to the Felix Spa and another spa known as May 1st. In Oradea, tourists can admire the Church with a Moon, which has a little museum on its premises. They can visit the Citadel here, the Museum of the Criş Land, the Palace, the City Hall and also the Sion synagogue. One can spend here a four, five-day holiday without the fear of monotony. There is also an Aqua Park close to the center of this city and those interested in religious monuments can take a look at the St. Cross Monastery, which is very interesting. This axis Târgu Jiu-Timișoara-Oradea, is more than attractive for tourists, you know. It’s the western part of Romania, which is accessible from Bucharest by plane, bus or by train, which cover this distance on a daily basis. We thought this ‘Golden Apples Route’ as means of promotion out of a bigger collection our professional association is promoting, a collection with novel travel programmes. We consider it a part of beautiful Romania.”

    This Golden Apples route, a travel project promoted by the Professional Travel Employers Association, Gorjul is available for tourists the entire year, as Laura Dragu Popescu says.

    Laura Dragu Popescu: “Prices for such a holiday package can start from 530 euro per person including transport and seven days bed and breakfast plus a guide or 670 Euros for accommodation and three meals per day. The group has to be of at least 15 people. We must also mention that the sums mentioned don’t cover tickets at various tourist objectives or other personal expenses such as souvenirs, photos etc.

    This programme, the “Golden Apples Route”, is being carried out through various travel agencies and groups smaller than 15 people can call the agency and can join other groups with a departure set by that agency.  

    In other words, the Golden Apples Route has been designed as a group travel programme. Visitors can travel by themselves, but the expenses will be higher this way though. According to the great Romanian historian, Nicolae Iorga: “Every place on earth has its own story but you’ll have to pay attention and listen carefully to it and you may understand it if you love it a little” So we invite you to discover the story of Romania’s Golden Apples.”

    The cultural route programme and of the cultural-touristic routes were created in 1987 by the Council of Europe, with the purpose of highlighting a common European heritage.

    So, travel authorities in Romania have created a voluntary system of acknowledging the Cultural Travel routes developed by travel agencies or local public authorities.

    You can find more information on the Golden Apples route or the destinations awarded by the World Federation of Travel Journalists and Writers on the webpage of the Romanian Ministry of Economy Entrepreneurship and Tourism.

    (bill)

  • Dornelor Country – the perfect holiday destination

    Dornelor Country – the perfect holiday destination

    Bucovina, in
    northern Romania, is the perfect destination for lovers of traditional
    villages, as well as those seeking an active holiday. Maricica Cazimirciuc, the
    manager of the Dornelor Country ecotourist destination says no other part of
    Romania offers such a variety and wealth of events as Bukovina:




    In the final
    days of the year, there is no corner of Bukovina where you can’t see these
    customs. The little plough and the dance of the masked men, the dance of the
    goat, bear, horse and stag, all of them symbolise the most important moments in
    the life of a person; birth, marriage and death. They also poke fun at
    foolishness, laziness, meanness and stinginess while praising hard-work. It’s
    common knowledge that Bukovina has a lot to offer in terms of tourism and is one
    of the most popular destinations for visitors. This year more than ever, travel
    agencies have been very busy, coming up with all sorts of travel packages including,
    apart from accommodation and New Year’s dinner, horseback rides or sleigh
    rides, guided walks, access to indoor swimming pools, barbecues around a
    campfire, trips to tourist sites, monasteries and museums, traditional music
    shows on New Year’s Eve, traditional crafts workshops, activities and games for
    children, presents for the guests and the customary firework display to mark
    the coming of the new year.




    Dornelor Country
    is an ecotourist destination known as the green heart of Bukovina, and where,
    in addition to all these activities, winter sports can also be practised:




    Alpine skiing
    and snowboarding on five different slopes, cross-country skiing in the Căliman mountain, ice-skating on the
    artificial ice rink in Vatra Dornei, sledging, tubing, trekking on themed
    routes, accompanied by mountain guides, and ice climbing. All of these come
    together with dream-like mountain landscapes and fresh air. It’s a holiday atmosphere
    that reminds us of what it used to be like when we were children. These are
    unforgettable experiences and we have to also mention some of the events taking
    place these days and then later in January and February in these parts: a customs
    festival in Vatra Dornei with an increasing number of participants from the
    region, as well as guests from abroad. The World Sledding Championships on
    natural track, the only recognised competition of its kind in the whole of
    eastern Europe, will be held in Vatra Dornei at the beginning of February,
    while Winter Fest, an event we’re all looking forward to, will be held between
    24th and 26th February, also in Vatra Dornei.




    Ecotourism is a
    sum of tourist experiences based on the relationship between tourists and
    nature and local customs and traditions, says Maricica Cazimirciuc, the manager
    of the Dornelor Country ecotourist destination. It’s also about quality tourism
    that shows respect for our heritage. In this sense, Bukovina is again this year
    one of the most popular destinations to spend the New Year’s holiday:




    The fact that
    this year again, accommodation facilities are almost full demonstrates that
    Bukovina is a favourite destination for both Romanian and foreign tourists. The
    general impression is that if you want an authentic experience of the winter
    holidays then you must go to Bukovina at least once in your lifetime. In my experience,
    if you come here once, you’ll want to come back. If you do, I recommend staying
    in a local guesthouse, which will truly make you feel at home.




    The Vatra Dornei
    mountain resort is also known as the Gem of Bukovina. Located at an altitude of
    800 metres, it is popular among mountain sports lovers and those seeking a
    peaceful and relaxed holiday. Sports like mountain biking, extreme biking,
    paragliding and skiing are available here. The resort is located 123 km from
    the Suceava International Airport and is very popular at this time of the year.
    A stay in a 4-daisy guesthouse located 10 km away from the ski tracks costs 480
    euros per person in a double room for the period between 30th
    December and 2nd January. The guesthouse also has a spa facility
    with sauna and indoor swimming pool. Dornelor Country is a destination suitable
    for all seasons, with the Calimani National Park a must if you come here next
    year, says Maricica Cazimirciuc. The park has a modern visiting centre where
    various exhibitions are staged about the local attractions.

  • How the Romanians spent the Christmas holiday

    How the Romanians spent the Christmas holiday

    The present pandemic this year did not interfere with
    the Christmas holiday of most Romanians as the country is still seeing a low
    number of daily infections and fatalities caused by the novel coronavirus – the
    citizens of Romania were able to peacefully enjoy one of the year’s most awaited
    and beautiful Christian holidays.






    Traditionally, a period of joy and enlightenment,
    Christmas was being celebrated both in the street by groups of carolers heralding
    the birth of Christ and in churches through a series of holy sermons held by
    the clergy.


    Some preferred to spend the holiday at home around the
    Christmas tree with rich dinners, family and friends.






    Numerous ski slopes have opened so the Christmas
    holiday was a good opportunity for winter sports lovers to indulge their
    favourite pastime. Poiana Brasov, a ski resort in the Carpathians proved to be
    one of the most popular tourist destinations these days with almost all its
    accommodation facilities occupied by tourists who enjoyed the resort’s famous snow-covered
    ski slopes.




    Another popular tourist destination these days proved
    to be the region of Bukovina, in north-eastern Romania, where owners of hotels
    and guest houses were able to delight their visitors with a series of shows consisting
    of traditional customs and carols specific to the winter holidays or with hikes
    in a genuine winter wonderland.




    On this occasion like every year, politicians conveyed
    their messages to Romanians, whom they urged to be generous, to not abandon traditions
    or those in need. They also referred to the present medical crisis and the need
    for responsibility in this period.




    In his Christmas address, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis
    referred to the spirit of this holiday at the end of a difficult year.
    According to the country’s Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, the responsibility
    with which the Romanians understand to spend this holiday is maybe the best
    gift offered to others.




    ‘Christmas urges us all to be generous’ Daniel, the
    patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church said. In his message, the patriarch
    said that Romanians should think more about the children whose parents have
    left to work abroad.


    Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Crown of
    Romania and her husband, Prince Radu spent the holiday at the royal domain of Savarsin
    in the west of the country, where they prepared and offered 300 packages to those
    in need.




    Like every year, the royal family received carolers dressed
    in traditional clothes. Sighetul Marmatiei in northern Romania these days played
    venue for the 53rd edition of the Festival of Traditional Winter
    Customs, an event, which brought together over 400 carolers, who delighted the
    public, made up of locals and tourists alike with some of the best carols and
    traditional winter customs in Romania. The festival consisted of carols,
    religious pageants, dance shows and mask parades.




