The famous
\nholiday fairs have started to open in towns and cities all over Romania. One
\nsuch famous fair is the one in Sibiu, a joint project involving the city and
\nthe Office of the Social Attach\u00e9 with the Austrian Embassy in Romania. For over
\na month, locals and tourists can visit the stands put up by companies from all
\nover the country, and kids can attend theme workshops run in Santa’s Workshop. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
In
\nSibiu, the seasonal offer is quite diverse. Almost all hotels and guest houses
\nhave special packages with circuits, traditional meals, and in some cases
\nfolklore shows. However, no matter where you choose to book accommodation, you
\nwill eventually reach downtown, in the Grand Plaza, where you’ll find the
\nfamous Sibiu Christmas fair. We talked about it with Andrei Radulet, manager of
\nthe event.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Andrei Radulet: The
\n2015 edition of the Sibiu Christmas fair has reached its ninth edition. This
\nyear we’ve tried to blend the experience of visiting the fair for the purpose
\nof purchasing gifts with the experience of spending time at the Christmas Fair.
\nWe want them to discover the tradition of people coming here after hours, with
\nfriends or colleagues, to sample some of the delicacies that you can find at
\nthe fair. Before Christmas, children are the center of attention, and we want
\nto offer them all sorts of entertainment. It can be an all-around experience,
\nbe they locals or tourists.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The
\nChristmas Fair in Sibiu was opened on November 20th with a gospel
\nconcert. What does the fair look like, though? Andrei Radulet explains:<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
We have
\nput up 73 huts in the Grand Plaza. This is a medieval market, which is great to
\nvisit even when there are no events there. We have a large Christmas tree, and
\nthe plaza is covered in lights. We have an entertainment area for children,
\nwhich we call Santa’s Park. We have a traditional carousel, a little train with
\na pretty long track, with its own station and even a tunnel. We also have a
\ntrack for little cars for kids, and the main attraction this year is the
\nbeautiful construction we put up, Santa’s Workshop. It is a fairy tale house.
\nIt is painted in red, with a red and white roof and white windows. This is the
\nvenue for the creative workshops we organize.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
In the
\nhouses in Sibiu’s old center there are restaurants, cafes and bars, where you
\ncan listen to a wide selection of carols, Romanian traditional music, or jazz.
\nIn the old area of the city you can find outdoor bars, clubs, hotels and guest
\nhouses, most of them in historical buildings. One of the hotels, for instance,
\nhas kept the name it had as far back as 1773. Along the centuries, it has
\nprovided accommodation for famous people, like Franz Liszt, Johann Strauss and
\nJohannes Brahms. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Folklore tradition is also well preserved. You can find
\ntraditional craftsmen in the Grand Plaza too, according to Andrei Radulet: Some
\nwork in wood, sometimes decorative objects, other times functional objects like
\nspoons or plates. There is a craftsman making glass globes. He even makes them
\non the spot, but he takes special orders too. Tourists can present their own
\ndesign ideas to him, and he makes them in his workshop, which is somewhere
\nelse, not in the hut in the plaza. Another craftsman makes various objects from
\nfelt. It is very interesting to see how he uses a special technique, creating
\nvarious decorative objects and toys, like mice and Santas. We have a selection
\nof carols, off all kinds, Romanian and international, to create the season
\natmosphere. Starting this year, every Saturday we have a special event, called
\nSanta’s Crew. A group of wind instrument players, in Santa Claus outfits, with
\ntrumpets and saxophones, play Christmas songs, going around the fair. The
\nChristmas fair opened its gates on November 20th, and stays open
\nuntil January 3rd.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Like
\nall the other European capitals, the fair in Bucharest is the place to be if
\nyou want to enjoy the holiday atmosphere. Kids and grownups alike can revel in
\nSanta’s magical world, full of gifts and lights. The Bucharest Christmas Market
\nmeans a full month of fun in the center of Romania’s capital, according to
\nCristina Lixandru, PR consultant with Creart: <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
This is
\na month dedicated to shows and concerts held by famous artists and bands, and
\ntraditional ensembles from all over the country. We have a humanitarian
\ncampaign every year, too. It is a Christmas fair where visitors can find
\nvarious traditional products from various parts of the country. Here you can
\nalso visit Santa’s House, which even has Santa’s helpers, where we can’t wait
\nto welcome kids and grownups. We are also running a yearly social campaign,
\nunder which we urge people to get actively involved in helping disadvantaged
\nchildren by donating books and toys. The campaign runs until December 20th.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
60
\nhuts have been put up in the Christmas fair in Bucharest, and every evening a
\nfamous band has a concert. Cristina Lixandru says it is a very special
\natmosphere: <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
This
\nyear the whole area is brightly lit. We have a net of lights over the entire
\narea, as well as lit arches and huts that are beautifully decorated. This year,
\nSanta’s House is spectacular. It is a large house, where the elves, Santa’s
\nHelpers, are ready to welcome you. Bucharest Christmas Market is open daily
\nbetween 11 AM and 10 PM.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The Bucharest
\nChristmas Market is ready to welcome you until December 27th . <\/p>\n
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