Radio România Internațional

Category: Traveller’s Guide

  • Vacationing on the Danube Gorges

    Vacationing on the Danube Gorges

    Today’s destination is in southwestern Romania, to an area whose fame has long passed the country’s borders. The Danube Gorges offers us a spectacular view, as the river squeezes through the mountains. You can indulge in most of your favorite outdoors activities there, from trekking to extreme sports. Accommodation is also exceptional, as well as your choice of cuisine, with fish topping the list.



    While spending your vacation there you can see a monumental sculpted portrait of Decebalus, the last king of ancient Dacia, 55 meters tall and 25 meters wide. To get a better idea of its size, it is only six meters less tall than the Statue of Liberty and eight meters taller than Christ the Redeemer of Rio. It is the tallest stone sculpture in Europe, as we were told by Marin Caramizaru, head of the local tourist association, in Mehedinti county:



    Marin Caramizaru: “We sought to diversify our tourist offer as much as we could. First of all, we advocate a return to nature. We recommend the Ciucarul Mare, Ciucarul Mic and Trescovat trails, offering a spectacular view of the gorges. We also recommend bicycle tours. You can rent a bike at most of the places where you find accommodation. The most popular activity is boat riding. You can also rent water bicycles and kayaks locally. There are a few caves worth visiting too. The most beautiful is the one in Gura Ponicovei. Prices vary depending on your circuit, it is between 25 and 35 lei per person for a trip between an hour and a half and two hours long.”



    The autumn is the most beautiful season in this area, according to Raluca Crista, executive director of the Danube Gorges Local Action Group: “It is the ideal period for admiring the vegetation. The Danube Gorges is a great destination for all. We have tourists who trek the length of Europe, or travel the length of the Danube. There are several camping sites. There are traditional houses, privately managed, which you can rent for periods of time, then you can find B&Bs rated at two or three stars for very affordable prices. We have also developed business tourism, which is on the rise. We have some very interesting projects in agro-tourism too. We have boat rides, kayak rides, archery, paintball, spelunking, rock climbing, etc. Autumn is beautiful here, especially once figs ripen, and the local village of Svinita makes great fig preserves. That place is famous. Tourists can book accommodation in local homes and actually take part in making the sweets, or even homemade liquor from figs.”



    Foreign tourists, mostly from Germany, Hungary or the Czech Republic, love cycling, according to Marin Caramizaru, head of the local tourist association: “The Danube Gorges is the venue for two very important cycling events, Eurovelo 6 and the Iron Curtain Circuit. The Danube Gorges boasts a great ethnic and cultural variety. We invite tourists to get in touch with our association to take advantage of the best offers in the area, in terms of accommodation, spots to visit, and tourist guides who know the area best.”



    The Figs’ Festival, The Danube Villages’ Festival, The Tulip Festival in Dubova and The Cauldrons Fest in Moldova Noua are some of the events staged in this area. The Danube Gorges is home to Serb, Czech, German and Hungarian communities.



    Raluca Crista, executive manager of the Danube Gorges Local Action Group: “There are also Nedeile, known as the Village’s Prayers, a celebration usually attended by the entire community. The prayers have great spiritual value as they bring together old and young people and traditions are passed on. The locals wear traditional costumes and exhibit their favorite poems or sketches, they sing and dance. We would like to set up an exhibition room for local craftsmen to display their work.”



    Taken in by the beauty of the places, tourists come here from all over the world. Raluca Crista told us more: “Some tourists come here regularly, once every year or two, and feel things have improved. Others come every year on Christmas, for instance. They are keen on discovering these areas together with spaeleology and cycling associations. They give us positive feedback. Many come from the Czech Republic, Germany or Austria. I have also talked to a few tourists from Indonesia and Thailand. Two weeks ago we had a group from Switzerland. Tourists come from all over the world”.



    The most popular dishes are based on fish. All guesthouses and restaurants offer the traditional fish sour soup, fish brine, fish grills served with garlic sauce and polenta. Local fairs are turned into genuine gastronomic feasts. Having said that, we hoped we’ve whetted your appetite and convinced you to contact your travel agent and book a ticket now. Until next time, have a safe travel and good weather!

  • The City of Iasi

    The City of Iasi

    Iasi is synonymous with history, art, science and innovation, having played a crucial role on Romania’s history. Anca Zota, coordinator of the Iasi tourist information center, will join us on a tour of the city.




    Anca Zota: “There are many beautiful places worth visiting in Iasi. The city is the unofficial capital of the region of Moldavia and has a very long cultural tradition. As you may know Iasi is home to the first university ever built in Romania and also to the first national theater. The theater building and opera house have been recently renovated and redecorated and they are now ready to receive their first guests. The city’s botanical garden is also worth a visit. Iasi now boasts a new museum, that of the University of Iasi. There you can discover not only the history of the Iasi University but also interesting things about the old history of the city. The museum hosts, on a wide area, items of the Cucuteni culture. Access to the museum is free of charge and tourists can benefit from guided tours in the Romanian, English and French languages. Worth visiting in Iasi are also the classic hot spots: writer Ion Creanga’s shack, the Pogor House, the Union Museum, the Metropolitan Bishopric’s Cathedral, the Trei Ierarhi Monastery, the Cetatuia Monastery and so on.”




    Nature lovers can visit the Copou park where they will discover the famous linden tree evoked by Romania’s national poet Mihai Eminescu in his poems. Iasi county also boasts a special area, Larga Jija, a small delta where tourists can admire the flora and fauna specific to the region of Moldavia. Tourists can also visit the Valea lui David nature reserve where landslides have led to the emergence of vegetation specific to a forest steppe area, which in Romania can be found in Dobrogea, in the southeast. The Prut floodplain is another place worth visiting by nature lovers.




    The city of Iasi can be visited all along the year, but there are certain moments when special events are held in this city. Back at the microphone with details is Anca Zota, the coordinator of the tourist information center of Iasi.




    Anca Zota: ”As soon as spring sets in, the number of events unfolding in Iasi increases. On the last Sunday of June, Iasi plays hosts to the traditional Cucuteni 5000 Folk Art Festival, held in the Copou park. There are also newer festivals, such as a science festival, held in early April, several film festivals and, at the end of May, the second edition of the International Education Festival. Worth mentioning is the FILIT Translation and Literature Festival, currently at its second edition, to be held in early autumn. In October, as part of the “Iasi Days”, a cultural event dedicated to celebrating the city, we’ll have film festival as well as several culinary events. The restaurants in Iasi can offer you, throughout the year, a wide variety of traditional dishes, as well as local wines. So we hope many of you will come to Iasi this year, to spend some time with us and discover the beauty of the city. “




    Iasi does not have a pedestrian center of its own. There is only one pedestrian street in the city, yet tourists can take walks in the Copou park, where they can find many restaurants offering Romanian and foreign cuisine. There are also the beautiful streets behind the University of Medicine, where those interested in architecture can admire the old boyars’ houses. Some of these houses host original restaurants, where tourists can taste the mouth-watering Moldavian borsch or the Moldavian ‘tochitura’ – a mix of fried meats and traditional sausages — and, of course, the famous Moldavian pie. These are the main three dishes that could make up a full traditional menu. Those who want to smell the scent of the linden trees in Iasi, they should come over in the last ten days of May, or in early June.

  • The City of Iasi

    The City of Iasi

    Iasi is synonymous with history, art, science and innovation, having played a crucial role on Romania’s history. Anca Zota, coordinator of the Iasi tourist information center, will join us on a tour of the city.