    (bill)

  • Christmas in Romania

    Christmas in Romania

    Although parties are no longer a thing these days and Christmas fairs are planned so as to ensure the right distance between visitors, guest houses and hotels in both mountain and sea resorts are still a good option for the upcoming holiday period. This year, the challenge for tour operators has been to offer tourists a great experience, be it traditional or modern, but also a safe environment, given the pandemic that is not over yet.

    There are still many offers to spend the winter holidays away from home, and today we will present some of them. The first one is from the north of the country, in Maramures, more precisely from Cavnic. The accommodation offer is varied and ways of spending leisure time many, as Marius Dumitru, a manager with the Cavnic town hall told us:

    In 2001-2003 two ski slopes, Icoana and Roata, as well as motels, guest houses and also a hotel were built. These days, the main local activity is tourism. Winter here lasts about six months, so we can say that Cavnic is the snow pole of Maramures. And it is an advantage for those who love winter sports. After the last works done in the winter of 2007, the ski area has been extended and now we have seven slopes. Three of them are new, 800 to 2200 m long and elevations ranging from 19 to 37 degrees. So, they are suitable for both beginner and advanced skiers. In Cavnic we have a Mountain Rescue Center and a Tourism Information and Promotion Center.

    As the snow pole of Romania, Cavnic is the place where most of the times the first snow fall is reported, and studies show that people can ski there at least 120 days per year. Then, for the offer to be more alluring, there is another place where one can ski in the area, 25 km from Cavnic, at the feet of Mogosa Massiv, in Suior. The pistes there are 3.5 km long in total, are equipped with ski lifts and can be used by both beginner and experienced skiers.

    Tables full of traditional dishes, welcoming hosts and a feast of old customs and traditions, this is what the tourist offer of Maramures looks like these days, as Daniel Maran, the director of the Sighetul Marmatie National Tourism and Information Center told us:

    Maramures has high mountains and lots of snow, that’s why is ideal for skiing. We mainly recommend the ski areas in Borsa, Prislop, Izvoare and Cavnic. As regards, hiking, we have both easy routes, in the depression area, that link the beautiful villages in the area, but also trekking along mountain routes. The most spectacular are those in Rodna Mountains, whose peaks often exceed 2000 m. Moreover, guest houses in the Maramures villages are known for how they entertain their visitors, including with wagon or sledge rides, depending on the season. Winter holidays are a good opportunity for us, the people of Maramures, to show what we cherish. Usually, the month of December is rich in cultural events, but because of the pandemic, we’ve had to adapt, in order to protect both our visitors and the locals. Guest houses in Maramures are fully booked all year round, anyway, proof of the hospitality that we are so proud of here. All those who decide to spend their winter holidays with us are sure to enjoy a great experience, that’s a guarantee.

    Also in the north of the country, Bukovina is another place that gets very crowded at winter. Catalina Velniciuc, a tourism adviser with the Suceava County Council, says that a visit to the famous painted monasteries, which are UNESCO monuments, is a must, and the villages in Bukovina are like a magnet for tourists from all over the world.

    Bukovina boasts some of the most beautiful and spectacular customs and traditions, starting with Saint Nicholas’ Day and ending with carrolling at Christmas. The mask rituals are also extremely spectacular. At winter, because of these special performance, villages here turn into open stages, a magical space where visitors can enjoy lots of traditional games and rituals, featuring characters from the folk mythology. Many involve masks of animals, which are made of wood, tree bark, adorned with beads or beans. All those who see these shows are really impressed. All accommodation facilities in the area are very well prepared to make sure all visitors have a great time. The food is local and prepared in keeping with old, traditional recipes, and carols are always part of the program.

    Of course, there many other possibilities to spend the winter holidays in Romania, including in the resorts on the more famous Prahova Valley, to enjoy both traditional meals and customs, but also skiing on beautiful slopes. The only condition is to observe the measures in place aimed to protect everybody against the background of the pandemic. So, enjoy your winter holidays, wherever you may be, and be safe! (MI)

  • Christmas in Romania

    Christmas in Romania

    Although parties are no longer a thing these days and Christmas fairs are planned so as to ensure the right distance between visitors, guest houses and hotels in both mountain and sea resorts are still a good option for the upcoming holiday period. This year, the challenge for tour operators has been to offer tourists a great experience, be it traditional or modern, but also a safe environment, given the pandemic that is not over yet.

    There are still many offers to spend the winter holidays away from home, and today we will present some of them. The first one is from the north of the country, in Maramures, more precisely from Cavnic. The accommodation offer is varied and ways of spending leisure time many, as Marius Dumitru, a manager with the Cavnic town hall told us:

    In 2001-2003 two ski slopes, Icoana and Roata, as well as motels, guest houses and also a hotel were built. These days, the main local activity is tourism. Winter here lasts about six months, so we can say that Cavnic is the snow pole of Maramures. And it is an advantage for those who love winter sports. After the last works done in the winter of 2007, the ski area has been extended and now we have seven slopes. Three of them are new, 800 to 2200 m long and elevations ranging from 19 to 37 degrees. So, they are suitable for both beginner and advanced skiers. In Cavnic we have a Mountain Rescue Center and a Tourism Information and Promotion Center.

    As the snow pole of Romania, Cavnic is the place where most of the times the first snow fall is reported, and studies show that people can ski there at least 120 days per year. Then, for the offer to be more alluring, there is another place where one can ski in the area, 25 km from Cavnic, at the feet of Mogosa Massiv, in Suior. The pistes there are 3.5 km long in total, are equipped with ski lifts and can be used by both beginner and experienced skiers.

    Tables full of traditional dishes, welcoming hosts and a feast of old customs and traditions, this is what the tourist offer of Maramures looks like these days, as Daniel Maran, the director of the Sighetul Marmatie National Tourism and Information Center told us:

    Maramures has high mountains and lots of snow, that’s why is ideal for skiing. We mainly recommend the ski areas in Borsa, Prislop, Izvoare and Cavnic. As regards, hiking, we have both easy routes, in the depression area, that link the beautiful villages in the area, but also trekking along mountain routes. The most spectacular are those in Rodna Mountains, whose peaks often exceed 2000 m. Moreover, guest houses in the Maramures villages are known for how they entertain their visitors, including with wagon or sledge rides, depending on the season. Winter holidays are a good opportunity for us, the people of Maramures, to show what we cherish. Usually, the month of December is rich in cultural events, but because of the pandemic, we’ve had to adapt, in order to protect both our visitors and the locals. Guest houses in Maramures are fully booked all year round, anyway, proof of the hospitality that we are so proud of here. All those who decide to spend their winter holidays with us are sure to enjoy a great experience, that’s a guarantee.

    Also in the north of the country, Bukovina is another place that gets very crowded at winter. Catalina Velniciuc, a tourism adviser with the Suceava County Council, says that a visit to the famous painted monasteries, which are UNESCO monuments, is a must, and the villages in Bukovina are like a magnet for tourists from all over the world.

    Bukovina boasts some of the most beautiful and spectacular customs and traditions, starting with Saint Nicholas’ Day and ending with carrolling at Christmas. The mask rituals are also extremely spectacular. At winter, because of these special performance, villages here turn into open stages, a magical space where visitors can enjoy lots of traditional games and rituals, featuring characters from the folk mythology. Many involve masks of animals, which are made of wood, tree bark, adorned with beads or beans. All those who see these shows are really impressed. All accommodation facilities in the area are very well prepared to make sure all visitors have a great time. The food is local and prepared in keeping with old, traditional recipes, and carols are always part of the program.

    Of course, there many other possibilities to spend the winter holidays in Romania, including in the resorts on the more famous Prahova Valley, to enjoy both traditional meals and customs, but also skiing on beautiful slopes. The only condition is to observe the measures in place aimed to protect everybody against the background of the pandemic. So, enjoy your winter holidays, wherever you may be, and be safe! (MI)

  • Interwar Bukovina

    Interwar Bukovina

    Bukovina, also known as the “land of beech trees” is the province in northern Romania whos had a rather sinuous history. In the Middle Ages, it was part of the Kievan Russia, the Kingdom of Galicia and the Principality of Moldavia. Bukovina was the nucleus from which the medieval state of Moldova was born, and the city of Suceava was its first seat. Suceava was also the seat of the longest-living prince of Moldavia, Stephan the Great, in the second half of the 15th century. In 1774, Bukovina was annexed by Austria, and in 1918 it united with the Kingdom of Romania. In June 1940, following two ultimatums, the Soviet Union annexed Bessarabia and North Bukovina, which were freed in 1941. In 1944, the Soviet Union reannexed the two territories, and North Bukovina was incorporated into Ukraine.



