Traveling in Romania is in itself an adventure – sometimes challenging but ultimately rewarding, thanks to the country’s history going back to the ancient Romans and the diversity of landscapes, cultural influences, and people. In addition to ethnic Romanians which form the majority of the population, over a million Hungarians live in the country, and a number of Transylvanian Germans (Saxons) still inhabit the lands they were invited to fortify, defend, and economically develop in the Middle Ages.
Romania’s main tourist draw is, of course, the Transylvania region, which attracts millions of visitors each year because of the historic sites associated (often erroneously) with the local nobleman Vlad Tepes – the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s 19th-century vampire novel Dracula.
Romania’s most authentic charms actually lie in the remoter and less-visited areas beyond the capital Bucharest and Transylvania and this is especially true for the northernmost regions of Maramures and Bucovina with their lush countryside, small villages, traditional houses, and the UNESCO-protected wooden churches and painted monasteries.