    Anca Zota: “There are many beautiful places worth visiting in Iasi. The city is the unofficial capital of the region of Moldavia and has a very long cultural tradition. As you may know Iasi is home to the first university ever built in Romania and also to the first national theater. The theater building and opera house have been recently renovated and redecorated and they are now ready to receive their first guests. The city’s botanical garden is also worth a visit. Iasi now boasts a new museum, that of the University of Iasi. There you can discover not only the history of the Iasi University but also interesting things about the old history of the city. The museum hosts, on a wide area, items of the Cucuteni culture. Access to the museum is free of charge and tourists can benefit from guided tours in the Romanian, English and French languages. Worth visiting in Iasi are also the classic hot spots: writer Ion Creanga’s shack, the Pogor House, the Union Museum, the Metropolitan Bishopric’s Cathedral, the Trei Ierarhi Monastery, the Cetatuia Monastery and so on.”




    Nature lovers can visit the Copou park where they will discover the famous linden tree evoked by Romania’s national poet Mihai Eminescu in his poems. Iasi county also boasts a special area, Larga Jija, a small delta where tourists can admire the flora and fauna specific to the region of Moldavia. Tourists can also visit the Valea lui David nature reserve where landslides have led to the emergence of vegetation specific to a forest steppe area, which in Romania can be found in Dobrogea, in the southeast. The Prut floodplain is another place worth visiting by nature lovers.




    The city of Iasi can be visited all along the year, but there are certain moments when special events are held in this city. Back at the microphone with details is Anca Zota, the coordinator of the tourist information center of Iasi.




    Anca Zota: ”As soon as spring sets in, the number of events unfolding in Iasi increases. On the last Sunday of June, Iasi plays hosts to the traditional Cucuteni 5000 Folk Art Festival, held in the Copou park. There are also newer festivals, such as a science festival, held in early April, several film festivals and, at the end of May, the second edition of the International Education Festival. Worth mentioning is the FILIT Translation and Literature Festival, currently at its second edition, to be held in early autumn. In October, as part of the “Iasi Days”, a cultural event dedicated to celebrating the city, we’ll have film festival as well as several culinary events. The restaurants in Iasi can offer you, throughout the year, a wide variety of traditional dishes, as well as local wines. So we hope many of you will come to Iasi this year, to spend some time with us and discover the beauty of the city. “




    Iasi does not have a pedestrian center of its own. There is only one pedestrian street in the city, yet tourists can take walks in the Copou park, where they can find many restaurants offering Romanian and foreign cuisine. There are also the beautiful streets behind the University of Medicine, where those interested in architecture can admire the old boyars’ houses. Some of these houses host original restaurants, where tourists can taste the mouth-watering Moldavian borsch or the Moldavian ‘tochitura’ – a mix of fried meats and traditional sausages — and, of course, the famous Moldavian pie. These are the main three dishes that could make up a full traditional menu. Those who want to smell the scent of the linden trees in Iasi, they should come over in the last ten days of May, or in early June.

  • Govora Spa

    Govora Spa

    Even though summer is just around the corner, a stint in a spa can do no harm, and can even get us back on our better feet as we are wrapping up yet another year hard at work. Today’s destination is Govora, a spa recommended at any time of the year, whether for treatment or relaxation. The summers are mild, with an average of 19 degrees Celsius, while winters are equally mild, with an average temperature of minus 3 degrees C. Join us in discovering why Govora is a great place for you to spend a vacation in.




    Govora lies in Valcea County, 21 km away from Ramnicu Valcea, at 360 meters above sea level, surrounded by diverse forests. Govora has natural therapeutic qualities, such as its air and water, making it a top destination for physical therapy, as well as many tourist attractions, such as architecture and monasteries, as well as a fine wine-growing area called Dragasani.




    While there, you can get treatment for a wide range of conditions, respiratory, rheumatic or digestive, but you can simply lay back and relax, irrespective of your age group.




    Daniela Vlad, general manager of SC Baile Govora SA, told us about what they treat there, and the optimal duration of a treatment trip, for best results: “You must spend at least 12 days in Govora, with a minimum of 10 days of treatment, simply because treatment does not simply mean strictly the curative procedures, in the least time possible. Going to any spa resort for treatment supposes that one spends enough time there for the cure to take hold, which is the most important thing, and which many people don’t take into account. We mainly treat respiratory and rheumatic conditions, and we also specialize in mineral water therapy. We have quite a lot of these conditions spread around the country, and the worst of them are respiratory conditions in children.”




    You can find accommodation for any pocket, starting with 675 lei for five nights accommodation, including breakfast and treatment, according to our guest. You can choose from B&Bs or two, three or four star hotels. Govora is also renowned for a recently refurbished hotel, the Palace, a symbol of the resort.



    Daniela Vlad told us about it: “Everyone is invited to see this unique edifice, built between 1911 and 1914, the first resort hotel in Romania. It is large, with special architecture, since its layout provides at least two hours of sunlight during a given day, in a 132 room hotel, with openings in the walls carved out to equal the number of days in a year.”




    Once you have decided to spend a bit more time in the area, enjoying the scenery, you start discovering all sorts of attractions. Here is Daniela Vlad telling us about some of them: “There are a lot to go around, we are surrounded by a rural area with lots of churches, monasteries, we are talking about one of the areas of Romania that has made us famous abroad. We have the Manastirea dintr-un Lemn — the monastery carved out of a single tree, the Horezu Monastery, near the village of Horezu, a UNESCO heritage site, and Govora Monastery, which lends its name to our resort. A few miles away we have the splendid valley of Olt River, and the town of Valcea, handy for doing your shopping.”




    Not too far away, you also have the vineyards of Dragasani, famous for their Cabernet, Novac or Negru, as well as Merlot and Sauvignon varieties. You can also discover strictly local varieties such as selected Cramposie, Feteasca Regala and Tamaioasa Romaneasca.




    We hope we have stirred your curiosity about these unique places, which you might be interested in visiting one day.

  • Govora Spa

    Govora Spa

    Even though summer is just around the corner, a stint in a spa can do no harm, and can even get us back on our better feet as we are wrapping up yet another year hard at work. Today’s destination is Govora, a spa recommended at any time of the year, whether for treatment or relaxation. The summers are mild, with an average of 19 degrees Celsius, while winters are equally mild, with an average temperature of minus 3 degrees C. Join us in discovering why Govora is a great place for you to spend a vacation in.




    Govora lies in Valcea County, 21 km away from Ramnicu Valcea, at 360 meters above sea level, surrounded by diverse forests. Govora has natural therapeutic qualities, such as its air and water, making it a top destination for physical therapy, as well as many tourist attractions, such as architecture and monasteries, as well as a fine wine-growing area called Dragasani.




    While there, you can get treatment for a wide range of conditions, respiratory, rheumatic or digestive, but you can simply lay back and relax, irrespective of your age group.




    Daniela Vlad, general manager of SC Baile Govora SA, told us about what they treat there, and the optimal duration of a treatment trip, for best results: “You must spend at least 12 days in Govora, with a minimum of 10 days of treatment, simply because treatment does not simply mean strictly the curative procedures, in the least time possible. Going to any spa resort for treatment supposes that one spends enough time there for the cure to take hold, which is the most important thing, and which many people don’t take into account. We mainly treat respiratory and rheumatic conditions, and we also specialize in mineral water therapy. We have quite a lot of these conditions spread around the country, and the worst of them are respiratory conditions in children.”