    Bukovina has always been a multiethnic and multicultural province. Its been home to Romanians, Ruthenians, Germans, Poles, Jews, ethnic Hungarians, Roma and many more. According to a census conducted in 1910 by the Habsburg authorities, the population of Bukovina numbered 800,198 inhabitants, of whom 39% were Ruthenian, 34% Romanian, 13% Jewish, 8% German, 4.5% Polish and 1.3% Hungarian. In the interwar period, when Bukovina was part of Greater Romania, observing ethnic rights in Bukovina was in line with the highest democratic standards of the time, and the living standard was at an acceptable level. This has been confirmed by both economic statistics and personal testimonies.



    One such statement belongs to Mihai Macsim, a teacher in the village of Vatra Moldovitei, and was recorded in 1998 by the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporations Oral History Center:


    “The village is located in the Obcina sub-Carpathian area. Its a very beautiful place, with hard-working people, who, between the wars were of various ethnicities. But the relations between them were very good. There were no ethnic or religious conflicts, and probably not even political. Most of the people were forest workers, and many were people of means, with their own well-established households.”



    The locals were involved in traditional occupations and trades. Living in the mountainous area, they were all very much connected with the forest. Here is Mihai Macsim describing the community he worked in as a teacher.


    “The basic occupation of the people in Moldovita was forestry, and the forest workers were known back then as tzapinari. They worked the wood which was then taken to the factory. As regards educated people, there were many of them in Moldovita: doctors, dentists, engineers, teachers, priests and other categories of intellectuals. It was also an extremely developed workers center. The lumber factory in Moldovita was considered the best in the area. Many times, intellectuals would gather at the town hall or the at the factory and talk about things, but there were no political differences between them.”



    Economic prosperity is very important in peoples lives. That is why the standard of living is an indicator of how a certain society is doing, politically, socially and culturally. Mihai Macsim recalled some of the things that characterized the life of a teacher:


    “The material situation of a teacher in the inter-war period was relatively good For instance, a substitute teacher, therefore at the beginning of their career, would get 1,600 lei per month, and the cost of living, including the rent, was of around 800 lei. So they could save half of their salaries. So, I couldnt say it was a bad time for teachers. Still, compared to other categories of public workers, they were a bit neglected. But most teachers were rather modest, so it was plenty for them. For instance, when I was a teacher in Breaza, I would get 1,600 lei, the rent was 800 and the rest was for me to spend as I would see fit. Most teachers spent that money on books and that is why interwar teachers had beautiful book collections and were known to study a lot.”



    Teachers were very much respected in rural communities, and the locals would find all sorts of means to protect them. Here is Mihai Macsim once more:


    “Indeed, back then the teacher and the director benefited from a share of the church fund resulting from the wood trade. Also, if one was living at school and the school had land, that plot would be leased and the money obtained that way shared among all the teachers. So there was actual support, also from authorities. I wish teachers today benefited from the conditions back then, from 1937 until 1940. They had very good lives and the neglect was minimal, as it was everywhere.”



    Far from attempting to build an idyllic image, the testimonies speaking of a settled democratic society are useful for us to see, by comparison, how society can degrade during a dictatorship. And Bukovina lived through both the dictatorships of the 20th century: Fascism and Communism. Micro and macro histories do not contradict themselves, they are complementary in the history of mankind. (MI)

  • June 27, 2020 UPDATE

    June 27, 2020 UPDATE

    Coronavirus RO — The Romanian authorities on Saturday announced only 325 new cases of coronavirus infection, a lower figure than that reported on Friday, namely 411. The Strategic Communication Group shows that only 10 new deaths have been registered, which takes the death toll to 1,589. The total number of cases of infection on Romania’s territory is 26,022. At present 199 patients are in intensive care. Of the contaminated people, more than 18,530 have recovered. In this context, the Liberal PM Ludovic Orban has asked the authorities to mobilize and undertake more checks. In another development, Romanian researchers say that people who have been contaminated and recovered from COVID-19 infection are quite unlikely to get infected again. They have reached this conclusion after having analyzed the SARS-CoV-2 virus identified in Romania and which was proved to originate in Wuhan, China. Most probably the spread of the virus in Romania occurred at community level, across the country’s regions.



    US-Romania relations — The American Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, has conveyed to the Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu a letter on the occasion of the anniversary, this month, of 140 years of diplomatic relations between Romania and the US. A Romanian Foreign Ministry communiqué issued on Saturday writes that the message of the US official focused on bilateral cooperation meant to promote the two countries’ common interests. Mike Pompeo considers that the longstanding relation between Romanian and the US has reached its highest level and he thanked Romania for being a stalwart ally and friend of the United States. In turn, Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu says that the celebration of 140 years of diplomatic relations is a good opportunity to reconfirm the durable strategic relation between Romania and the US as well as the two countries’ will to respond together to the current challenges and threats.



    Annexation — Romania, the Republic of Moldova (with a majority Romanian-speaking population) and the Diaspora are commemorating on Sunday 80 years since the annexation of the Romanian eastern territories by the Soviet Union. On June 28, 1940, following an ultimatum, the Soviet troops occupied Bessarabia and the north of Bukovina, two Romanian provinces that measured about 55 thousand square kilometers and that were inhabited by a majority Romanian ethnic population. Hundreds of thousands of families then took refuge in ‘smaller Romania’ and tens of thousands of other families were deported by the occupying troops to Siberia and Kazakhstan. The territories annexed by Moscow currently belong to the former Soviet Republics of Moldova and Ukraine.



    Weather –— Hundreds of people have been evacuated and hundreds of households, plots of land and roads in the southwest of Romania have been flooded by the Jiu River which outburst its banks. In the northeast, on the Prut River, the high flood propagating from Ukraine is now subsiding, after having reached its maximum level on Friday. The weather in Romanian remains warm but unstable in the north, center and east. The highs of the day will range from 28 to 34 degrees C.



    Elections — Poland will see the first round of the presidential election on Sunday. Opinion surveys show that the incumbent president Andrzej Duda, supported by the Conservative Party Law and Justice (PiS) is seen as favorite with 41% of the votes. His main challenger, the mayor of Warsaw and a representative of the Liberal Civic Platform Rafal Trzaskowski comes 2nd with 26% of the votes. (tr. L. Simion)

  • Rural Tourism in Bukovina

    Rural Tourism in Bukovina

    The region is also a travel destination very popular with those interested in active tourism. In todays edition we invite you to rediscover this region as a summer destination and for this reason our first stop is going to be in Marginea to visit an ethnographic museum on the premises of a 100-year-old house. However, its not the age of the building, which is impressing, but the traditional costumes, textiles, necklaces and ceramics on display in this museum.



    Visitors here have the chance to admire various artifacts and even see these artisans at work. Corneliu Magopat is a potter who started learning this craft from his parents when he was 7.



    Corneliu Magopat: “We stand out among pottery centers because the colours we use here are special. These colours are natural free of oxides or other artificial ingredients and this makes us unique in Romania and Europe. This is the first tourist attraction here, then there is the environment as we are located in a region of breath-taking beauty. Tourists can visit our exhibitions and even buy some of the artifacts that we produce. They can have a look at our workshops and we can assist those who are curious to try their hand at pottery. Tourists feel great here.



    New and diversified travel packages have been added every year to the already rich offer promoting rural tourism in Bukovina. In essence, agritourism and wellness tourism in the countryside is all about a comeback to nature, organic food and a healthy lifestyle.



    Besides, it brings one closer to the Romanian village and its values. And if traditional artisans in Bukovina are famous worldwide for the artifacts they make by means of centuries-old techniques passed down from generation to generation, the regions churches and monasteries take pride of place for their history and interesting aspect. Catalina Velniciuc higher advisor with the Centre for Travel Information and Promotion in Suceava has more on these monuments.



    Catalina Velniciuc: “This is the first question tourists who are visiting this information center usually ask; ‘where are the painted monasteries, which have been mostly included in the UNESCO heritage list? These are the monasteries of Arbore, Patrauti, Probota, St. John the New in Suceava, Voronet, the Humor Monastery, Sucevita and Moldovita. So, we have eight UNESCO monasteries and all of them are extremely beautiful. All were built around the second half of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century. They are different from one another through their indoor and outdoor paintings presenting various Biblical scenes.



