Category: Traveller’s Guide

The lack of spare time and the city’s daily hustle and bustle have along the years taken their toll on tourism, creating a fresh concept, that of city-break. It’s already common knowledge that a couple of days spent in a new tourist destination can recharge your batteries for another workweek. In recent years, Romania has managed to tailor its travel offer in order to meet this modern request.

The representative of the National Travel Agencies Association in Romania, Cosmin Marinof, has more on the issue: “Sibiu, in central Romania, is a groundbreaker in this field, being the first Romanian city to become European Capital of Culture, in 2007. Due to that success, city-breaks are now products of increasing interest for both local and foreign tourists. Other cities, like Brasov, and more recently Bucharest have followed suit. Bucharest, particularly in summer, is full of tourists visiting the capital or hanging around bar gardens in the Old City Centre. Another first in Romania is also related to Sibiu, which became the first city in this country to have an official Christmas market. Its example was later followed by other cities like Bucharest. Spring and autumn are, in our opinion, the most appropriate seasons to visit a city. The most visited three cities in Romania are Brasov, Sibiu and Cluj, followed closely by the towns of Sinaia and Sighisoara. Historical places like Brasov, Sibiu and Sighisoara are ranking first among the preferences of our tourists. An average price for two nights in a guesthouse (BB) stands at some 50 euros.”

A report issued late last year shows that the largest number of foreign tourists who visited Romania during that period came from Hungary and Bulgaria, accounting for 32.3% and 19.7% of the total number of tourists, respectively. Tourists from Hungary are mainly visiting the Western Romania and the regions with a Hungarian-speaking majority. Visitors from Bulgaria prefer the major cities as they mainly come on business in Romania. Other countries well represented in terms of tourists are Germany, Italy and Poland, visitors from these countries accounting for 9.5%, 7.2% and 7.1% of the total number of foreigners coming to Romania, respectively.

Also, some 100,000 foreign visitors a year are interested in the Romanian health services, mostly spa treatment. Most tourists who fall into this category go to Covasna and Herculane to undergo treatment for heart and rheumatism problems. Most of them come from Israel, Germany and more recently, from Italy.

Cosmin Marinof tells us how Romania has adapted to this new demand and what city-break offers include: “A recent growing tendency is the development of wellness and spa type hotels, with Transylvania leading this trend. Most of these hotels have emerged in the western part of the country, near the towns of Targu Mures and Medias, which attract many foreign tourists. Last but not least, there are many city-break offers for the seaside, especially in the resort of Mamaia. We had a lot of such tourists in 2012 and already have many bookings for this year.”

As Cosmin Marinof has pointed out, you should take advantage of the fact that spring has finally arrived in Romania and nature has come back to life, making everything look beautiful. At this time of the year, hotels and guesthouses, including on the Black Sea Coast, are getting ready for the Labour Day and Orthodox Easter holidays with interesting packages. Travel agents also provide customised tourist packages including flights, transport to hotels, accommodation, optional trips and visits to tourist and cultural sites, as well as attendance of various sports and cultural events.

Dear friends, Radio Romania International invited you, until June 30th, to participate in a general knowledge contest called “Radio Romania 85”, devoted to the anniversary, to be marked on November 1st 2013, of 85 years of Romanian radio broadcasting. The Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation is a leader on the Romanian radio market with 4.7 million listeners daily reach at national level and a cumulated market share per national and regional stations of 30%.

It seems that the contest has aroused your interest as we have received 515 complete and correct answers for which we thank you very much.

The grand prize for the winners is a 10-day trip with full board for two between 15th and 24th of September 2013, in 3 areas of Romania covered by Radio Romania’s Regional stations – namely the counties of Gorj (in the south west), Timis (in the west) and Cluj (in the north west).

The sponsors of the contest are the Oltenia Energy Compound and SC Boca Junior SRL of Timisoara. The partners of this contest are the Gorj County Council, the Association ‘Cluj Napoca 2020-European Capital of Culture’, the Timis County Council, the Cluj Napoca City Hall, the Cluj and Gorj branches of the Fine Artists Union, and the Association of Cluj Traditional Craftsmen.

From our shows, from RRI’s website, Facebook and Twitter profiles you could find the answers to the contest questions. Before announcing the winners here are the questions again:

1. What is the date of the first official radio broadcast in Romania? Correct answer: November 1st 1928 17.00 hours local time.

2. What is the market share held by the public radio service in Romania? Correct answer: 30%.

3. List no less than three radio stations under the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation umbrella. You could have chosen from among Radio Romania News and Current Affairs, Radio Romania Culture, Radio Village Antenna, Radio Romania Music, Radio Romania International, regional and local stations grouped under Radio Romania Regional, with headquarters in the cities of Bucharest, Cluj Napoca, Timisoara, Iasi, Craiova, Targu Mures, Resita, Constanta, Sibiu, Brasov, Sighetu Marmatiei and Arad, the on-line stations Radio3net and Radio Romania Junior and also Radio Chisinau, a station of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, covering two thirds of the Republic of Moldova.

4. Who is considered to be the father of Romanian radio broadcasting? Correct answer: Dragomir Hurmuzescu.

10 of the 30 honorable mentions offered by RRI went to the following listeners and Internet users, who tuned in to RRI’s English language broadcasts: Bandar Alhazmi, of Saudi Arabia, Nasir Aziz and Rawal Khan from Pakistan and Dewan Rafiqul Islam from Bangladesh, Juan Franco Crespo of Spain and Miguel Angel Lahera Rivero from Cuba, Robert C. Ackx and Maria Ackx Blom, from the Netherlands, Chinmoy Mahato and Gurmeet Singh Meeta, both from India and Nizzam Uddin Nayan of Bangladesh.

RRI offered 30 3rd Prizes who went, among others, to the following English programs’ listeners and Internet users: Mitul Kansal, Mohammad Shamim, Najim Uddin and Eyamin Hossain, all 4 from India, Marek Pis of Poland, Christer Brunstrom from Sweden, Keith A. Simmonds from France and Christopher Akpai of Nigeria, Nazmus Sadat and Erfan Sazid, both from Bangladesh.

Our old friend from Sweden, Christer Brunstrom wrote the following: “I discovered international radio in 1962 and I have listened daily ever since. I write monthly columns on international radio for a Swedish magazine. I listen to RRI because Romania is such a fascinating country what with the incredible ethnic diversity and interesting history. I am also enchanted by Romanian folk music. Romania is struggling with many issues and RRI is an essential tool in finding out what is happening in the country.”

There were 30 2nd Prizes of which some went to the following listeners of the English Service programs: Amy-Felicia Hodge of the US, Martin Rogan and Michael Whing, both from Great Britain, Henk Poortvliet from the Netherlands, Hans Verner Lollike of Denmark, Debaki Ranjan Biswas and Surendra Kumar, both from India and Jaroslaw Jedrzejczak from Poland.

We also have 30 1st Prizes which were won by RRI’s faithful listeners of whom the following are friends of RRI’s English Service: Mogire Machuki from Kenya, Costa Constantinides from Cyprus, John Eberle, John Rutledge, Jim Holthus and Roberta Selesky, all 4 from the USA, Grant Skinner and Brian Kendall, both from Great Britian, Master Jaydeep of India, and Thein Soe from Malaysia.

Here is what Mogire Machuki wrote to account for his participation in the contest: “Greetings from Kisii Kenya. Very much elated to be part of this great event since I have grown up with RRI over the years. I am 34 years old third born in a family of nine. Both of my parents never went to school but to ensure the future of their nine children was bright, all of us have studied well on various fields. For me I went through school quickly and through my education period I never had the opportunity to listen to the radio though my father owned one, precious it was. Indeed it was treasure and he never ever allowed us to touch it. During my high school years 1990-1993 my passion for radio and journalism as whole took its roots and this was because of the short-wave radio power of those yester years. Everybody was after any breaking news, wars and other disasters. In school I came up with the idea of forming a journalism club and since social clubs were given ago but with limits, one was born. It was on that note that I developed the niche of radio DX-ing and indeed it was so impressive in that after school in 1993 I managed to have free time of tuning in to short-wave station broadcasting far from my country Kenya. Somewhere in that year I managed to get in contact with various SW radio stations like the BBC, VOA, DW and later I was able to discover RRI. I joined the RRI family fully in 1997 and what inspired me to stay close to this station was its closeness with listeners, letters were attended to in the shortest time possible with surprise gifts and impressive contests a tradition that RRI still sticks to. RRI is a crucial source of information and morale for those living abroad. Even though the existence of a radio station cannot be really evaluated in terms of human life, there are moments to reflect and draw comparisons. Providing listeners with unbiased, comprehensive and incisive data about Romania and the rest of Europe, as well as mapping its past and discovering the cultural foundations on which the Romania country was built is no easy task but I marvel at RRI because it has managed to achieve this. RRIs the ideal mirror of a true Romania.”

