LAST UPDATED
15 / 11 / 2011
15 / 11 / 2011
www.beyondtheforest.com provides everything you need to plan your holiday - unbiased travel information based on extensive, personal travel and an unparallelled network of local specialists.
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- the comprehensive, one-stop, travel service for Romania
Christmas Market & Fairytales;
Prince of Wales Nature's Paradise
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Beyond the Forest is an travel information site providing everything you need to plan your holiday in Romania, and especially the mountainous region of historic Transylvania. The site is divided into the following sections:
1. REGIONS OF ROMANIA (below): pages with information about places to visit, what to do and see in different geographical regions of Romania. These pages also have links to recommended hotels and quality guesthouses throughout Romania.
2. HOLIDAYS : a wealth of ideas for qualirty, semi-independent and fully inclusive holiday programmes
3. SPECIAL INTERESTS : information about specific aspects of Romania: culture, nature, Dracula etc
4. GENERAL INFORMATION (left): Travel Advice, Books about Romania, our Guestbook, and information about Flights, Car Hire, Transfers and Rail Travel to assist you to plan your holiday.
1. REGIONS OF ROMANIA (below): pages with information about places to visit, what to do and see in different geographical regions of Romania. These pages also have links to recommended hotels and quality guesthouses throughout Romania.
2. HOLIDAYS : a wealth of ideas for qualirty, semi-independent and fully inclusive holiday programmes
3. SPECIAL INTERESTS : information about specific aspects of Romania: culture, nature, Dracula etc
4. GENERAL INFORMATION (left): Travel Advice, Books about Romania, our Guestbook, and information about Flights, Car Hire, Transfers and Rail Travel to assist you to plan your holiday.
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Holidays with Count Kalnoky in Transylvania Plus HRH Price of Wales wilderness retreat |
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Uncover the secrets of Transylvania with these exclusive holidays with a difference. |
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Chill out in the beautiful, unspoilt Maramures region 2011 prices - from £ 449.00 per person |
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Dracula Tours & Adventures - in search of the truth! |
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Tailor-made 4x4 adventures off the Beaten Track |
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Eco-friendly Holidays in Saxon Transylvania |
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Ceausescu, Communism and the Romania Revolution |
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Mediaeval Crusader or Vampire Count? Discover the Truth! | |
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Art Nouveau architecture in Romania |
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Steam in the forest, and other railways in Romania: |
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Tramways in Romania |
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Fauna and Fauna in Romania | |
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Folklore, Costume & traditional dance and music |
All accommodation, services, attractions and other travel related products recommended on this site are constantly reviewed.
BeyondtheForest provides independent, unbiased information to help you to plan or book your holiday.
We encourage feedback from travellers to ensure the information is always uptodate.
Beyond the Forest recommends travel services of the highest quality, integrity and professionalism which contribute to sustainable tourism . Wherever possible they benefit local people and their environment by promoting responsible tourism in their communities. Look out for out for our 'Holidays with a Heart' logo.
Romania
There hasn't been a better time to visit Romania with excellent flight connections from all over Europe, and a host of low cost airlines flying routes into regional airports. It is no longer necessary to fly to Bucharest if your destination is the mountains or historic towns of Transylvania, the cities of the Banat, the magical unspoilt villages of the Maramures, or even the famous Painted Monasteries of Bucovina. There are now scheduled flights into many regional airports from Vienna, Munich or Budapest connecting with flights from other parts of Europe. In addition there are low cost flights withprices as low as £ 60.00 return to Cluj Napoca, Targu Mures or Timisoara from Luton.
Romania has something for everyone, from the natural wilderness of the Danube Delta to the bustle of Bucharest, the cultural gems of Transylvania, or the soaring peaks of the Carpathians. Take a short city break, an Autumn Dracula Trail for Halloween, or chill out in a traditional village in the Maramures. Language is rarely a barrier in this country, where the main language is close to Latin, and signs and menus will make sense to anybody with even just a smattering of school French. Many young people speak English, especially in tourist related fields, while German, Hungarian and French are commonly spoken .
