Car Hire Romania - Mini guide to Romania

This beautiful and mysterious country of Eastern Europe has lovely, affordable seaside resorts as well as the Transylvania legend. Emerging from its Soviet-era ‘freeze’, this wonderful and underrated land offers both traditional tourism and a unique ambiance of mystery and adventure.

The capital of Romania, Bucharest, is steeped in fascinating and sometimes brutal history, like so much of the country. During the 1980’s, Ceausescu, Romania’s brutal dictator, decreed that the largest building in the world would be constructed in Bucharest. Although it fell short of its goal, (the Pentagon is bigger), the enormous Palace of Parliament offers daily tours of its 3,100 room interior as well as its ornate exterior. Rumour has it many people died in accidents during its construction. For a bit more of the macabre, (this is Romania after all), in the western part of the city is the Ghencea Civil Cemetery which contains the ornate final resting place of the Ceausescu family.

Other cities worth a visit in Romania are Brasov, Sighisoara and Timisoara. Brasov, a medieval town in the Transylvanian hills contains a beautiful Gothic Church, The Black Church, and nearby Bran Castle. Bran Castle is referred to as Dracula’s Castle, and though it is beautiful and worth a tour, it has nothing to do with him. Sighisora is also a medieval town in the hills, but is less visited and has more preserved medieval buildings than Brasov. It also contains the real 1431 birth home of Vlad Tepes, called the Dracula House, which is now a bar and restaurant. Timisoara is the world-famous home of the 1989 revolution. Here can be found memorials to the men and women who died throwing off one of the most tyrannical regimes in recent history.

For relaxation and leisure, Romania’s Black Sea Coast will not disappoint. Constanta, Romania’s second largest city makes an excellent stopping off point for exploring this region. Here you will find good food, interesting museums and a decent beach. From the city you can easily reach the resorts of Mamaia, Eforie Nord, Neptun-Olimp and Costinesti. These towns all have good hotels, beaches and pubs.

If you have access to a car you can thoroughly explore one of the most awesome areas in Europe, the Fagaras Mountains. These mountains form part of the Carpathians, (or Transylvanian Alps of legend). This mountain range has some great hiking and opportunities to see classic mountain villages that retain much of the flavor of Old Romania. Here you will also find Poienari Castle, the real home of the mysterious Vlad Tepes, the man behind the legend of Dracula.

The airport of Bucharest is a transportation hub for Eastern Europe, and as such it has flights available to cities around the region and world.