    You can find accommodation for any pocket, starting with 675 lei for five nights accommodation, including breakfast and treatment, according to our guest. You can choose from B&Bs or two, three or four star hotels. Govora is also renowned for a recently refurbished hotel, the Palace, a symbol of the resort.



    Daniela Vlad told us about it: “Everyone is invited to see this unique edifice, built between 1911 and 1914, the first resort hotel in Romania. It is large, with special architecture, since its layout provides at least two hours of sunlight during a given day, in a 132 room hotel, with openings in the walls carved out to equal the number of days in a year.”




    Once you have decided to spend a bit more time in the area, enjoying the scenery, you start discovering all sorts of attractions. Here is Daniela Vlad telling us about some of them: “There are a lot to go around, we are surrounded by a rural area with lots of churches, monasteries, we are talking about one of the areas of Romania that has made us famous abroad. We have the Manastirea dintr-un Lemn — the monastery carved out of a single tree, the Horezu Monastery, near the village of Horezu, a UNESCO heritage site, and Govora Monastery, which lends its name to our resort. A few miles away we have the splendid valley of Olt River, and the town of Valcea, handy for doing your shopping.”




    Not too far away, you also have the vineyards of Dragasani, famous for their Cabernet, Novac or Negru, as well as Merlot and Sauvignon varieties. You can also discover strictly local varieties such as selected Cramposie, Feteasca Regala and Tamaioasa Romaneasca.




    We hope we have stirred your curiosity about these unique places, which you might be interested in visiting one day.

  • Speleological Tourism

    Speleological Tourism

    The beauty of a cave is in the eye of the tourist who visits it, the president of the Romanian Federation of Speleology Viorel Lascu told us. That beauty of the depths is fascinating to both amateurs and specialists. To an explorer, the most beautiful caves are the deepest, longest and most difficult, while those who love photography and underground scenery are more interested in those caves that are rich from a speleological point of view. Romania has class 4 and 5 caves, which are very difficult to cross, such as the 50 km long Pestera Vantului (the Wind Cave), the largest in Romania, or Pestera din Valea Rea (the Wicked Valley Cave), which is the deepest, going 750 m underground. These caves are good for exploring. There are also many other speleological gems, such as Nicula Cave, the Bears’ Cave, the Altar Stone Cave or Secatura Cave.




    The Bears’ Cave, in Romanian Pestera Ursilor, is situated in a small village called Chiscanu, in the Apuseni Mountains, in western Romania. Seen as one of the most spectacular tourist attractions in the area, the cave was discovered by accident, in 1975, when a marble quarry was blown up. After five years, in 1980, it was opened to the public. It is approximately 15 hundred meters long, of which 521 are part of a scientific reserve.



    The Bears’ Cave is extremely valuable from a paleonthological point of view, Viorel Lascu told us: “We found there relics of species such as the cave bear and the cave lion, and they are now being studied. This space, though not open to the public, is visible in the exhibition organized at the entrance. It is a unique place, very well equipped, and the underground landscape is quite spectacular. The chalkstones are extremely transparent and the cave is immaculately white. A long time ago, following an avalanche, many animals were trapped in the cave. The landscape is creepy, because the animals left traces that can rarely be seen in a cave. There are many skeletons and skulls there. But, besides the cave itself, there are many attractions in the area, such as Sighistelul Gorges, where there are also many caves.”



    Scientific researcher Marius Florea too recommended the Apuseni Mountains: “It is very difficult for me to recommend just one cave. Most of them are in the Apuseni Mountains. There are many caves that can be visited, such as the Bear’s Cave, in the village of Pietroasa, or the Scarisoara Glacier, the largest underground glacier in Romania. The Apuseni Mountains boast several tourists caves such as the Meziad Cave and the Crystals Cave in the Farcu Mine, both in Bihor County.”



    Recent explorations alongside the restoration and research activities are bringing the Crystal Cave from the Farcu Mine back into the gallery of the most beautiful caves in Romania. The cave is part of a more complex project that includes the ecological reconstruction and rehabilitation of the cave-mine compound for tourist purposes. Actually this is the first such project in Romania and one of the very few in the world. Along the route destined for tourists there are paths, stairs and banisters made of glass-reinforced plastic with LED lighting systems, which guide the tourists through the amazing mysteries of the cave. The tourist route ends up in a balcony from where tourists can admire the crystals reserve with the famous Farcu discs and “crystal dragon flies”.



    Here is back at the microphone, scientific researcher Marius Florea: “The cave is located in the Padurea Craiului Mountains. Karsts are the main forms of relief. The low-set mountains are interspersed with specific relief elements such as sinkholes. The sinkholes are indicative of the presence of underground galleries. Access into the cave is through an artificial mine gallery that got intersected with the cave gallery when it was dug. The cave does not have a natural entrance and the pressure inside led to the formation of the famous crystals that you will find in the cave. The cave is not very big. Besides the crystals, tourists can admire a small mining museum displaying used tools. The groups of tourists are accompanied by a guide who presents each part of the mine and cave”.



    Cave diving is considered an adventure sport and is promoted by several travel agencies. However, as researcher Marius Florea points out, this is by no means an activity for amateurs: “Cave diving has been practiced in Romania since the 1980s, but this activity is still not very widespread today. There are few people who practice cave diving in Romania, because this is a very difficult activity requiring a lot of tough training. Romania is one of the few countries with such wild nature and so many wild animals still roaming free in its forests and mountains, while its relief is full of gorges, valleys, caves and alpine cliffs. The Carpathian Mountains have a lot to offer to people who love nature.”

  • Arsenal Park

    Arsenal Park

    In 1936, King Carol II had an experimental compound arranged for the army, just outside the town of Orastie. During the communist regime, an ammunition factory operated on that plot. The idea of a holiday destination here emerged in 2003, and six years later, in 2009, Arsenal Park welcomed its visitors and launched a new form of military life: the holiday soldier. What does Arsenal Park offer in 2014? Here is event manager Olav Bagyo: “The site was turned from an ammunition factory and military unit into a theme park. At present we have accommodation facilities for 208 people, we have a very large spa center, with an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, two massage salons, a body treatment salon, a bodybuilding gym, and four saunas. There is a restaurant within the compound, and the range of activities for our guests is quite wide, from target practice using real ammunition to airsoft simulations, paintball, military training, or rides on military vehicles.”



    Arsenal Park has 3 four-star villas with two bedrooms, a dining room and a large living room each. Arsenal Park event manager Olav Bagyo gives us more details about the accommodation facilities: “We recommend the cannon rooms and the TAB rooms. The cannon rooms have a field cannon inside, with the barrel sticking out of the window, and the bed arranged on the gun carriage. The TAB rooms include cross-sections of the Romanian-design armored personnel carrier known as TAB. Each half of a TAB is fixed on a room, and inside it there is the bed. Each accommodation facility is different in our compound, and has specific decorations. The restaurant itself is a museum, with a variety of items on display. The entire park is, in fact, an outdoor military museum. We have at least 150 items of military technology, ranging from TAB vehicles, anti-aircraft machine guns, cannon, tanks, minelayers, helicopters, aircraft.”



    For the colder evenings, tourists can find here a small co-called “Dacian Village,” made up of three chalets. They are ideal for indoor parties, and guests may cook here their own traditional meals, with or without the help of the Arsenal Park cooks.



    But since this is a military theme park, we asked Olav Bagyo whether the tourists should expect some military training as well: “Only if they want to. This is one of the activities in the highest demand here. Since military service became optional in Romania, there are people who want to see what being in the army feels like. This is training for entertainment, with drills that take the form of games. A lot of people who were never in the army want to try it, so we have prepared training sessions that take several hours. They include marching, the introduction of the specific forms of address used in the army, and drills such as obstacle races in a variety of forms, from racing wearing gas masks to handcuffed running. There are plenty of exercises that give people an idea of what life in the army means.”