    Although less visited than the famous Voronet, Putna or Moldovita, Probota is a must-see in Bukovina. One of the nuns here gives us a presentation of this 500-year old church.



    Nun: “Probota is the first painted church. It was erected around 1530 and was painted by a team of monks between 1530 and 1532. From an architectural point of view it observes the pattern of big medieval necropolis combining three styles, the gothic one, which is predominant, the renaissance and local style. In the 19th century, the church suffered a series of changes under the Greek administration. Exterior walls were being repainted, the windows of the narthex and the porch were refurbished and the interior walls were also repainted. Since 1864, after monasteries had been secularized, until the 1989 anti-communist revolution, it functioned as the church of the Probota village. It became a nun monastery after 1989 and in 1993 was included on the UNESCO heritage list for its architecture. Upon the restoration works, held under the UNESCO auspices, and mainly funded by the Romanian and Japanese governments, the churchs interior walls were washed to reveal the original paintings of 1532, which actually constituted a unique, exceptional iconographic programme, which prompted experts to declare it the best-preserved and most accurate church from a theological point of view. The church thoroughly complies with the liturgical standards and the artistic style of a Byzantine church and that brought it a UNESCO award for the value of its interior paintings in 2001. And if the outdoor paintings are no longer what they used to be because of the refurbishment works, its interior paintings remain unique.




    Those interested in spending an active and special holiday need to set out for the Dorna Land. Monica David, communication expert with the Tara Dornelor Association for Ecotourism has recently announced the region is about to become Romanias fifth ecotourism destination and the first of its kind in Bukovina. The aforementioned tourist association has issued ten travel packages including various outdoor activities such as mountain hiking, bicycle rides, easy rafting, skiing and horse riding.



    Monica David: “Tourists coming mainly from Poland, the Czech Republic, France and Germany have mostly opted for guided tours provided by the Visiting Centre of the Calimani National Park. The centre has managed to bring to the attention of our tourists the regions culture and nature. The centre hosts various exhibitions aimed at presenting the Calimani outcrop, Romanias youngest and highest volcanic mountain. There are also bird watching trips and film screenings as well as sessions featuring the parks wildlife and flora.



    As one can see, the region offers a series of varied and complex travel packages at affordable prices. For more information we invite you to access ‘taradornelor.ro.


  • Easter in Romania

    Easter in Romania

    Bukovina and Maramures are among the first destinations that come to mind when we speak about old-time Romanian traditions and customs. And this is particularly important around the main religious holidays. The two regions are heavily promoted in the relevant national and international travel fairs, and on Easter they are packed with tourists, as Catalina Velniciuc, coordinator of the Suceava Tourist Information Centre tells us.



    Catalina Velniciuc: “On Easter, just like every year, local authorities organize events that showcase the importance of the Easter traditions and customs in Bukovina. Guest houses are welcoming tourists with traditional dishes, egg painting demonstrations, and trips to monasteries. It is a truly spectacular time of the year, both in terms of cultural and gastronomic events.”



    Laura Dan, head of the public relations and tourist promotion service with the Maramures County Council, says that Maramures takes pride in its famed craftsmen: “In Maramures, Easter means, first of all, traditional cuisine. There are lots of tourist offers during this period. Accommodation units in Maramures have already been booked up to 80-90%. All the traditions, the rituals of our forefathers are presented to the tourists who come to visit us. We have a lot of craftsmen, potters and weavers in particular. We usually bring some of these craftsmen with us in trade fairs, and they demonstrate to tourists various ancient crafts.”



    This Easter you are also invited to the castle. More specifically, a medieval citadel built in the 14th Century, which is in perfect condition. Bran Castle, erected on a cliff, at around 40 m above ground, has 4 levels, 4 towers, and a complete lack of symmetry. In 2009, the Bran Estate was transferred from public to private administration, after the property was returned to the heirs of Queen Marie and the Royal House of Romania.



    Here is Bogdana Balmus, PR manager for the Bran Castle: “On each holiday, we transform the Bran Castle completely. This time, the Easter holiday will bring here theme exhibitions, egg painting workshops, traditional music and dance performances, and traditional cuisine at the Bran Castle’s restaurant. Guided by traditional craftsmen, children will have an opportunity to paint wood eggs and take them home as souvenirs. Also for children, on Easter Sunday, the Easter bunny will be waiting for them in the Castle’s music hall and offer them chocolate eggs. The official opening of an exhibition has just concluded. It is an exhibition called “The Easter holiday among the shepherds of Săcele”, and it was organized with support from the Traditional Culture Service of the Reduta Cultural Centre in Brasov. The items on display belong to the traditional craftsman Fane Lupu, who is also a member of the Zestrea Seceleană ensemble, which will give a shepherd music and dance performance in the Castle garden. And on May 4, another ensemble, Junii Săceleni, will also perform traditional songs and dances.”



    The foreign tourists are impressed and always glad to discover the wealth of Romanian tradition and culture, says Bogdana Balmus: “They gladly take part in workshops. Sometimes when traditional music dances are staged in the interior courtyard of the castle, they join the round dances or take part in ancient rituals re-enacted for the occasion. They are also eager to sample the local food and drink. The area is very beautiful and Bran castle has become a full-day trip destination since 2009. Tourists will not regret spending their holidays in Bran and if they stay on for Labour Day, on May 1, they are in for a first: a cooking demonstration held in the royal gardens. The star of the whole event will be cheese, both salty and fresh, which will be prepared in different ways. The brass band of the nearby town of Codlea will also give a performance, so this will be special day.”



    Stefan Necula, the director of a travel agency, says the Romanian Black Sea coast is also an exciting destination: “More than 80 hotels on the Black Sea coast are open for Easter and Labour Day. We expect a 100% occupancy rate in the resorts of Mamaia and Vama Veche. At this point, we have a 25% increase in the number of visitors compared with last year for the Labour Day period. We hope the weather will be good. Accommodation and entertainment opportunities provided by the hotels on the Romanian coast have improved from one year to the next. The infrastructure in resorts is also being taken care of. We believe Romanian hospitality and the special Easter meals can add something to a holiday.”



    Most holiday packages for this period are sold out in April, but bookings began in January. The cost of a stay in this period can go up to 126 Euros per day in Mamaia, but average prices in this resort do not exceed 38 Euros a day: “Prices have begun to stabilise on the Romanian coast. We can find decent accommodation at decent prices. Of course, there are also some very expensive places, which provide excellent accommodation. In the resort of Eforie Sud, the price of a double room in this period starts from 14 Euros. I think that’s a very good price for the Romanian coast.”

  • Easter in Romania

    Easter in Romania

    Bukovina and Maramures are among the first destinations that come to mind when we speak about old-time Romanian traditions and customs. And this is particularly important around the main religious holidays. The two regions are heavily promoted in the relevant national and international travel fairs, and on Easter they are packed with tourists, as Catalina Velniciuc, coordinator of the Suceava Tourist Information Centre tells us.



    Catalina Velniciuc: “On Easter, just like every year, local authorities organize events that showcase the importance of the Easter traditions and customs in Bukovina. Guest houses are welcoming tourists with traditional dishes, egg painting demonstrations, and trips to monasteries. It is a truly spectacular time of the year, both in terms of cultural and gastronomic events.”



    Laura Dan, head of the public relations and tourist promotion service with the Maramures County Council, says that Maramures takes pride in its famed craftsmen: “In Maramures, Easter means, first of all, traditional cuisine. There are lots of tourist offers during this period. Accommodation units in Maramures have already been booked up to 80-90%. All the traditions, the rituals of our forefathers are presented to the tourists who come to visit us. We have a lot of craftsmen, potters and weavers in particular. We usually bring some of these craftsmen with us in trade fairs, and they demonstrate to tourists various ancient crafts.”



    This Easter you are also invited to the castle. More specifically, a medieval citadel built in the 14th Century, which is in perfect condition. Bran Castle, erected on a cliff, at around 40 m above ground, has 4 levels, 4 towers, and a complete lack of symmetry. In 2009, the Bran Estate was transferred from public to private administration, after the property was returned to the heirs of Queen Marie and the Royal House of Romania.



