Shopping in Romania – A Worthwhile Experience

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Visiting Romania is always worthwhile whether you talk of attractions, natural beauty, modern amenities, nightlife or shopping. You have many an options to shop around in different places of the country. However, talking about one of them will give you fair idea of what sort of shopping Romania avenues are there to be exploited. Let’s take Bucharest for this purpose.

If you have landed in Bucharest especially for shopping, you might have to be ready to pay a hefty bill as the city normally makes the shoppers loose their pocket. However, this city gives you numerous options to have a wonderful experience of shopping some unique things for your dearest ones. You can buy souvenirs for that special one who demands you to bring something Romanian. A few ideas regarding that are furnished here.

Districts and streets of Bucharest featured in Romanian monopoly is an excellent thing you can gift someone. It costs only around 60 lei and is available in toy and book stores. For buying Romanian folk costumes and souvenirs, you can expect Bucharest to feature a good collection of handcrafts shops. To find the best collections of folk costumes, shop of the National Peasant Museum is probably the best place in Bucharest.

Some visitors are great admirer of Romanian football. And they are always ready to grab the opportunity of getting something as a memory. You can buy the Official shirts of Romania’s most successful club. Unofficial versions can be bought from the Steaua shop on Str. Brezoianu. For buying antiques you can head for the shops in the Lipscani area.

Famous Sites in Romania

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The largest land in the southeastern Europe is Romania. Because of its distance on the sea and varied terrain, its climate is transitional in between continental and temperate. Hence, diverse plants and creatures are found in right here. Romanian will be the national language of this unitary semi-presidential republic.

The funds of Romania is Bucharest, dubbed as the Little Paris as a consequence of their own Arch of Triumph, its tree-bounded boulevards, and Belle Époque structures.

The central region of Romania includes Transylvania the property with the renowned yet intriguing Count Dracula. Many medieval towns are located right here, towns of marvelous architectural structures like castles, churches and old houses built by Saxon craftsmen some nine centuries ago. Just one of which is the UNESCO’s Earth Heritage web page Biertan Fortified Church.

From Germany’s Black Forest towards the Black Sea flows the Danube River, the river that flows with the largest amount of nations internationally. Its delta is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts for it serves since the habitats of several colonies of birds. The Danube Delta is the second largest and also the most preserved deltas throughout Europe; and may be the third largest biodiversity internationally alongside Fantastic Barrier Reef and Galapagos Islands.

Other national and healthy parks like Apuseni Nature Park present the unique variety of landscape, vegetation and wildlife encompassing every single geographic beauty. And this assortment offers several adventures like horse riding, trekking, hiking and much more.

An authentic Romanian experience is riding the only remaining and working narrow gauge forestry railway in Maramures. This may be the only transport system, asides from strolling, which gains access from the Vaser Valley.

But additional than any astonishing scenery, nothing beats the good thing about humankind whose information and skills in creating concrete cultural heritage is superior. Scattered nationally are numerous Romanians who were designated through the UNESCO as Living Human Treasures.

Must-See Attractions on Your Trip to Romania

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Romania is a country with a rich medieval heritage, as well as a land of awe-inspiring architecture. Each year, many tourists book a trip to Romania to see the ancient houses along the streets of Sibiu, the picturesque monasteries in Bucovina and of course, the magnificent Romanian castles towering over Transylvania and its neighboring cities.

Indeed, the Romanian castles are attractions worth seeing for anyone planning a trip to Romania. Dating back to as far as the 13th century, these imposing structures used to be the homes of Saxon nobility – a fact attested to by their luxurious interiors and austere defenses. Because of this, some of them have also been considered as World Heritage Sites.

One such castle is the Calnic Castle or Calnic Fortified Church located near Sibiu. Built by Count Chyl de Kelling during the 13th century, this castle has survived many sieges from the Ottoman empire, probably because of its high walls and defensive towers, including the Siegfried Tower. The firing windows of the five-storey Siegfried tower are noticeable even from afar, making it truly a historical landmark.

