2021 was another atypical year,
\nwith many restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic and with tour operators
\ntrying to adjust their offers to meet health safety requirements. Under the
\ncircumstances, outdoor packages were in most demand, but there was also a
\ngrowing interest in packages for traditional destinations and city-breaks.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
In our first show in 2021, we
\nlooked at one of the most ambitious tourist projects in Romania called Via
\nTransilvanica. Still in progress, it involves the restoration of 1,200 km of road,
\nfrom Putna, in the north of the country, to Drobeta Turnu Severin in the
\nsouth-west, crossing all of Transylvania. The journey takes from several days
\nto several weeks, and information is also available about places to eat and spend
\nthe night, as well as the history and culture of the various geographical areas
\nvisitors pass through. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The show’s next stop was Buz\u0103u
\ncounty, which is home to the spectacular muddy volcanoes and an amber museum established
\nrecently with European funding. From Buz\u0103u we travelled to R\u00e2\u0219nov, in the heart
\nof Romania. Surrounded by mountains, this was the first tourist town in the
\ncountry to benefit from European funding for promotion back in 2009. A town
\nwith a rich history, R\u00e2\u0219nov has a beautiful mediaeval fortress where many
\ncultural events are held, but it is also popular with mountain enthusiasts, as
\nmany trekking routes begin here. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The show next travelled south, to
\nthe Danube and Mehedin\u021bi county, which is the ideal destination for cave
\ntourism, mountain climbing, rafting, horseback riding and cycling. And if you
\ntake the Or\u0219ova-Cazanele Mari route, you’ll be able to see some of the most
\nbreath-taking landscapes created by the river Danube, as well as many
\nhistorical sites. Satu Mare county, in the north, is
\nanother equally interesting destination, with its Somes Valley being well known
\nfor its precious metal mining tradition. From here we went to the Roman castrum
\nof Porolissum and the Gr\u0103dina Zmeilor nature reserve, while sampling the local gastronomic
\noffer in S\u0103laj county.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
When spring arrived, the show
\nvisited the spring edition of the Romanian Travel Fair, which was held
\nexclusively online, but brought together lots of participants and interesting
\npackages. The next destination was Transylvania, more precisely Harghita county,
\nwith its surprising landscapes and family friendly sites. South of Harghita, Prahova
\nValley is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Romania, with lots of
\nopportunities for active tourism, as well as wine tasting events, not to
\nmention rich in history and culture. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
In 2021, the show also discussed a
\ntransnational project funded with European Union money aimed to promote cycling
\nalong the river Danube and in which Romania is also involved alongside nine
\nother Danube countries. The Danube Delta is another must on the list of places
\nto see in Romania, with the nearby Dobrogea region being home to archaeological
\nsites, beautiful river gorges and old monasteries, among others. From the Danube
\nDelta Biosphere Reserve, the show then travelled to the Piatra Craiului
\nmountain reserve, with its stunning mountain peaks. With tourists looking to spend
\nmore time outdoors because of the pandemic and social distancing, horseback
\nriding became an increasingly popular activity. Romania has also embraced this
\ntrend and boasts many stables and horse riding schools located in the middle of
\nnature, some close to nature reserves. One such reserve is in Apuseni
\nMountains, which are not the tallest of mountains, but are ideal for many different
\nactivities. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
With coronavirus restrictions easing
\nover the summer, the show visited V\u00e2lcea county, home to many monasteries and spas,
\nand then the multicultural Timi\u0219 county, before travelling to the Black Sea coast.
\nThe fortified churches of Transylvania are another favourite destination for
\ntravellers to Romania, as is the mediaeval town of Sighi\u0219oara, which was added
\nin 1999 on the UNESCO world heritage list. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
In this part of the world, grapes
\nare picked in autumn, so as fall came, the show discussed the Romanian wine
\nmaking industry, a sector that is not only very large and growing, but also
\nincreasingly recognised for the quality of the wines it produces. The show then
\ntravelled to Romania’s first urban nature park located just 5 km from the
\ncentre of Bucharest, the V\u0103c\u0103re\u0219ti Nature Park. The list of outdoor activities
\ncontinued with a trip to Bucegi Mountains, followed by Hunedoara, with its
\ngastronomic attractions such as bacon salami, truffle cheese, olive cheese and
\nfruit spread. Towards the end of the year, the show visited two historical
\nregions, Bukovina and Maramure\u0219, rediscovering why they are in such demand for
\nspending the winter holidays. In our last show in 2021, we talked about where
\nvisitors can spend New Year’s Eve in Romania. (CM)<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A look back at the show’s tourist destinations in 2021.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":128,"featured_media":150678,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43423],"tags":[29229],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-150677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travellers-guide","tag-tourism"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n