Geotourism: Romania

Note:

The following was published in the newsletter of my former employer. One of the monthly features was a travel article to a place of geological interest. I wrote this piece after returning from a wonderful, two-week trip to Romania in 2015.

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Back in the good old days when vampires didn’t wear makeup or wreak havoc at the box office with terrible movies, they lived peaceful lives in quaint Transylvanian castles, terrifying peasants and scaring away nosy Ottomans. This month’s Geotour takes readers to Romania, a land of castles, unfiltered beer, and spectacular geology.

Bucharest, the most common port of entry for travelers, is interesting with the juxtaposition of the old town of the 18^th century with the traces of the communist regime of the 1980s and the party lifestyle of youth today. Two days are enough to explore Bucharest, which boasts several attractions including the Palatul Parlamentului (the world’s second largest building after the Pentagon), the famous Case cu Bere (Bucharest’s oldest pub, serving unfiltered beer on tap), and the Herastrau Park with its sailing boats and floating cafes.

Stained glass windows at Casa cu Bere

The geology starts in Sinaia, Jewel of the Carpathians, two hours away by train. A popular hill resort and former summer getaway of the Romanian monarchy, Sinaia has something to offer travelers of all tastes. The Castelul Peles, built in the early 19^th century by King Carol 1, is the first stop with handsome interiors dedicated to the Turkish, French, Italian, and Romanian cultures.

The Peles Castle in Sinaia

Hiking trails to the Bucegi Mountains National Park begin at the nearby town of Busteni. A cable car is available to ferry people to the top, with breathtaking views of limestone cliffs along the way. Bucegi is famous for its rock formations, the Sphinx and Babele, rock formations built out of glacial sediments. Glacial erratics of granite and limestone are encountered within the sandstones, and limestone caverns are a short hiking distance away. The highlight though is the trek up to the park and back, a round trip that takes close to eight hours through coniferous forests, rope bridges, and glaciers cutting through limestone.

The Sphinx, carved out of glacial till, with tiny geologist for scale.

Hiking down from Bucegi National Park

The final stop on the tour is Brasov, the centre of Dracula country. Founded by the Teutonic Knights in the 13^th century, Brasov is famous for its cobbled streets, fortifications and watch towers, and most of all, the famous Black Church. Devastated by a fire during the Turkish War between the Ottomans and Habsburgs in the 17^th century, the church’s blackened façade gave it its new name. The Bran Castle, supposedly one of the inspirations for Bram Stoker’s Dracula (though Stoker never visited Romania himself) is nearby and makes for a good day trip. Brasov’s geology is to be marveled at as well, with the Valea Cetatii caves close at hand. A short tour conducted by speleologists from Brasov is the usual way to visit, but advance notice lets you join experienced cavers in a two hour crawl through the caverns. The Brasov Philharmonic (though stripped down to five performers) plays inside the caves once a week as well.

Romanian food is definitely great for meat-lovers (Mici, Romanian meatballs with potatoes is particularly recommended), but soups are a big part of the menu almost everywhere and can be a tasty option. Palinca, or plum liqueur, is a local favourite and is surprisingly pleasant when sipped, but at the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder. I was happy to add a bottle to my growing collection of unusual liquor from abroad!