The most popular among the Romanian castles, though, is the Bran Castle in Brasov, which is also a national monument. Its beautiful turrets and majestic walls make it a must-see for anyone on a trip to Romania, although most of its fame comes from its nickname – Dracula’s Castle – and the mysterious legends that go with it. While the legend may never be proved, the rumor that Vlad Tepes used to live there is enough to lure flocks of tourists every year.

Another popular Romanian castle is the Corvinesti Castle, the former residence of Prince Iancu, one of Romania’s most famous rulers. Located in Hunedoara, it is considered as the country’s greatest, particularly because of its impressive drawbridge, vast halls and more than 50 chambers decorated with medieval art.

The Peles Castle in Sinaia is also one of the most enchanting Romanian castles, as well, as one of the most magnificent castles in all of Europe. It is also the first European castle to be electrically lit. Built in the 18th century, Peles Castle is an outstanding example of Neo-Renaissance architecture and consists of 170 lavishly furnished rooms, although only 35 are open to the public.

Although not technically one of the Romanian castles, the Palace of Culture in Iasi also deserves some attention on your trip to Romania. It is one of the largest buildings in Romania and is home to four different museums: The Museum of Art, The Museum of Science and Technology, The Museum of History and The Museum of Ethnography.

You can also visit the Fagaras Castle, although it has been reduced to a shadow of its former glory, as well as the Valea Viilor Fortress and Mogosoaia Palace. Don’t forget the other minor Romanian castles and fortresses, too. Although smaller and relatively unknown, they can still make your trip to Romania complete and truly memorable.

Tourist Attractions: Massiveness Manifested in Romania

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It needs an endless session to accomplish the talk on the attractions in Romania. Plethora of fabulous spots with eye catching stuff to be observed is at every stride of the visitors. Romania tourist attractions represent the true tradition and culture of entire country. You will get real reflection of glorious past, opulent present and magnificent future of this beautiful country when you start moving to one destination from another. As I said, It needs an endless session to talk on all the worth visiting places in Romania, a little description of some of them would give you an insight of assets of this country:

On the left side of Olt River, Arutela is a famous tourist spot in the country. It is in Poiana Bivolari a place in Valcea County. Cozia Monastery is t the left of this place. This is an ancient stone building preserved by archeologists. Partly restored by the efforts of archeologists, its gate and interior walls are in much better condition. Basarabi is an excellent village location where people do visit to experience the remaining of quarry and a monastic community. You will find a few churches of 11th century sculptured out in chalk at this spot. Many other ruins of ancient strongholds are there for people with interest in archeology.

Amongst the natural attractions, the mountains are one of the most impressive. Carpathians Mountain has highest peak of 2,500 meter. It surrounds a high plateau 400 – 600 m in height. The massiveness of Carpathians Mountain is not greater in comparison to other mountainous chains. The reason being that it they are crossed by several transversal valleys, depressions and corridors.

Romania

HOW TO BUY REAL ESTATE IN ROMANIA

Darwin wrote a long time ago (1859) in his book “the theory of evolution” that neither the strongest species neither the most intelligent survives…..rather the most adaptable.

I guess this theory applies in every aspect of life and seemingly in real estate too. The real estate party started in 2000 and started ending in the summer of 2008, back then every body was trying to make a good profit in the “el Dorado of Balkans”.

No business plan, no target group…no nothing.Only the greed for a quick profit and all that in a period in which as an owner the liquidity of the real estate was comparing with the one of the stock market.

Today the cruel reality the investors are facing is that there is no one to sell to except the “end user”. The only real need to be satisfied is the need for housing since the need for speculation us surpassed by the fear of financial “stagnation”

So what is the real estate segmentation right now?

Most of the real estate transactions are up to 70-80.000 euro, this amount being the “ceiling” since the credits obtained by the population are warranted from the National Bank of Romania up to this amount (prima casa).

The question is which is going to be the trend the following years to come and if the old communist bloc apartment will continue selling.

A couple of months ago a friend of mine called me very happy to announce me that she was going to buy an apartment.

