Traveler’s Guide
Offers at Romania's Travel Fair
Daniel Onea, 19.03.2015, 13:21
In addition to the presentation of travel offers and attractions in Romania, the Travel Fair also hosted folk shows, demonstrations at craft workshops and virtual visit tours. Holiday offers with a 30% discount were in greatest demand. Loredana Nistor is the manager of a tourist complex including nine three star villas in the Gradistea Gorges, only 7 km far from Bran Castle and 30 km from the city of Brasov.
“Prices start from 28 euro for a double room per night, breakfast included. We have dry and wet saunas, a jacuzzi, a spa facility, tennis, volleyball and handball grounds. Tourists can ride horses and bikes. There are various tourist routes in the area. The complex stands on a plateau between the Bucegi Mountains and the Piatra Craiului Mountains, in a very nice area. We have foreign tourists coming from all over the world. This very weekend we’ll receive a group from China.”
Offers for families were among the most appealing offers for the Romanian Black Sea coast.
Marius Usturoiu is the general manager of a travel agency established in 1998, actually one of the main travel agencies in Romania. He gave us more details.
“The prices of a seven-day, all inclusive stay in a three star hotel with four star services at the beginning and the end of the season start from 299 Euros per person. In full summer season, the prices range from 350 to 400 Euros per person. The price includes theatre performances, films, beach games and contests, sports competitions, swimming courses.”
Florina Stefan is a PR expert at the History Museum in Sighisoara, central Romania, a public institution subordinated to the local city hall. The Sighisoara citadel has been promoted at the travel fair for at least 15 years now. As every year, the travel operators present the town, its monuments and other cultural and tourist attractions.
Any Romanian or foreign tourist visiting Transylvania must see Sighisoara because it is a gem, Florina Stefan says.
“The best known monument in Sighisoara is the Clock Tower, a 64 m tall monument, which has been housing the History Museum of the town since 1899. We have a rich agenda of cultural events. The Blues Festival is kicking off on March 28th, an event rallying artists from all over the world. Earth Day is also marked on March 28th. On the morning of March 28th, hundreds of volunteers will call for environmental protection and in the evening, shows will take place on the fortress premises. For one hour, lights will be put out and we’ll march through the town carrying lit candles. Museums’ Night has been organized on May 14th for 8 years now. The Craft Fair is held in June and July. The famous Medieval Art Festival, now at its 23rd edition, will be held in the last weekend of July. Then we have the Academic Music festival with musicians from all over the world taking part in it. In late August the Proetnica festival kicks off. All ethnic groups from Romania exhibit their cultural customs, dances, traditional apparel and cuisine. The Halloween is not a traditional festivity, but with so many foreign tourists traveling to Sighisoara, on that day the whole city celebrates. And wrapping up the year is the Customs and Traditions Festival.”
Geanina Fedeles, advisor to the mayor of Targu Neamt, has extended an invitation for us to travel to north-eastern Romania.
”The area boasts a great variety of tourist assets. I should like to begin with the Neamt Fortress and I will continue with the monasteries, of which the best known are the Neamt Monastery, the Agapia Monastery, which was painted by Nicolae Grigorescu himself, then there are also the Secu, Sihla and Sihastria monasteries. The beauty of these sites is literally breathtaking. I saw that foreign tourists take a great interest in nature and in the area’s eco-tourist side. Reason enough for us to join the Vanatori Natural Park in a competition of Romania’s eco-tourist destinations. The park administration has structured its activity in three: the captive aurochs in the Dragos Voda Zoo, the semi-captive aurochs which tourists can admire from a wooden bridge, built at an appreciable height. And, last but not least, I believe it is the only natural park with the aurochs completely at large, though monitored. A great many foreign tourists visit our stand and we are honored by their kind words.”
Gabriel Bucsa is the representative of Rasnov’s Dino Park, to be opened this summer. It is also Romania’s first such park tailored for those who love adventure and who are also interested in learning about prehistoric life. The dinosaurs that will be on display in Rasnov were manufactured by a firm from Germany, are real-size replicas, strictly observing paleontologists’ advice. With details on that, here is Gabriel Bucsa himself.
”Lots of activities for children are being staged within the park, and not only for them. We have built tree-houses, playgrounds, a route including the dinosaurs’ history — 45 all told. The park lies right at the entrance to the Rasnov Fortress. All dinosaurs are placed in the forest. It has a surface area of 1.4 hectares. Guided tours will be organized, with specialized personnel explaining the history of dinosaurs. Guided tours in foreign languages are also on offer. The park will be open from morning until the evening, and the admission ticket includes everything, except for laser shooting. It is an activity tailored for children. They will enter a room where various nature sounds are simulated, and will hunt dinosaurs.”
Easter holiday packages in Maramures or Bukovina were also included in the offer. For instance, the fee for a four-night and three-day package in both areas starts from 290 Euro per person, for double rooms. The fee includes traditional food, drinks and kids’ access to the playground.