Another friend of the English Service, Costa Constantinides of Cyprus wrote the following: “I am listening to Radio Romania since I started this great hobby in 1969. At that time I was living in Apartheid South Africa and we were forbidden to tune into communist Radio Stations from the eastern bloc. Once I had a visit from our BOSS Bureau of State Security (South Africa.) I was 15 years old at the time…and had a fright but still kept listening to this day tuning to short wave radio. Since 1995 I live on the island of Cyprus and I still have the thrill of hearing many strong signals of Radio Romania on my short wave receiver. The positive images are there to hear, we are both free and long live Radio Romania. I have many QSL cards of your station dating back to those days in my album under Europe.”

Another old friend from UK, Grant Skinner, wrote this: “The reason I am a listener of Radio Romania International and a fan is listening to RRI is a very fascinating, interesting and rewarding hobby. A minimal investment has brought me hours of enjoyment. Once I began receiving letters and other goodies I became hooked. Where else can you keep up with world news and events, sports, music, culture and language through a single medium available at my fingertips”?

We also have 11 special prizes that went to the following listeners and Internet users of RRI’s foreign language broadcasts: Natalia Zabolotna of Ukraine, Abdel-Kader Khalil, from Algeria, Xu Wenjuan, of China, Andreas Karger from Germany Germania, Valeri Lugovski, from Belarus, a listener of the Russian language programs, Jacques Augustin and Paul Jamet, both from France, Daniel Meinardi, from Argentina, Marc Ferrer Ferrando, from Spain, Jayanta Chakrabarty, from India, and Weldon Walles of the US.

This is how Jayanta Chakrabarty motivated his participation in the contest: “I think that being a listener of Radio Romania International and an online fan is both an honour and privilege. I am also a gainer in the sense that I am able to enjoy quality programmes with excellent audio and video clarity. I dont have to hunt for other radio stations for my daily quota of the latest news and reports on Romania, Europe and the world. RRI is dependable and unbiased in projecting Romania in its true perspective. Imparting valuable information on the socio-political, economic, scientific, cultural and historical affairs is a special treat of RRI. Its English Service is a boon for those listeners, like myself, for whom English is the second language. My family and myself are appreciative of the fact that RRI has given us various programmes over the years that are educative, absorbing, entertaining and interesting. Isnt it exciting that we can expect so much by the flick of a key in browsing RRIs well-structured website. With Romanian music in my heart, RRI is friendly source of music of various genre – be it traditional folk, classical, jazz or popular. To me, the hardworking staff members of RRI with their full dedication and with a lot of interest for its listeners have made RRI one of the best loved radio stations in Europe.”

The other winner of a special prize, also a friend of the English Service, Weldon Walles wrote the following: “It gives me great pleasure to enter the Radio Romania 85 Contest. Part of the enjoyment of short wave listening is the ability to interact with the stations like Radio Romania that put their audience first. I always look forward to your broadcasts and contests which are not only enjoyable, but are also educational. Thank you for the many years of pleasure you have given me as an avid listener.”

And now the long-awaited moment…the winners of the grand prize are…. Elena and Igor Kurbanov, of Turkmenistan, listeners of the Russian language programs. Congratulations! Upon finding out the news that she and her husband are the winners of the grand prize of Radio Romania 85 contest, Elena Kurbanova wrote: “I thank you for including my essay on the list of potential winners. Igor and I have dreamt of discovering the beauties of Romania and of meeting its wonderful people! We have been dreaming of feeling the atmosphere of Romania”.

We will be trying to mail the prizes and honorable mentions to their winners as soon as possible. We kindly ask you to confirm reception of the prize and its content through a letter, by fax or e-mail. We once again thank you for participating in Radio Romania 85 contest and we urge you to continue to participate in the future contests launched by RRI.

Because the Orthodox Easter is celebrated in the first week of May, the month of April comes with a big offer of events devoted to this holiday, such as painted eggs festivals and traditional food fairs, where people from various parts of Romania come to show their skills.

Gastronomic festivals are attracting an increasing number of tourists in search of new dishes, traditions and people. That’s why we’ll first take you to the Varlaam village in the county of Buzau, eastern Romania. In May, sheep breeders celebrate the Weaning of Lambs, occasion on which a feast is organized. Maria Blidaru, the festival’s organizer and the owner of a guesthouse in the village, tells us more about the surprises in store for tourists:

Maria Blidaru: “The weaning of lambs is a spring celebration, when the sheep set off for the mountains and the lambs are left in the folds. Lamb meat dishes are prepared on this occasion, while cheese is prepared on the spot, in front of the participants, as tradition calls it. This is an open-air celebration and we do our best to promote our products: the Varlaam dumplings with butter and cheese or with lamb meat. We organize all sorts of cooking competitions to highlight these products’ quality and taste.”

This year the festival in Varlaam will be held on May 11th, on the first Saturday after the Orthodox Easter. We recommend you book rooms in guesthouses in advance, because several hundred people are usually attending the festival.

Another interesting destination is the village of Turia, in Covasna County, central Romania. On Turia Days, an international food festival is staged. Even a world record was set here when a 60-meter-long dumpling with cheese was made. The village of Tismana, in Gorj County, southwestern Romania, is also worth visiting. An Aspic Festival is organized here every year. After a delicious meal, a walk would be exactly what you need. Not only the walk, but also the destination is important, as the Tismana Monastery, built in the 14th century is located here. Its painter used vegetal colours, including a special kind of red, today known as the “Tismana red.”

Another hot spot for Romanian traditional food lovers is Praid, in Harghita county, that hosts some of best known stuffed cabbage rolls festivals. People from all over Romania and even Hungary are competing for the best cook title. Aautumn has its gastronomic temptations, such as the Cheese and Pastrami Festival in Bran, in Brasov County, central Romania. On this occasion local shepherds will lure tourists to sample traditional mutton products and try out homemade wine and plum brandy.

Another favourite destination among food lovers is Bercea village in Buzau County. It is here that every October a festival devoted to the Plescoi sausages is held. To this day the sausages are prepared observing old recipes which the locals like to keep secret. Further south, in Bailesti, Dolj County, villagers organize the Grape Juice and Leek Festival, where local recipes will indulge even those guests who are difficult to please.

As an option, you can also plan a visit to one of Romania’s famous wine cellars. Marius Pasca takes charge of the tourist department at the Recas Wine Cellars in Timis County. He presented us the best of its wine offers:

Marius Pasca: “Wine is man’s companion throughout the most important stages of human life, from our birth to our death. This is one good reason why people want to better understand this companion and its origins. People come to see how and where wine is made. Our menus are always related to wine, from traditional menus specific to Western Romania, to international menus based on fish, seafood, salads, Goulash, potato-based dishes, to name just a few recipes. Nothing is left to chance in wine sampling. Wine is best appreciated when served with appropriate dishes which must be prepared by master chefs”.

Located at around 80 kilometers from Bucharest, the city of Targoviste lies on the cultural religious tourist routes thanks to its historical landmarks. Worth mentioning here is the fact that during the Middle Ages for nearly three centuries Targoviste used to be Wallachia’s capital. In 1396, when Wallachia’s ruling prince Mircea the Elder moved the capital from Curtea de Arges, Targoviste had already been mentioned in Johannes Schiltberger’s Travel Memoirs.

Shortly after it became a princely seat, Targoviste grew into an important settlement in Central Europe; proof of that is the fact that it was included in all the medieval maps of Europe; also, Targoviste was mentioned in a large number of texts, in old engravings and, more significantly, it was mentioned in documents which can be found in the world’s great libraries and museums.