Since she wanted my opinion I asked her two questions…

The first was the year the block was constructed…..and it was about 1975…. and the second questions was…”after 10 years whom are you going to sell to?”.

There was a pause on the phone and after she thanked me she told me she had to think it again….I really don’t think is necessary to mention what she did after all but we all know what she didn’t.

After all some times the answer is inside us…..the problem is to find the right questions.

REAL ESTATE

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According to a recent report released in the UK about which European property markets have the greatest potential for growth and profit over the coming decade, Romania topped the lot.

Romania, located in southeastern Europe, is a nation poised on the brink of full European Union membership and one benefiting from substantial foreign direct investment and economic advancement as a result. According to the report these facts mean that over the coming decade the housing market in Romania will likely go from strength to strength and anyone who invests before EU membership is cemented could net up to 400% profit on their investment in the next ten years.

The report was based on an economic assessment and overview of each country in Europe and included analysis of the room for growth within each country’s real estate sector. Because property prices in Romania start from as little as twenty thousand US dollars, the room for property price expansion is clear. The low starting prices for real estate in Romania also mean that its property sector is already attracting substantial international real estate investor interest.

Investors from all backgrounds are attracted to Romania – those with a small sum of money to invest are looking to make immediate gains from buying apartments in Bucharest pre-construction which can be purchased by stage payment and profited from upon completion when investors are flipping the real estate right back into the market. Those with more substantial sums of money to invest are generally drawn to either the commercial property sector in Bucharest or Romania’s burgeoning tourism market.

Opportunities in Romania’s tourism market exist along the country’s stunning and as yet undeveloped 225km of Black Sea coastline and also in Romania’s quality but as yet little known winter sport resorts. Accommodation in these locations is required to let out to tourists and a growing number of British, Russian and eastern European citizens are also seeking second homes in these areas of Romania as well, with most preferring to purchase established but well renovated properties.

Other opportunities exist in the form of fairytale properties for sale in Transylvania with castles, medieval houses and entire farms available for sale to overseas investors looking to diversify their property portfolios and buy real estate in one of the most stunningly beautiful, romantic and ancient European countries.

If the real estate and economic expert analysis of Romania’s property market potential is correct, those who buy in Romania today could be looking at the realization of 400% profit within the next ten years – this means that someone who invests as little as twenty thousand dollars today could potentially reap sixty thousand dollars profit within ten years…now that’s what I call potential!

ATTRACTIONS

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Romania is a country in Europe. Although it was not a major tourist destination before the 1990s, now, it has opened itself up to people who would love to see historical places as well as beautiful sceneries. Here are top ten cities in Romania that a visitor should visit.

1.) Bucharest City

In Bucharest, you can visit Romania’s famous museums like the Village Museum and the Museum of the Romanian Peasant as well as Curtea Veche Museum. A lovely walk along the Old City is also a must for any visitor. Likewise, visiting the many churches here as well as monasteries should also be included.

2.) Brasov City in Transylvania

This city has a lot of beautiful places and buildings to see, among them is the Old Town where you will find the Black Church as well as the Piata Sfatilui or Council Square. There are also museums here as well as the infamous Bran Castle, known to be Dracula’s Castle. There are great places to ski here in Brasov also.

3.) Sibiu City of Transylvania

There is an old town here that you can visit if you want a taste of history as well as culture. Likewise, there is also the Citadel of Sibiu and the Huet Square for you to see. You can also see many fortified churches during the Medieval Period that are still standing.

4.) Sighisoara City

For a culture-high, this city is a must-visit as well. Here, you will surely enjoy the sights of the Sighisoara Citadel. You can also visit its Weapon Museum, which houses a lot of medieval weaponry.

5.) Cluj-Napoca City

So far, this is the most popular city in Romania and is the capital of Transylvania. As such, there are a lot of places to see here like the many museums such as the National Art Museum ad the National Museum of the History of Transylvania. Or you can always visit its parks like the Botanical Garden as well as Central Park.

