Romania Guide
Moldavia
For travellers, Moldavia gets more interesting the further north you go, and the difficulty of some journeys can, perversely, add to the attraction of your final destination. This is particularly true of the jewels in the Moldavian crown, the painted monasteries of southern Bucovina. Secluded in valleys near the Ukrainian border, their medieval frescoes of redemption and damnation blaze in polychromatic splendour – Voroneţ and Suceviţa boast peerless examples of the Last Judgement and the Ladder of Virtue, while Moldoviţa is famous for its fresco of the Siege of Constantinople. The unpainted Putna Monastery, final resting place of Stephen the Great, draws visitors interested in Romanian history.
Highlights
1 Ghimeş An isolated Hungarian enclave perched on the old Habsburg-Ottoman border, this quiet village is surrounded by rolling green hills.
2 Agapia Convent This picture-perfect convent, where over four hundred nuns live in trim cottages, is one of the spiritual centres of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
3 The Neculai Popa Museum A delightful collection of folk sculpture and other curiosities, set in the rugged village of Tărpeşti, south of Târgu Neamţ.
4 The Ceahlău massif Bucovina is the most forested region of Romania, and the hills and rock formations of the massif offer wilderness on an impressive scale.
5 Iaşi In spite of Ceauşescu's best efforts to crush its spirit, the old Moldavian capital is full of surprises; Iaşi's vibrant restaurant scene is especially impressive.
6 Bucovina pensions Stay at least a night in one of the dozens of hospitable Bucovina guesthouses such as Casa Buburuzan in Humor; guests are served lavish traditional meals made from home-grown products.
7 The Ladder of Virtue, Suceviţa Monastery This splendid, richly detailed ensemble is just one of the unforgettable frescoes of Bucovina's painted monasteries.