Targoviste’s greatest attraction is the Princely Court, which is a compound of constructions dating from the 15 and the 16th centuries. The oldest building, with towers whose walls can still be seen today, although partially, was built by Mircea the Elder. The ruling princes following Mircea refurbished his constructions and erected a series of new buildings. For instance, during Vlad the Impaler’s reign, the Chindia Tower was built, for defensive purposes. To this day the Tower dominates the Princely Court in Targoviste. In the late 16th century, ruling prince Petru Cercel erected the Princely Church, lying also within the Court compound.

Dambovita County has benefited from an EU-funded project for the promotion of its tourist potential, in collaboration with the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest. Under this project, several natural and cultural destinations were identified, which could become tourist destinations. Moreover, new destinations will emerge, as Ovidiu Carstina, the Director of the Princely Court museum compound told us. The Compound is made up of 13 museums, displaying over 72 thousand heritage items.

Ovidiu Carstina: “With help from the Dambovita County Council, most likely by the end of this year we will open a new museum of archeology, thanks to a donation made by Professor Marin Carciumaru, which consists of over half of the items discovered in Romania’s Paleolithic sites. These are unique artifacts, pieces of jewelry, religious objects, tools and prehistoric weaponry, dating back to 100 thousand years ago. It will be a unique museum in the country, hosted by the town of Targoviste. We would like it to be an interactive exhibition, because, besides the items displayed as such, we will organize various activities. We will hold museum pedagogy workshops, where we will teach children about that period in history, about how people used to build tools or weapons and how they lived back then.”

A similar project will unfold in the aurochs Reserve in Bucsani, located north of Targoviste. This is likely to attract lots of tourists, who will also be invited to participate in various activities meant to introduce them to the Paleolithic and Neolithic ages. The director of the Princely Court Museum Compound, Ovidiu Carstina, has talked about the area’s tourist potential:

Ovidiu Carstina: “Targoviste has a great tourist potential. Besides the Princely Court we have a number of interesting museums such as the Print and Old Romanian Books Museum, where visitors can see a collection of rare, old books. Also worth visiting in Targoviste is the house and workshop of painter Gheorghe Petrascu, the art museum and the town’s monuments. The town boasts 22 churches of which 17, dating back to the 15th century, are on the list of protected monuments. We hope we’ll be able to open to the public the Brancovenesc-style Palace in Potlogi very soon”.

The palace was built in 1698 by the ruler of Wallachia, Constantin Brancoveanu, for his son, Constantin. Another theme tourist route might be connected to Vlad Tepes, one of the 33 rulers of the historical province of Wallachia, whose princely court was in Targoviste. Gabriela Tigu, from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, gave us a few details:

Gabriela Tigu: “The County Council plans to capitalize on this exciting period in the country’s history and introduce the famous theme of Dracula in the tourist offers of Dambovita County. Of course, most types of cultural tourism in this part of Romania, religious tourism included, have great potential. Mountain tourism has developed over the past few years in the county of Dambovita, and important infrastructure projects are currently under way. Also conducted here are environment protection projects, given that an important part of this area is included in the Bucegi Nature Reserve.”

Located at around 80 kilometers from Bucharest, the city of Targoviste lies on the cultural religious tourist routes thanks to its historical landmarks. Worth mentioning here is the fact that during the Middle Ages for nearly three centuries Targoviste used to be Wallachia’s capital. In 1396, when Wallachia’s ruling prince Mircea the Elder moved the capital from Curtea de Arges, Targoviste had already been mentioned in Johannes Schiltberger’s Travel Memoirs.

Shortly after it became a princely seat, Targoviste grew into an important settlement in Central Europe; proof of that is the fact that it was included in all the medieval maps of Europe; also, Targoviste was mentioned in a large number of texts, in old engravings and, more significantly, it was mentioned in documents which can be found in the world’s great libraries and museums.

Targoviste’s greatest attraction is the Princely Court, which is a compound of constructions dating from the 15 and the 16th centuries. The oldest building, with towers whose walls can still be seen today, although partially, was built by Mircea the Elder. The ruling princes following Mircea refurbished his constructions and erected a series of new buildings. For instance, during Vlad the Impaler’s reign, the Chindia Tower was built, for defensive purposes. To this day the Tower dominates the Princely Court in Targoviste. In the late 16th century, ruling prince Petru Cercel erected the Princely Church, lying also within the Court compound.

Dambovita County has benefited from an EU-funded project for the promotion of its tourist potential, in collaboration with the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest. Under this project, several natural and cultural destinations were identified, which could become tourist destinations. Moreover, new destinations will emerge, as Ovidiu Carstina, the Director of the Princely Court museum compound told us. The Compound is made up of 13 museums, displaying over 72 thousand heritage items.

Ovidiu Carstina: “With help from the Dambovita County Council, most likely by the end of this year we will open a new museum of archeology, thanks to a donation made by Professor Marin Carciumaru, which consists of over half of the items discovered in Romania’s Paleolithic sites. These are unique artifacts, pieces of jewelry, religious objects, tools and prehistoric weaponry, dating back to 100 thousand years ago. It will be a unique museum in the country, hosted by the town of Targoviste. We would like it to be an interactive exhibition, because, besides the items displayed as such, we will organize various activities. We will hold museum pedagogy workshops, where we will teach children about that period in history, about how people used to build tools or weapons and how they lived back then.”

A similar project will unfold in the aurochs Reserve in Bucsani, located north of Targoviste. This is likely to attract lots of tourists, who will also be invited to participate in various activities meant to introduce them to the Paleolithic and Neolithic ages. The director of the Princely Court Museum Compound, Ovidiu Carstina, has talked about the area’s tourist potential:

Ovidiu Carstina: “Targoviste has a great tourist potential. Besides the Princely Court we have a number of interesting museums such as the Print and Old Romanian Books Museum, where visitors can see a collection of rare, old books. Also worth visiting in Targoviste is the house and workshop of painter Gheorghe Petrascu, the art museum and the town’s monuments. The town boasts 22 churches of which 17, dating back to the 15th century, are on the list of protected monuments. We hope we’ll be able to open to the public the Brancovenesc-style Palace in Potlogi very soon”.

The palace was built in 1698 by the ruler of Wallachia, Constantin Brancoveanu, for his son, Constantin. Another theme tourist route might be connected to Vlad Tepes, one of the 33 rulers of the historical province of Wallachia, whose princely court was in Targoviste. Gabriela Tigu, from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, gave us a few details:

Gabriela Tigu: “The County Council plans to capitalize on this exciting period in the country’s history and introduce the famous theme of Dracula in the tourist offers of Dambovita County. Of course, most types of cultural tourism in this part of Romania, religious tourism included, have great potential. Mountain tourism has developed over the past few years in the county of Dambovita, and important infrastructure projects are currently under way. Also conducted here are environment protection projects, given that an important part of this area is included in the Bucegi Nature Reserve.”

Today you are once again invited to the Romanian Black Sea Coast. The coast is 245 km long, its beaches have fine sand, and the sea is less salty than most, with a string of resorts running its entire length.

We went there to find out what can be done to make these resorts more attractive, and which are the most popular. We spoke to Mihaela Lazareanu, tourism adviser for an association that promotes the Black Sea Coast and the Danube Delta.

“At this time, all around the country we are running the ‘Free Holidays’ program, which covers the Black Sea coast resorts too. Under this program you get one or two additional nights’ accommodation for free when you buy five nights at the regular price. The program covers only the agencies that are members of the National Association of Travel Agencies. There are a lot of attractions and entertainment options. You can take the Telegondola, and there is also the Mamaia Aqua Park. Starting on 28 June, tourists can tour the resort of Mamaia on a double-decker. We also have a museum complex, with the Dolphinarium, the Aquarium, and the Micro Reserve. Starting Friday and all along the weekend you can find club parties in most clubs on the coast, especially in Mamaia, where DJs from all around the world organize theme nights.”

We also recommend Mamaia as having the best beach. However, if you are interested in the therapeutic effects of medicinal mud, then you should definitely visit Eforie Nord, located close to Techirghiol salt lake. You can find there plenty of clinics for recovery medicine. One other resort that has grown a lot lately due to investments in hotels and entertainment venues is Saturn. Some notable examples are the hotels built right by the sea, and, close by, an aquatic entertainment park. Each of those three star hotels, recently refurbished, has its own spa, which means you can combine your vacation with medical treatment.