    After an action-packed day, thrill seekers may have a rest in the evening listening to music around a campfire.



    Event manager Olav Bagyo tells us what Arsenal Park prepares for its visitors in the future: “In 18 months’ time, we will also have an Aqualand, a horseback riding center, an artificial ice skating rink, a skate park, 16-km long cycling tracks, a water tower with an elevator, where tourists will be able to practice bungee jumping, abseiling and zip-lining. We will have the longest zip-line in Romania, 700 meters long. Another surprise will be a traditional sheepfold, which will be arranged as a restaurant for our tourists.”



    Thanks to an extensive promotion campaign, lots of foreign tourists come to Arsenal Park, both from Europe and from America, and their number seems to grow by the year.



    According to Olav Bagyo, the French, for instance, come here for off-roading: “There are groups of foreigners interested in off-road racing, using ATVs and motorcycles. We have been working quite well with an agency from Denmark that has been sending us large groups, and all tourists leave with the best impressions. The French visitors were quite surprised, they said they had come to Romania with a slight misapprehension, but after a few days here they became quite relaxed. All the people they met along our off-road tracks were very welcoming, so they said they found here a new image of Romania, one they had not expected.”



    A place that once produced mines and explosives now produces peace and relaxation. Arsenal Park is the perfect holiday place for both adventure seekers and families with children, who are delighted to spend time in the special playground or by the pool.

  • Arsenal Park

    Arsenal Park

    In 1936, King Carol II had an experimental compound arranged for the army, just outside the town of Orastie. During the communist regime, an ammunition factory operated on that plot. The idea of a holiday destination here emerged in 2003, and six years later, in 2009, Arsenal Park welcomed its visitors and launched a new form of military life: the holiday soldier. What does Arsenal Park offer in 2014? Here is event manager Olav Bagyo: “The site was turned from an ammunition factory and military unit into a theme park. At present we have accommodation facilities for 208 people, we have a very large spa center, with an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, two massage salons, a body treatment salon, a bodybuilding gym, and four saunas. There is a restaurant within the compound, and the range of activities for our guests is quite wide, from target practice using real ammunition to airsoft simulations, paintball, military training, or rides on military vehicles.”



    Arsenal Park has 3 four-star villas with two bedrooms, a dining room and a large living room each. Arsenal Park event manager Olav Bagyo gives us more details about the accommodation facilities: “We recommend the cannon rooms and the TAB rooms. The cannon rooms have a field cannon inside, with the barrel sticking out of the window, and the bed arranged on the gun carriage. The TAB rooms include cross-sections of the Romanian-design armored personnel carrier known as TAB. Each half of a TAB is fixed on a room, and inside it there is the bed. Each accommodation facility is different in our compound, and has specific decorations. The restaurant itself is a museum, with a variety of items on display. The entire park is, in fact, an outdoor military museum. We have at least 150 items of military technology, ranging from TAB vehicles, anti-aircraft machine guns, cannon, tanks, minelayers, helicopters, aircraft.”



    For the colder evenings, tourists can find here a small co-called “Dacian Village,” made up of three chalets. They are ideal for indoor parties, and guests may cook here their own traditional meals, with or without the help of the Arsenal Park cooks.



    But since this is a military theme park, we asked Olav Bagyo whether the tourists should expect some military training as well: “Only if they want to. This is one of the activities in the highest demand here. Since military service became optional in Romania, there are people who want to see what being in the army feels like. This is training for entertainment, with drills that take the form of games. A lot of people who were never in the army want to try it, so we have prepared training sessions that take several hours. They include marching, the introduction of the specific forms of address used in the army, and drills such as obstacle races in a variety of forms, from racing wearing gas masks to handcuffed running. There are plenty of exercises that give people an idea of what life in the army means.”



    After an action-packed day, thrill seekers may have a rest in the evening listening to music around a campfire.



    Event manager Olav Bagyo tells us what Arsenal Park prepares for its visitors in the future: “In 18 months’ time, we will also have an Aqualand, a horseback riding center, an artificial ice skating rink, a skate park, 16-km long cycling tracks, a water tower with an elevator, where tourists will be able to practice bungee jumping, abseiling and zip-lining. We will have the longest zip-line in Romania, 700 meters long. Another surprise will be a traditional sheepfold, which will be arranged as a restaurant for our tourists.”



    Thanks to an extensive promotion campaign, lots of foreign tourists come to Arsenal Park, both from Europe and from America, and their number seems to grow by the year.



    According to Olav Bagyo, the French, for instance, come here for off-roading: “There are groups of foreigners interested in off-road racing, using ATVs and motorcycles. We have been working quite well with an agency from Denmark that has been sending us large groups, and all tourists leave with the best impressions. The French visitors were quite surprised, they said they had come to Romania with a slight misapprehension, but after a few days here they became quite relaxed. All the people they met along our off-road tracks were very welcoming, so they said they found here a new image of Romania, one they had not expected.”



    A place that once produced mines and explosives now produces peace and relaxation. Arsenal Park is the perfect holiday place for both adventure seekers and families with children, who are delighted to spend time in the special playground or by the pool.

  • The Winners of RRI’s Contest “A Contemporary of Brancusi: Milita Petrascu”

    The Winners of RRI’s Contest “A Contemporary of Brancusi: Milita Petrascu”

    The quiz, entitled “A Contemporary of Brancusi: Milita Petrascu,” focused on celebrated Romanian artists, the famous sculptor Constantin Brancusi and one of his students, the well-known Milita Petrascu. We have received as many as 199 correct answers, which is an impressive figure considering the short duration of the quiz, only one month. Thank you for your participation!



    As you may already known the Grand Prize is a 7-day (6-night) full-board stay for one RRI listener, in the last half of August 2014, in Gorj County, the home place of sculpture giant Brancusi. The winner will have a chance to see Brancusi’s works in Targu Jiu, the artist’s home, as well as a variety of other cultural, tourist and historical attractions in the area.



    The competition was organized jointly with the “Constantin Brancusi” Municipal Cultural Centre in Targu Jiu, the Targu Jiu Town Hall and the Gorj County Council. And, to encourage as many of you as possible you to take part in this quiz, the organizer decided to cover the cost of your airplane ticket to Bucharest!



    The answers to the questions were included in our broadcasts, as well as on RRI’s Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ profiles. Before announcing the winners, let’s take a look back at the questions you were invited to answer:



    – Where was Milita Petrascu born? The correct answer was: Milita Petrascu was born in late 1892 in Chisinau, currently the capital city of the Republic of Moldova.


    – When did Milita Petrascu start working in Brancusi’s workshop in Paris? The answer was 1919.


    – What artistic movement in Romania did Milita Petrascu join in the 1920s? The correct answer was the Romanian inter-war avant-garde movement (including groups like “Contimporanul,” “Grupul nostru,” and “Criterion”)


    – What famous works by Constantin Brancusi can be seen in Targu Jiu? The answer was: the “Avenue of Heroes” sculpture compound, devoted to the Romanian soldiers who lost their lives in WWI and made up of The Gate of Kiss, the Endless Column, the Table of Silence and the Stool Alley, positioned on a 1,275-m long west-east axis. Completing the compound is the St. Peter and Paul Church.