    Here is Bogdana Balmus, PR manager for the Bran Castle: “On each holiday, we transform the Bran Castle completely. This time, the Easter holiday will bring here theme exhibitions, egg painting workshops, traditional music and dance performances, and traditional cuisine at the Bran Castle’s restaurant. Guided by traditional craftsmen, children will have an opportunity to paint wood eggs and take them home as souvenirs. Also for children, on Easter Sunday, the Easter bunny will be waiting for them in the Castle’s music hall and offer them chocolate eggs. The official opening of an exhibition has just concluded. It is an exhibition called “The Easter holiday among the shepherds of Săcele”, and it was organized with support from the Traditional Culture Service of the Reduta Cultural Centre in Brasov. The items on display belong to the traditional craftsman Fane Lupu, who is also a member of the Zestrea Seceleană ensemble, which will give a shepherd music and dance performance in the Castle garden. And on May 4, another ensemble, Junii Săceleni, will also perform traditional songs and dances.”



    The foreign tourists are impressed and always glad to discover the wealth of Romanian tradition and culture, says Bogdana Balmus: “They gladly take part in workshops. Sometimes when traditional music dances are staged in the interior courtyard of the castle, they join the round dances or take part in ancient rituals re-enacted for the occasion. They are also eager to sample the local food and drink. The area is very beautiful and Bran castle has become a full-day trip destination since 2009. Tourists will not regret spending their holidays in Bran and if they stay on for Labour Day, on May 1, they are in for a first: a cooking demonstration held in the royal gardens. The star of the whole event will be cheese, both salty and fresh, which will be prepared in different ways. The brass band of the nearby town of Codlea will also give a performance, so this will be special day.”



    Stefan Necula, the director of a travel agency, says the Romanian Black Sea coast is also an exciting destination: “More than 80 hotels on the Black Sea coast are open for Easter and Labour Day. We expect a 100% occupancy rate in the resorts of Mamaia and Vama Veche. At this point, we have a 25% increase in the number of visitors compared with last year for the Labour Day period. We hope the weather will be good. Accommodation and entertainment opportunities provided by the hotels on the Romanian coast have improved from one year to the next. The infrastructure in resorts is also being taken care of. We believe Romanian hospitality and the special Easter meals can add something to a holiday.”



    Most holiday packages for this period are sold out in April, but bookings began in January. The cost of a stay in this period can go up to 126 Euros per day in Mamaia, but average prices in this resort do not exceed 38 Euros a day: “Prices have begun to stabilise on the Romanian coast. We can find decent accommodation at decent prices. Of course, there are also some very expensive places, which provide excellent accommodation. In the resort of Eforie Sud, the price of a double room in this period starts from 14 Euros. I think that’s a very good price for the Romanian coast.”

  • Romania’s Travel Fair

    Romania’s Travel Fair

    The fair brought together the most
    cost-effective offers for cultural tourism aficionados, as well as for those who
    are more into treatment, rural or business tourism. We opened the gates of the
    41st edition of Romania’s Travel Fair and the holiday offers and
    destinations we discovered turned out to be very interesting.








    Cătălin Țibuleac, who is president of the
    Danube Delta Tourism Destination Management Association, promotes the Danube
    Delta and the northern part of Dobrogea. Mr Tibuleac’s stand is a large one,
    large enough to include Dobrogean symbols and host traditional music and dance
    shows specific to the region promoted.








    Catalin
    Tibuleac: The whole region
    is superb catering to a wide range of tourists, who would like to visit the tourist
    destinations offered by Tulcea County. Apart from the natural beauties, also worth
    mentioning is the local cuisine as well as the region’s traditions and crafts.
    The whole story, which is a beautiful one, is in harmony with the biodiversity
    in the area because we should not forget that in Tulcea County, 14 ethnic
    groups live together in harmony, each of them with their own traditions and
    customs. When we speak about the Danube Delta, we speak about the bio garden.
    Actually, that’s what our stand’s thematic is all about. We promote a
    responsible, slow, visiting tourism, in harmony with biodiversity.








    Cristina Toma is a promoter of the Buzau
    Land Geopark. She has a PhD in Geology and the offer she presents is rather
    unique.






    Catalin
    Tibuleac: The Buzau Land
    Geopark lies at the crossroads of three cultures: the northern one, in
    Moldavia, the southern one in Wallachia and the western one, located in
    Transylvania. It is well worth visiting as we’re highly likely to find cultural
    assets from all over the country. From a scientific or a geological point of
    view, its value is tremendous. For a visit, I would recommend that you go there
    from spring and all through autumn. Winter there is breathtaking, but the
    natural assets, provided by the park’s geo-diversity, are not so visible. We
    can have a chat with the locals, in winter though and they can tell very
    interesting stories by the fireplace. If we intend to blend the cultural offer
    into the natural one, my recommendation still remains, the right time to visit would
    be spring summer and autumn.








    Laura Pătru is the marketing manager of a
    hotel group in Herculane. She invites us to a SPA, in an area rich in history.








    Laura
    Pătru: It is one of
    Romanians oldest spas first documented in AD 153. It is a place replete with
    legends, where nature was very generous. Here we can find 16 thermal and thermo-sulphurous
    springs, which can work real miracles in terms of treatment. Our hotels have
    been completely refurbished and we are trying to combine the multi-millenary
    therapy, which is a Roman legacy, with state-of-the art techniques and the
    cutting-edge SPA trends across Europe. Here you can find classical therapies,
    but we also have our techniques, which make up a brand of our own. For instance,
    saunas with local plants, following recipes that are exclusively ours, in
    combinations inspired from legends about the strength of Hercules and the beauty
    of Aphrodite. One of our favorite packages is the wellness one. It includes
    accommodation for five nights, full board and SPA therapies. For instance, we
    have salt scrubbing, aroma and peeling massage. The price for that is about 480
    Euros for two people.








    Daniela Pop, a marketing officer with the
    National Salt Company, SALROM, told us that salt mining in Romania boasts a
    millennia-old tradition and many of the mines have been turned into tourist
    destinations.








    Daniela
    Pop: Five out of the seven
    salt mines that we manage are also tourist spots. They have been beautifully
    arranged to receive tourists. They are genuine natural treasures. We manage the
    Praid salt mine in Harghita, Slanic Prahova, which is the nearest to Bucharest,
    Ocnele Mari in Valcea County, and Targu Ocna and Cacica in Moldavia. Tourists
    can visit them both in winter and in summer, because temperature inside a salt
    mine is constant. Anybody, provided they are not advised by a physician
    otherwise, can spend two or three hours in a salt mine, children included. In
    the Praid salt mine, for instance there is an adventure park, with all the
    necessary equipment, including a zipline, and a playground, because the air
    down there is not at all polluted and it’s healthy to breath.








    Cristi Pitulice is a managing partner with
    the Transylvania Train, a 5-day tourist programme, which can be described as
    very intense and catchy.






    Cristi
    Pitulice: It is a unique
    package, which we activate once every year, for 120 passengers, who get on
    board a special train, and travel along a route that starts in Brasov, passes
    through Sighisoara, Medias, Alba Iulia, Sebes, Sibiu and Fagaras. So the
    passengers get to experience something different every day. We explore the
    Haferland (the Saxon villages area) and we also take part in traditional felt
    and shingle workshops. People are very curious to understand why shingles made
    200 years ago have been preserved so well and are still on traditional houses
    and churches. The programme also includes wine tasting, traditional
    architecture and gastronomy workshops. Local Transylvanian chefs reveal to the
    passengers some of the secrets of the area’s multi-cultural cuisine. So, they
    can enjoy Romanian, Saxon, Hungarian and Armenian dishes. Also, part of the
    Sibiu Philharmonic Orchestra will give a special concert for the train’s
    passengers.






    Catalina Velniciuc, the coordinator of the
    Suceava National Tourist Information and Promotion Center has extended us an
    invitation to come and celebrate Easter in Bukovina, in north-eastern Romania.








    Catalina
    Velniciuc: In 2019,
    Bukovina has a better offer than the previous year. Of course, we focus on our
    monasteries, traditions and customs. We are speaking in particular of the
    Easter celebrations, which are right around the corner. We have an active
    tourism offer. For Easter, just like every year, the local government units
    organize events focusing on our traditional Easter traditions and customs in
    Bukovina. Guest houses will welcome tourists with traditional dishes, egg painting
    demonstrations and trips to monasteries. It’s a genuine cultural and
    gastronomic feast.








    According to data provided by a travel
    operator, the 6-night packages have sold the best. The average price of such a
    package is 160 Euro, and two thirds of the bookings registered are for families
    with children.