6.) Constanta City

This city is home to many museums such as the National Museum of History and Archeology, which houses artifacts dating from the Greek and Roman eras. You can also find here the Statue of Ovid. If you want more of nature, then this is a great place to sunbath in its beaches or walk in its parks.

7.) Lasi City

The Place of Culture can be found in Lasi City, which is also another tourist destination if you want to know more about the culture and history of Romania. There are also several churches like the Trei Lerarhi Church as well as the Metropolitan Church. You can also take a relaxing stroll or a nice rest in the city’s Botanical Garden.

8.) Suceava City

The main tourist destination here is the Suceava Fortress. This ancient fortress was erected during the 14th and 15th century and was made more impressive by Stephen the Great. As such, this was never overpowered by attackers.

9.) Timisoara City

This is a wonderful city to visit as it has the Opera Square or the Piata where you will also get to enjoy the wonderful sight of the Roman Orthodox Cathedral as well as get to see majestic palaces of the rich Romanians. In this city, you will surely love a walk in its parks. You can also visit the Union Square or the Piata Unirii where you will get to see historical buildings like the Catholic Dome and the Baroque Palace, etc.

10.) Gura Humorului

This is not in par with the other cities but still a good place to visit nonetheless. Along the way to Gura Humorului, do not forget to drop by Bucovina to see the Painted Monasteries. You can also go to Voronet where you and your loved one will surely enjoy a leisurely walk where the landscape is a great sight to behold.

Relaxation and Points of Interest

HOW TO BUY PROPERTY IN ROMANIA

Mention Romania and people immediately think of Dracula and a mid-evil country. Recovering from years of economic misery, Romania is quickly becoming the hidden jewel of Eastern Europe.

Dracula v. Ceausescu

In pop culture, Romania is always equated with Count Dracula, Bran Castle and Transylvania. These assumptions are wrong. Vlad Tepes is widely regarded as the person on whom the Dracula character is based. Known as Vlad the Impaler, there is no disputing this was one nasty individual, but he wasn’t a vampire. On top of this, Vlad the man never resided in Bran Castle, a real castle and the home of the fictional Dracula. Sorry to burst your bubble, but there was a person arguably worse than Dracula or Vlad in Romania’s history.

Introducing Nicolae Ceausescu, the reigning worst dictator in the history of Europe. A pig on all counts, this man treated Romania as his personal fiefdom through much of the twentieth century. While leading the country into economic ruin, he built lavish estates for he and his wife. While Romanians starved on the streets, he and his wife spent money like Joan Collins at a plastic surgeon. When he was finally expelled from office, the people were so outraged by his excess that he and his wife were literally stoned to death.

Unfortunately, the country didn’t recover quickly. The last five years, however, have seen major advancements, and Romania is now a must visit location.

Bucharest

Once considered the Paris of the East, Bucharest suffered greatly during Ceausescu’s reign. Ancient buildings with French and Turkish influences were replaced with communist inspired concrete block buildings in redevelopment projects. Currently, the city is a microcosm of the lurching recovery of the country. Elegant neighborhoods border slums and there appears to be little or no middle class. There appears to be only the poor or rich. When visiting Romania, you will have to fly into Bucharest. Just don’t stay too long.

Brasov

Brasov is located in the hilly terrain of Transylvania and is a good place to visit. Located in the center of the country, Brasov is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains. The city is a resounding example of old world Romania with an ancient center city square and little cafes throughout.

The real appeal of Brasov is the surrounding land. Unspoiled, the mountains surrounding Brasov are full of little villages and surrounding forests. In this area, you’ll find bears, wolves and other threatened animals roaming freely. On top of this, the land is ripe with outdoor activity opportunities such as skiing, hiking, camping, hunting, rock climbing and parachuting. While all of this exists in other travel destinations, there is no tourist trap feel in Brasov.

