Today we take you to the south-east of the country, to Buzau County, home to the Muddy Volcanoes, spectacular rock dwellings, interesting museums, old monasteries and large forests
Today we take you to the south-east of the country, to Buzau County, home to the Muddy Volcanoes, spectacular rock dwellings, interesting museums, old monasteries and large forests. Furthermore, it is the place where guided winery tours introduce to you the best Romanian wines, while adventure fans can go mountain climbing, off-roading, rafting, paragliding or canoeing. The accommodation offer is also generous and catering for all tastes and budgets.
Florina Florea, head of the Tourist Information and Promotion Centre in Nehoiu, Buzau County, tells us any trip here should start with the city of Buzau, which has a long and fascinating history:
"The best starting point is probably the Dacia Square, where tourists can see the most beautiful building in the city: the Communal Palace, hosting today the City Hall and the Local Council. Other pieces of exquisite architecture nearby include the Buzau Bishopric and the Vergu Manaila Manor, which is the oldest building in the city. Nowadays this building hosts the folk art and ethnography collections of the Buzau County Museum. From here, I would recommend traveling to the mountainous part of the county. Worth mentioning are the Muddy Volcanoes with their otherworldly look, the rock dwellings in Nucu-Bozioru, a region regarded as the Mount Athos of Romania, and the trovants in Ulmet."
The rock settlements in Buzau County are in fact small churches carved in the rock. Taking advantage of the geologic structure of the region, over the years people have extended, widened and adapted them into a cave network where monks used to live in the first millennium AD. The area is of particular interest to visitors and experts alike, and many of its mysteries are yet to be solved, such as the source and meaning of some inscriptions carved into the stone.
But apart from sightseeing, there are lots of activities for tourists in Buzau County, as Florina Florea, head of the Tourist Information and Promotion Centre in Nehoiu, Buzau County, details:
"The saltwater spa resort of Sarata Monteoru offers treatment programmes, and those in search for an adrenaline rush can go rafting on Buzau River, starting from Nehoiu. This year, between April 12th and 14th, the Rafting and Kayaking Euro Cup will be held here. Mountain bike routes are also available, one of them taking bikers up to the Casoca waterfall, which, though only 6 m high, is quite spectacular. A local legend, telling about an outlaw who hides behind the waterfall, also contributes to the fame of this place. Hiking routes have been arranged in the Siriu Mountains, to Malaia Peak, to Vulturi Lake, while horse riding at the Cislau stud farm rounds up the diversity of outdoor activities available in our region. As for the indoor activities that we organise, our Tourist Information Centre tries to promote local crafts such as weaving, needlework and folk costume making."
Romania is a major European wine producer, and our destination today is well known for the quality of its wines. Here is Florina Florea with more:
"Buzau is famous for its vineyards, located alongside the 45th Parallel north, the same as the Bordeaux and Tuscany vineyards. The Tamaioasa variety, produced by all the vineyards in Buzau County, is quite popular. Many of these vineyards also provide 2 to 4-star accommodation."
And speaking about accommodation, Daniela Rosca's household, in the village of Pietroasele, offers tourists a unique experience:
"Apart from the barrels where we keep our wine, we have six budane, which are very large casks, between 8,000 and 10,000 litres in capacity, which we have turned into accommodation units. We've cut windows and doors into them, and each has 2 beds, a nightstand, and storage area, all decorated in a rustic style. Our guests are welcome to watch the wine making process, and taste several wine varieties that we make, from Feteasca, Riesling, Merlot to the local Tamaioasa."
A visit to Buzau County requires information and planning, so as to cover as many of the local attractions as possible, and authorities are doing their best to make available to tourists all the maps and promotion materials they need. Florina Florea from the Tourist Information and Promotion Centre in Nehoiu tells us more:
"Our Centre works well with the Buzau County Council, and they give us promotion materials. Meanwhile, we have started to make our own materials, and tourists will find here all the information they need. We have our own mountain guide and we also work with the guide from the Amber Museum, who can be contacted to organise guided trips to the rock dwellings. Since the opening of our Centre 2 years ago, over 200 foreign tourists have visited us, and most of them have been fascinated with both the people here and the beauty of the place. Backpacking is a popular option, and most foreign tourists come from Germany, France, Spain or Italy, while lots of Israeli tourists come here for the rafting programmes."
Thanks to the diversity of the region, in terms of the relief and the tourist landmarks, Buzau County has been dubbed "a scaled-down Romania." So don't overlook this part of the country, full of legends and with breathtakingly scenic landscapes.
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