    And now, let’s see who the winners are. The 15 honourable mentions went to the following listeners or internet users: Abdelilah Izou, from Morocco, Abdelilah Boubchir, from Algeria, Zhi Yanjiao and Wang Li from China, Javier Hipólito Costa, Argentina, Christian Canoen, from France, Ramsurn Lohmus from Mauritius, a listener of the French Service, and the following listeners of the English Service: Debaki Biswas, S. B. Sharma and Deepa Chakrabarty from India, Brian Beker, from the USA, Jahangir Alam Manto from Bangladesh, Asghar Shah from Pakistan, Stephen Wara from Cameroon, and Jaroslaw Jedrzeczak from Poland.



    Debaki Biswas, from India, wrote: “I have been deeply moved by Constantine Brancusis monumental work and about the access to metaphysical concepts – Time, Space and the Axis-Mundi through it. I am also really spellbound to learn that this real lover of Fine arts did not love fame nor did he ever seek it. This is quite an uncommon quality in this materialist world. He was an austere man who was deeply engrossed with his arts only. One of his renowned students Milita Petrascu became an accomplished portraitist and created portraits and busts of Romanian celebrities including George Enescu on whom a contest was recently organized by RRI in which I have won a prize. These extraordinary characters of human lives have attracted and inspired me to take part in this Competition, as I want to visit their homes, their studios and see their great creations with my own eyes.”



    RRI offered 15 3rd prizes, as follows: Michael Lindner from Germania, Romanian-born Vasile Constantinescu from Canada, Alexandr Abramov from Russia, Olexandr Kozlenko from Ukraine, Abdelkarim Ahmad Ali Al-Mabrouk from Libya, Sami Ahmad Mosad from Egypt, Shan Jinhai and Yu Hongyan from China, Adrevall Lima Gomez from Brazil, Gilles Gautier from France, Sanusi Isah Dankaba and Ayeni Jeremiah Adedayo from Nigeria, who wrote to the English Service, Radhakrishna Pillai, India, Ferhat Bezazel from Algeria and Eddy Vansteelant from Belgium, who also listened to the English Service of RRI.



    Ayeni Jeremiah Adedayo, from Nigeria, explained: “What prompted me to take part in this prize winning quiz is because Art is a diverse range of human activities and the products of its activities. Art really tells the rich history of a particular place and we express our thoughts and view through Art, with famous Artists like Milita Petrascu and Constantin Brancusi that have contributed to rich history of Romania, it will give me the opportunity to see the various art works that have be done by Romania Artist. I listened to RRI on short wave, because it gives me the access to know more about Romania culture and Europe at large. RRI also gives up to date information on social, economic, education and sport news. I always wake to listen to RRI. Listening to RRI has been part of me for many years.”



    We move on to the 10 2nd prizes, which went to the following: Volker Willschrey from Germany, Marco Di Leo from Italy, Alexandru Petrescu from Spain, Nikolai Matveev from Russia, Natalia Zabolotna from Ukraine, Boudoukha Mohamed, Algeria, Xue Fei from China, Enric Ballester Burcet, from Spain, Jacques Giraud from France, and Henk Poortvliet from the Netherlands.



    And here are now the 7 winners of the 1st prizes offered by RRI: Ralf Urbanczyk from Germany, Miguel Ángel Calderón from Argentina, Mohamed El-Sayed Abdel-Rahim from Egypt, Chu Changrong from China, Jean-Michel Aubier from France, Adrian Micaleff from Malta, who wrote in to the English Service, and Matthew Loughlin from the UK. The latter explained, “I was prompted to enter this competition once I heard it as it offers a chance to visit your country and learn more about the culture there. I listen to RRI for this reason, as it offers an excellent insight into a country that I had previously known very little about.”



    RRI also offered 5 special prizes, to the following listeners and internet users: Amady Faye from Senegal, Li Chunguo from China, Miguel Ramón Bauset from Spain, Adita Prithika from India, and Karel Koláček from the Czech Republic, who listened to RRI’s German Service. Here is what our listener from India, Adita Prithika, wrote: “I was 15 when I first heard RRI on my short wave radio and as I had mentioned in my last email, I was really fascinated to learn that Radio Romania is one of the very few European broadcasters available on shortwave in India. I used to listen to RRI every morning, while the other stations usually had their broadcasts in the evenings, and that really set RRI apart. Back then, I had studied World History as a part of my school curriculum and whenever I located places on the European map, I learnt to mark other places, mostly in the South Eastern Europe with respect to Romania and Bucharest and other places in Romania. Relating to Romanian landscapes was easier as we had always read a lot of Romanian folklore just like we learnt Indian folklore. Winning this contest will be a dream come true for young and new listeners like me.”



    Congratulations, and many thanks to all those who took part in our contest! And now, the moment you all have been waiting for. The winner of the Grand Prize, a six-night full board stay in Gorj County, the birthplace of Brancusi, is Jean-Marc Olry, from France! Here is what Jean-Marc wrote about his participation in RRI’s quiz: “I am particularly interested in contemporary art, and especially in Brancusi’s works. This quiz was an excellent opportunity for me to discover Milita Petrascu and the town of Targu Jiu. I discovered RRI because I was trying to learn a little bit of Romanian. At present I listen to this station almost daily, because the shows are interesting and diverse, and the French Service staff are very thoughtful.”



    The prizes and honourable mentions will be sent to you by post, and we kindly ask you to confirm their receipt, in a letter, fax or email. Thanks again for taking part in the quiz, and we hope you’ll continue to listen to our programmes!

  • Bucharest City Tour

    Bucharest City Tour

    Placed in the south of the country, Romania’s capital Bucharest has a history of over five centuries. It is both a family destination and one for lovers of adventure. Traian Badulescu, the manager of a travel agency, told us about why we should choose Bucharest as a travel destination:



    “Bucharest is a very interesting city, with lots of opportunities for fun, culture, with good prices, with a growing number of festivals, including street events, and with a great night life. Not many cities have such a large number of shops, clubs and restaurants open all night long.”



    Unfortunately, Bucharest city breaks have not been promoted regularly. This year, however, brings a novelty, and Traian Badulescu told us all about it:



    “Israeli tourists are more and more interested in Bucharest and Romania as a holiday destination, and one of the largest tour operators in Israel has initiated a weekly charter flight between Tel Aviv and Bucharest. These are tourists interested mostly in cultural travel. The packages are for five days, with a couple of days spent in Bucharest, and the rest in Prahova Valley, mostly in Brasov.”



    Traian Badulescu told us of a few places in Bucharest that should not be missed:



    “A Bucharest city break can have interesting events all day long; first of all, Bucharest has plenty of sites worth a visit, some very visible, such as the famous Palace of Parliament, which is a point of pride as the second largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon. Bucharest also has lots of museums, such as the Romanian Peasant Museum and the Village Museum. The architecture in the centre of Bucharest is quite attractive, especially on Victoria Road, which is part of the reason why the city used to be called Little Paris. We have more and more restaurants specialising in local cuisine. In the evening, the great attraction is the historic centre, which looks as that of any other European city, and which goes on 24 hours a day. Let us not forget that Bucharest also has a very rich cultural life, lots of festivals, lots of shows, and if you are interested in theatre, opera and concerts, you can enjoy a very rich calendar. We also have the Radio Hall, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Romanian Opera, and here a ticket is much cheaper that in other cities with tradition, such as Paris, Vienna, Milan and Rome.”



