My travel sites - photo (b)log

Dobrogea Sites - Map

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 14:42:00 +0000

To continue the mapping tradition :), here are (most of) the interest points I refer to in my Dobrogea Sites posts:

View Dobrogea Sites in a larger map

If you know any other place worth mentioning please add a comment and I'll also update the map.

Corfu Map

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 21:32:00 +0000

To create a short summary of all my posts on Cofru (Kerkyra), here are the places I've been to and that can/should be easily reached during a vacation on the island. You can find information about the locations as usual in my blogposts ;).

View Corfu in a larger map

Thassos Map

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 22:19:00 +0000

After some years, getting tired of writing, I got the brilliant idea to reinvent the wheel :) ... so here you can find, as a summary of all my posts on the topic, a custom map of the Thassos Island, with the places I've been to and that can/should be easily reached during a vacation on the island. You can find information about the locations in my blogposts ;) here and here.

View Thassos in a larger map

Kafalonia (Κεφαλονιά)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 15:13:00 +0000

The largest of the Ionian Islands, Kefalonia (or Cephalonia, Greek: Κεφαλονιά, Κεφαλλονιά) is a history-rich island, very important for the discoveries dating back to the Mycenaean era. Because of its strategic position, Kefalonia has been a continuous conflict zone, target of barbarian raiders, with noble families fighting among each other for influence or the entire island taking part in major wars from ancient to modern times, including World War II and continuing with the Greek Civil War until 1949. But the latest catastrophe that hit the island was the earthquake from 1953. Because Kefalonia lies above a tectonic fault, the earthquake was so devastating that leveled most of the buildings on the island, with only regions in the north escaping the heaviest tremors and houses there remaining intact.

Nowadays it is a touristic island, with lots of beaches and a couple of unique sites. There are a lot of things to be see on the island (with photos - more or less in this order):

1) Melisani Cave, that can be found here, is a a unique sight - a lake with brackish water, part of a very complex water circuit. There's a nice explanation here: Seawater flows into sinkholes, named "katavothres", near Argostoli and flows underground to the Karavomilos lake where it reaches again the sea. There's a paid entrance at Melisani that includes a small boat trip on the lake, while the Karavomilos lake is more or less part of a tavern/restaurant complex. Plan your visit at a proper time of the day (I don't know exactly when, but I've heard that around 12 in the afternoon) for the best light.

2) Close to the Melisani Lake there is Drogarati Cave. Opened to the public, the cave has a big hall of 900 square meters, called "Sala of Apotheosis" because of its perfect acoustics (used sometimes for concerts). It's a rather short visit, but it's definitely worth it. It is believed that the cave is connected to other smaller caves in the vicinity (such as Aggalaki [some info in Greek], caves that are not opened to the public).

3) The double-hilled Acropolis of Ancient Sami provides a great view over the port town of Sami and it is a reminder of the great glorious ancient city. It also reminded me of the Acropolis in Limenas - Thassos Island. I visited only the Gate part, missing the Agioi Phanentes hill and the ruins of the Monastery of Agioi Phanente. Close by on an opposite hill there is also Agrilia Monastery dating back to the 18th century. And there also the Antisamos beach, but I'll get back to it later.

4) To the north(-west) there is the Assos Castle, one of the two Castles on the island, situated on the hill above the picturesque village of Assos. A 30 minutes walk uphill gets you to the castle gate, but there isn't much to see inside (except the ruins at the entrance and a building as you turn right at the end of the cobble stone road). The vegetation took over most of the fortress area, leaving in sight some ruins of more modern buildings (since the fort was inhabited until the late '60s). There's a large area to explore inside the walls on the (too large for me after the walk up to the castle). Some more info you can find on Agnitravel.

5) Fiskardo is a beautiful village in the north, one of the few places where one can see all the old houses still standing after the 1953 earthquake. For a short walk, don't miss the 16th Century Venetian Lighthouse at cape Fiskardo, the newer Victorian lighthouse nearby and the Byzantine Church on Fournias peninsula.

6) Turning back to the middle of the island, you can find Agios Gerasimos Monastery, dedicated to the patron saint of the island, Saint Gerasimos. Nearby there is also the Robola Wine cooperative (opened for wine tasting), R obola being specific to Kefalonia.

7) Related to this, the cave of Agios Gerasimos is located near Argostoli.