Romania is a large country, well connected by rail services and domestic flights. However, please bear in mind that travel can be slow due to the terrain, the large distances, and the rural nature of much of the country. Unlike many other Eastern European countries the countryside is alive with activity, providing a distraction for the inquisitive traveller or photographer, round every bend in the road. You will find people working in the fields and the forest, traditions passed on from generation to generation, a multi-cultural society which never leaves a dull moment, and regions with some of the most diverse and rich natural history anywhere in Europe. It is also a romantic country with varied, dramatic landscapes which change through the distinct four seasons - from the deep snows and iced waterfalls of winter, through the clouds of fruit blossom of early spring, the bright hay meadows of summer to the dazzling autumn colours of the Carpathians. And, there is much more to this country than its natural beauty and country traditions - check out the restaurants, shopping or nightlife in Bucharest, Cluj, Timisoara or Sibiu - the opera, theatre, galleries, museums, castles and the dazzling array of monasteries, the fortress churches and walled towns of Transylvania, the magnificient frescoes of the Painted Monasteries, the wooden churches of pastoral Maramures and a historical legacy that dates back long before the Romans bestowed their Latin language, or the Crusaders spawned legends from Dracula to the children of the Pied Piper. We hope that these pages inspire you and help you to plan your trip of a lifetime to a region of Europe, little understood beyond its borders.
NEWSflash ..... NEWSflash..... NEWSflash..... NEWSflash..... NEWSflash..... NEWSflash..... .....
NEW FOR 2012: ULTIMATE TRANSYLVANIA HOLIDAY -- Combine a few days exploring the stunning Painted Monasteries of Bucovina and Eastern Carpathians, or a unique 'Jonathan Harker PLUS' Dracula trail with a week of excellent accommodation, food, activities and unparallelled hospitality in Transylvania on our recommended TOUCH OF CLASS and ANOTHER EUROPE programmes. Details will be posted on the relevant pages and on our updated regional pages for the Painted Monasteries, Dracula Country, Cluj and Sibiu.
AUTUMN COLOURS: spectacular autumn colours in the southern Carpathians - Another Europe special autumn holidays exploring magical landscapes, mediaeval towns and evening activities
CHRISTMAS MARKET & FAIRYTALES: unique, long weekend breaks in late November and December for a unique shopping experience, Romantic fairytale towns and landscapes, and evenings by the fire with mulled wine and fairytales from your childhood in their natural setting including visits to the ICE HOTEL high in the Carpathians!
HALLOWEEN IN TRANSYLVANIA: choose from a selection of Dracula themed holidays over Halloween; combine Jonathan Harker's trail to visit Count Dracula on the Borgo Pass with mediaeval Sighisoara and our special Halloween Touch of Class or Another Europe unique holidays. Why not combine walking in Maramures with Austum/ Fall colours and Halloween?
TOUCH OF CLASS 2012 - Prices remain the same as for 2011; additional holidays now at Zalanpatak including winter bear tracking and hay meadows, rhorse ridingomantic Valentines Day breaks. The 'castle' is now open for unique honeymoons and for Halloween!!! NOTE - availability for JUNE 2012, the best time to see the flower meadows, is already limited
Contact us now for further information on the above holidays and keep checking the site for regular updates
Availability for Another Europe and Touch of Class for Spring and Summer 2012 is already limited for some dates
21 YEARS SINCE THE COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM IN EUROPE: FROM THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL TO THE ROMANIAN REVOLUTION.
WHY NOT BOOK A BREAK TO THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF TIMISOARA TO LEARN ABOUT THE BLOODIEST REVOLUTION OF 1989?
WIZZ AIR FLIGHTS TO CLUJ, TARGU MURES & TIMISOARA - Direct flights from Luton to Cluj from only £ 60.00 per person Avoid the Bucharest traffic jams by flying DIRECT to TRANSYLVANIA or the BANAT. Cluj and Timisoara are excellent cultural centres - ideal for an inexpensive city break. WIZZ have just added a new service from Luton to Targu Mures on Tuesdays, Thiursdays and Saturdays. This is ideal for Dracula breaks and access to the Touch of Class and Another Europe holidays outlined on this site, especially since the return flight leaves Targu Mures quite late (19:25). Targu Mures is just one hours drive from Sighisoara. Blue Air will no longer fly to Sibiu but there are good deals with connecting flights with Lufthansa or Austrian from time to time. Tarom are adding an extra flight from Heathrow to Bucharest which will provide better connections to most Romanian domestic airports.
TRANSPORT IN BUCHAREST - Prebook your transfers if travelling from Otopeni (Henri Coanda) airport into Bucharest. Some visitors have reported having been charged over EURO 150 to the city!. The journey into the city can take up to 2 hours due to severe traffic congestion at certain times of the day. If your final destination is not Bucharest consider flying direct to other cities, or making a domestic connection.
