Romania: A Guide to One of Europe’s Most Underrated Destinations

Nestled in the far reaches of Southeastern Europe, Romania is still one of Europe's most underrated nations, providing a wealth of incredible scenic spots, historic castles and some beautiful mountain scenery. Best of all it's one of the cheapest areas to visit, living costs and even visiting high-end restaurants tend to stay at a fairly low cost, especially out of the capital, with a huge price difference to destinations in Western Europe.

1. Peles Castle (Sinaia)

Once the home of the Romanian royal family, Peles Castle is a beautiful royal palace built at the end of the 19th century in a romantically-inspired blend of Neo-Renaissance and Gothic Revival architectural styles. One of the most impressive castles in Europe, Peles sits in the picturesque Romanian countryside overlooking the small town of Sinaia and surrounded by the imposing Bucegi Mountains. Apart from the stunning exterior, the inside is home to an art collection of almost 2,000 paintings and its grounds are decorated with fountains, marble paths, statues and beautiful stairways.

2. Transfagarasan Highway (Pitesti)

This amazing sightseeing Transfagarasan Highway is Romania’s most attractive road. Transfagansan highway is also known as the road to the sky or clouds. Transfagarasan Highway cannot miss in the list of the best roads on the face of the earth. This highway has also been labeled as the best driving road. The highway cuts through the Carpathian mountains which is rich in wildlife and sports like hiking and cycling trails which are good for sightseeing. The best time to visit Romania for sightseeing is during spring or early summer, March to June or late summer and fall, September to October. The weather is favorable at these seasons and travel costs are low.

3. Herastrau Park (Bucharest)

Herastrau park is located on the northern side of Bucharest, stretching around its lake of the same name. It occupies an area of 187 hectares as the largest public park in Bucharest and only a short walk from Aviatorilor metro station. The park is full of greenary and trees that provide a welcome shade to tourists and locals in the hot summer months, you'll also find places selling food and drink such as the numerous cafes around the park.

4. Stavropoleos Church (Bucharest)

One of the most important religious buildings in the country, along with being one of the oldest, Stravropoleos Church dates back to 1724 when it was built in dedication to St. Michael and Gabriel. A monastery for nuns, decorations and paintings are found all over the church which makes it particularly stunning to visit. Apart from admiring the beautiful architecture and grounds of the church, you can also visit the church library which has around 8000 books on all kinds of topics ranging from theology, music, history, art and more.

5. Unirii Square (Bucharest)

Unirii Square is one of the sightseeing spots in the city of Cluj-Napoca in Romania. Unirii Square is also ranked among the largest squares in central Bucharest. The Square was at first called Nagy Piac in Hungarian which is translated as Big Market Square. Unirii Square is a sightseeing place and also a transport hub harboring Piata Unirii Metro Station. This sightseeing Square is also an important interchange for RATV buses. On the east side of Unirii Square, there is the Unirea shopping center, a large tax rank, and the Cocor department store.

6. Voronet Monastery (Suceava)

Voronet Monastery is situated in the south of Gura Humorului in Suceava County. It is in the valley of Voronet River. Voronet Monastery is a major sightseeing which is significant for its paintings. The Voronet Monastery was built by Stephen the Great in 1488. Tourists often go to Voronet Monastery for sightseeing, especially in summer time. Voronet Monastery is a famous church in Romania. Its interior decorations are detailed and complicated in design. The age of this beautiful sightseeing Voronet Monastery is still not known.

7. Clock Tower (Sighisoara)

Clock Tower is a clear landmark that played important role in the ages when there were no watches. A clock tower can be defined as any tower built with more than one faces, normally four faces. The Clock Tower of Romania was built in the 14th century. The Clock Tower is a good sightseeing and was built with only two floors. In the 16th century, the roof was demolished and two floors plus a balcony was added. The sightseeing Tower is used as a public administration and also serves as a museum in Sighisoara. One can see Clock Tower anytime but summer is always the best.

8. Sighisoara Historic Center (Sighisoara)

This hidden gem in central Transylvania is definitely worth a detour.
It has a lot of things to see including authentic restaurants, historic buildings and nice and enigmatic squares and alleys.
This beautiful place is better enjoyed wandering the streets and trying to discover the place as it is rather small.
The center of attraction is the Clock Tower.It is hard to miss it as you can spot it from every corner of the city.It is a good place to get an aerial view of the city.
The restaurants offer a more authentic experience hence can be more expensive compared to outside of the citadel.

9. Large Square (Sibiu)

Large Square, also known as Piata Mare is located in Sibiu. It is currently Sibiu’s most famous site. It has a council tower which is its most dominating feature, the tower is also the symbol of the city. Visitors are allowed to climb up the council tower to admire both the view of Sibiu from the top, as well as the inner workings of the tower's clock on the way back down. The tower is open to visitors from 10 am to 8 pm. Other historic buildings and monuments include; statue of Gheorghe Lazar, baroque Catholic church, and Brukenthal Museum. The Large Square also offers a variety of cafes and restaurants. The weather in Sibiu can get really hot especially during the summer making January the most favorable month.

Conclusion

Romania, in general, offers a medieval feel due to its preservation of old houses that date back to colonial eras.Sampling some authentic foods should also be part of your to-do list in Romania as they are rich in flavor and you can do this as you enjoy the beautiful views. Romania is indeed a beautiful place to visit when in Europe.

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Romania: A Guide to One of Europe’s Most Underrated Destinations