Dornelor Country – the perfect holiday destination

Bucovina, in northern Romania, is the perfect destination for lovers of traditions and those seeking an active holiday.

Daniel Onea, 29.12.2022, 14:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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