One of the highest wooden churches in Romania in Bârsana
(31 March 2021)
The locality Bârsana (old spelling Bîrsana) is located in Maramureș County. Situated in a beautiful landscape, Bârsana has sights such as the wooden church “The Entry of the Mother of God into the Church” in the center of the town, built around 1720.
Thank you Adam Jones, Oswald Engelhardt, Țetcu Mircea Rareș for permission to use this image.
The Danube Delta – Nature beyond description
(31 March 2021)
We have already had many posts about the Danube Delta, but again and again and again, it fascinates us again.
Danube Delta – nature reserve and biosphere reserve Find out more …
Fish, fish, fish … in the Danube Delta Find out more …
Mood in the Danube Delta Find out more …
Letea, Romania’s subtropical forest area Find out more …
Thank you Plimbari cu barca Delta Dunarii – Murighiol / Boat trips in Danube Delta for permission to use this image.
Hipparion trails – unforgettable days in nature
(30 March 2021)
Horseback tours through Transylvania, over the main ridge of the Carpathian Mountains, through the Tschangos country, through Little Mongolia to Lake St. Anna and from there to the Varghis Gorge, Homorod Fürth and back over the volcanic plateau of Harghita. Sleep in wilderness tents, Mongolian yurts, simple alpine huts and cozy hostels. A 3-week tour from September 19 to October 10, 2021.
This is just one of the many options that Hipparion Trails Romania offers. The offer can be found in Gheorgheni (in German Niklasmarkt) in eastern Transylvania, in Harghita county.
Contact and much, much more information and tours are available on the website. The website is in German and the Hipparion Trails team also speaks German.
Website: https://hipparionromania.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/horsebackridingromania/
The Băniței Gorges
(30 March 2021)
The gorges are located in the municipality of Băni Gemeindea in Hunedoara county and stretch along high limestone walls. They are about 300 meters long and were dug deep into the limestone water. They can be visited on calm summer days, waterproof shoes are a must as the path from the quays also leads through the water.
The height of the cliff walls is about 10-15 meters and shows how the water has eroded the rock. In many places the rocks form a roof, which has been formed over hundreds of years by horizontal erosion in the current.
Find out more …
Thank you Vlad the Impaler – Dracula for permission to use this image.
They’ll soon be back … storks in Romania
(29 March 2021 / Images: April / May 2020)
From early to mid-April you can see them again … Stork (Romanian for stork), which move to many, many villages, especially in southeastern Romania, to breed here.
Almost every mast, however bold the cable construction may appear, is inhabited with a nest. We will be there in a few weeks and look forward to many, many wonderful pictures of the mother, father and especially the babies of the stork family.
Izvorul Muntelui reservoir in Neamt county
(28 March 2021)
The Izvorul Muntelui Reservoir is located on the central part of the Bistrița River in the Eastern Carpathians of Romania, 4 km upstream from the town of Bicaz. The lake, also known as Lake Bicaz, is the largest artificial lake in the Romanian interior. It was created from the construction of the hydroelectric power plant of the same name between 1950 and 1960 and has a water surface area of about 35 square kilometers. Find out more …
From the snow to the sea… lots of sea
(27 March 2021)
Beautiful pictures of the Black Sea, Constanța, Mamaia and surroundings.
We would like to thank Marius Nistor for permission to use these images.
And once again a lot of snow
(26 March 2021)
Pictures from Poiana Brasov (in German Schulerau), from YESTERDAY… and still lots of snow. While spring is off to a slow start in many parts of Romania, there is still a real winter landscape in the mountains around Brasov.
We would like to thank Poiana Brasov/ Romania for permission to use these images.
Oradea – impressions of a wonderful city
(26 March 2021)
Oradea (German name Grandwardein), hundreds of views and various facets of this city in wonderful pictures.
We would like to thank maciualexandru for permission to use these images.
Oradea – impressions, beginning of spring
(26 March 2021)
These wonderful pictures were taken in the last few days in the city of Oradea, Bihor county, north-western Romania.