If we are talking prices, they vary from north to south, according to Mihaela Lazareanu: “Tourists who come to the Black Sea coast for entertainment purposes choose Mamaia, where young people have the largest variety to choose from. Families with children usually choose the southern resorts, such as Eforie Nord, Eforie Sud, Mangalia, Saturn, and Neptun, where prices tend to be lower.”

Tourists don’t come here only for a dip in the sea and for sunbathing, they are looking for fun places to spend their free time. Mihaela Lazareanu provides us with details:

“Early in July the town of Tuzla hosts the Aeromania show. Mamaia hosts the Mamaia Carnival, a unique concept in Europe, where the motto is fun, partying and clubs. We will have 10 floats during this period, and tourists will be able to see an original show: each club in Mamaia will build its own float, personalized with the club’s logo, playing music, decorated for summer and fun, with a lot of dancers. They roll around for hours on end. Among the other important events taking place in August are the Mamaia Music Awards, in Constanta, then Navy Day on August 15, a tradition already, and the Tomis Antiquity Festival, between August 16 and 18, which is at its second edition, and is promoted by our association. To this we can add a boxing gala in Mamaia, a national film festival, and the Mamaia pop music festival.”

One other fun thing to do available in seaside resorts is diving. The best area for that is the southern part of the seaside, where there are plenty of limestone formations and boulders on the bottom of the sea. Here you can see up close plenty of algae, crabs and fish, as well as sunken ships. You can also go skydiving, but you can also enjoy flights with light planes or helicopters, which can even take you to fly over and admire the Danube Delta.

Of course, at every step you will find garden restaurants for every taste, discos, sporting venues, all of them making a vacation on the Black Sea Coast something to look forward to all year.

Today you are once again invited to the Romanian Black Sea Coast. The coast is 245 km long, its beaches have fine sand, and the sea is less salty than most, with a string of resorts running its entire length.

We went there to find out what can be done to make these resorts more attractive, and which are the most popular. We spoke to Mihaela Lazareanu, tourism adviser for an association that promotes the Black Sea Coast and the Danube Delta.

“At this time, all around the country we are running the ‘Free Holidays’ program, which covers the Black Sea coast resorts too. Under this program you get one or two additional nights’ accommodation for free when you buy five nights at the regular price. The program covers only the agencies that are members of the National Association of Travel Agencies. There are a lot of attractions and entertainment options. You can take the Telegondola, and there is also the Mamaia Aqua Park. Starting on 28 June, tourists can tour the resort of Mamaia on a double-decker. We also have a museum complex, with the Dolphinarium, the Aquarium, and the Micro Reserve. Starting Friday and all along the weekend you can find club parties in most clubs on the coast, especially in Mamaia, where DJs from all around the world organize theme nights.”

We also recommend Mamaia as having the best beach. However, if you are interested in the therapeutic effects of medicinal mud, then you should definitely visit Eforie Nord, located close to Techirghiol salt lake. You can find there plenty of clinics for recovery medicine. One other resort that has grown a lot lately due to investments in hotels and entertainment venues is Saturn. Some notable examples are the hotels built right by the sea, and, close by, an aquatic entertainment park. Each of those three star hotels, recently refurbished, has its own spa, which means you can combine your vacation with medical treatment.

If we are talking prices, they vary from north to south, according to Mihaela Lazareanu: “Tourists who come to the Black Sea coast for entertainment purposes choose Mamaia, where young people have the largest variety to choose from. Families with children usually choose the southern resorts, such as Eforie Nord, Eforie Sud, Mangalia, Saturn, and Neptun, where prices tend to be lower.”

Tourists don’t come here only for a dip in the sea and for sunbathing, they are looking for fun places to spend their free time. Mihaela Lazareanu provides us with details:

“Early in July the town of Tuzla hosts the Aeromania show. Mamaia hosts the Mamaia Carnival, a unique concept in Europe, where the motto is fun, partying and clubs. We will have 10 floats during this period, and tourists will be able to see an original show: each club in Mamaia will build its own float, personalized with the club’s logo, playing music, decorated for summer and fun, with a lot of dancers. They roll around for hours on end. Among the other important events taking place in August are the Mamaia Music Awards, in Constanta, then Navy Day on August 15, a tradition already, and the Tomis Antiquity Festival, between August 16 and 18, which is at its second edition, and is promoted by our association. To this we can add a boxing gala in Mamaia, a national film festival, and the Mamaia pop music festival.”

One other fun thing to do available in seaside resorts is diving. The best area for that is the southern part of the seaside, where there are plenty of limestone formations and boulders on the bottom of the sea. Here you can see up close plenty of algae, crabs and fish, as well as sunken ships. You can also go skydiving, but you can also enjoy flights with light planes or helicopters, which can even take you to fly over and admire the Danube Delta.

Of course, at every step you will find garden restaurants for every taste, discos, sporting venues, all of them making a vacation on the Black Sea Coast something to look forward to all year.

Dear friends, Radio Romania International invited you, until June 30th, to participate in a general knowledge contest called “Radio Romania 85”, devoted to the anniversary, to be marked on November 1st 2013, of 85 years of Romanian radio broadcasting. The Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation is a leader on the Romanian radio market with 4.7 million listeners daily reach at national level and a cumulated market share per national and regional stations of 30%.

It seems that the contest has aroused your interest as we have received 515 complete and correct answers for which we thank you very much.

The grand prize for the winners is a 10-day trip with full board for two between 15th and 24th of September 2013, in 3 areas of Romania covered by Radio Romania’s Regional stations – namely the counties of Gorj (in the south west), Timis (in the west) and Cluj (in the north west).

The sponsors of the contest are the Oltenia Energy Compound and SC Boca Junior SRL of Timisoara. The partners of this contest are the Gorj County Council, the Association ‘Cluj Napoca 2020-European Capital of Culture’, the Timis County Council, the Cluj Napoca City Hall, the Cluj and Gorj branches of the Fine Artists Union, and the Association of Cluj Traditional Craftsmen.

From our shows, from RRI’s website, Facebook and Twitter profiles you could find the answers to the contest questions. Before announcing the winners here are the questions again:

1. What is the date of the first official radio broadcast in Romania? Correct answer: November 1st 1928 17.00 hours local time.

2. What is the market share held by the public radio service in Romania? Correct answer: 30%.

3. List no less than three radio stations under the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation umbrella. You could have chosen from among Radio Romania News and Current Affairs, Radio Romania Culture, Radio Village Antenna, Radio Romania Music, Radio Romania International, regional and local stations grouped under Radio Romania Regional, with headquarters in the cities of Bucharest, Cluj Napoca, Timisoara, Iasi, Craiova, Targu Mures, Resita, Constanta, Sibiu, Brasov, Sighetu Marmatiei and Arad, the on-line stations Radio3net and Radio Romania Junior and also Radio Chisinau, a station of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, covering two thirds of the Republic of Moldova.

4. Who is considered to be the father of Romanian radio broadcasting? Correct answer: Dragomir Hurmuzescu.

10 of the 30 honorable mentions offered by RRI went to the following listeners and Internet users, who tuned in to RRI’s English language broadcasts: Bandar Alhazmi, of Saudi Arabia, Nasir Aziz and Rawal Khan from Pakistan and Dewan Rafiqul Islam from Bangladesh, Juan Franco Crespo of Spain and Miguel Angel Lahera Rivero from Cuba, Robert C. Ackx and Maria Ackx Blom, from the Netherlands, Chinmoy Mahato and Gurmeet Singh Meeta, both from India and Nizzam Uddin Nayan of Bangladesh.

RRI offered 30 3rd Prizes who went, among others, to the following English programs’ listeners and Internet users: Mitul Kansal, Mohammad Shamim, Najim Uddin and Eyamin Hossain, all 4 from India, Marek Pis of Poland, Christer Brunstrom from Sweden, Keith A. Simmonds from France and Christopher Akpai of Nigeria, Nazmus Sadat and Erfan Sazid, both from Bangladesh.

Our old friend from Sweden, Christer Brunstrom wrote the following: “I discovered international radio in 1962 and I have listened daily ever since. I write monthly columns on international radio for a Swedish magazine. I listen to RRI because Romania is such a fascinating country what with the incredible ethnic diversity and interesting history. I am also enchanted by Romanian folk music. Romania is struggling with many issues and RRI is an essential tool in finding out what is happening in the country.”