    If you want to discover the culture, history and tradition of Bucharest in a single trip, starting in May you can just hop onto the buses crossing the city, stopping over at any site that draws your attention. Brandusa Receanu is a spokeswoman for the Bucharest Public Transport Authority:



    “The double-decker bus tour is great, it offers a new perspective, a different angle to see the city from. If you take it, you can see most of the major sites of the city, both cultural and historical. The tour is 15.4 km long, with 14 stops. The bus leaves from Press Square, reaches the Village Museum, you can see the Triumphal Arch, then it goes to Victoria Square, then we reach the centre of the town, going to the Parliament Palace. From there it goes to Union Square, turning towards University Square, Romana Square, then Victoria Road, Charles de Gaulle Square, then turns towards Press Square, via Kiseleff Boulevard. The central area of the city gets the most exposure. The fares are the same as in the previous years, 25 lei for an adult, 10 lei for children between 7 and 14, while children under seven get a free ride.”



    We will look next at some of the sites tourists pass by during their Bucharest City Tour. As you climb on the bus, you get a map of the circuit, and also an audio guide in English, French and Italian. At stop number 3 you can see the Triumphal Arch, built between 1921 and 1922 based on the design of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. In stop 4 you can find the Romanian Peasant Museum, a building in the neo-Romanian style, built between 1912 and 1941. Also here you can visit the Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum, depicting the dynamic of life on Earth since its emergence. In stop number 5 you can see the Cretzulescu Church, one of the most valuable examples of religious architecture in the city dating back to the late Brancoveanu period. Also in this area you can see the Romanian Athenaeum, a symbol of national culture, built 120 years ago, as well as the Royal Palace, the former residence of King Carol II today housing the National Museum of Art, which is considered the most important art museum in the country. Brandusa Raeceanu is back with details about the bus tour:



    “The ticket is valid for 24 hours, so that you can visit the restaurant or beer hall of your choice, or the museum you want to visit and then get back on the bus. The double-decker bus run between 10 AM and 10 PM.”



    For your evening schedule you have a wide selection of shows, traditional restaurants or a modern club, satisfaction guaranteed.

  • Bucharest City Tour

    Bucharest City Tour

    Placed in the south of the country, Romania’s capital Bucharest has a history of over five centuries. It is both a family destination and one for lovers of adventure. Traian Badulescu, the manager of a travel agency, told us about why we should choose Bucharest as a travel destination:



    “Bucharest is a very interesting city, with lots of opportunities for fun, culture, with good prices, with a growing number of festivals, including street events, and with a great night life. Not many cities have such a large number of shops, clubs and restaurants open all night long.”



    Unfortunately, Bucharest city breaks have not been promoted regularly. This year, however, brings a novelty, and Traian Badulescu told us all about it:



    “Israeli tourists are more and more interested in Bucharest and Romania as a holiday destination, and one of the largest tour operators in Israel has initiated a weekly charter flight between Tel Aviv and Bucharest. These are tourists interested mostly in cultural travel. The packages are for five days, with a couple of days spent in Bucharest, and the rest in Prahova Valley, mostly in Brasov.”



    Traian Badulescu told us of a few places in Bucharest that should not be missed:



    “A Bucharest city break can have interesting events all day long; first of all, Bucharest has plenty of sites worth a visit, some very visible, such as the famous Palace of Parliament, which is a point of pride as the second largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon. Bucharest also has lots of museums, such as the Romanian Peasant Museum and the Village Museum. The architecture in the centre of Bucharest is quite attractive, especially on Victoria Road, which is part of the reason why the city used to be called Little Paris. We have more and more restaurants specialising in local cuisine. In the evening, the great attraction is the historic centre, which looks as that of any other European city, and which goes on 24 hours a day. Let us not forget that Bucharest also has a very rich cultural life, lots of festivals, lots of shows, and if you are interested in theatre, opera and concerts, you can enjoy a very rich calendar. We also have the Radio Hall, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Romanian Opera, and here a ticket is much cheaper that in other cities with tradition, such as Paris, Vienna, Milan and Rome.”



    If you want to discover the culture, history and tradition of Bucharest in a single trip, starting in May you can just hop onto the buses crossing the city, stopping over at any site that draws your attention. Brandusa Receanu is a spokeswoman for the Bucharest Public Transport Authority:



    “The double-decker bus tour is great, it offers a new perspective, a different angle to see the city from. If you take it, you can see most of the major sites of the city, both cultural and historical. The tour is 15.4 km long, with 14 stops. The bus leaves from Press Square, reaches the Village Museum, you can see the Triumphal Arch, then it goes to Victoria Square, then we reach the centre of the town, going to the Parliament Palace. From there it goes to Union Square, turning towards University Square, Romana Square, then Victoria Road, Charles de Gaulle Square, then turns towards Press Square, via Kiseleff Boulevard. The central area of the city gets the most exposure. The fares are the same as in the previous years, 25 lei for an adult, 10 lei for children between 7 and 14, while children under seven get a free ride.”



    We will look next at some of the sites tourists pass by during their Bucharest City Tour. As you climb on the bus, you get a map of the circuit, and also an audio guide in English, French and Italian. At stop number 3 you can see the Triumphal Arch, built between 1921 and 1922 based on the design of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. In stop 4 you can find the Romanian Peasant Museum, a building in the neo-Romanian style, built between 1912 and 1941. Also here you can visit the Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum, depicting the dynamic of life on Earth since its emergence. In stop number 5 you can see the Cretzulescu Church, one of the most valuable examples of religious architecture in the city dating back to the late Brancoveanu period. Also in this area you can see the Romanian Athenaeum, a symbol of national culture, built 120 years ago, as well as the Royal Palace, the former residence of King Carol II today housing the National Museum of Art, which is considered the most important art museum in the country. Brandusa Raeceanu is back with details about the bus tour:



    “The ticket is valid for 24 hours, so that you can visit the restaurant or beer hall of your choice, or the museum you want to visit and then get back on the bus. The double-decker bus run between 10 AM and 10 PM.”



    For your evening schedule you have a wide selection of shows, traditional restaurants or a modern club, satisfaction guaranteed.


  • Bucharest City Tour

    Bucharest City Tour

    Placed in the south of the country, Romania’s capital Bucharest has a history of over five centuries. It is both a family destination and one for lovers of adventure. Traian Badulescu, the manager of a travel agency, told us about why we should choose Bucharest as a travel destination:



    “Bucharest is a very interesting city, with lots of opportunities for fun, culture, with good prices, with a growing number of festivals, including street events, and with a great night life. Not many cities have such a large number of shops, clubs and restaurants open all night long.”



    Unfortunately, Bucharest city breaks have not been promoted regularly. This year, however, brings a novelty, and Traian Badulescu told us all about it:



    “Israeli tourists are more and more interested in Bucharest and Romania as a holiday destination, and one of the largest tour operators in Israel has initiated a weekly charter flight between Tel Aviv and Bucharest. These are tourists interested mostly in cultural travel. The packages are for five days, with a couple of days spent in Bucharest, and the rest in Prahova Valley, mostly in Brasov.”



    Traian Badulescu told us of a few places in Bucharest that should not be missed:



    “A Bucharest city break can have interesting events all day long; first of all, Bucharest has plenty of sites worth a visit, some very visible, such as the famous Palace of Parliament, which is a point of pride as the second largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon. Bucharest also has lots of museums, such as the Romanian Peasant Museum and the Village Museum. The architecture in the centre of Bucharest is quite attractive, especially on Victoria Road, which is part of the reason why the city used to be called Little Paris. We have more and more restaurants specialising in local cuisine. In the evening, the great attraction is the historic centre, which looks as that of any other European city, and which goes on 24 hours a day. Let us not forget that Bucharest also has a very rich cultural life, lots of festivals, lots of shows, and if you are interested in theatre, opera and concerts, you can enjoy a very rich calendar. We also have the Radio Hall, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Romanian Opera, and here a ticket is much cheaper that in other cities with tradition, such as Paris, Vienna, Milan and Rome.”



