So today we decided to present to you the best of the festive bunch. We start with Sibiu, in central Romania. The Christmas market there is a cultural project initiated by the Austrian Embassy\u2019s Social Attach\u00e9 Office in Romania, represented by Barbara Schofnagel, in partnership with the Sibiu municipality. Exhibitors from 20 Romanian counties will present their offer. Visitors can choose from a variety of handicraft objects and Christmas decorations and can also taste sweets, roast chestnuts, homemade cakes, specialties of the Romanian and Hungarian cuisine and of course, mulled wine. Andrei Dragan Radulet, the event\u2019s manager, says the reactions of the visitors of the Sibiu Christmas market have been positive. <\/p>\n
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Andrei Dragan Radulet: \u201cWhen we opened the Christmas Market in the city\u2019s Big Square the venue proved to be too small for the many visitors. Their number grows every year and their expectations are higher and higher. It is our responsibility to make sure we don\u2019t let our visitors down. The Christmas lights are as beautiful as we expected and so are the small cottages. Visitors spend a lot of time here, that\u2019s why shows are usually scheduled on weekends when people have enough time to attend them. The daily schedule is posted on the event\u2019s website with versions in Romanian, English, French and German. All cottages are open daily, between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The Sibiu Christmas Market and the \u201cWe Help\u201d Association are partners of the ShoeBox program this year as well. Under this program, everybody can make presents to poor children. The idea is that each donor should offer presents that fit a shoebox, hence the project\u2019s name. Boxes should be nicely wrapped and should be presented at collecting centers unsealed, to be prepared for their recipients on categories such as gender and age.<\/p>\n
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Andrei Dragan Radulet also told us about another project initiated three years ago: \u201cWe have a city break offer that starts from 45 euros per person for two nights, Friday to Sunday. 12 accommodation facilities are included in the program, from three star guesthouses to four-star hotels, all located in the city center. The offer also includes the transfer from airport or train station to the hotel and a guided tour of the city. The tour ends at the Christmas market and the bonus is a visit to the Council Tower. Mulled wine tasting and a gift card for souvenirs are also part of the offer, which is taken every year by around 500 tourists. This gives them the chance to visit one of the youngest Christmas markets in the country, comparable with those in other European cities. So we\u2019re kindly inviting tourists to visit the city during winter holidays.\u201d<\/p>\n
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If it\u2019s gingerbread hearts, Santa hats and traditional objects that you\u2019re after, then the Bucharest Christmas market is the perfect place for you. Between November 29 and December 28, the capital city makes the most of two of its assets, the Cismigiu Park and the University Square. Stalls focus on Christmas decorations, contemporary ceramics, jewelry and paintings by local craftspeople but also on food, with traditional jams, pretzels, pies and cakes being the favourite with tourists.<\/p>\n
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Ema Stoica, one of the project\u2019s coordinators, tells us more about it: \u201cThere is also a place for children to meet Santa and a merry-go-round. As usual, the now traditional humanitarian campaign organized by the Bucharest mayoralty in partnership with SOS Children\u2019s Villages Romania, aimed at solving social problems is under way. Toys and books can be donated and there is even a wish fir tree, which can make children\u2019s dreams come true through donations. Daily shows held in the University Square with music for all tastes are also part of the Bucharest Christmas Market. So we think that Bucharest is worth visiting at this time of the year. \u201c<\/p>\n
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Add Timisoara, in western Romania, on your radar this month, if you want to be part of the 8th edition of its Christmas market. The city\u2019s deputy mayor, Dan Diaconu, tells us what\u2019s special about this year\u2019s edition.<\/p>\n
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Dan Diaconu: \u201cThis fair has a long tradition and can easily be one of the city\u2019s tourist attractions this month. The Christmas light in the Victory Square creates a fairytale atmosphere. We have a large offer of products and special shows every day. This month we also celebrate 25 years since Timisoara, the city where the 1989 revolution started, became free of communism. We are sure that Victory Square will be crowded with people eager to attend concerts and shows. \u201c <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Christmas is just around the corner and a festive air has gripped the whole country. Little by little we get into the presents-giving spirit by picking out presents at the Christmas markets opened in every city, with gift ideas from independent producers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":128,"featured_media":147571,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43423],"tags":[],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-147570","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travellers-guide"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n