Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Iron Curtain, no more…mesmerizing Romania.awaits you…

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller” - Ibn Battuta

 

There simply is no way to tour Europe and not be awestruck by its scenic beauty, epic history & dazzling artistic & culinary diversity. Eastern Europe is a region that encompasses many different amazing cultures, ethnicities, languages, histories, architecture as well as mind-blowing scenery. From Soul-stirring soaring mountains to golden sands while cities hum with nightlife & art, the Balkans reveal a tapestry of quaint & contemporary cultures - always with enough rough edges to keep you intrigued.

 

You have to go because over 1000 years of history give you over 1000 reasons to come. Because every brick of old Castle walls has a fascinating story to tell. Because of the well-preserved nature & picturesque landscapes. Because of the tasty food & friendly people. Because a visit to the Balkans will give you a more profound understanding of the history of Eastern Europe. Not to forget the UNESCO World Heritage Sites & historical remnants.

 

Romania is at the crossroads between Europe & Asia, with its rugged stone Churches, dazzling Monasteries & Castles dotting a pristine landscape of rocky mountains & rolling hills amidst a highly productive cutting-edge peasant culture thriving in much of the country.  Come, journey with us to Dracula’s country where a beguiling blend of nature & history & unforgettable adventures are guaranteed.

 

Europe’s almost unmanageable wealth of attractions is its biggest single draw: the birthplace of democracy in Athens, the Renaissance art of Florence, the graceful canals of Venice, the Napoleonic splendour of Paris, and the multilayered historical &  cultural canvas of London. Less obvious, but no less impressive attractions include Moorish palaces in Andalucía, the remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the World in Turkey, the majesty of meticulously restored Imperial palaces in Russia's former capital St Petersburg & the ongoing project of Gaudí's La Sagrada Família in Barcelona.

 

Once you have ticked off the great museums, panoramic vistas & energetic nightlife, what is left? A chance to indulge in a culinary adventure to beat all others, that is what! Who wouldn't want to snack on pizza in Naples, souvlaki in Santorini or even haggis in Scotland? But did you also know that Britain has some of the best Indian restaurants in the world; that Turkey's doner kebab is a key part of contemporary German food culture; and that in the Netherlands you can gorge on an Indonesian rijsttafel (rice table)? Once again Europe's diversity & global reach is its trump card.

 

Though change is coming quickly to the Balkans, timeless traditions retain their currency - in some parts, even blood feuds aren't as ancient as they ought to be. It is a region where you can barely keep up with the nightlife, but still get stuck behind a horse & cart. Urban landscapes are a pop-up book of European architectural history on a grand scale. Winding Ottoman streets are punctuated with Byzantine churches, Austro-Hungarian villas & angular communist-era blocks. Throw in some Roman ruins & Venetian palazzos, then wrap it all in a medieval wall & plonk it by the sea.

 

Now, let us talk about mesmerizing Romania with rugged stone Churches & dazzling Monasteries & Castles dotting a pristine landscape of rocky mountains & rolling hills. Transylvanian towns have stepped out of time, while vibrant Bucharest is all energy.

 

Within Romania’s beguiling blend of nature & history, unforgettable adventures are guaranteed.

 

Ancient History| Folk Culture | Castles & Medieval Towns | Nature & Wildlife

Most visitors to this former Soviet country come looking for Transylvanian Draculas or Ceausescu’s Communism.

 

Transylvania however, has no shortage of jaw-dropping Castles pitched precariously on rocky hilltops. There is spooky Bran Castle, of course, with its spurious connection to the fictional Count, but don’t overlook beauties such as Hunedoara’s 14^th century Corvin Castle or King Carol I’s sumptuous 19^th century Peleş Castle.

 

For centuries, a highly productive peasant culture thrived in much of Romania. The hilly geography & lack of passable roads necessitated the emergence of hundreds of self-sufficient villages, where old-school crafts such as bread-making, pottery, tanning & weaving were honed to an art.

 

Folk Museums, particularly the open-air Skansens & village Museums, are a must. Many isolated hamlets, where the old folkways are still practised, are museums in themselves. The towns & villages where oversized hay racks, horse carts and stately wooden churches dominate, have seemingly stepped out of the Middle Ages.

 

In medieval towns like Braşov, Sighişoara &  Sibiu, cobbled walkways support chic street-side cafes, while a cacophony of sounds emanating from student bars & clubs echo off the Gothic & baroque facades in lively Cluj-Napoca. Transylvania’s Saxon villages boast fortified Churches that date back half a millennium.

 

A living heritage of folklore & festivals sets Eastern Europe apart which is the heartland of Orthodox Christianity - the religion's rites permeate many aspects of cultural life, particularly in Russia & Ukraine. Roman Catholic, Muslim & Jewish communities add their own influences, while whiffs of pagan tradition can be felt in the Baltics. Baltica Folklore Festivals, Slovakia's Vychodna & Bulgaria’s Rose Festival are captivating events, full of insight into age-old Europe. Traditional woodcarvers still hunch over work benches in Slovakia, while glass icons continue to be painted in Romania, allowing travellers to take home a piece of Eastern European craftsmanship.

Festivals are the liveliest & most exciting side of Romanian culture. From local festivals that gather the whole village in celebration of a local flower or fruit, to week-long electronic music & classical music festivals, Romania will surprise you with the variety of its culture. 

Destinations here have one thing in common: they were all behind the Iron Curtain before its fall & this political boundary of the last century helps us define a region whose development, especially until the 1990s, has been very different from that of Western Europe. But the truth is that surreal, exciting & constantly surprising Eastern Europe is an amazing warehouse of culturally, geographically & historically fascinating places as well as mind-blowing scenery & Romania is a part of that mystique.  

 

Within Transylvania’s beguiling blend of nature & history, a mash-up of ancient & cutting-edge culture, unforgettable adventures are guaranteed ……. Take the plunge now & yep….Romania is waiting. A warm welcome, historical secrets & an artistic paradise awaits you and The Journeys is ready to take you on well, a journey (or journeys) of discovery.

 Come…be inspired & discover the World with us

 

We are in the process of updating our Offerings of experiential journeys to Romania. Please contact us in the interim if you want to explore options & we will be happy to offer suggestions based on your personal preferences………