There were 30 2nd Prizes of which some went to the following listeners of the English Service programs: Amy-Felicia Hodge of the US, Martin Rogan and Michael Whing, both from Great Britain, Henk Poortvliet from the Netherlands, Hans Verner Lollike of Denmark, Debaki Ranjan Biswas and Surendra Kumar, both from India and Jaroslaw Jedrzejczak from Poland.

We also have 30 1st Prizes which were won by RRI’s faithful listeners of whom the following are friends of RRI’s English Service: Mogire Machuki from Kenya, Costa Constantinides from Cyprus, John Eberle, John Rutledge, Jim Holthus and Roberta Selesky, all 4 from the USA, Grant Skinner and Brian Kendall, both from Great Britian, Master Jaydeep of India, and Thein Soe from Malaysia.

Here is what Mogire Machuki wrote to account for his participation in the contest: “Greetings from Kisii Kenya. Very much elated to be part of this great event since I have grown up with RRI over the years. I am 34 years old third born in a family of nine. Both of my parents never went to school but to ensure the future of their nine children was bright, all of us have studied well on various fields. For me I went through school quickly and through my education period I never had the opportunity to listen to the radio though my father owned one, precious it was. Indeed it was treasure and he never ever allowed us to touch it. During my high school years 1990-1993 my passion for radio and journalism as whole took its roots and this was because of the short-wave radio power of those yester years. Everybody was after any breaking news, wars and other disasters. In school I came up with the idea of forming a journalism club and since social clubs were given ago but with limits, one was born. It was on that note that I developed the niche of radio DX-ing and indeed it was so impressive in that after school in 1993 I managed to have free time of tuning in to short-wave station broadcasting far from my country Kenya. Somewhere in that year I managed to get in contact with various SW radio stations like the BBC, VOA, DW and later I was able to discover RRI. I joined the RRI family fully in 1997 and what inspired me to stay close to this station was its closeness with listeners, letters were attended to in the shortest time possible with surprise gifts and impressive contests a tradition that RRI still sticks to. RRI is a crucial source of information and morale for those living abroad. Even though the existence of a radio station cannot be really evaluated in terms of human life, there are moments to reflect and draw comparisons. Providing listeners with unbiased, comprehensive and incisive data about Romania and the rest of Europe, as well as mapping its past and discovering the cultural foundations on which the Romania country was built is no easy task but I marvel at RRI because it has managed to achieve this. RRIs the ideal mirror of a true Romania.”

Another friend of the English Service, Costa Constantinides of Cyprus wrote the following: “I am listening to Radio Romania since I started this great hobby in 1969. At that time I was living in Apartheid South Africa and we were forbidden to tune into communist Radio Stations from the eastern bloc. Once I had a visit from our BOSS Bureau of State Security (South Africa.) I was 15 years old at the time…and had a fright but still kept listening to this day tuning to short wave radio. Since 1995 I live on the island of Cyprus and I still have the thrill of hearing many strong signals of Radio Romania on my short wave receiver. The positive images are there to hear, we are both free and long live Radio Romania. I have many QSL cards of your station dating back to those days in my album under Europe.”

Another old friend from UK, Grant Skinner, wrote this: “The reason I am a listener of Radio Romania International and a fan is listening to RRI is a very fascinating, interesting and rewarding hobby. A minimal investment has brought me hours of enjoyment. Once I began receiving letters and other goodies I became hooked. Where else can you keep up with world news and events, sports, music, culture and language through a single medium available at my fingertips”?

We also have 11 special prizes that went to the following listeners and Internet users of RRI’s foreign language broadcasts: Natalia Zabolotna of Ukraine, Abdel-Kader Khalil, from Algeria, Xu Wenjuan, of China, Andreas Karger from Germany Germania, Valeri Lugovski, from Belarus, a listener of the Russian language programs, Jacques Augustin and Paul Jamet, both from France, Daniel Meinardi, from Argentina, Marc Ferrer Ferrando, from Spain, Jayanta Chakrabarty, from India, and Weldon Walles of the US.

This is how Jayanta Chakrabarty motivated his participation in the contest: “I think that being a listener of Radio Romania International and an online fan is both an honour and privilege. I am also a gainer in the sense that I am able to enjoy quality programmes with excellent audio and video clarity. I dont have to hunt for other radio stations for my daily quota of the latest news and reports on Romania, Europe and the world. RRI is dependable and unbiased in projecting Romania in its true perspective. Imparting valuable information on the socio-political, economic, scientific, cultural and historical affairs is a special treat of RRI. Its English Service is a boon for those listeners, like myself, for whom English is the second language. My family and myself are appreciative of the fact that RRI has given us various programmes over the years that are educative, absorbing, entertaining and interesting. Isnt it exciting that we can expect so much by the flick of a key in browsing RRIs well-structured website. With Romanian music in my heart, RRI is friendly source of music of various genre – be it traditional folk, classical, jazz or popular. To me, the hardworking staff members of RRI with their full dedication and with a lot of interest for its listeners have made RRI one of the best loved radio stations in Europe.”

The other winner of a special prize, also a friend of the English Service, Weldon Walles wrote the following: “It gives me great pleasure to enter the Radio Romania 85 Contest. Part of the enjoyment of short wave listening is the ability to interact with the stations like Radio Romania that put their audience first. I always look forward to your broadcasts and contests which are not only enjoyable, but are also educational. Thank you for the many years of pleasure you have given me as an avid listener.”

And now the long-awaited moment…the winners of the grand prize are…. Elena and Igor Kurbanov, of Turkmenistan, listeners of the Russian language programs. Congratulations! Upon finding out the news that she and her husband are the winners of the grand prize of Radio Romania 85 contest, Elena Kurbanova wrote: “I thank you for including my essay on the list of potential winners. Igor and I have dreamt of discovering the beauties of Romania and of meeting its wonderful people! We have been dreaming of feeling the atmosphere of Romania”.

We will be trying to mail the prizes and honorable mentions to their winners as soon as possible. We kindly ask you to confirm reception of the prize and its content through a letter, by fax or e-mail. We once again thank you for participating in Radio Romania 85 contest and we urge you to continue to participate in the future contests launched by RRI.

Today we have invited Mircea Verghelet, the director of Piatra Craiului Natural Park to join us on a visit to the area and speak about some of its tourist attractions. Piatra Craiulu Natural Park is located in central Romania, in the Southern Carpathians, around 200 km north of Bucharest. The park stretches along one of Romania’s most spectacular mountain ridges. For its rich wild life and plant species, the area was declared a nature reserve in 1938. The park receives 100,000 visitors every year. The director of Piatra Craiului Natural Park Mircea Verghelet tells us about the walking routes available in the park.

Mircea Verghelet: “We marked all the routes again at the beginning of 2000, when a special body was created for the administration of the park. We also make sure markers and signs are in place. Besides, we work with two mountain rescue services from Zarnesti and Campulung, which cover the whole park. Also, two years ago we restored the shelter on Virfu Ascutit mountain, while the other shelters in the area are in very good condition. Tourists who are familiar with Piata Craiului know this. We have managed to replace all the old shelters with modular ones, made of glass fibre, and even built two new shelters. Access to the park costs 5 lei for a 7-day stay. This fee can also be paid via text message. We’ll soon put in place ticket selling machines near the entry to the park. We’re currently working on a system to allow visitors to purchase tickets online, on the park’s website. The money we raise through these fees is used for maintenance of the park’s tourist infrastructure.”

Piatra Craiului Natural Park affords its visitors some truly beautiful views, including steep slopes and mountains in its western part. There are spectacular gorges, both to the north, near Brasov, namely the Zarnesti Gorges, but also to the south, in Dimbovita county. Piatra Craiului Mountains provide some of the most difficult trekking paths. The slopes are very steep and the terrain rocky in many parts. You need appropriate clothing, including strong hiking boots and a raincoat. You need to take enough water with you because this is a limestone area with very little water sources. Also, make sure you don’t stray from the marked routes. Tourists’ safety is in fact the main concern of the park administrators, says Mircea Verghelet.

