Romania - Eastern Europe - page 474

and medieval towns. Note that this itinerary is designed to make a tour possible for
anyone traveling by train (try Rapid or InterCity trains at www.infofer.ro).

Days 1 & 2 Bucharest
Arrange for your hotel to have a taxi pick
you up at the airport and then experience
the intoxicating energy of this heady, com-
bustible capital: It's a city on the move.
Make time for the Cotroceni Palace (call
ahead to book a tour), the National
Museum of Art, and the small but gor-
geous Stavreolpolous Church, where it's
also worth calling ahead if you'd prefer to
learn something meaningful about
Romanian Orthodox faith. It's also worth
checking out the world's biggest example
of architectural excess, Ceau @ escu's mega-
lithic Parliamentary Palace, but you'll
probably need to devote an entire morning
or afternoon, thanks to a rather annoying
queuing-and-waiting procedure. Try to
stay at the Rembrandt, a fabulous little
hotel in the midst of the historic Lipscani
District, or—if you don't mind forking
out considerably more—check into the
friendly, plush, no-nonsense K+K Elisa-
beta, right near the National Theater. At
night, you'll be spoiled for choice—classy
restaurants are opening faster than it's pos-
sible to keep track of, and there are dozens
of bars that stay open until the wee hours.
Start the night in the vicinity of the
Romanian Athenaeum.
Day 3 Sinaia & Bra@ov
You can save time by catching the early
morning train to Sinaia, where you can
leave your luggage at the station before
setting off for the guided tour of Pele @
Castle, a fantastic introduction to mod-
ern Romanian history and a splendid
example of just how far interior design
can go with a big enough budget. After
the castle, you can visit the local
monastery before collecting your luggage
and hopping on the first available train to
Bra @ ov, about an hour away. Bra @ ov is

centered on a wide-open medieval public
square, surrounded by lovely architecture.
You can view the whole historic center
from Mount Tampa, getting to the top in
the cable car. Visit the world-famous
Black Church; in summer, you might
catch a concert showcasing the brilliant
acoustics and showing off the church's
massive organ. But Bra @ ov is great for just
wandering around; there are lovely
antiques stores, several fantastic restau-
rants, and great hidden alleyways. Don't
miss the historic Schei neighborhood. Be
sure to reserve a room in one of the small
hotels recommended on p. 518.
Day 4 Bra@ov to Sighi@oara
Once you've had your fill of Bra @ ov, take
the train to the World Heritage citadel of
Sighi @ oara. There's not much to do,
except soak up the ambience of a walled,
cobblestone, hilltop city. Explore its
Church on the Hill, and climb to the top
of the Clock Tower above the museum.
Taste tuic â (fruit brandy) made by Teo
Coroian, and eat in the restaurant occu-
pying the house where the real Count
Dracula was born.
Day 5 Sighi@oara to Sibiu
Sibiu shares the title of European City of
Culture in 2007—it's a beautiful mélange
of medieval and baroque monuments,
with churches, museums and pedestrian
squares galore. Take your time exploring,
and don't miss the great Transylvanian
food at Crama Sibiul Vechi, which occu-
pies a 500-year-old cellar.
Days 6 & 7 Maramure@
If you don't fancy spending 6 hours in a
train, you can break the journey between
Sibiu and Baia Mare—the main city in
Maramure @ —with a stop-over in Cluj-
Napoca, a prosperous city with a large