8) From Agios Gerasimos Monastery you can drive up the Ainos Mountain on a winding road and into the national park for a beautiful scenery and the freshest air on Kefalonia (owed mostly to the Greek Fir Tree forest).

9) Heading south you will find Saint George Castle, the seat the the island governors for many centuries. A short description and a couple more photos can be found here.

10) The largest town of the island is Argostoli (Αργοστόλι), and in its vicinity you can find the

‘Swallow Holes’ of Katovothres and the rebuilt Agion Theodoron lighthouse (also known as the Fanari lighthouse).

11) Regarding the Mycenaean heritage, the most important archaeological site is the Mycenaean Tholos Tomb near Poros, dating back to 1350 B.C., but one can find other sites too, such as the tombs in Mazarakata.

12) You could also follow the filming locations of Captain Corelli's Mandolin through the vilalges of Sami, Agia Efimia and their surroundings.


Sami port

Agia Efimia

13) Last but not least ... beaches. There are a lot of beautiful beaches in Kefalonia, the most famous being Myrhtos, but I also loved Antisamos (both shingle beaches), Makris Gialos and Platis Gialos - beautiful sand beaches near Argostoli, Xi and Petani beaches on the Pali (Paliki/Lixouri) peninsula, the beaches in the south: Lourdas, Katelios, Kaminia - where you can find the protected nesting grounds of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), Mouda and the Skala beach in the east.


Poros beach

Antisamos beach

Myrthos beach

Makris Gialos beach


Katelios beach

Katelios beach

Razaki/Kaminia beach

Of course there are lots of old/rebuilt churches, a couple of monasteries, small villages and beautiful wild places to be explored.

And thanks to Google technology - you can see all (my) points of interest on the map below:

View Kefalonia in a larger map

Didyma (Δίδυμα)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:38:00 +0000

Didyma (Greek: Δίδυμα) was an ancient Ionian sanctuary. Although it predates the Greek Ionian colonization, the sanctuary from Didyma was famous in the Hellenistic world for the temple and oracle of Apollo - the Didymaion, being the most significant sanctuary of this kind after the oracle of Delphi. Didyma lies about 17 km from Miletus and was connected to the Hellenistic city by the Sacred Way. "Didyma" can be translated in Greek by "twin", referring to the twin gods - Apollo and Artemis (the Temple of Artemis was in the nearby city of Ephesus, while the much more important Temple of Apollo was in Didyma).

Part of the classical Miletus, Didyma shared much of the town's rich history and destruction, being rebuilt during the time of Alexander the Great.

Nowadays the temple can be found in the middle of the modern town of Didim. The town is a peaceful place, but the archaeological site can get rather crowded sometimes due to its small size (so for more tranquility I'd recommend visiting Miletus). Much more information about the archaeological site and temple of Apollo can be found on didyma.com or sacred-destinations.com.

The location on the map is here and some of my personal photos follow.

Miletus (Μίλητος)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 13:11:00 +0000

Miletus/Miletos (Ancient Greek: Μίλητος, Milētos; Latin: Miletus) is probably the most famous city of the Ionian League. It was an important Ionian center of arts, science and culture, the place where first known philosopher and mathematician lived - Thales of Miletus, and the Greek metropolis with the most founded colonies.

Although in antiquity the city possessed a harbor at the southern entry of a large bay, on which two more of the traditional twelve Ionian cities stood: Priene and Myus, over the centuries the gulf silted up with alluvium carried by the Meander River, so that by the Christian era Miletus became an inland town too. A great map of the Miletus Bay silting evolution can be found on Wikipedia:

Miletus has a very rich history, with the first archaeological findings dating back to the Neolithic. It was a flourishing city, being destroyed and reconstructed several times and continued to be populated until the Ottoman Empire abandoned it because of the definitive silting. More details of the ancient history of this great city can be found here.

Nowadays, one can visit among the ruins places such as:
- The Miletus Museum
- The Delphinion (Apollon Delphinion)
- The Temple of Athena
- The Baths of Faustina
- The Bazaar
- The Theatre
- The Stadium
- The Bouleterion
- The Capito Bath
- The Ceremonial Road
- The Grain Hall
- Kalabak Hill
- The Michael Church And The Temple of Dionysos
- The Hellenistic Heroon
- The Roman Heroon
- The Ionic Stoa on the Sacred Way
- The Mosque of Ilyas Bey
- The Monument of the Big Port
- The Mycenaen Settlement
- The North, West and South Agoras
- The Nymphaeum
- The Synagog
with details on each here and here.