    If you want to discover the culture, history and tradition of Bucharest in a single trip, starting in May you can just hop onto the buses crossing the city, stopping over at any site that draws your attention. Brandusa Receanu is a spokeswoman for the Bucharest Public Transport Authority:



    “The double-decker bus tour is great, it offers a new perspective, a different angle to see the city from. If you take it, you can see most of the major sites of the city, both cultural and historical. The tour is 15.4 km long, with 14 stops. The bus leaves from Press Square, reaches the Village Museum, you can see the Triumphal Arch, then it goes to Victoria Square, then we reach the centre of the town, going to the Parliament Palace. From there it goes to Union Square, turning towards University Square, Romana Square, then Victoria Road, Charles de Gaulle Square, then turns towards Press Square, via Kiseleff Boulevard. The central area of the city gets the most exposure. The fares are the same as in the previous years, 25 lei for an adult, 10 lei for children between 7 and 14, while children under seven get a free ride.”



    We will look next at some of the sites tourists pass by during their Bucharest City Tour. As you climb on the bus, you get a map of the circuit, and also an audio guide in English, French and Italian. At stop number 3 you can see the Triumphal Arch, built between 1921 and 1922 based on the design of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. In stop 4 you can find the Romanian Peasant Museum, a building in the neo-Romanian style, built between 1912 and 1941. Also here you can visit the Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum, depicting the dynamic of life on Earth since its emergence. In stop number 5 you can see the Cretzulescu Church, one of the most valuable examples of religious architecture in the city dating back to the late Brancoveanu period. Also in this area you can see the Romanian Athenaeum, a symbol of national culture, built 120 years ago, as well as the Royal Palace, the former residence of King Carol II today housing the National Museum of Art, which is considered the most important art museum in the country. Brandusa Raeceanu is back with details about the bus tour:



    “The ticket is valid for 24 hours, so that you can visit the restaurant or beer hall of your choice, or the museum you want to visit and then get back on the bus. The double-decker bus run between 10 AM and 10 PM.”



    For your evening schedule you have a wide selection of shows, traditional restaurants or a modern club, satisfaction guaranteed.

  • Targu Jiu to Receive the Golden Apple Award

    Targu Jiu to Receive the Golden Apple Award

    The city of Targu Jiu will receive, in October, the Golden Apple award for excellence, which is presented by FIJET — the World Federation of Travel Journalists and Writers — to an organisation, country, city, or person in recognition of efforts to promote tourism. The open-air works by Brancusi displayed in the city of Targu Jiu had a decisive role in the decision made by FIJET. Marian Constantinescu, editor-in-chief with the Traveller Magazine and the president of the Travel Press Club in Romania, says the Golden Apple is seen by FIJET as the most important international award for excellence to be granted in the field of tourism:



    “This award is a kind of Oscar for tourism granted by travel journalists worldwide. The Travel Press Club is the representative, in Romania, of this international organisation numbering about 600 journalists from all over the world, who work in the audio-visual field, as well as CD and film producers in the travel industry. The award is granted to a community. This time, the award goes to the tourist, administrative and economic community in Targu Jiu, for the way they promoted the open-air works of Brancusi, a project proposed by FIJET four years ago. The project was entitled The Brancusi Axis and comprises the Heroes’ Path, which boasts an artistic area unique in the world and not only in Romania and Europe: it is the only outdoor sculptural ensemble ever created by Constantin Brancusi.”



    Targu-Jiu truly deserves this trophy, awarded in recognition of the special efforts deployed for the promotion of tourism. The city is a genuine open-air museum, says Ramona Ivulescu, a spokeswomen for the Targu Jiu City Hall:



    “This is Constantin Brancusi’s heritage. We also have The Gate of The Kiss in Targu Jiu. Each of the supporting pillars is embossed with Barncusi’s symbol of a kiss — a circle split in two, on each face of the structure. This motif of two semicircles facing each other also serves to represent eyes looking into the gate, and, we hope, into the souls of those visiting Targu Jiu. This is one of Brancusi’s most important works. Then there is the Chair Alley, which is extremely beautiful. The chairs mark the path towards the Table of Silence, which is a reinterpretation of a traditional table. The sculptural ensemble in Targu Jiu, consisting of three large pieces, The Table of Silence, The Gate of the Kiss and the Column of the Infinite, were built as attribute to the Romanian heroes of WWI who defended the city from German troops in 1916.”



    The Golden Apple award will be granted to the city of Targu Jiu in early October, and will also be marked at the FIJET international congress due at the beginning of September in Budapest. Marian Constantinescu:



    “The decision to hold an award ceremony will be announced at the FIJET congress. The event will be officially announced before hundreds of journalists from all over the world and the personalities who attend the congress. This is not the first Golden Apple award to be received by Romania, but the fifth. The fist dates back to 1975 and was awarded to Bukovina. Another three awards were received in 2009. Romania is the only country to have received 3 awards in a single year. They were received for Marginimea Sibiului and its surroundings, the Danube Delta and an air company. This definitely improves Romania’s image abroad.”



    The Endless Column is one of the most popular sculptures by Brancusi. It is considered a “spiritual testament” of the great artist and was defined by the renowned writer, sculptor and art critic Sidney Geist as a peak of modern art. The Endless Column stacks 16 rhomboidal modules with a half-unit at the top. Each module is 1.80 meters high and weighs 860 kilograms. The monument is also known as the Column of the Infinite. Marian Constantinescu also recommends tourists to visit the village of Hobita, Brancusi’s birthplace:



    “I would recommend those interested in the life and work of Constantin Brancusi to also visit Hobita, for two important reasons. Brancusi’s house has finally been restored and turned into a museum. Vasile Brancusi, aged 50, is a relative of the artist and still lives in Hobita. He did two extraordinary things for the village: he set up a tourist tour of the village, by tractor, which also stops at Brancusi’s memorial house, and established the Constantin Brancusi International Sculpture Camp in his own yard. The first edition was held last year. I recommend this tourist destination, which is not far from Targu Jiu.”



    Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957) is considered a pioneer of modern sculpture. His bronze and marble works are defined by elegant shapes and refined finish. He also made wooden sculptures of folk inspiration. Among his best-known works are Bust of a Boy, The Prayer, Sleeping Muse and Mademoiselle Pogany.









  • The city of Targu Jiu is to receive Golden Apple Award

    The city of Targu Jiu is to receive Golden Apple Award

    The open-air works by Brancusi displayed in the city of Targu Jiu had a decisive role in the decision made by FIJET. Marian Constantinescu, editor-in-chief with the Traveller Magazine and the president of the Travel Press Club in Romania, says the Golden Apple is seen by FIJET as the most important international award for excellence to be granted in the field of tourism:



    “This award is a kind of Oscar for tourism granted by travel journalists worldwide. The Travel Press Club is the representative, in Romania, of this international organisation numbering about 600 journalists from all over the world, who work in the audio-visual field, as well as CD and film producers in the travel industry. The award is granted to a community. This time, the award goes to the tourist, administrative and economic community in Targu Jiu, for the way they promoted the open-air works of Brancusi, a project proposed by FIJET four years ago. The project was entitled The Brancusi Axis and comprises the Heroes’ Path, which boasts an artistic area unique in the world and not only in Romania and Europe: it is the only outdoor sculptural ensemble ever created by Constantin Brancusi.”



