LOCAL Houston | The City Guide MARCH 2015 | Page 76

Local March 2015FINAL.qxp_002houston 2/21/15 3:43 PM Page 76

DESTINATION

ROMANIA

AERIAL VIEW OF SIBIU OLD TOWN IN TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA

I

’M STANDING IN A SUNNY TOWN SQUARE, SURROUNDED BY CROOKED, COLORFUL BUILDINGS, CROWDED CAFES
AND STREET VENDORS HAWKING CINNAMON-DUSTED BAKED GOODS AND HOMEMADE GELATO. QUAINT BOUTIQUES LINE THE SIDE STREETS, WHILE RESTAURANTS ENTICE CUSTOMERS WITH PROMISES OF HAPPY HOURS AND LIVE
MUSIC. THE SCENE IS REMINISCENT OF WHAT YOU MIGHT FIND IN EUROPEAN DESTINATIONS LIKE ITALY, FRANCE OR
GERMANY ... BUT I’M ACTUALLY IN TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA.

NO CREEPY CASTLES OR BLACK CAPED LURKERS HERE. Instead, Romania is full of unexpected

charm and classic European flavor, at prices below what you might find in some of
those other, more visited locations. On a recent guided tour with expert operator, Cox
& Kings (www.coxandkingsusa.com; see sidebar for more info), I got a feel for the
nightlife of Bucharest, the historic treasures of Transylvania and the photo-ready landscapes in between. Here are some highlights:

BUCHAREST Set in the southeast, Romania’s capital is also its largest city, with a population of about 2 million, and somewhat sprawling, with the historic old town surrounded by expanding suburbs. Thanks to an expert local Cox & Kings guide, though, navigating it is a snap. Start in the Lipscani District, the old city center-turned-pedestrian
hub, where you can check out palaces and churches, as well as quirky shops, restaurants and bars (come back at night to join the pub crawling crowds). Another can’t
miss: the Palace of the Parliament, the second largest administrative building in the

76

L O C A L

| march 15

by Sandra Ramani
Photos courtesy of Romania Tourism

world (after the Pentagon) and once a symbol of the ruling communist party. There,
you’ll wander through gilded ballrooms and ornate halls, and learn about Romania’s
recent history – though even if you walk for two hours, you’ll still only visit a fraction
of this massive structure.

SIBIU

A drive north through the Oit Valley, past fields of hops, corn and grazing
sheep, brings you to the medieval town of Sibiu, one of the oldest in Transylvania.
Translated to “beyond the forest,” Transylvania is a lush central region bordered by the
Carpathian mountains, and in many spots here – including towns like Sibiu – you can
still see evidence of Saxon, Hungarian and even ancient Roman occupation. On a
walking tour of Sibiu’s old town, visit the Lutheran cathedral, with the highest tower in
the region; the art museum in the former Baron’