Carpathian Mountains

The Carpathian Mountains are visually stunning. While there are attractions throughout the mountains, such as Bran Castle, don’t try to simply visit a particular place. Instead, rent a car in Brasov or hire a driver and just go for a ride. The scenery is so overwhelming it is hard to describe. You’ll drive down and up into gorges that seem endless, see rivers bombing down mountain sides and see animals only found in National Geographic documentaries. Go for this drive and I guarantee you will be blabbering about it for at least five days.

Travel

ROMANIA

Any place you are visiting requires you to have basic tips to make your tour even more exciting. It holds true especially when you are on a tour of a big country like Romania. Travel Romania and you will be endowed with unforgettable memories. Though one is supposed to have a good knowledge about the place he is visiting, some basic travel tips may be helpful in saving you from uncalled for problems and embarrassment. Romania Travel is no exception to this preparation.

o You must keep in your mind that the porters, chambermaids and taxi drivers do expect tips from you. The figure might match 5 to 10 percent.

o Photography of Military installation is completely prohibited. And you might have to pay a fee up to Lei2000 for snapping an attractive location.

o Greet people by shaking hands. However, men are accustomed to kiss women’s hand while greeting them. Visitors are expected to follow normal European courtesies on social occasions.

o Dresses are much of a conservative style, however; casual ones retain their characteristics. Remember, never clad a beachwear away from the beach or nay poolside-you might be condemned for this.

o On public transport, smoking is prohibited. Public places like cinemas and theatres also do not allow you to smoke.

o The national currency is Leu which equals to 100 bani.

o You can shop from 6:00AM to 9:00 PM Monday to Sunday.

o In Bucharest you can enjoy winning a lot in the games in casinos. The capital has the largest number of casinos in Europe.

News

Romanian culture is a set of material and spiritual values issued on Romania land: Traditional Romania culture, Romanian music, Romanian literature, Romanian architecture, Romanian science, religion in Romania, superstitions in Romania, sport in Romania.

Culture can be defined as all the material and spiritual values created by humankind and the institutions necessary in order to communicate these values.

Traditional Romania culture is a set of ideas, traditions and beliefs, which are preserved in time within some social or national groups, and which are spread orally from a generation to another, highlighting for each group its specific feature. Traditions preserve real or legendary information concerning facts or events of the past, communicated orally.

As far as Romania music is concerned, we can mention that it used to have voices like Maria Tanase, the greatest folk music singer in Romania and it has voices like Mihai Trastariu or bands like “Iris”, which have collaborated with international names like “Uriah Heep”. Romanian classical music and the opera have representatives like Leontina Vaduva, a great artist of our times.

To continue with, Romania culture means literature and names like Nichita Stannescu or Marin Preda. The former was a great modern Romanian poet and the latter a novelist. Romanian literature has representatives like Mircea Eliade in the domain of fantastic literature or Emil Cioran in the domain of philosophy.

Religion is an important cultural aspect in Romania. Most of the people are Christian orthodox, but there are other religions, too, like Roman Catholic, reformed or any other religions. Religious tolerance is an important feature of Romanians, as they are well aware that we all are created and are controlled by the same Almighty God. In general, older people who are not very busy go to the church every Sunday and pray there together with more members of the community.

Romanians are quite superstitious and they strongly believe in magic and in invisible forces, good or evil ones.

For example, they consider that if they find a needle somewhere it is a sign of quarrel or poverty. Furthermore, if on February 2 snow melts, and drops from the eaves, bees will produce a lot of honey that year. Besides, many specific superstitions are related to important moments in a person’s life, like wedding, childbirth, baptism, death. For example, a specific Romanian superstition on wedding day is that the bridegroom must pay a symbolic sum of money to one of the bride’s representatives before entering the bride’s house.

Romanian culture means sport too. Famous names like Nadia Comaneci in gymnastics and Gheorghe Hagi in football makes Romanians feel proud of their nation. Actually, gymnastics has always been a successful sport in Romania. Football as well is a Romanian sport, which makes people excited on any occasion of international matches.

To conclude, Romania culture is extremely rich, but unfortunately, nowadays it was blurred by the multitude of non-values promoted on commercial purposes. The good news is however that there still exist people willing to preserve this culture.