We would like to thank maciualexandru for permission to use these images.
Bear Cave in Chișcău
(25 March 2021)
Bear Cave is one of the most famous caves in Romania. It is located in northwest Transylvania / Romania, about 75 kilometers southeast of the city of Oradea in Bihor County.
The Bear Cave (Pietroasa commune, Chișcău village) was discovered by chance in 1975 and presents a world of stalactites impressive by the beauty and variety of its shapes. The highlight of each tour is the visit of a fossilized skeleton of a cave bear (Ursus spelaeus). This skeleton is fully preserved and has been there for about 15,000 years.
We would like to thank Vlad the Impaler – Dracula and Zátonyi Sándor for permission to use these images.
Cluj-Napoca – a city that never sleeps
(24 March 2021)
Cluj-Napoca (German: Klausenburg, Hungarian: Kolozsvár) is the second largest city in Romania and the capital of Cluj county in Transylvania.
Cluj-Napoca is the unofficial capital of Transylvania, with about 700,000 inhabitants. There are universities, a lively nightlife (before and hopefully again after Covid) and many buildings from the times of Hungarian and Saxon rule. Around the main square Union Square is the Gothic St. Michael’s Church and an equestrian statue of King Matthias Corvinus, who lived in the 15th century. The baroque Bánffy Palace is now a museum showcasing Romanian art.
Cluj-Napoca has an international airport and is located in north-western Romania. Find out more …
We would like to thank the city of Cluj-Napoca for permission to use these images.
Castle / Corvin Castle in Hunedoara county
(23 March 2021)
Hunedoara Castle, also called Corvin Fortress or Hunyad Castle, is a medieval fortress near Hunedoara and one of the most important monuments of Gothic architecture in Romania. The fortress was built in the 14th/15th centuries on the remains of a fortification and is one of the most beautiful castles in Europe today. Find out more …
Salinele – Turda / Slanic Prahova / Praid
(22 March 2021)
Romania has a large number of salt mines, which are mostly open to visitors all year round. It’s a special experience for the whole family and definitely recommended as a day trip.
Salina Turda, Cluj county | Praid Salina, Harghita county | Salina Slanic, Prahova county
Lut Castle in Fa Fairy Valley
(21 March 2021)
About 40 km from Sibiu (in the direction of Brasov) is the Castle of Lut Valea Zânelor. Construction started in 2014, and today the “clay castle”, which looks like it was built for hobbits, is marvelous and admired by hundreds of visitors every day. Find out more …
The lonely town on the Black Sea – Sulina
(20 March 2021)
The town of Sulina in the Danube Delta can only be reached by water with private boats and passenger ships. It is not connected to the Romanian road network and is located at the easternmost point of Romania, directly on the Black Sea.
Thank you Sulina fabuloasa for permission to use these images.
Letea, Romania’s subtropical forest area
(19 March 2021)
Letea Forest is located in Tulcea County, in the northeast of the Danube Delta, between the Chilia and Sulina rivers and covers an area of over 5,000 hectares. It is the northernmost subtropical forest in Europe and the oldest nature reserve in Romania. Parts of the forest have been under nature protection since 1930.
Historical documents show that the ancestors of today’s horse population came from the Tatars to the northern Danube Delta 300 to 400 years ago, where they made their home and became increasingly wild.
The Letea Forest is home to 500 plant species and more than 3,000 animal species, more than 2,000 of which are insects. The towering trees, such as oak trees several hundred years old, provide ideal living conditions for hoopoes, for example, but also for wild cats and many other animals. White-tailed eagles, swallows and tons of ducks and ratites are also native here.
Thank you Vlad the Impaler – Dracula for permission to use these images.
Churches and sulphur springs “La Jgheaburi”
(18 March 2021)
Jgheaburi Hermitage (in Piscul Mare village, Valcea County) was built on a site with two wooden churches. One church (Radu Negru) was built around 1300, the second church around 1600 and restored in 1640. In 1827, one of the churches, as it is today, was rebuilt using stone and brick.
