Romania

A diverse and fascinating country, Romania’s landscapes range from the Black Sea Coast to the rolling green countryside of Transylvania and the vast Carpathian Mountains. Bucharest was once known as the ‘Paris of the East’ and today it is a lively city which has re-emerged from the shadow of communist rule with a thriving cultural scene. Ceaucescu’s monumental, 1,100 room parliament building still dominates the city centre, but you will also discover Art Nouveau buildings, Stavropoleos Church and the 15th-century Curtea Veche Palace, once seat of Prince Vlad III “The Impaler”.

Beyond the capital is a beautiful bucolic landscape which is famous for castles including Bran which inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and the ‘painted monasteries’ of Bucovina, adorned with elaborate 15th and 16th century frescoes which represent religious events and figures illustrating the story of the Bible and the lives of the most important Orthodox saints.