  • Romania’s Travel Fair

    Romania’s Travel Fair

    The fair brought together the most
    cost-effective offers for cultural tourism aficionados, as well as for those who
    are more into treatment, rural or business tourism. We opened the gates of the
    41st edition of Romania’s Travel Fair and the holiday offers and
    destinations we discovered turned out to be very interesting.








    Cătălin Țibuleac, who is president of the
    Danube Delta Tourism Destination Management Association, promotes the Danube
    Delta and the northern part of Dobrogea. Mr Tibuleac’s stand is a large one,
    large enough to include Dobrogean symbols and host traditional music and dance
    shows specific to the region promoted.








    Catalin
    Tibuleac: The whole region
    is superb catering to a wide range of tourists, who would like to visit the tourist
    destinations offered by Tulcea County. Apart from the natural beauties, also worth
    mentioning is the local cuisine as well as the region’s traditions and crafts.
    The whole story, which is a beautiful one, is in harmony with the biodiversity
    in the area because we should not forget that in Tulcea County, 14 ethnic
    groups live together in harmony, each of them with their own traditions and
    customs. When we speak about the Danube Delta, we speak about the bio garden.
    Actually, that’s what our stand’s thematic is all about. We promote a
    responsible, slow, visiting tourism, in harmony with biodiversity.








    Cristina Toma is a promoter of the Buzau
    Land Geopark. She has a PhD in Geology and the offer she presents is rather
    unique.






    Catalin
    Tibuleac: The Buzau Land
    Geopark lies at the crossroads of three cultures: the northern one, in
    Moldavia, the southern one in Wallachia and the western one, located in
    Transylvania. It is well worth visiting as we’re highly likely to find cultural
    assets from all over the country. From a scientific or a geological point of
    view, its value is tremendous. For a visit, I would recommend that you go there
    from spring and all through autumn. Winter there is breathtaking, but the
    natural assets, provided by the park’s geo-diversity, are not so visible. We
    can have a chat with the locals, in winter though and they can tell very
    interesting stories by the fireplace. If we intend to blend the cultural offer
    into the natural one, my recommendation still remains, the right time to visit would
    be spring summer and autumn.








    Laura Pătru is the marketing manager of a
    hotel group in Herculane. She invites us to a SPA, in an area rich in history.








    Laura
    Pătru: It is one of
    Romanians oldest spas first documented in AD 153. It is a place replete with
    legends, where nature was very generous. Here we can find 16 thermal and thermo-sulphurous
    springs, which can work real miracles in terms of treatment. Our hotels have
    been completely refurbished and we are trying to combine the multi-millenary
    therapy, which is a Roman legacy, with state-of-the art techniques and the
    cutting-edge SPA trends across Europe. Here you can find classical therapies,
    but we also have our techniques, which make up a brand of our own. For instance,
    saunas with local plants, following recipes that are exclusively ours, in
    combinations inspired from legends about the strength of Hercules and the beauty
    of Aphrodite. One of our favorite packages is the wellness one. It includes
    accommodation for five nights, full board and SPA therapies. For instance, we
    have salt scrubbing, aroma and peeling massage. The price for that is about 480
    Euros for two people.








    Daniela Pop, a marketing officer with the
    National Salt Company, SALROM, told us that salt mining in Romania boasts a
    millennia-old tradition and many of the mines have been turned into tourist
    destinations.








    Daniela
    Pop: Five out of the seven
    salt mines that we manage are also tourist spots. They have been beautifully
    arranged to receive tourists. They are genuine natural treasures. We manage the
    Praid salt mine in Harghita, Slanic Prahova, which is the nearest to Bucharest,
    Ocnele Mari in Valcea County, and Targu Ocna and Cacica in Moldavia. Tourists
    can visit them both in winter and in summer, because temperature inside a salt
    mine is constant. Anybody, provided they are not advised by a physician
    otherwise, can spend two or three hours in a salt mine, children included. In
    the Praid salt mine, for instance there is an adventure park, with all the
    necessary equipment, including a zipline, and a playground, because the air
    down there is not at all polluted and it’s healthy to breath.








    Cristi Pitulice is a managing partner with
    the Transylvania Train, a 5-day tourist programme, which can be described as
    very intense and catchy.






    Cristi
    Pitulice: It is a unique
    package, which we activate once every year, for 120 passengers, who get on
    board a special train, and travel along a route that starts in Brasov, passes
    through Sighisoara, Medias, Alba Iulia, Sebes, Sibiu and Fagaras. So the
    passengers get to experience something different every day. We explore the
    Haferland (the Saxon villages area) and we also take part in traditional felt
    and shingle workshops. People are very curious to understand why shingles made
    200 years ago have been preserved so well and are still on traditional houses
    and churches. The programme also includes wine tasting, traditional
    architecture and gastronomy workshops. Local Transylvanian chefs reveal to the
    passengers some of the secrets of the area’s multi-cultural cuisine. So, they
    can enjoy Romanian, Saxon, Hungarian and Armenian dishes. Also, part of the
    Sibiu Philharmonic Orchestra will give a special concert for the train’s
    passengers.






    Catalina Velniciuc, the coordinator of the
    Suceava National Tourist Information and Promotion Center has extended us an
    invitation to come and celebrate Easter in Bukovina, in north-eastern Romania.








    Catalina
    Velniciuc: In 2019,
    Bukovina has a better offer than the previous year. Of course, we focus on our
    monasteries, traditions and customs. We are speaking in particular of the
    Easter celebrations, which are right around the corner. We have an active
    tourism offer. For Easter, just like every year, the local government units
    organize events focusing on our traditional Easter traditions and customs in
    Bukovina. Guest houses will welcome tourists with traditional dishes, egg painting
    demonstrations and trips to monasteries. It’s a genuine cultural and
    gastronomic feast.








    According to data provided by a travel
    operator, the 6-night packages have sold the best. The average price of such a
    package is 160 Euro, and two thirds of the bookings registered are for families
    with children.

  • Christmas Traditions

    Christmas Traditions

    Starting December 6th, the feast day of Saint Nicholas, and
    until January 6th, the day when we celebrate the Epiphany, winter
    holidays are in full swing. In the past, people used to organize handicraft
    evening sittings where householders would spin wool and knit warm woolen or
    hemp clothing for the family members and would tell stories on the latest
    gossip in the village. They would eat boiled corn grains, dried fruit, nuts and
    other relishes the host had prepared on that occasion. On that day
    carol-singers start making Christmas arrangements. This is when lads’ groups
    assemble, when masks are made and carols are sung. In traditional villages, it
    is a time when people start tidying their homes and prepare to cook pork meals.
    Pigs are slaughtered on a special day, called Ignat, and the meat is used to
    make sausages, black pudding, haggis, sarmale (mincemeat cabbage rolls) and
    pork steaks that people cook in large earthen pots on Christmas Eve.


    The large snowflakes, the scented smell of freshly-baked pound cake,
    white-bearded Santa Claus and carolers’ voices echoing in the village, all
    these add up to the fairy-tale atmosphere setting in around Christmas time. Starting
    on Christmas Eve, children bearing sleigh-bells and whips start caroling,
    enlivening the entire village. According to tradition, it is bad omen not to
    welcome them, since they bring the blessed news of our Lord’s birth and ward
    off evil by the flick of their whips. Until late into the night, villages hum
    with carol tunes. Carol-singers are often rewarded with nuts, knot-shaped
    bread, apples and, nowadays, money.


    Northern Bukovina is well-known for keeping tradition alive concerning
    Christmas Eve rituals. 12 plates with 12 fasting dishes are placed on a table,
    which in Bukovina is usually square. A
    fish is placed between the 12 dishes as a symbol of Christ. Next the family
    enacts a ritual about the marriage of earth and sky. A round-shaped bread is
    placed in the middle of the table, standing for the Sun and the Moon, next to a
    candle representing the pillar of the sky.


    This is followed by a special ceremony: the eldest member of the family
    exits the house carrying a tray with 12 spoons and one of each of the 12 food
    types, the round-shaped bread and the candle. He circles the house, stopping by
    each corner to conjure the spirit of the rain to come in due time and
    reasonable quantity, so that the earth can bear fruit again. The food is then given
    to the cattle, while the man of the house goes in and places the bread and the
    candle on the table.


