©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd “All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!” TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET Go further with Lonely Planet 1 Book your travels 2 Talk to other PLAN YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions Find a fl ight travellers Looking for ideas and advice on a Find the right fl ight through our YOUR TRIP to help you put together your perfect trip specifi c destination? Want to share online booking service. your experiences with the most active travel community? Then head Map .................................. 2 Bulgaria Reserve a room to Thorn Tree, Lonely Planet’s forum, Visit the Lonely Planet website to book where you’ll fi nd new posts every 17 Top Experiences ........ 4 Map of Bulgaria .............. 278 author-reviewed and recommended 12 seconds. Welcome to Bulgaria ...... 280 accommodation for any price range. Romania Need to Know ................. 282 Book activities If You Like ........................ 284 Discover and book amazing experiences Map of Romania ............. 14 online for destinations around the globe. Welcome to Romania ..... 16 Month by Month ............. 286 Need to Know ................. 18 Itineraries ........................ 288 lonelyplanet.com/destinations lonelyplanet.com/appslonelypl If You Like ........................ 20 Regions at a Glance ....... 290 Month by Month ............. 22 Need to Itineraries ........................ 24 3 Talk to locals Know With just a few words in the local language you can Currency Regions at a Glance ....... 26 » The lev (lv), divided L make a real connection when you travel. into 100 stotinki » Our superb range of phrasebooks and language apps is guaranteed to get you talking, no matter Welcome to Romania When to Go Y where you’re going. B Dry climate Warm to hot summers, mild winters B 26 Mild to hot summers, cold winters Mild summers, cold winters 6 » » shop.lonelyplanet.com/phrasebookshbk regions f m at a c » Varna t GO Jun–Sep a glance Wallachia Transylvania # History 33 Castles 333 M Sofia Nature 3 Mountains 333 # GO Winemaking 33 Scenic Villages 33 Mar–Jun 6 Natural Beauty Castles & Medieval # Sozopol The Carpathian Mountains draw a wide Villages Plovdiv # GO May–Aug 1 History Castles arc through the centre of the country, leav- The land that gave us Dracula has no GO Mar–Jun Check out our full range of guides ing a swath of exposed rocky peaks sur- » shortage of jaw-dropping castles pitched # 4 The modern Roma- Who can blame Bansko rounded by groves of pine and deciduous nian state traces author Bram Stoker precariously on rocky hilltops. There’s GO Dec–Feb a trees, and stretches of bright green mea- spooky Bran Castle of course, with its spu- its roots back to for looking to Tran- dow below. Hiking trails skirt the peaks, rious connection to Bram Stoker’s À ctional 6 TravellingTravelling somewheresomewheomewheere else?else? StayingStayyingyin longerlonger in a particularparticula place? Check out our full range of the old principality sylvania for inspi- and a network of mountain huts provides count, but don’t overlook beauties such as Bucharest of Wallachia, once ration on spooky somewhere to rest your head at night. Eu- Hunedoara’s 14th-century Corvin Castle » rope’s second-longest river, the Danube, or King Carol I’s sumptuous 19th-century ruled over by the castles? Bran is a marks Romania’s southern border before i pile, PeleŎ Castle. North of Curtea de ArgeŎ, guides,guides, writtenwritten and researchedresearched byby expertexpert authors to givee you an amazing travelt experience. Museums 333 feared Vlad őepeŎ. national treasure, turning suddenly northward and empty- you’ll À nd the ruins of a fortress that really 2 Entertainment 333 The princely courts but don’t neglect ing into the Black Sea. The Danube Delta was the stomping ground of old Vlad is a vast and unique protected wetland, őepeŎ. In MaramureŎ you’ll discover towns Food 33 of Curtea de ArgeŎ Corvin Castle, at perfect for hiking, À shing, boating and and TârgoviŎte tell Hunedoara, or and villages that seemingly stepped out of birdwatching. the Middle Ages, complete with hay racks, this history. RâŎnov, not far horse carts and stately wooden churches. from BraŎov. Museums Nature Bucharest is home to the country’s top The Danube River Mountains museums of art history and natural defines Wallachia’s Transylvania’s GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP UNDERSTAND Learn about the big picture, so you COUNTRYCOUNTRYTRRY &&C CITYCIC TY DISCOVERDISCOVER POCKETPOCKET EBOOKS TheTh freedom f ddd you need tot Full-colourFll l imagesi Perfect for The same great content ROMANIA & BULGARIA can make sense of what you see plan the perfect trip. and top itineraries. a quick visit. with added interactivity. shop.lonelyplanet.com shop.lonelyplanet.com/ebooks Romania Bulgaria Romania Today ............... 