Tourist Attractions in Brasov County
Today we travel to Brasov County, in central Romania.
Daniel Onea, 03.11.2016, 13:23
Brasov County is the perfect place for both agro-tourism and for an active holiday, in which one can go hiking or practice mountain sports. Any trip in the area starts with the countys capital Brasov, a beautiful city, known for its medieval architecture and the many cultural events it plays host to.
Ionut Gliga, the Executive Director of the Tourism Promotion and Development Association in Brasov has told us that Brasov is the perfect place for active tourism, and many people go there to practice winter sports, to go hiking, mountain climbing, bicycle and horse riding. Also, Brasov is known as a business destination, but also as the right place for shopping, cultural or historical tourism.
Ionut Gliga: ” Those who want to visit Brasov County can choose a hotel or a guest house in the city of Brasov, and depending on what they are interested in, from there the can go visit all the interesting places in the county. For instance, they can choose the resorts in the Prahova Valley: Predeal, Azuga, Busteni, Sinaia. Also, they can visit the famous Peles Castle, the wine cellars and go up the mountain by cable car. A trip to the villages of Bran and Moeciu is also worth taking. They can take a tour of the Bran Castle or engage in agro or eco-tourist activities. Other beautiful places in the county are Sirnea, the first tourist village in Romania, as well as Rupea and the medieval city of Sighisoara. The Bunesti commune is already famous for its traditional villages: Viscri, Cris and Meshendorf.”
Brasov is a very old city. It was first mentioned in official documents back in 1235, as Ionut Gliga told us:
“Brasov is a multi-cultural city. Ethnic Romanians, Hungarians and Saxons have lived here together for centuries. There are many places that can be visited, starting with the Black Church, which is the citys main tourist attraction. We also recommend St. Nicholas Church in Scheii Brasovului and the museum of the first Romanian school. The oldest church in the county, St. Bartholomew, is also open to the public. Worth visiting are the gates of the city: Catherine Gate, Scheii Gate, the White Tower, the Black Tower, the Jewish Synagogue. Also, a stroll along the Rope Road should not be missed, as it is the narrowest road in Romania and one of the narrowest in Europe. Also nice is hiking to Poiana Brasov, along the old route, or going up Mount Tampa by cable car. There are also many spa resorts and centers, as well as lots of museums and cultural events.”
Ionut Gliga says that he has interacted with many individual tourists, but has also stayed in touch with many journalists and representatives of media outlets, as well as other personalities from around the world who have visited the city. All of them has said that the city was way beyond their expectations. Its a place full of charm, dynamism, a green city, which, although rather unknown to them, made a strong impression on them and made them want to come back. They were also impressed with the traditional crafts still preserved in the area.
Ionut Gliga again: “There are places in the city, especially in the towers of the ancient citadel, where there are many interesting things that visitors can see. Tourists can watch at work Ioan Predescu Croitor, a craftsman who also tells very nice stories about peoples interactions with wood. There is also an Association of Traditional and Contemporary Artists, which gathers genuine craftspeople. Tourists can see how a traditional doll is being manufactured, dressed in traditional costumes, how spoons are sculpted or painted, as well as glass painting demonstrations or traditional egg painting. Moreover, there are many famous artists in Brasov county who either manufacture ceramics or textile. Customs have been passed down from one generation to another in many of the countys rural areas. Also, those interested in souvenirs can get them from the small specialized shops in the countys communes.”
Rasnov is a tourist town located 17 km from Brasov. Constantin Ungureanu, the president of the Rosenau Rasnov Tourist Promotion Association, who also owns a guest house in the area, told us that the number of tourists has been growing by the year, thanks to the boatful places they can visit there, the high quality of the tourist services provided and the many cultural and sporting events organized on a regular basis.
Constantin Ungureanu: ” We cannot talk about a tourist season in Rasnov, because there are events held all year round. Rasnov is beautiful no matter the season. In winter people come to practice winters sports, and in summer the town hosts sporting and cultural events every weekend. Then there is nature and history, also beautifully represented here. Most of our guests are foreign. There are many things tourists can visit here, starting with the fortress itself, or the 14th century Evangelical Church, the oldest Orthodox stone-church in south-eastern Europe. Another place worth visiting is Valea Cetatii cave. And, of course, we should not forget about the many cultural events hosted by Rasnov on a regular basis.”