    Targu-Jiu truly deserves this trophy, awarded in recognition of the special efforts deployed for the promotion of tourism. The city is a genuine open-air museum, says Ramona Ivulescu, a spokeswomen for the Targu Jiu City Hall:



    “This is Constantin Brancusi’s heritage. We also have The Gate of The Kiss in Targu Jiu. Each of the supporting pillars is embossed with Barncusi’s symbol of a kiss — a circle split in two, on each face of the structure. This motif of two semicircles facing each other also serves to represent eyes looking into the gate, and, we hope, into the souls of those visiting Targu Jiu. This is one of Brancusi’s most important works. Then there is the Chair Alley, which is extremely beautiful. The chairs mark the path towards the Table of Silence, which is a reinterpretation of a traditional table. The sculptural ensemble in Targu Jiu, consisting of three large pieces, The Table of Silence, The Gate of the Kiss and the Endless Column, were built as a tribute to the Romanian heroes of WWI who defended the city from German troops in 1916.”



    The Golden Apple award will be granted to the city of Targu Jiu in early October, and will also be marked at the FIJET international congress due at the beginning of September in Budapest. Marian Constantinescu:



    “The decision to hold an award ceremony will be announced at the FIJET congress. The event will be officially announced before hundreds of journalists from all over the world and the personalities who attend the congress. This is not the first Golden Apple award to be received by Romania, but the fifth. The fist dates back to 1975 and was awarded to Bukovina. Another three awards were received in 2009. Romania is the only country to have received 3 awards in a single year. They were received for Marginimea Sibiului and its surroundings, the Danube Delta and an air company. This definitely improves Romania’s image abroad.”



    The Endless Column is one of the most popular sculptures by Brancusi. It is considered a “spiritual testament” of the great artist and was defined by the renowned writer, sculptor and art critic Sidney Geist as a peak of modern art. The Endless Column stacks 16 rhomboidal modules with a half-unit at the top. Each module is 1.80 meters high and weighs 860 kilograms. Marian Constantinescu also recommends tourists to visit the village of Hobita, Brancusi’s birthplace:



    “I would recommend those interested in the life and work of Constantin Brancusi to also visit Hobita, for two important reasons. Brancusi’s house has finally been restored and turned into a museum. Vasile Brancusi, aged 50, is a relative of the artist and still lives in Hobita. He did two extraordinary things for the village: he set up a tourist tour of the village, by tractor, which also stops at Brancusi’s memorial house, and established the Constantin Brancusi International Sculpture Camp in his own yard. The first edition was held last year. I recommend this tourist destination, which is not far from Targu Jiu.”



    Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957) is considered a pioneer of modern sculpture. His bronze and marble works are defined by elegant shapes and refined finish. He also made wooden sculptures of folk inspiration. Among his best-known works are Bust of a Boy, The Prayer, Sleeping Muse and Mademoiselle Pogany.

  • The Transfagarasan

    The Transfagarasan

    Transfagarasan, one of the most spectacular roads in Romania, crosses the highest mountain chain in the country, the Fagaras, as the name indicates. It is as much a delight for families of tourists as it is a challenge for drivers. The landscapes are breathtaking, and the places that offer accommodation in the area have started diversifying their services greatly in the last few years. Though this is a family destination, it is only recommended to experienced drivers. You are invited today on a trip on one of the most interesting roads in the country.



    Corina Savu, who manages a company running three hotels and a chalet in the Transfagarasan loves the area, and speaks fondly of the 92 km road with 27 bridges and viaducts, as well as the longest tunnel in the country:



    “The Transfagarasan is the most spectacular road in Romania, and among the amazing roads of the world. It is not a classification we made, it was established at the international level. This is an extraordinary area. As evidenced by the name, the road traverses Fagaras Mountains, the tallest in Romania. They reach an altitude of 2042 m in the area of the Balea glacial lake. Here we can also find the longest tunnel in Romania, 897 meters long. It was built between 1970 and 1974, and we believe even today it would be difficult to build. This is a wonderful road, with unique tourist attractions: glacial lakes, waterfalls, the Vidraru lake and dam, and, last but not least, it runs by Poenari fortification, which is tied into the Dracula myth.”



    The Transfagarasan opens starting in May, when snow removal becomes practicable. The landscapes are wonderful even snowed over. In our experience, it is no riskier than similar roads in other parts of Europe. Corina Sava told us that the authorities keep the road closed a part of the year for safety reasons:



    “There are clearly defined dates, the tunnel is closed between November and July, it is open all summer long, until October. We hope this year, since it is the road’s 40th anniversary, to reach an understanding with the authorities and keep it open longer, and have it closed only during winter as such.”



    Starting in 2005, in the Balea Lake area, 2,034 m in altitude, every year a hotel is hewn out of the ice, as the only ice hotel in Romania, and even Eastern Europe. It is round, with eight double rooms, a bar and a restaurant. As the first such construction in Eastern Europe, its success was sure fire. Around 8,000 domestic and international tourists have come to see the unique construction on top of the Carpathian Mountains. Not long after, they built the ice church, open to worshippers of all creeds. This makes for a wonderful route where you will have no trouble finding accommodation and meals, with a variety of attractions. Here is Corina Sava once again:



    “New hotels have been built, three and four stars. It is a wonderful area, which can offer the highest level services to visitors. We have activities around Lake Vidraru, in the forests around Transfagarasan, we have adventure parks. Vidraru Lake has a small base for cruises on the lake. We have small boats and catamarans for that. You can also dine at Vidraru Lake, depending on the season you can fish, and there are many other activities. The adventure park offers tourists ziplining, suspended cable bridges, and other mountain activities.”



    Dumitru Grecu, who runs a four star hotel in the Transfagarasan, presented us with an accommodation offer:



    “We built a hotel on the structure of an older accommodation unit, now it is a four star hotel, where the tourists can spend a beautiful vacation. Even if the weather is not appropriate for trekking, they can enjoy the pool, the spa, they can bowl or play pool. We also have ambient music evenings. Weather permitting, we can have paintball, ziplining, or off road. We have a sports area where you can play tennis, volleyball or mini-football. We also take tourists out on the lake by motor boat, by hydrobike or simple boat on Vidraru Lake. Now it is extraordinary, the water is clear, you can also fish.”



    The price for one room in a two star accommodation unit starts at 100 lei, around 25 Euro. In the hotel introduced by Dumitru Grecu you pay 250 lei for a double room, breakfast included and spa access. Also, keep in mind that in the summer and on weekends prices are higher, and most of the rooms are booked a couple of weeks in advance. We asked Dumitru Grecu about his foreign tourists:



    “We have them in the hotel right now. Last evening we received several foreign tourists. They just came to have a meal here, and they couldn’t leave, that is how beautiful the area is. We had tourists from France, the Arab Emirates, Australia, the US, but most of them are from Europe, basically we have people here from all over the world. In our hotel’s guest book they wrote that the area is delightful. Our hotel is on a promontory on the lake, offering a great view of the Fagaras Mountains too. Our kitchen is greatly appreciated by tourists as well. We have on the menu both traditional dishes and more sophisticated, international cuisine dishes.”



    The Transfagarasan also sports a bicycle route. At the same time, it plays host to various racing and off-road competitions. Other attractions are the traditional activities associated with raising sheep. So there it is, a destination for those with a love of adventure, but also a great family destination. In the hope we have convinced you that a vacation on the Transfagarasan is just the thing for you, see you next time with a new destination.