228 Bulgaria Today ................ 442 History ............................. 230 History ............................. 444 5 Get inspired to travel The Dracula Myth ........... 240 Outdoor Activities & The award-winning Lonely Planet Traveller is the most exciting magazine for people who want to see more of the world. Outdoor Activities & Wildlife.......................... 454 Go online to fi nd out more and see the latest subscription off er. Wildlife.......................... 242 Visual Arts, Crafts & Visual Arts & .................. Music ............................ 460 lonelyplanet.com/magazine The Bulgarian People .... 463 Folk Culture ................. 247 STAY IN TOUCH The Romanian People .... 250 Bulgarian Wine ............... 465 lonelyplanet.com/contact The Romanian Table ...... 252 Bulgarian Cuisine ........... 468 AUSTRALIA Locked Bag 1, Footscray, Victoria 3011 twitter.com/ %03 8379 8000, fax 03 8379 8111 lonelyplanet ISBN 978-1-74179-944-6 99525 Paper in this book is certified USA 150 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607 facebook.com/ against the Forest Stewardship %510 250 6400, toll free 800 275 8555, fax 510 893 8572 lonelyplanet Council™ standards. FSC™ promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable UK Media Centre, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TQ lonelyplanet.com/ 9 781741 799446 management of the world’s forests. %020 8433 1333, fax 020 8702 0112 newsletter romania-bulgaria-6-cover.indd 2 8/02/2013 1:45:35 PM YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE ON THE In-depth reviews, detailed listings ROAD and insider tips Maramure¢ p164 Moldavia & the Bucovina Transylvania Monasteries Cri¢ana & p72 p181 Banat p147 ROMANIA Bucharest The Danube Delta p30 & Black Sea Wallachia Coast p209 p56 The Danube & Northern Plains p425 Sofia BULGARIA p294 Veliko Târnovo & Black Sea Coast Central Mountains p393 p357 Plovdiv & the Southern Mountains p319 VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO SURVIVAL HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP GUIDE Romania Bulgaria Directory A–Z ................. 256 Directory A–Z ................. 472 Transport ........................ 264 Transport ........................ 480 Language ........................ 271 Language ........................ 487 Index ................................ 494 Map Legend .................... 510 THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY Mark Baker Chris Deliso, Richard Waters, Richard Watkins Nowy #\Sącz #\ #\ #\ Tatras Krynica Sanokn LVIV REGION .B u Szczawnica Sa #\ ^# d h #\ Muszyna Sambir iv Se Ternopil Zakopane POLAND UKRAINE Khmelnytsky #\ MedzhybizhP UKRAINE #\ Drohobych ret ^# R #\ Ždiar #\ Bardejov #\ Truskavets Tatra Mountains Boryslav #\ #\ TERNOPIL Liptovský Kežmarok #\ Stry Dni ^# Vinnytsya #\ #\ es REGION #] UKRAINE t Mikulàš #\e Levoča S #\ rHalych Buchach Husyatyn #\ Skole #\ UKRAINE › #\ t Top Experiences #\ Poprad› Romania#\ Prešov & Bulgariary #\ Kalush #\ UKRAINE SLOVAKIA Bucovina Painted monasteries with ^# Uzhhorod dazzling frescoes (p202) Carpathian Mountains Rugged plateaus and well-marked trails (p72) UKRAINE Chernivtsi ^# ^# Miskolc Bran Castle A mass of turrets and castellations (p91) Livada #\ #\ #\ #\ Dorohoi #\ Dilove Siret Sighetu #\ #\ Putna #\ Botoşani #] HUNGARY Satu Marmaţiei \# Bălţi Moisei Suceviţa Prut Borşac Mare #\ #\ #\ ]# Suceava ^#Debrecen Baia Mare Prislop C #\ a Pass Gura Humorului r p Maramureş a t h SOUTHERN Austerely beautiful wooden #\ #\ MARAMUREŞ i a BUCOVINA Sculeni n Vatra Dornei MOLDOVA churches (p175) #\ M #\ Târgu #\ Ungheni #\ #] #\ #\ o Neamţ Târgu Borş #] Oradea Dej Bistriţa u Iaşi n Frumos #_ #\ Băile Felix t CHIŞINĂU #\ Zimbor a #\ i #\ #\ n Bicaz #\ Piatra Toplița Roman Sibiu Cluj-Napoca s Neamţ Bekéscsaba #\ Lacu Roşu Albiţa \# Maze of cobbled\# streets and #] #\ Reghin Beiuş #\ #\ ş Ceahlău lustrous squares (p106) e Gheorgheni #\ Apuseni Turda r Massif Vaslui #\ #\ #] Chișineu- Mountains u#] Târgu Bacău CRIŞANA #\ #\ Moineşti #\ Gârda M Danube Delta Criș Arieşeni Mureş Odorheiu Mures #\ Ineu de Sus MOLDAVIA A vast expanse of Secuiesc #\ Miercurea Ciuc Nădlac Arad Aiud #\ #\ Oneşti remote wetland (p211) #\ ^# #\ #\ Lipova Mediaş #\ Sighişoara Bârlad #\ #\ Blaj #\ Banatško Mures #\ ROMANIA #\ Alba Biertan #\ Adjud Arandelovo #\ Rupea Iulia #\ Sebeş #\ TRANSYLVANIA Sfântu Mărăşeşti \# #\ UKRAINE #\ Timişoara Deva #\ Făgăraş Gheorghe #\ Orăştie Sibiu \# #\ Tecuci ^# ]# Jimbolia #\ Olt #\ #\ Prejmer Lugoj Hunedoara Poiana Braşov #\ Focşani #\ ]# BANAT Râşnov #\ Braşov Vulcăneşti R #\ #\ #\ Voiteg Cindrel Zărneşti #\ #] #\ Predeal Râmnicu Galaţi #\ #\ Petrila Făgă #] Caransebeş Lupeni #\ raş Mountains Bran Sărat D Zrenjanin Moraviţa \# #\ 333 Petroşani #\ #\ \# Sinaia an Reşiiţa Retezat Brăila #] u Curtea #\ #\