    Then, the entire family says Our Lord’s Prayer and thanks God for
    blessing them with another year of happiness and for allowing all of them to be
    there, since all the relatives get together at Christmas. Only then do they sit
    down at the table. However they don’t eat until they remember all those
    departed.


    Even today, it is believed that on December 24th, the
    spirits of the dead come back to life and they have to eat and drink. For this
    reason, once the Christmas Eve meal is ceremoniously concluded, all the
    leftovers are gathered on a big platter and are left by the window along with a
    cup of water until the Epiphany Eve, when they are either given to the cattle
    or thrown away in a river or spring.

    On Christmas morning, the first who
    wake up are the children who rush into finding the presents Santa has left for
    them under the Christmas tree. On Christmas Day people sing carols on the
    Bethlehem narrative in the Bible or enact Nativity episodes from the Bible.
    Performances are often followed by a symbolic clash between the old year and
    the new one, which concludes in the form of a wishing ceremony.


    The star boys’ singing procession is
    another custom performed by children in all areas of the country to commemorate
    the star announcing the birth of our Lord. The star boys are children or young
    boys clad in traditional costumes with multicolored ribbons, sometimes wearing
    wizards’ hats bearing Biblical names. The carolers’ reward is all the more
    generous as the carol itself is more touching. The boys are given a big bread
    roll, bacon and sausages; the food is collected by the Baggers. The food is
    then used at another youth celebration, named the beer, on the second day of
    Christmas. To prepare that, the lads place barley or oat somewhere to sprout,
    well in advance, and then make the beer, a drink they would have for the
    Christmas Party.


    In the Apuseni Mountains, boys go
    caroling with a fiddler, and visit the houses of eligible girls. In the Mures
    region the custom of the drums is widespread; these are a sort of drums made of
    animal skin. Householders receive the drummers with a lot of respect and joy,
    welcoming them to carol and sing in every house. The boys’ group is the
    best-known group of carolers in Fagaras Country.


    The boys group custom unfolds
    according to a well-designed pattern, handed down from generation to
    generation; first, the group is formed on Sanicoara’s Day, then the host is
    chosen, as well as the hierarchy, the key positions being those of the great
    bailiff, of the small bailiff, of those responsible with taking the girls out
    to dance; then there are the boys who play an administrative role (the publican
    tending to the drinks, the cashier, who collects the pay and the gifts for the
    fiddlers, while the flag keeper tends to the flag – the group’s most precious
    object). In the villages across Brasov County there are three types of boys’
    groups: boys’ groups with flags, typical for villages at the foot of the
    mountain, then there are the boys’ groups with tip-cats, and boys’ groups with
    clubs, which speaks about the archaic initiation kit.


    The flag is usually made of two
    vividly colored headscarves, which are tied to a stick 1 to 2 meters long,
    wrapped up around sticks with a cross at the top, as well as various other
    adornments. When the group is caroling, the flag is pinned either at the loft
    of the host’s home, or at the gates, and is hoisted on a very long stick. Those
    who are not part of the group have the right to steal the flag, and if they
    can do that, the group needs to take it back by paying for so much drink as the
    thieves ask for (usually about 10 to 20 litres of wine) and the boys’ group is
    usually put to shame if their flag is stolen.


    The Bistrita region also preserves
    old customs and traditions. On Christmas Night, kids’ teams are formed:
    hobbyhorse dancers, Turks, green stars, Herods, who go caroling around the
    village. The caroling starts from both ends of the village and when teams
    travel halfway through, a big round dance is formed. Then the elders get ready,
    they also split in groups and first carol their neighbors, their friends, and
    then their distant relatives. One to three people join the group at every house
    that receives the carolers, and in the end, at daybreak, they sing a carol
    called The day dawny-dawn. Then they go home, change clothes and go to
    church, attend Mass, and after that, they sing the carol O, hear the glad
    tidings, in the church yard. Then they come home, make merry, and the
    following evening they visit the relatives they did not get round to visiting
    the first day. That’s how people used to spend their holidays a long time ago,
    and that the custom has endured to this day.


    In some villages in Moldavia there is
    also the belief that the heavens open on Christmas Night. Nowadays, festivals
    are organized around Christmas, re-enacting habits and customs, which are still
    preserved in the Romanian traditional village.





  • Christmas Traditions

    Christmas Traditions

    Starting December 6th, the feast day of Saint Nicholas, and
    until January 6th, the day when we celebrate the Epiphany, winter
    holidays are in full swing. In the past, people used to organize handicraft
    evening sittings where householders would spin wool and knit warm woolen or
    hemp clothing for the family members and would tell stories on the latest
    gossip in the village. They would eat boiled corn grains, dried fruit, nuts and
    other relishes the host had prepared on that occasion. On that day
    carol-singers start making Christmas arrangements. This is when lads’ groups
    assemble, when masks are made and carols are sung. In traditional villages, it
    is a time when people start tidying their homes and prepare to cook pork meals.
    Pigs are slaughtered on a special day, called Ignat, and the meat is used to
    make sausages, black pudding, haggis, sarmale (mincemeat cabbage rolls) and
    pork steaks that people cook in large earthen pots on Christmas Eve.


    The large snowflakes, the scented smell of freshly-baked pound cake,
    white-bearded Santa Claus and carolers’ voices echoing in the village, all
    these add up to the fairy-tale atmosphere setting in around Christmas time. Starting
    on Christmas Eve, children bearing sleigh-bells and whips start caroling,
    enlivening the entire village. According to tradition, it is bad omen not to
    welcome them, since they bring the blessed news of our Lord’s birth and ward
    off evil by the flick of their whips. Until late into the night, villages hum
    with carol tunes. Carol-singers are often rewarded with nuts, knot-shaped
    bread, apples and, nowadays, money.


    Northern Bukovina is well-known for keeping tradition alive concerning
    Christmas Eve rituals. 12 plates with 12 fasting dishes are placed on a table,
    which in Bukovina is usually square. A
    fish is placed between the 12 dishes as a symbol of Christ. Next the family
    enacts a ritual about the marriage of earth and sky. A round-shaped bread is
    placed in the middle of the table, standing for the Sun and the Moon, next to a
    candle representing the pillar of the sky.


    This is followed by a special ceremony: the eldest member of the family
    exits the house carrying a tray with 12 spoons and one of each of the 12 food
    types, the round-shaped bread and the candle. He circles the house, stopping by
    each corner to conjure the spirit of the rain to come in due time and
    reasonable quantity, so that the earth can bear fruit again. The food is then given
    to the cattle, while the man of the house goes in and places the bread and the
    candle on the table.


    Then, the entire family says Our Lord’s Prayer and thanks God for
    blessing them with another year of happiness and for allowing all of them to be
    there, since all the relatives get together at Christmas. Only then do they sit
    down at the table. However they don’t eat until they remember all those
    departed.


    Even today, it is believed that on December 24th, the
    spirits of the dead come back to life and they have to eat and drink. For this
    reason, once the Christmas Eve meal is ceremoniously concluded, all the
    leftovers are gathered on a big platter and are left by the window along with a
    cup of water until the Epiphany Eve, when they are either given to the cattle
    or thrown away in a river or spring.

    On Christmas morning, the first who
    wake up are the children who rush into finding the presents Santa has left for
    them under the Christmas tree. On Christmas Day people sing carols on the
    Bethlehem narrative in the Bible or enact Nativity episodes from the Bible.
    Performances are often followed by a symbolic clash between the old year and
    the new one, which concludes in the form of a wishing ceremony.


    The star boys’ singing procession is
    another custom performed by children in all areas of the country to commemorate
    the star announcing the birth of our Lord. The star boys are children or young
    boys clad in traditional costumes with multicolored ribbons, sometimes wearing
    wizards’ hats bearing Biblical names. The carolers’ reward is all the more
    generous as the carol itself is more touching. The boys are given a big bread
    roll, bacon and sausages; the food is collected by the Baggers. The food is
    then used at another youth celebration, named the beer, on the second day of
    Christmas. To prepare that, the lads place barley or oat somewhere to sprout,
    well in advance, and then make the beer, a drink they would have for the
    Christmas Party.


    In the Apuseni Mountains, boys go
    caroling with a fiddler, and visit the houses of eligible girls. In the Mures
    region the custom of the drums is widespread; these are a sort of drums made of
    animal skin. Householders receive the drummers with a lot of respect and joy,
    welcoming them to carol and sing in every house. The boys’ group is the
    best-known group of carolers in Fagaras Country.