This church is also visited because of its sulphurous water springs, which have a positive effect on the body. The name of the hermitage “La Jgheaburi” was given by the locals on the basis of these springs. Find out more …
Thank you Centrul Național de Informare și Promovare Turistică Vâlcea for allowing us to use these wonderful images.
Lake Tarnița in Cluj county
(17 March 2021)
Lake Tarnița is a reservoir in Cluj county between the municipalities of Râșca, Mărișel and Gilău west of Cluj-Napoca. With an area of 2.15 square kilometers, a length of almost 9 km and a maximum depth of over 70 meters, it is a popular tourist and excursion destination.
Thank you Your Guide in Transylvania for allowing us to use these wonderful images.
Gura Portitei – The Danube meets the Black Sea
(17 March 2021)
Gura Portitei is a unique place in Europe where the Black Sea and the Danube Delta meet. It is situated on a narrow strip of sand between the Black Sea and the Goloviței Estuary in the Danube Delta and is part of the municipality of Jurilovca in Tulcea County.
Initially a fishing village, Gura Portiței (Portița) is now known as one of the most remote (and still relatively quiet) tourist destinations on the Romanian coast. Access is usually by boat from Jurilovca. The area is part of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. Read more…
Thank you Vlad the Impaler – Dracula for permission to use this image.
By train through Banat
(16 March 2021)
Banat is a historical region in south-eastern Europe, now part of the states of Romania, Serbia and Hungary. The term Banat is derived from the domain of a Ban (Serbian / Croatian / Hungarian for count / margrave).
The train runs daily from Oravita to Anina and is one of the oldest and most spectacular mountain railroads in Romania, which has been in operation since 1863. The so-called “Iron Road” of south-east Europe leads through 14 tunnels and over 10 viaducts crossing deep valleys. The railway line rises from 218 meters (Oravita) to 558 meters (Anina) and bypasses the Anina Mountains leading through the Jitin Valley.
Thank you Banatul Montan for permission to use these images.
Last weekend – fresh fish
(15 March 2021)
Fisherman Fritz fish fresh fish, fisherman Fritz fish fresh fish. But these pictures are not from Fisherman Fritz, but from last weekend in the Danube Delta. Fresh grilled fish … that you wouldn’t want to be there all your life.
Thank you Plimbari cu barca Delta Dunarii – Murighiol / Boat trips in Danube Delta for permission to use these images.
Transfăgărășan and Lake Balea
(14 March 2021)
A magical route and always an experience, the Transfăgărășan mountain road and Balea lake. Find out more …
Thank you Vlad the Impaler – Dracula for permission to use this image.
Spring in Timișoara
(14 March 2021)
Timisoara’s charm lies in its distinct cultural life, with an impressive combination of Byzantine, Baroque and modern architecture. Interesting sights are the elegant Baroque buildings around the city’s most important squares. Find out more …
Thank you Vlad the Impaler – Dracula for permission to use this image.
And winter / snow greets forever
(12 March 2021)
Pictures of Poiana Brasov from yesterday (March 11, 2021). Lots of snow and few guests, a wonderful backdrop for every skier.
Thank you Poiana Brasov/ Romania for permission to use these pictures.
Oradea – the many facets of a city
(11 March 2021)
Oradea (German: Großwardein) is the capital of the Bihor district in northwestern Romania. Find out more …
Thanks to the city of Oradea for permission to use these images.
Photo shoot outside with girls … boys
(11 March 2021)
Herds of goats, sheep and more are still part of everyday life here in Romania. These photos were taken at the end of January, we walked with the herd for an hour in the countryside (here near Focsani, Vrancea district in eastern Romania). Absolutely calming and pure relaxation!
