Romania
Not every country can claim to be immortalised in print as a land of gothic castles set amongst the wind swept mountains, home to Bram Stokers "Count Dracula" or Jules Verne's "The Castle from the Carpathians". Although this is a country boasting many historic castles and dramatic mountain ranges, it is also a country of over 2,500 lakes, orchards, vineyards, art, culture, history and booming coastal resorts.
Set within the southeastern corner of Central Europe flanked by Hungary, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova and the stunning Black Sea Coast. Romania is blessed with vast regions of meadow, orchards, up to 3,500 lakes and the Carpathians the largest mountain range encompassing Transylvania and only separated from the Alps by the Danube River.
The famous Danube River runs through eight countries finally reaching the end of its journey in Romania where it meets the Black Sea, creating the Danube Delta the largest delta in Europe, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Paradise to nature lovers, trekkers and eco-tourists alike, the delta is home to hundreds of different species of birds, hundreds of plant species and over 150 types of fish including the Sturgeon.
The natural beauty belies a turbulent history, enduring centuries of invaders from the Ottoman's through to the communist government and the dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu, deposed in the 1989 uprising. Since 1991 the Romanian people enjoy the same privileges as the rest of the democratic free world. The government has made considerable strides into turning the fortunes of this stunning country around economical following long-term plans and investment and accession to the EU is tabled for 2007.
Situated in the south, the capital city of Bucharest offers a rich variety of historical and cultural attractions including the Palace of Parliament the second largest building in the world boasting 6,000 rooms, The Royal Palace known as the National Art Museum today home to over 70,000 works of art and the President's official residence the Controceni Palace. As befitting a European capital, the city is awash with culture, the National Philharmonic, Opera House and numerous theatres are just a few of the attractions to numerous to mention.
One of Romania's best kept secrets is the 150km coastline of the Black Sea Coast. Miles of sandy beaches dotted with a string of resorts each with their own character, offering a variety of accommodation ranging from luxury villas, hotels to budget apartments. The resorts are well equipped offering a variety of activities such as water sports, fishing, boating, trekking or just relaxing on the beach and a wide choice of local and international restaurants serving freshly caught seafood, cafes, beachfront bars and nightlife all at an exceptionally reasonable price.
Getting to Romania has never been easier a comfortable couple of hours flights from most European cities, with scheduled flights from major