    The boys group custom unfolds
    according to a well-designed pattern, handed down from generation to
    generation; first, the group is formed on Sanicoara’s Day, then the host is
    chosen, as well as the hierarchy, the key positions being those of the great
    bailiff, of the small bailiff, of those responsible with taking the girls out
    to dance; then there are the boys who play an administrative role (the publican
    tending to the drinks, the cashier, who collects the pay and the gifts for the
    fiddlers, while the flag keeper tends to the flag – the group’s most precious
    object). In the villages across Brasov County there are three types of boys’
    groups: boys’ groups with flags, typical for villages at the foot of the
    mountain, then there are the boys’ groups with tip-cats, and boys’ groups with
    clubs, which speaks about the archaic initiation kit.


    The flag is usually made of two
    vividly colored headscarves, which are tied to a stick 1 to 2 meters long,
    wrapped up around sticks with a cross at the top, as well as various other
    adornments. When the group is caroling, the flag is pinned either at the loft
    of the host’s home, or at the gates, and is hoisted on a very long stick. Those
    who are not part of the group have the right to steal the flag, and if they
    can do that, the group needs to take it back by paying for so much drink as the
    thieves ask for (usually about 10 to 20 litres of wine) and the boys’ group is
    usually put to shame if their flag is stolen.


    The Bistrita region also preserves
    old customs and traditions. On Christmas Night, kids’ teams are formed:
    hobbyhorse dancers, Turks, green stars, Herods, who go caroling around the
    village. The caroling starts from both ends of the village and when teams
    travel halfway through, a big round dance is formed. Then the elders get ready,
    they also split in groups and first carol their neighbors, their friends, and
    then their distant relatives. One to three people join the group at every house
    that receives the carolers, and in the end, at daybreak, they sing a carol
    called The day dawny-dawn. Then they go home, change clothes and go to
    church, attend Mass, and after that, they sing the carol O, hear the glad
    tidings, in the church yard. Then they come home, make merry, and the
    following evening they visit the relatives they did not get round to visiting
    the first day. That’s how people used to spend their holidays a long time ago,
    and that the custom has endured to this day.


    In some villages in Moldavia there is
    also the belief that the heavens open on Christmas Night. Nowadays, festivals
    are organized around Christmas, re-enacting habits and customs, which are still
    preserved in the Romanian traditional village.





  • Easter Holidays in Romania

    Easter Holidays in Romania

    Bukovina is a
    region in northern Romania comprising the counties of Suceava and Botoşani. It
    has always been a tourist hotspot, especially during religious celebrations.
    The churches of Bukovina were built during the reign of great Romanian rulers
    and ahead of religious celebrations people have always dressed in the region’s
    traditional wear, therefore Bukovina is a place where each and every tourist
    can have a wonderful time. A special attraction of the area is the Egg Museum
    in Vama, which displays more than 7 thousand painted eggs. Almost 3,500 come
    from 82 countries from all 5 continents. Letiţia Orşinschi teaches textile and
    decorative art and is a member of the Traditional Arts Academy in Romania. Next
    she will tell us more about egg painting:

    In the past, the people of Bukovina used to paint the eggs in a simple manner,
    with a single dominant motif, using toneless, earthy colors which can still be found
    today on traditional costumes and cloths. The museum also exhibits eggs that
    belonged to my family, which are 50 up to 100 years old. These eggs were
    painted with the yolk and white inside, but, as they were not covered with
    varnish, the white evaporated through the eggshell pores and the yolk
    coagulated inside. These eggs used to be kept in a traditional house,
    especially on stormy days. The eggs blessed during the Easter Mass used to be
    placed in the window casement to protect the people inside from the evil
    outside. According to tradition, these eggs were said to protect young girls
    from the evil eye and to help them have a good, successful marriage. Today the
    technique of painting eggs has been taken to another level. In the past, the
    intensity of the colors used for painting eggs was indicative of the status of
    that respective woman from Bukovina. A light red indicated a young, unmarried
    woman, brownish garnet was for married women, while black was for widows. In
    Bukovina you will also find the wax-melting technique used for painting eggs.


    Another
    point of attraction during the Easter holidays is the region of Maramureş, in
    the north. Dan Carpov, from the Tourist Information Office in Maramureş County,
    has more details:


    Traditions have
    been well preserved in Maramureş and on Easter tourists always have quite an
    experience. Although modernity mingles with tradition, the people of Maramureş
    won’t give up their traditional costumes, irrespective of the part of Maramureş
    county you may choose to visit. Eastern traditions have been preserved
    everywhere in Maramureş, that is why we refresh and improve our offer
    continuously, in order to always live up to tourists’ expectations. Our tourist
    attractions have been included in an already-famous tourist circuit, and
    Mocăniţa, the narrow-gauge steam train, is on top of tourists’ preferences.
    Actually Maramureş is the only county of Romania with 8 tourist sites included
    in the UNESCO heritage list and we have already developed a tourist package that
    covers these 8 sites. We also provide trips to the area’s old wooden churches.
    Interest in mountain tourism has been on the rise lately, and tourists are very
    happy with the region’s cycling route that measures 80 kms.


    Claudia Andron,
    the president of Turist, Bistrita-Nasaud County’s Tourism Promotion
    Association, has another proposal
    for Easter: a visit to the wine cellars
    in the region:


    The scenery is very beautiful and there are
    many rural guesthouses where you can see for yourselves how people in
    Bistrita-Nasaud spend Easter. There are many very beautiful churches where you
    can take part in the Easter mass. We have fine customs and traditions, such as
    the Sprinkling of the Girls, a custom that is observed on the second day of
    Easter. I really recommend that you spend Easter in Bistrita Nasaud. You will
    not regret it. Not only is it beautiful, but it is also a special experience.
    Take the Wine Road, for instance.
    Around 1600, the Saxons brought the first vine branches to our county, and
    during the communist regime they were very well preserved. Unfortunately, after
    1989 they disappeared until a couple of years ago, when a bunch of local
    producers, who were in love with farming, sought to rekindle the tradition of
    vine growing in Bistrita Nasaud. We have several very beautiful wine cellars,
    ready to receive groups of tourists for wine-tasting sessions any time of the
    year.


    Located in
    Transylvania, Sovata is a balneal resort that started gaining European
    recognition as early as 1850, especially for the treatment of stomach diseases.
    Kacso Marta is the representative of a hotel compound in the resort, and gave
    us details on Easter offer of the compound she represents:


    The Easter
    offer at a four-star hotel includes accommodation for three nights in a double
    room, breakfast and buffet dinner included. We have also prepared a festive
    lunch for Easter on April 8. Access to the SPA center is unlimited, while for
    children we have prepared all sorts of entertainment programs. The package per
    person costs 960 Lei, that is 207 Euro, in a double room.


    Forget about the
    sea, forget about the beach, come to a camp in Straja. That is how the resort
    of Straja in southwestern Romania is promoted by the manager of a three star
    villa, Mihai Dumitrascu:


    Straja is best
    known as a winter resort, yet in recent years it has also developed as a summer
    resort, since it lies close to the most important tourist sites in Hunedoara
    County: The Hunyads’ Castle, the Prislop Monastery, the Sickness Cave and the
    Retezat massif. Easter is the recommended time for a visit to Straja. We have
    an excellent value-for-money package which includes a visit to the Straja
    Hermitage and the Way of the Cross, Eastern Europe’s biggest such hermitage. We
    can offer four or five night packages for the price of 595 Lei, that is 127
    Euro, which covers half-board and the festive dinner on Easter.


    Lucian Taranu is
    the owner of a guesthouse in Poiana Galdei, in Apuseni’s Trascau Mountains. He
    has invited us to places that have never been spoiled by the hustle and bustle
    of city life.


    A secluded area, where beauty, joy and
    quiet are at home. If you take the trouble to come over, to the Garda Valley,
    crossing over a bridge we built ourselves, you’re sure to find heaven on earth.
    Also, the food here is fine, made of produce we grow ourselves in our gardens.
    We can bake the bread together, you can taste from the famous drink prepared by
    inn-keeper Lenuta, known as Forest Joy. If you stay for a week with us, you can
    also enjoy the caves, the lakes, the gorges, the waterfalls and the mountain
    rivers in the area.


    Easter holiday
    offers in hotels across Romania are very generous. However, the best version is
    the one including accommodation in rural guesthouses, where you can have the
    chance to be much closer to traditions and customs in each region across
    Romania. And at that, you’re sure to have a complete experience.