Mircea Verghelet: “We have been trying to prevent accidents and have been promoting the use of the marked routes among our visitors. The latter is in fact a legal requirement laid down in the law on protected areas. Straying away from the marked route is punishable by law with a fine. According to the data from the Mountain Rescue Services, around 90% of the deadly accidents in Piatra Craiului was the result of tourists straying away from the marked routes. We strongly advise and recommend tourists to stick to these routes. In the more difficult areas there are also cables tourists can use for safety. There are also shelters all along the marked routes. Piatra Craiului is like no other mountain in Romania. It’s like a labyrinth and if you’re not familiar with the terrain and lose the marked path, you’re very likely to find yourself in trouble.”

Piatra Craiului is a very popular place for mountain climbers. The Zarnesti Gorges, for example, is full of vertical walls good for climbing. Romania’s best climbers, some of whom have climbed the Himalayans, come here to train. There are also routes suitable for everybody, routes that take you where the chamois lives and where you can see the edelweiss. The administrators of the park have also designed special activities for tourists.

Mircea Verghelet: “We’re currently running a sectoral environmental programme and one of the activities included in the programme is raising public awareness. We have designed a number of theme routes related to this topic. Also, we will build four information centres at the main entrances and complete works on the visitors’ area at the Zarnesti information centre, hoping the centre will be open for visitors next season. Together with two partner NGOs, last year we carried out two small-scale projects to put in place two boards. The first board, which is called the Dwarfs’ Path, is located between the village of Magura and the Zarnesti Precipices, while the second, called the Story of the Mountain Village, is located in the villages of Magura and Pestera.”

Responsible tourism based on respect for nature is the priority of the Piatra Craiului Natural Park management.

Mircea Verghelet.: “From what we’ve seen lately, tourists’ attitude is improving. While in the late 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s we had big problems with tourists, attitudes towards nature have gradually changed in recent years, perhaps also as a result of our awareness raising activities, the boards we have put in place and the materials and tourist maps we distribute or sell to visitors.”

If you visit the villages around the Piatra Craiului Natural Park you will have the chance to meet some extraordinary craftsmen working in wood and sample some of the region’s exquisite traditional dishes.

The Bucegi Natural Park, stretching across the entire massif is one of the country’s most sought after tourist destinations, second only to the Danube Delta. That’s why we invite all mountain lovers to accompany us on a trip to the Bucegi Mountains, to discover their attractions, routes, flora and fauna.

The Bucegi Natural Park, which marks the boundary of the Southern Carpathians in central Romania covers an area of 32 thousand hectares. Those who dare climb the mountain discover not only breathtakingly beautiful landscapes, but also a very lively place. The chamois is the Bucegi Mountains’ icon. Additionally, if you’re lucky enough to be in the company of a specialized guide, you can also see the Carpathian bear, the stag or the mountain rooster. As for the flora, you should not miss the well-known edelweiss, which has been declared a monument of nature. Winter sports, summer sports and outings, all these can make your vacation truly special, if you choose to spend it in the Bucegi Mountains.

There are also quite a few people who are bold enough to take up horse riding. With details on that, here is mountain ranger Horia Iancu, the head of the Bucegi Natural Park: ”The state-owned stud farms in the area carry out mainly horse riding activities and are also testing the quality of the horses we breed. Just like every year, we have an eventful competition agenda, since until late July there are around 20 contests to run, with 10 more others to go in the national stage. We have steeple chase, resistance tests, carriage events, testing the value of the horses we breed. Some 150 horses are usually used in the tourist activities we carry out in the forest. Some of them belong to our stud farms, while several others can be found on the premises of other national and natural park administrations. People want to ride horses when they decide to spend some time outdoors.”

There is a big flow of tourists, there are also lots of routes for them while people’s safety and nature preservation are among the priorities of the Bucegi Natural Park Administration. “We took all precautions we considered appropriate, to cope with the flow of tourists who can come to our protected natural area. We revamped boards, signs, theme routes and jointly with our mates from the Mountain Rescue Services we retraced the tourist routes. Thanks to European funds, we tried to provide an extra number of six theme routes, and we’re still during the bidding period for the setting up of a visiting centre in Busteni. A relatively large building, covering around 1,200 square meters, will be made available to visitors. They will be informed on the park’s natural heritage as well as on the park’s visiting rules.“

There are no less than 42 monuments of nature in the Bucegi Mountains, best known being “Babele” (the Crones) and the Sphinx. The most abrupt steep in the country is Caraiman, in the same area. You have two lakes there to admire, Bolboci and Scropoasa, making for a great scenery, and, if you happen there in winter, you can see migratory birds which nest there in winter. Your best choice is to go to the local park management to ask about your opportunities in the area.

Horia Iuncu, head of the Bucegi Natural Park, has further details: “As part of the project that optimizes the tourist infrastructure in Bucegi, we have available seven theme circuits. The purpose is to provide tourists information about the special scenery here, and to make sure that visitors have the least negative impact on the environment. At this point we have a circuit of around 400 meters around the highest altitude peat bog in Romania, which until now was inaccessible to tourists because it was too messy to walk around. We also have a circuit for the Urlatoarea waterfall, which is open summer and winter, and our regular tourists know that, and come at all times of the year. Another circuit is the Seven Springs — Rasnov circuit, and some other high altitude rails around Dambovita.”

Urlatoarea waterfall is 15 meters high. It consists of a main waterfall and several smaller ones. The name, which translates into Romanian as Screamer, comes from the sound made by the waterfall after abundant rains.

The Bucegi Natural Park is the first protected area in Romania which boasts a legally approved management plan, under a government ordinance. Horia Iuncu: “The park has a special chapter in the law on tourism, regarding the rules for visiting and the emergence of alternative forms of tourism meant to better protect the environment. For instance, hunting was turned into green tourism, replacing the shooting of guns with the shooting of photographs. Tourists enjoy that, and they love tracking animals in the wild to take pictures. We obviously preserve fauna that way, and we produce the least negative impact we can, all things considered.”

If you head out to Bucegi, you mustn’t miss the Peles and Pelisor mansion museums. You can also see the string of resorts on Prahova Valley, on the edges of the park. You will definitely relish in the image of the monumental cross dedicated to the heroes of the First World War, 2,291 meters in altitude, unique in Europe by its placement and size. It is 28 meters high, with side beams seven meters each. In the hope that we have piqued your interest, we eagerly await your proposals for our next destination.

In 1920, Romanian explorer Emil Racoviţă set up in Romania the first speleological institute in the world. 108 speleology clubs with over 10,000 members have been founded since then, making possible the discovery, exploration and the scientific research of over 12,600 caves. In today’s edition of TG we’ll bring to your attention historical data and natural curiosities, inviting you on a tour of the best known caves in Romania. Accompanying us on this journey will be Daniela Bordea, a scientific researcher at the “Emil Racovita” National Institute of Speleology, the Cluj-Napoca Department, Marius Florea, a member of the Salvaspeo Bihor, Oradea Mountain Rescue Service and Viorel Lascu, spelelogist and former president of the Romanian Federation of Speleology.

The Apuseni Mountains in western Romania are the favourite location for cave lovers. They can design one day, two day or one week routes to visit spectacular caves, which are not situated at great distances from one another. The Meziad cave was re-arranged for visitors last year, as Daniela Bordea, scientific researcher at the “Emil Racovita” National Institute of Speleology, has told us.

The Meziad cave stands out mainly due to the magnificence of its huge, 20m high galleries, boasting karstic formations, stalactites, stalagmites and columns. It is worth noting that the cave also hosts large colonies of bats, protected under the law. Even though the tourist route avoids these colonies, you can come across solitary bats in the cave. Light is cast on paleonthological vestiges such as the cave bear as well as on the archaeological vestiges in the cave. Fragments of ceramics and other traces of human settlements dating back to the Bronze Age have also been identified.”

The Meziad Cave enjoys artificial lighting, giving tourists the opportunity to see the spectacularly huge empty space underground. The Meziad Cave is located near the Crystal Cave and in the proximity of the Bears’ Cave. Tourists can take a one day tour of the three caves, says Marius Florea, a member of the Salvaspeo Bihor, Oradea Mountain Rescue Service, which was kind enough to give us details about the Crystal Cave.

