Fantastic adventure to Romania and its Ice Hotel

Posted on Feb 02, 2010 Posted by Diana Varbanescu

Hi, I’m James and I first visited Romania a few years ago, I really enjoyed my trip, but I have to say it isn’t the easiest of countries to travel around, especially with its little tourist infrastructure. I thought it still had a lot to offer and so Untravelled Paths was born!

Romania is a difficult place to explore even for the most hardened traveller, none the less it is a truly captivating country with an incredible amount to offer from the hustle and bustle of the lively capital, Bucharest, to the virtually untouched parts of its beautiful countryside and their charming medieval towns. What stands out the most from this amazing country is the variation, contrast and that there's just so much to see.

I’d love to be your travel friend and help you get to see some of the very best that Romania has to offer while being shielded from the stressful elements of navigating round the country, leaving you to make the very most of your time there. Untravelled Paths run packaged trips across Romania, including to the new stunning Ice Hotel at Balea Lake, as well as custom made trips which allow you the flexibility to see exactly what you want to see, when you want to see it.

The most popular trip is the fantastic 4-night adventure to Romania and its Ice Hotel. This combines a city break, a cultural step back in time to the home of Dracula and a truly remarkable experience, at a very affordable price. The journey starts and ends in the vibrant Bucharest, at first glance it might seem a little run down with remnants of its communist past on full view, however, when you look a little closer and scratch beneath the surface it is a city of stunning contrast. It’s easy to be intimidated, but it's important not to be or you’ll miss what’s special about the city. Imagine introducing a Communist dictator to Paris for 15 years, add an earthquake for good measure and you’d end up with something similar to what you have in Bucharest. Fortunately much of Bucharest’s past beauty still remains and you’re likely to find it with every wrong turn you make. It’s a city full of surprises and it’s this that makes it such a fascinating place to explore.

Dropping a gear, you will then travel through the beautiful countryside of Transylvania, with its fascinating past ties to Dracula, before settling in the quaint medieval old town of Brasov which is surrounded by the Southern Carpathians, as well as the not so charming new town. The pace of life is noticeably slower and more relaxed than in Bucharest, with a beautiful old square (Piaţa Sfatului) at its heart, Brasov offers a number of good restaurants, as well as fun, lively cafes and pubs. All the sights worth seeing in Brasov can be seen on foot and a visit to nearby Rasnov Fortress and the legendary Bran Castle is also provided.

Then a night in the Ice Hotel at Balea Lake, spectacularly located above the clouds at over 2000m amidst the wilderness of the Fagaras mountains, you even have to take a cable car to get there. This exclusive, boutique Ice Hotel has only 10 rooms, each individually designed and sculpted, making it the perfect romantic retreat. The Ice Hotel is rebuilt each year by local craftsmen, with the ice taken from the neighbouring Balea Lake, so no 2 years are the same! This magical, remote setting provides breathtaking scenery, silent nights and a sky littered with stars making this an unforgettable and unique experience.

Before returning to Bucharest you’ll get to enjoy a quick glimpse at the enchanting, colourful, Saxon city of Sibiu, where you’ll have the chance to have a bite to eat.