Transylvanian Ethnographic Museum
(11 March 2021)
The museum (Ethnographic Museum) is located in Cluj-Napoca and was founded in 1922 by Professor Romulus Voia. It has over 40,000 traditional farm objects from the 17th-20th centuries and a documentary film archive with over 80,000 contributions.
The museum consists of two sections. The pavilion and the “Romulus Vuia” entographic park (outdoor area). The pavilion department is located in the “Reduta” palace, a historical monument from the 16th century.
As for the term / museum: Ethnography or ethnography (Ancient Greek ethno, foreign people, graphic, spelled: “Völkerbeschreibung”) attempts to describe the coexistence, social and political organization and cultural characteristics of a society demarcated from the point of view of its members understand. Find out more …
We would like to thank the city of Cluj-Napoca for permission to use these images.
Trasca Fortress (Sankt Georgen)
(9 March 2021)
Trascăului Fortress, also called Colțești Fortress, is located west of the village of Colțești and about 5 km southwest of the municipality of Rimetea (Eisenburg) in Alba County. It was built around 1296 by the voivode (Slavic military leader or title of ruler) Thorotzkay of Trascău as a habitable fortress and refuge.
In 1713 the fortress was conquered and “terraced” (destroyed) by the Austrian House of Habsburg. Centuries have passed since this devastation, but some of the walls and two standing towers are well preserved and provide a wonderful backdrop to the unique landscape of Transylvania.
Thank you La pas..prin România frumoasa for allowing us to use these images.
The Danube Delta wakes up
(9 March 2021)
Spring is starting and nature is waking up. Wonderful pictures of the Danube Delta.
Thank you Plimbari cu barca Delta Dunarii – Murighiol / Boat trips in Danube Delta for permission to use these images.
Fortress / Castle of Râșnov
(7 March 2021)
Approximately 20 km from Brasov (Kronstadt), on the road to Bran is Râșnov (Rosenau). A small town with about 15 td. inhabitants, a fortress and a dino park. In the 14th century a castle was built over the site on limestone cliffs. In 1623 and 1640, an 80 deep well (about 140 meters) was built at the castle, which, according to legend, took two Turkish soldiers, prisoners of war, 17 years to build. The two prisoners were promised their freedom upon completion to build the fountain.
Review – Autumn in Brasov County
(5 March 2021)
These photos were taken in the municipality of Holbav (German Holbach) in the county of Brasov (Transylvania). There are atmospheric images that invite you to linger, but also to take extended hikes.
Thanks to Mrs. Ligia Ogrutan for permission to use these impressive images.
Bran Castle – with or without Dracula
(4 March 2021)
Bran Castle (also Törzburg, Romanian Bran Castle, Hungarian Törcsvár) is located in the Transylvania region of Romania. Whether Dracula (or his namesake “Vlad III. Draculea”) lived here or elsewhere, the castle is certainly a sight to behold and well worth a visit with its associated museum.
From 1920-1947 it was the royal residence of King Ferdinand I and his wife, Queen Marie and their daughter, Princess Ileana, who inherited the castle from their mother in 1938. Today, the castle is owned by the Habsburg family, who received it back from the Romanian state as legal property during the 2006 succession.
Thank you Castelul Bran pentru permission to use these images.
Sighișoara, wonderful views
(3 March 2021)
The town of Sighișoara is located in the Mureș county in the heart of Transylvania and is the largest medieval fortress in Europe. Here again are many wonderful impressions, complementing our post from last December.
Thanks to Mrs. Ligia Ogrutan and Mr. Walter Kärcher (1 image) for permission to use these impressive images.
1 March: Mărțișor
(28 Februarie 2021)
The marquis is a typical March 1st gift in Romania. It consists of a red and white string, usually with a small pendant, and is attached to clothing. The so-called ‘March’ symbolizes spring and was originally worn by women and children. The two colors (red and white) symbolize snow and the sun.
On this day, mainly women receive the marquise as a gift, lucky charms are attached to the thread and as soon as you (or here the woman) see a tree in bloom, you throw the marquise into it and make a wish!
