Gateway to the orient

Monumentul Eroilor Aerului, București

Romania isn’t the typical tourist destination for western Europeans. In their heads the country is associated with poverty, migration, and crime – only Bram Stoker and his vampire tale are linked to Romania with the same intensity. In reality, it is a country full of friendly people making the best of their situation. A country in development with a coast at the Black Sea, a country with vast forests (housing the biggest population of brown bears in Europe) and a long history between the east and the west.

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Kronstadt

Brașov/Kronstadt, Romania

Transylvania (or Siebenbürgen) is a region of Romania where different languages are spoken. It was once part of Austria-Hungary, and the Siebenbürger Sachsen have settled there, bringing the German language and culture to this area. Therefore, the cities always have at least two names: Bran is also Törzburg, Sibiu can be referenced to as Hermannstadt and Brașov is also known as Kronstadt (city of the crown). Transylvania itself translates as ‘through the forest’.

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