The name of the cave speaks for itself. The karstic relief is prevailing. There are relatively small mountains, similar to smooth hills, dotted with karst elements. Visitors can see ‘diolinas’, a sort of holes, which announce the existence of underground galleries. The access to the cave is possible though an artificial mine gallery, as the cave does not have a natural entrance. It is precisely due to the absence of a natural entrance that particularly beautiful crystals formed in the cave. The cave is not a big one. It benefits from electricity and has stairways. Inside the cave, apart from these crystals, tourists can visit a small mining museum. Each group of tourists is accompanied by a guide which tells stories about each segment of the mine and cave.”

The star of the caves lies also in Apuseni: the Bears’ Cave, which is also famous for its paleontologic heritage. Viorel Lascu is a speleologist and a former president of the Romanian federation of Speleology, and will now be speaking about this unique place.

” Here we can find relics of the cave bear, of the cave lion, which currently are subject to research. The area is not open to the public, yet visitors can’t miss it if they visit the exhibition at the cave entrance. It is a unique subterranean tourist route, with a completely modern layout. What is unique about the cave is the fact that the subterranean scenery has a very special value; there are ultra transparent lime stones, the white colour of the cave is immaculate. A long, long time ago, lots of animals found themselves stranded into the cave because of an avalanche. The landscape is terrifying since the traces they left can seldom be seen in a similar cave.”

In Romania, people have been doing cave diving since 1980. 33 years have since passed, yet little is known about cave diving and cave divers are still in limited numbers. Yet they DO exist, speleologist Marius Florea says.

” A new group has been formed here, and we also receive in Romania a group that travels quite often from Hungary. They are cave divers, but let me just point out that it is something very difficult, and can be successfully achieved only after serious preparation. I should like to warmly recommend River Cerna Valley’s Domogled National Park. There we can find lots of caves, and we also have a karstic relief. And here I should also like to mention the Ponorici-Cioclovina cave system, which is a karstic system made of minimums two caves communicating with one another. You can also visit them, but taking a walk through them can be difficult. The tourist needs a survival protection equipment: a lighting system and, which is a must, specialized guiding. You cannot just take a walk in Ponorici-Cioclovina. Romania is one of the very few countries that still has a wild nature, a fauna with big-size carnivorous animals which are still at large, and its relief still delights through its great number of forms: gorges, valleys, caves, alpine ridges. Anyone who loves nature has a lot to do in the Romanian Carpathians. “

So whether you specialize in speleology or just want to admire the subterranean beauties, the western part of Romania will surely not disappoint you. On the Internet, you’re just one click away from a great number of travel agents ready to offer help in case you want to have a personalized holiday, so that you can make the most of Romanian caves’ beauty.

So why should we visit the city? Cristian Ivanes: “Cluj is a very special city. A simple walk through its center is enough to make you understand that, although there are plenty of tourist attractions outside the city center as well, in central Cluj-Napoca you will be surprised by the big number of churches and by the number of religious denominations they belong to: reformed churches, Roman-Catholic churches, Unitarian churches and Greek-Catholic churches, all on the same street. The city of Cluj-Napoca acquired its fame as early as the 16th century for its religious tolerance, as back then the city was home to a new religion, the Unitarianism. It is a city that has a lot to offer in terms of tourism not only because of its churches, but also because of its beautiful buildings built in a variety of architectural styles. For instance, the city center brings together edifices erected in the late 18th century in a typical Habsburg style.”

Other tourist spots in the city are the Botanical Gardens, the Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania and the “Emil Racovita” Spaeleology Museum. Cluj Napoca’s Botanical Gardens are known as some of the most beautiful and complex in southeastern Europe. The gardens, set up by Professor Alexandu Borza in 1920, cover 14 hectares.

A city of hills, Cluj-Napoca is also famous for its beautiful panorama views. Cristian Ivanes: “If Rome has its seven hills then Cluj has at least two and one of them is the Fortress Hill, known by locals as Cetatuia. It is one of the most famous places here, offering a bird’s eye view of the whole city. Cluj-Napoca stretches along a valley, the Somes River Valley. The Feleac hill lies on the other side of the valley and it is even more famous than the Fortress Hill, at least for traditional music lovers, whose songs are mostly about the Feleac Hill and its importance for the Cluj area.”

Cluj-Napoca is a city for all tastes. History and originality are the two trademarks of the city that make the delight of its visitors. Cristian Ivanes: ”There is an offer catering for all tastes. There are even castles of Hungarian noblemen, some of them completely or only partially refurbished. And all of them tell the tale of the place and its people. For instance, speaking of the city center, what comes to mind is something very few people in Cluj-Napoca are aware of: the city had been under the Ottoman occupation. There are at least two churches here, the Saint Michael Roman Catholic Church in the city center, a medieval church, and the reformed church on the Kogalniceanu Street, which is also medieval, where you can see Ottoman cannon balls still stuck in the church walls.”

The winners of the contest Radio Romania 85 will be offered a tour of the city of Cluj-Napoca in September and will also get the chance to visit the Radio Cluj offices in the city.

Cristian Ivanes: “The radio building is located in a special area of the city, in its western part, and is surrounded by hills. The building is very big; it’s probably the second largest building housing a public radio station in Romania after the one in Bucharest. I think the winners will enjoy visiting it.”

This multicultural and multi-ethnic city has prepared to celebrate the Cluj Days with an international food festival where various dishes such as Romanian Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Syrian ones will be presented. Representatives of the local restaurants will cook these dishes in the city’s squares.

All you need to do to in order to get the chance to see this with your own eyes is to participate in RRI’s ongoing contest “Radio Romania 85”.

It is not by coincidence, therefore, that Rotbav was the starting point for this year’s transhumance season, in which 300 sheep were taken 1,400 km north, to their summer pastures in Poland. The start of the seasonal movement of sheep, which this year took place on May 11 in the village of Rotbav, was a special event, and some of the key guests were the alphorn players in the “Doina Motului” ensemble of the Campeni Cultural Centre. We asked the girls how they took up this musical instrument, which, as we know, is large, heavy and rather hard to handle:

“We started playing the alphorn when we were kids, and took part in minor festivals. It was fun, and only later did things become more serious. It’s not as hard as it seems, if you learn the technique and you have someone to explain what to do, anyone can play.”

We asked the girls playing the alphorn in the “Doina Motului” ensemble which of the customs from their native region they believe would be attractive for foreign tourists:

“In the village of Bistra, we have a 250-year old tradition, called ‘Prasor’. This is a celebration held every year, in which groups of more than ten young men from the village go from one house to the other and ask the girls to join the traditional round dance. The so-called Kings and Queens of the dance are chosen, depending on their financial status. The first King is the one who pays the most, and the first Queen is the girl who offers the largest sum of money. People gather to see the first King and Queen opening the dance, and then everybody joins in and they dance and party for three days.”

There are a lot of traditions, and they are all strictly observed in all the villages in the region. Another example is that of lace making, a craft brought over to Transylvania from Flanders by the first Saxon colonists who came here in the Middle Ages, says lacemaker Violeta Carmen Roman. She was born in the Hartbaci Valley area, which has an important Saxon community, and now she lives in the village of Feldioara de Sus, Brasov County:

Violeta Carmen Roman. “In the early 20th Century, this kind of lace making was a widespread craft, and it was common even among the ladies in high society, including Queen Elizabeth and Queen Marie. This is why in Romania this type of lace is also called the ‘queen’s lace.’ I take pride in being the first one to present this kind of lace to the public, and the only one who makes silk lace, using a very special technique.”

Violeta Carmen Roman has worked with the French designer Philippe Guilet for a haute couture collection in which over 50 Romanian craftsmen and artists from Maramures, Bucovina, Brasov, Bistrita and Bucharest were involved:

Violeta Carmen Roman “As part of a project called ‘100% dot Ro’, I worked with French designer Philippe Guilet for a collection called ‘Preconceptions’. This was a haute couture collection comprising 36 items worked exclusively by Romanian craftsmen, coordinated by Philippe Guilet. It was launched on November the 10th at the French Embassy in Bucharest, and it was a remarkable success. Before that, we made two bride dresses, fully accessorised. I took part in international fairs, the most important of which was the Old Lace Festival in Bavaria, where I met the best lace makers in the region. I was awarded a prize for becoming a professional lacemaker on my own, as a self-taught craftswoman.”