Much more information can be found on ime.gr and Wikipedia

The location on the map is here, and below some of my photos:

Priene (Πριήνη)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 15:10:00 +0000

Not too far south from Ephesus, one can find another ancient city of Ionia - Priene. It is situated inland on a high ground, although it was originally a port city. Because of the continuous silting caused by the Meander River that blocked the city's access to the sea, around 350 BC the citizens built the city on the current location.

Some of the main interest point inside the archaeological site are: The Upper Gymnasium, The Prytaneion, The Byzantine church, The Sacred House, The Fountain, The Provision market, Ionic Temple of Zeus, The Byzantine castle. A nice map of the archaeological site can be found here. I bet the Acropolis gives you a splendid view of the surroundings, but getting there might need some more time (than the one I had for example :( ).

One more thing I would like to mention - depending on the day of the week, one may visit Priene (as Miletus for that matter) in a quiet atmosphere, where no (or very few) touristic group tours are organized. In my opinion this is the best way, when you can enjoy the tranquility of the ruins.

More information can be found on Wikipedia and Priene.net.

Ephesus (Efes) - Selçuk

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 10:44:00 +0000

Ephesus (Efes/ Ἔφεσος) was one of the most important cities in ancient Anatolia (Asia Minor), which makes it nowadays one of the most important touristic attractions (especially for travelers on Mediterranean cruises). There would be (too) much to say about it and its (partially debated) history. There are plenty of resources regarding Ephesus but for more details you could have a look on Wikipedia or visit www.Ephesus.us. For some very interesting information you should also check sacred-destinations.com.

Nowadays Ephesus is by far the most visited place in the area (a little too crowded for my taste - and I went there at the end of spring) and is constantly being restored. But a visit to Ephesus should mean the entire area nearby Selçuk town, not only the Ephesus ancient ruins outside of Selçuk, since the Ephesus town extended during different historical periods to different areas closeby.

I'll start though with photos from the House of Virgin Mary, a pilgrimage place for Christians situated on the top of the "Bulbul" mountain, a few km from Ephesus. It is said to be the place where Virgin Mary may have spent her last days. She may have come in the area together with Saint John, who spent several years in the area to spread Christianity. The Mass is held here every Sunday.

Coming down the mountain one can reach the entrance to the actual Ephesus site. There's plenty too see here, so make sure you are not in a hurry. Just to mention some of the main archaeological attractions :

Upper/State Agora - surrounded by Nymphaeum, Varius Baths, Basilica, Senate House (Bouleuterion/Odeon/Small Theatre), Prytaneum, Temple of Domitian

Walking down the street dedicated to the Kouretes, one can see, before reaching the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, the Slope Houses with the well preserved fine mosaics, roman monuments and private dwellings, as well as the Brothel and Latrine.

The Library of Celsus - the symbol of Ephesus, restored from rubble during the years 1970-1978. Its 30 bookcases held about 12000 scrolls.

A marble road, made probably with materials from former temples, passes by the Lower Agora. The lower Agora can be accessed through a triumphal Roman Gate from the Library of Celsus.

The Roman Theatre - has 25000 seats, from which can be deducted that Ephesus might have had a population of around 200000.

The Arcadiane Way - a monumental street that leads to the now silted harbor. It was closed to the public during my visit.

The Church of Mary (Meryem Kilisesi) - possibly the first church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the world and the site of the Council of Ephesus in 431.
Ruins of the stadium built by emperor Nero can be seen on our way to the national road.

Going around the visiting site, between Meryem Ana Yolu and Efes Yolu, one can find the Cave of the Seven Sleepers, on the eastern slope of Panayirdag hill. It is said that seven Christians were locked in this cave by the Romans in 250 AD, fell asleep, and woke up in the 5th century. It became a place of burial and pilgrimage, both for Christians and Muslims.

At the edge of the modern town of Selçuk one can find a single column, standing in the swamp, a column that was once part of one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the Temple of Artemis (Artemision/Ἀρτεμίσιον).

On the slopes of Ayasoluk Hill, just below the fortress of Selçuk, the Basilica of St. John can be visited. It was a great church in Ephesus, constructed by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, over the believed burial site of St. John the Apostle. Unfortunately I got there too late in the day and what I saw was only the (closed) Gate of Persecution.