STOP PRESS: our accommodation pages are being redesigned and rewritten to showcase only the best places to stay - from all-inclusive holidays, to contemporary city hotels or historic boutique hotels oozing with character, family run pensions and even village homes offering the best in local hospitality. All accommodation featured has been recommended and tested. We rely on feedback to ensure that only the best places feature on our places.
NEW for 2012
Beyond the Forest has been providing a first class travel information service for visitors to Romania since 1999. To celebrate our anniversaty we will be upgrading the site with extra information and a host of new ideas and special offers. Watch out for our new Beds pages. These will be attached to all regional pages and will provide full information about recommended tried and tested accommodation from the simplest of bed and breakfast guesthouses to 5-star luxury. As always the focus is on service and places with character. You will also find direct links to the accommodation in question though all can be booked as part of a fininacially protected tailor-made holiday by following links on this site.
Amongst the highlights for 2012 will be:
- Bear-tracking and Hay Meadowsat HRH Prince of Wales' wilderness retreat at Zalanpatak (Valea Zalanului); availability for June 2012 already limited
- Honeymoons with difference in a spooky old castle
- Day trips to the Ukraine as part of our Maramures holidays
- Jonathan Harker PLUS Dracula Trails and Painted Monastery Experience tours combined with Touch of Class or Another Europe for the ultimate Transylvania holiday
- Christmas Market & Fairytale Breaks in Transylvania
- Autumn Colours in the southern Carpathians - discover the spectacular landscapes of autumn in Transylavia
- Halloween Dracula Trail combined with special Touch of Class and Another Europe brealks
- Winter in Transylvania - from traditional carnivals to sleigh rides or a visist to the Ice Hotel deep in the Carpathians
- Opera in Timisoara or Cluj
PLUS new iupdated information and excellent links ona variety of topics appropriate to any visit to Romania
CLICK HERE for our NEW 'Another Europe' AUTUMN COLOUR holidays: experience the spectacular colours in the Cindrel and Fagaras Mountains, walk through the Cibin gorge and take a 4x4 adventure through the remote and picturesque Frumoasa ('beautiful') valley. Take a night trek to listen for wolves, a lantern alk up to the historic Cisnadioara citadel and enjoy an evening in old Sibiu. Special one-week all inclusive holidays throughout October. Depart on Saturdays. PLUS special BONFIRE NIGHT break - November 2012
CLICK HERE for our NEW 'Another Europe' HALLOWEEN adventure and 'Jonathan Harker' Trail: experience Halloween as a short break in Cisnadioara or start out with the trail to seek outthe mythical Count Dracula in mysterious northern Transylvania. A horse and cart takes you up forest and cart tracks, climbing deeper and deeper into the Carpathians, to arrive at Hotel Castel Dracula on the Borgo Pass. Risk a night in this remote place before continuing through the Transylvanian Highlands to Sighisoara, birthplace of Vald the Impaler - the real Dracula. Overnight in one of the historic hotels in teh romantic walled, citadel then join our special 'Another Europe' break for a Halloween party starting with a lantern lit trail to the historic citadel then a bonfire in the orchards. Additional activities include a full day excursion to the spectacular Corvinesti fortress at Hunedoara, and a ghost walk through mediaeval Sibiu. 28.10.2012 - 3.11.2012. Book now as places are limited.
Top Tips for 2012
MARAMURES - this magical region is one of the last enclaves of traditional rural life still remaining in Europe; visit now before EU and Romanian laws change this pastoral region with its enchanting landscapes of strip fields, orchards and magnificient mountain forests forever. Easy rail or road connections from Cluj (direct sflightys with Wizz Air from Luton) or Bucharest, or from the Austrian Airlines service to Baia Mare
Excellent value holidays from £ 449.00 per person (2012) - excluding flights
TOUCH OF CLASS - fully, inclusive holidays with a genuine Transylvanian Count in the Brasov area. These popular holidays are an ideal introduction to Transylvania with a focus on cultural heritage, natural history and adventure. Accommodation is in beautiful, restored houses in the small Szekely village of Miclosoara (Miklosvar), close to Brasov and the high Carpathians. Also available staying in the Prince of Wales' house in the Saxon village of Viscri, as an introduction to the rural life of ancient Transylvania. NEW: experience the wilderness in HRH Prince of Wales' new guesthouse in the village of Zalanpatak, a haven for wildllife and a superb base for bear tracking. NEW 'Jonathan Harker PLUS' Dracula trails and 'Painted Monasteries Experience' can be incorporated with these holidays.
