Bukovina – Tradition, Culture, and Active Tourism
Bucovina is one of the most fascinating holiday destinations in Romania
Daniel Onea, 06.12.2023, 17:17
A historical province located in the north of Romania, Bucovina is one of the most fascinating holiday destinations in Romania. Cultural tourism, active tourism, spa tourism, an irresistible gastronomic offer and, last but not least, the hospitality of its inhabitants are the main arguments in favor of a trip or a vacation in Bucovina.
Laura Ursu, from the Suceava National Tourist Information and Promotion Center, within Suceava County Council, says that Bucovina is a nationally and internationally known destination, especially for the eight monasteries and churches included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. But the reasons for tourists choosing a holiday in Bucovina are many more.
“Those who come to us in the county are also tempted by nature, because we have an exceptional natural setting. The mountainous area dominates in our county. We have a lot of tourist attractions in terms of cultural tourism, museums, including an open-air museum. In Suceava, we have the Bucovina Village Museum, which presents the traditions and customs of the area, in such a way that if the tourist does not have time to visit the region in more detail, they can only see in the municipality what is offered here in terms of traditions and customs. Those who come to us in this area are both individual tourists and tourists who come in groups, and it is also a very attractive destination for families who also have a larger number of children.”
The Suceava National Tourist Information and Promotion Center makes available to tourists, every year, a catalog presenting the traditions and customs that take place throughout the county.
“There are festivals of traditions and customs that are organized in the county, in cities and in the countryside. There are carols concerts, there are Christmas fairs. We also have traditional craftsmen who promote the crafts they practice. A craftsman, for example, transformed a traditional house into a space where he actually creates memories. He set up various corners where tourists dressed in folk costumes are photographed. They are photographed both individually and in groups, whatever they want. There are also various souvenirs that can be purchased there. The offer is very attractive. During the summer, for example, more than 300 families cross their threshold just for photos, not just for souvenirs. At the Christmas fairs that are organized in various places in the county, folk craftsmen participate, who create especially products specific to the winter holidays: traditional masks, wooden products, sculptures, miniature houses and churches, various household items, some of them have a decorative role, but some also have a practical role. Those who come to us in the area say that the atmosphere, the spirit of the place, attracts and impresses them the moment they step in the county.”
Perhaps one of the most emblematic places where you can spend your winter holidays in Bucovina is Vatra Dornei. The resort, located at an altitude of 800 meters, is known among lovers of mountain sports, but also among those who want to spend a vacation in an oasis of peace. It is the perfect destination for an active holiday, but also for a foray into the world of old traditions, says the vice-mayor Marius Rîpan:
“Vatra Dornei was, and is, becoming again the winter sports resort because the ice rink in the Municipal Park has just opened. There is also intensive work on the ski slopes in Vatra Dornei, but I have to announce that we are already at the twelfth edition of the World Cup stage for sledding on a natural slope. I know that in terms of winter sports, in Romania, there are only two places: one is near Brașov, and the other one is at Vatra Dornei. I dont know how many people know, but we invite all winter sports lovers to come and spend an active vacation at Vatra Dornei, but also to watch a winter sports competition, at the highest level. Also here, in Vatra Dornei, we have, on December 29, a festival dedicated to traditions and winter customs, in which the lowest attendance of those who participated was 600 of people. I mean those who come and show off their winter traditions and customs: dancers, carolers, well-wishers, mask wearers. You can admire the customs of most areas of the country. Over time, we also had guests from Ukraine, because they also have traditions similar to ours. All of them could be seen at Vatra Dornei, as part of the festival.”
The resort has been well-known since the time of Emperor Franz Joseph, continues Marius Rîpan, the mayor of Vara Dornei. At that time, Bucovina was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the capital was in Vienna.
“The mayor at that time, Vasile Deac, mayor between 1875 and 1902, knocked on the door of the then emperor and, after a lot of insistence and work of persuasion on the emperor, the foundations of the Vatra Dornei spa resort were laid, by discovering the springs of mineral water and their enhancement, by enhancing the healing factors of Vatra Dornei, fresh air and medicinal mud. At the end of the 1800s, all the representative buildings for Vatra Dornei were built: the Spa Casino, the Balneary Establishment, or the Old Polyclinic, as we call it, the Municipal Palace, or the City Hall, which has a splendid hall of mirrors. We invite everyone to come and see this hall that we are so proud of. Also, the Sentinel Spring will enter a rehabilitation process as soon as possible. They are buildings that give the Vatra Dornei resort the splendor that has made it famous in the first place.”
Last but not least, Bucovina is also the land of fabulous culinary recipes, kept for generations in the family. Bucovina gastronomy represents a true culinary art. The ingredients used are natural and fresh. The women cook here as their mothers and grandmothers used to do, and everyone who crosses their threshold, without exception, delights in the famous cheese pies, with balmos, Moldavian mixed stew, mushrooms, or trout preserved in fir tree bark.
