Leaving behind the medieval Painted Monasteries of Bucovina, we returned to modern civilization in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. It was once known as the “Little Paris of the East” before World War II when the city was filled with Parisien style art nouveau buildings. Unfortunately, the years of conflict and communist rule destroyed most … Continue reading Bucharest July 2018
After our time in Translyvania, we headed northeast towards the region of Moldavia specifically to see the Painted Monasteries of Bucovina. The drive from Brasov took almost 6 hours. We based ourselves in the small town of Guru Humorului which is very close to two of the four main monasteries people visit: Voronet and Humor … Continue reading Painted Monasteries of Bucovina July 2018
Sibiu is about two and half hours away from Brasov. Sibiu is one of the most important cultural and historical centers in Transylvania and was designated the European Capital of Culture in 2007. Of the seven walled citadels built in the 12th century by the German settlers or Transylvanian Saxons, Sibiu was the largest and … Continue reading Sibiu July 2018
After about hour and half on the road from Brasov, we arrived to the fairytale-like fortified city of Sighisoara. I noticed I have been using the term fairytale a lot lately but that is really what these towns are like, they exist in a different time. There are a total of seven walled citadels in … Continue reading Sighisoara July 2018
Brasov is a crayon colored 13th century town in the center of Romania that for centuries was a key commercial center linking the Ottoman Empire with Western Europe. It is one of the seven fortified citadels built by the Saxons and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Saxons settled in Transylvania in order to help … Continue reading Brasov July 2018
From Sofia, we flew to Bucharest in Romania and rented a car to explore the country for the next 5 days. When I hear Romania, my mind immediately jumps to Transylvania’s medieval towns, castles, and Dracula. Romania today is created by the union of Moldavia, Wallachia, Transylvania, Bukovin, and Bessarabia. For a while after World … Continue reading Peles Castle & Bran Castle July 2018
Rila Monastery is about 2 hours south of Sofia and is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It was founded in the 10th century and named after the hermit Ivan of Rila, also known as St John of Rila. St Ivan actually lived in a cave not far from the monastery. … Continue reading Rila Monastery July 2018