SECRET TRANSYLVANIA - delightful, quality breaks based in the picturesqueSaxon village of Cisnadioara on the edge of Sibiu. Excellent value all inclusive holidays based in a British-run pension with a special focus on cuisine and a range of activities and excursions into Saxon Transylvania, the Carpathians and the Cindrel Mountains. The scale of this operation means that personal service is paramount and special effort is made to catering for individual tastes and interests. Ideal for Honeymoons, Valentines Day breaks, Halloween etc. Unparallelled hospitality, food and a great diversity of exciting activities have made these excellent value holidays very popular - so early booking is essential. NEW 'Jonathan Harker PLUS' Dracula trails and 'Painted Monasteries Experience' can be incorporated with these holidays.
REGIONAL FLIGHTS - fly to regional airports to avoid the mayhem and congested streets of Bucharest. There are connecting scheduled flights to Sibiu, Cluj, Timisoara, Iasi, Targu Mures and Baia Mare and direct, low-cost services to Cluj and Timisoara with WIZZ from Luton. Alternatively, take a domestic service from Bucharest to most major towns in Romania. There are now excellent WIZZ AIR direct services from Luton to Timisoara. Cluj. Bacau and Targu Mures which can also be mixed and matched.
Useful Links
We are all ordinary Romanians who give time and energy to organising concerts, film screenings, book presentations, special events and monthly parties.
For further information and a full diary of events visit the website: www.romanianculturalcentre.org.uk
Are you considering buying PROPERTY IN ROMANIA?
Romanian Properties Ltd offers a wide selection of resale properties & off-plan properties throughout Romania. Locations include the main cities: Bucharest, Brasov, Constanta & Sibiu, in the Transylvanian Countryside, the MountainResorts & on the Black Sea Coast - Experts will guide you through every aspect of the property buying process including all legal aspects, from locating suitable properties to arranging visits for viewings and finally appointing solicitors.
Click for further Details: Romanian Properties Ltd
For all the LATEST NEWS,
weather forecasts, events
and general information, visit
www.hotnews.ro
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English Language Pages
24 Hours Romania
Treeflights.com do one thing ~ they plant trees for people who fly.
When we take a flight we burn up hundreds of litres of fuel, a non-renewable resource that took millions of years to make, and we produce a lot of CO2, the main culprit for global warming. There’s no way of avoiding it, flying is inherently environmentally destructive and we shouldn’t do any more of it than we have to. Planting a tree is an ecologically constructive thing to do. Trees use the sun’s energy to absorb CO2, taking it out of the atmosphere and turning it into the renewable material that we call wood. Trees also encourage biodiversity and are fantastic air purifiers. However, they take ages to grow.
When you order a Treeflight that this is not a quick-fix and your flight will not suddenly become ‘carbon neutral’. But the tree planted for you will make a significant, positive difference, over time, to our atmosphere.
For further information, or to order a Treeflight please visit: Treeflights.com
A trip to Vienna, Budapest or Bucharest by train would emit 95% less carbon dioxide than the equivalent flight. Consider taking the TRAIN
When we take a flight we burn up hundreds of litres of fuel, a non-renewable resource that took millions of years to make, and we produce a lot of CO2, the main culprit for global warming. There’s no way of avoiding it, flying is inherently environmentally destructive and we shouldn’t do any more of it than we have to. Planting a tree is an ecologically constructive thing to do. Trees use the sun’s energy to absorb CO2, taking it out of the atmosphere and turning it into the renewable material that we call wood. Trees also encourage biodiversity and are fantastic air purifiers. However, they take ages to grow.
When you order a Treeflight that this is not a quick-fix and your flight will not suddenly become ‘carbon neutral’. But the tree planted for you will make a significant, positive difference, over time, to our atmosphere.
For further information, or to order a Treeflight please visit: Treeflights.com
A trip to Vienna, Budapest or Bucharest by train would emit 95% less carbon dioxide than the equivalent flight. Consider taking the TRAIN
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Copyright © 2011 BeyondtheForest - the Romania Travel Specialists