Another interesting story is that of the Catean family in Rotbav, Brasov County. The Catean brothers, Silviu, Ionut and George set up a farm and they now breed 100 cows, 1,000 sheep and 11 purebred horses. They sell their meat and dairy products in their own shop in the city of Brasov, they run a traditional boarding house and now they are also involved in a project called Transhumanta 2013. We asked their mother what is there for tourists to do in that region:

“Tourists may visit the sheepfold and see what we do there, or they may see how we make the cheese, down in the village. One of my boys is in charge of the horses, and he’s also a stuntman, so tourists can take horseback riding courses. All around the village there are a lot of fortified churches and medieval citadels. The region is wonderful, and there is plenty to see here.”

In that area, you can always pay a visit to lace maker Violeta Carmen Roman, who told us she has a lot of experience with tourists:

Violeta Carmen Roman: “I can give them lessons in how lace is made. It is an easily-to-learn skill, it takes half an hour or an hour. We can hold a workshop too. We can’t wait to have them over on Pentecost, our village days. For hundreds of years, we’ve had a beautiful custom, in which lads get dressed in traditional outfits and put traditional decorations on horses, they bring birch branches and go around knocking on the doors of lasses, who greet them with food and drinks. I am waiting for everyone to sample my semolina pie, Feldioara style.”

You are invited to enjoy old traditions, the beautiful Saxon churches, nice people, green grass and green forests. Prices are very reasonable, and the food is to die for.

But what does Mangalia and its surroundings have to offer to its visitors? The list is long and includes the vestiges of the fortified city of Callatis, the Esmahan Sultan Mosque, the Movile Cave, which has been turned into a spaeleological reserve, the Limanu Cave, with its four-kilometer long underground tunnels, as well as the internationally recognized Murfatlar vineyard, where one can taste its exquisite, multi-awarded wines. Worth noting is that Europe’s oldest scroll, dating back to the 4th century BC can be found here.

After having undergone long and laborious restoration procedures in Moscow that lasted almost half a century, the document has been put on view at the Archaeology Museum in Mangalia.

Mangalia is also well known for its spa treatment facilities, performed at the main health resort here. Here is Florentina Stoica, chief-nurse at the Mangalia health resort with details on the spa’s offer.

Florentina Stoica: “Our spa offers a lot in terms of natural treatment procedures, things you cannot find elsewhere in Romania or even in southeastern Europe. We have recently opened a spa-wellness segment with everything such a concept entails. We offer sessions of massage with volcanic rocks, aromatic oils, nutrition therapy, a gym, as well as swimming pools with seawater and sulphurous water.”

Florentina Stoica has further referred to the standard procedures available at the Mangalia health resort.

Florentina Stoica: “Tourists will first benefit from medical checkups, after which they will be prescribed the best treatment we can offer here. If they like to spend some afternoon time in our spa-wellness sector, the same doctor who conducted the investigation will make some recommendations. Ladies can here benefit from a very effective gynecological treatment. And if they are into healthy food and dieting in order to keep in good physical shape our experts can come up with very helpful suggestions. They can also benefit from massage, sauna and other relaxation programmes. For families with children we have been running, for some time now, several mother-and-child programmes, afternoon swimming courses, so when they leave the spa, children will be able to swim very well.”

Prices for tourists coming from abroad are the same as for the locals with no difference whatsoever. For instance, a 1-week full board holiday will cost you about 200 euros. The Mangalia health center is an all-season facility, and tourists can benefit from the same good quality of treatment procedures all throughout the year. In the following minutes Florentina Stoica will be talking about the local cuisine.

Florentina Stoica: “There are several restaurants with Romanian cuisine in the region. Being a Romanian, I would recommend forcemeat rolls in cabbage leaves with polenta. Also because we are in a seaside resort, I think that our visitors should try some fishmeals; we have a delicious oven-roasted fish dish and another kind of traditional fishmeal cooked with onion and oil called Plachie. In our spa tourists can also find information on the monasteries in the region, on the Danube Delta, on several other hotspots in Romania and in neighboring Bulgaria. Besides the health facilities, tourists can find a quiet spot here, and we welcome everyone in this beautiful resort.”

Taking a trip to the neighboring Danube Delta would prove a very inspired move for those who come to Mangalia. We recall that in the Danube Delta, which was declared a biosphere reserve in 1990, one can find the largest reed-covered area on the planet, stretching out on more than 15 hundred kilometers, as well as a lot of bird species, some of which have been declared natural monuments. With a wide range of accommodation facilities, the region caters for all tastes; here tourists can choose from floating hotels or hotel compounds around the Delta. Here is Mihaela Andrei, manager in such a hotel compound in the Danube Delta.

Mihaela Andrei: “Our compound stretches over 10 hectares and offers a lot of outdoor entertainment facilities. We have an Olympic swimming pool for those fond of swimming and sunbaths. And if you are into fishing, you should know that the Murighiol Lake teems with various kinds of fish. We have hydro bikes, rowing boats, as well as a spa center fitted with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi and a massage parlor. Besides these services, which are included, we can organize trips on the Danube canals, which may last from three to seven hours, reaching up to the village of Sfantu Gheorghe, where the Danube flows into the Black Sea. We can also take our tourists to the monasteries in the area. As you can see tourists here have a wide range of entertainment facilities to choose from.”

This accommodation compound offers international cuisine, which also abounds in traditional fishmeals. A room here costs around 23 euros per night, including three meals and access to all the entertainment facilities of this compound whose personnel is fluent in English, French and Italian. Leaflets promoting the area have been printed in these languages plus in German and Russian.

Tour operators were quick to prep highly diversified travel packages for those who want to link a few days of holiday. So, Romanians could opt either for the seacoast or the mountains, for spa resorts or guesthouses in the rural areas. People all across Romania are putting on their festive clothes and are preparing the traditional Easter meal. This has to include the lamb steak, lamb meatloaf, the sweet cream cheese cake called “pasca” and painted eggs. Adding to these are the traditional poundcakes and “sarmale”- mincemeat rolled in sour cabbage leaves, and other local staples.

Iuliana Ungureanu, an inspector with the Campulung Muscel Town Hall, whetted our appetite: “We have specific local products, such as the egg pretzel. We also have a festival devoted to this product, taking place around Easter. The egg pretzel is specific to the Campulung area, as it is only baked here. It is called the egg pretzel because egg is the main ingredient, as it is used in the proportion of 10 eggs to one kilo of flower. We also have the salty cheese called “branza de burduf”, which the locals store in fir tree barks. The menus of all local guesthouses here are made up of traditional food only”.

If you ever get to Campulung Muscel, you are in for a journey back in time. You can visit the Jidava Roman Castrum built in approximately 200 AD, or you can spend the Easter holidays at Campulung Monastery, recently known as the “Negru Voda” Monastery, rebuilt by Wallachian ruler Matei Basarab, or at the Princely Church, built by Lady Chiajna in 1567.

People clean and decorate their houses around Easter. And since people still observe the custom of painting the eggs they eat at Easter, many local craftsmen have carried over the tradition of painting and decorating eggs. Egg-painting techniques vary from region to region. Bukovina and Maramures are two areas best known for keeping tradition alive, and tourists flock to these regions around Easter. If you haven’t yet booked a ticket, we could recommend a more isolated area. If you want to see the craftsmen’s workshops, to see how eggs are painted first-hand or learn the steps of a popular dance, you should definitely visit Rasnov.

Nicolae Pepene, the director of the Rasnov Culture department says that Rasnov is the ideal spot for a lazy holiday: “On May 1st and Easter, we have an egg painting and decorating festival, and tourists may take part in workshops, they may become familiar with and learn from the traditions of this region. There are accommodation options for all budgets. Rasnov is an oasis of authenticity, peace and comfort.”

Since May Day means, for many Romanians, the first trip to the seaside, this year’s offers were broadened to include options both for fun lovers, and for those who want to spend a traditional Easter holiday. Here is Mihaela Lazareanu, a travel adviser with the Seaside and Danube Delta Tourism Promotion Association:

Mihaela Lazareanu: “For this year’s May 1 — Easter holiday period, hotels and travel agencies have prepared special packages, which include traditional lunches, barbecues, egg hunting parties, transfer from the hotel to church for the Resurrection Mass. There are also hotels that provide spa facilities and services. Prices differ, for instance in the northern seaside resorts accommodation prices range from 70 lei per person in three-star hotels, to 100 lei in four-star hotels and reach 200 lei in five-star hotels. The good news is that the weather will be great for sunbathing.”