Basically these mentioned above and the Ephesus Museum (Efes Müzesi) are all that was related to Ephesus (oh ... and the Byzantine aquaducts throughout the town), but you can't leave Selçuk without visiting the Isabey Mosque - a beautiful example of Seljuk Turkish architecture, built in 1375 and restored in 1934, with columns that seem to have been part of the Artemision.

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Kusadasi (Kuşadası)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:16:00 +0000

Situated on the Aegean coast, Kusadasi (written as Kuşadası with Turkish letters and also known as Ephesus Neopolis or Scala Nuova before the 20th century) is one of the most important resorts of Turkey. While its permanent residents are around 50 000, during summer the rather large resort bustles with tourists, reaching about ten times as many people.

The water is very salty but crystal clear, while the beaches are rather narrow, especially near the town center (eg. Ladies Beach - Kadınlar Denizi) - this means that it can get very crowded during high season (and I wasn't impressed by the quality of the sand either). Because of the rather long distances (the resort has more than 10km in length) and the fact that the best beaches are actually outside Kusadasi, getting from one place to the other can get difficult. So you can have either a quieter beach OR enjoy the attractions of the town center - shops, restaurants and especially the Bazaar. There are always the local minibuses (the "dolmus"), but they have fixed routes and you'll have to get informed regarding them. Regarding the personal car or a car rental - the petrol is really expensive (around 3.8 TRY = almost 2 euros).

I mentioned the Bazaar and with this occasion I'd like to say something about Turkish shopping. Everyone wants to get the most money from you (even for some doubtful products) and almost everything is negotiable - it may be hard to get rid of some persistent salesmen without buying anything. You can find all sorts of things for sale, from leather, hand-made carpets and jewelry to trinkets and traditional sweets. For me the plethora of "original imitations" (as one salesman named them :) ) didn't impress me at all (since they were anyway overpriced), but among the products worth buying I'd name the sweets (from dried or candied fruit to the traditional Turkish Delight [Lokum] or the delicious Baklava), the (denim) jeans (best prices) and the Pashmina (Cashmere wool) or silk textiles, such as the shawls.

The food in turkey - ok, but I didn't find anything especially delightful besides the sweets - and the restaurants in the resort are all overpriced. With this occasion I'd like to say hello to friendly Ali, really nice guy, from the "Rip-off"... I ment "Two-Brothers" restaurant [1. Sk, in front of Melike Hotel] - sorry Ali, but I owed the restaurant some advertising for the money.

So far this was my overall impression about Kusadasi - a little too large and crowded for my tastes, with mediocre beach(es?) and overpriced restaurants. But, next comes the good parts.
The resort wouldn't be so special if it didn't have a rich history, near many important archaeological sites of Anatolia/Asia Minor, such as Ephesus, Priene, Dydima or Miletus. A more complete list can be found at kusadasi.net, while some of the places I've been to will be presented in future posts.

There are also interesting places inside the town worth visiting and I'll mention them below, along with some personal photos (taken from the entire album) and the location on the map :

The city walls - There were once three gates. One remains today.
Harbor/Kusadasi Cruise Terminal - this is the place to see some of the finest cruise ships, but also some military ones from time to time.

The Öküz Mehmet Pasha caravanserai is near the docks and has "Turkish nights" shows. Close by one can find the Kaleiçi Mosque, built in 1618 for Grand Vizier Öküz Kara Mehmed Pasha.

Guvercin Ada - the peninsula at the end of the bay, with the 17th century castle - symbol of the city. Nowadays it's a relaxing place with a restaurant and beaches.

Yılancı Burnu - a second peninsula beyond Güvercin Ada. Possibly the location of the original settlement of Neopolis. Some walls are visible but excavations are underway. There are beaches and beach clubs here.

The Atatürk Statue looking over the city. It can be easily seen from the docks, but there's also a great view of the port if you're willing to get there.

I'd also like to mention some places nearby, but I didn't go there myself:

Aqua parks such as Adaland - "the biggest waterpark in Europe" (don't mind wikimapia... it is actually still in Asia :) )
Dilek Peninsula National Park - simply the idea of National park seems fantastic for a nature love, especially contrasting with the crowded Kusadasi.

Next ... some of the very interesting archaeological sites in Anatolia, as soon as I have the time for a blogpost.

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Capidava Fortress - update

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:50:00 +0000

I've finally reached the site of Capidava Fortress (which is currently under excavations) and here are some of my recent photos. Quite a difference from those taken more than 50 years ago :).

