Romania

At the eastern edges of Europe and for so long perceived as languishing behind the ‘iron curtain’, the possibility of visiting Romania is only just beginning to surface in many travellers’ heads.

Despite its history being inextricably linked to the west, an air of the exotic still lingers mesmerisingly here, and journeys through its virgin forests, fortified hill villages, extraordinary mountain monasteries and magnificent medieval towns do little to dispel this impression.

The veracity of any of Bram Stoker ‘Dracula’ is minimal, yet the author did capture the remote grandeur here. During a trip to Romania, you’ll witness this in the blend of vibrant modernising and proud heritage locations, and its natural splendour, from the peaks of the Carpathian Mountains to the pristine Danube Delta.