Târgovişte

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:53:00 +0000

Târgovişte is the biggest town in Dâmboviţa county, nevertheless a rather peaceful one (at least during the weekend), with a population of around 90000. Situated at about 80km from Bucharest, it is most famous for its history. The town was capital and political-economic center of Wallachia (Ţara Românească) between 1396 and 1714.

This region has been inhabited since the neolithic age, with traces from the Stancevo-Criş, Gumelniţa and Coţofeni cultures. The town was first attested in 1396, in the "Travel Accounts" of Johannes Schiltberger. The most important landmark is the Royal Court Museum Complex (Curtea Domnească), which is believed to have been built before Mircea cel Bătrân (1355 – 1418). Standing as a symbol of the city, the Chindia Tower (Turnul Chindiei) inside the Princely Court was built during the reign of Vlad III the Impaler (Vlad Ţepeş), with it's final form dating back to the XIX-th century. Nowadays the ruins are being reconditioned and are opened to the public for visiting. Inside the complex one can see besides the ruins and the Chindia Tower the royal church and "Sfânta Vineri" Church. The location on the map can be found here, and some more info on wikipedia.

While in town, one shouldn't miss the Chindia Zoo, with all sorts of animals and a very relaxing place, as well as the Chindia park. Some of my personal photos follow, while more can be found here (and also here, but it's not specified what pictures are from the zoo).

Being a town rich in history one can also visit the following (a more complete list can be seen here):

Stelea Monastery Complex - with medieval buildings, the newest one dating back to the XVII-th century
the park of the Metropolitan Church (parcul Mitropoliei) - where the ruins of the old church can still be seen along the new church (finished in 1933)
the History Museum
the Dealu Monastery (just outside the town), dating back to the XV-th century.
the Art Museum
lots of historic buildings and churches, dating from the end of the Middle Ages to the XX-th century.

As a side note, Târgovişte is also the place where the romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu and his wife Elena Ceauşescu were executed.

Kavala (Καβάλα) & Ferryboat

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:41:00 +0000

Before finishing with my Thassos (Θάσος) posting I have to say something about the sea crossing. You can get to/from Thassos by the ferryboat from Kavala (Καβάλα) or (closer) Keramoti (Κεραμωτή). There are also flying dolphins (hydrofoils) but every normal people takes the ferry (especially if having a car :D). What's so special about the crossing ? Seagulls :) . I've never seen so many seagulls and getting that close, so i figure it's worth posting some photos.

Regarding Kavala (Καβάλα), formerly known as Neapolis and Christoupolis, much more info can be found on Wikipedia or on kavalanet.gr. Coming from Thassos, for me it seemed much too crowded, and the air was suffocating. Far from my ideal Greek town.

Nevertheless it's a town to be included on your visiting list for it's history and the historical monuments (or for bigger shops than the ones on the island if you want). Its most important historic figure is Muhamed Ali Pasha, viceroy of Egypt. But guarding over the city is the castle (dating back to the V-th century) on top of the hill just above the harbor.

Unfortunately I only had a couple of hours for the visit. Some of the main touristic attractions that I'd like to mention are:

the monument of Imaret (1818) built by Muhamed Ali. Nowadays it is a unique luxury hotel.
the house of Muhamed Ali
the ancient aqueduct
the church of the Virgin Mary
the Archaeological Museum of Kavala
the Municipal Museum

Thassos (Θάσος) Island - Coast

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:06:00 +0000

The island is surrounded by a good road, so no more special requirements for going by car, by buggy or even by moped (a bike would be trickier since there are some steep uphill and downhill segments). Besides, there's also a bus going around the island twice a day or so. The island tour (about 108km) can be done in a day but there are many things to be seen so, laying in the sun on the beach and visiting archaeological sites might take some time.

6) Thassos Town - Limenas (Λιμένας)

The largest town and the capital of the island, Limenas (Λιμένας) is the place where you can find the most assistance (police, doctor, bank, etc.). The town got its name to differentiate from the island's name, but many people still call it Thassos Town (or simply Thassos/Θάσος). Although rather small, the town is the biggest archeological site on the island and visiting the town can easily take up an entire day. Some of the main archaeological attractions are:

The Ancient Agora (Market) (Αρχαία Αγορά) - the central place of the town during the antiquity (starting from around 4th century BC), and a good starting point for a town visit. Walking along the old fortification walls, most of the sanctuaries and ancient temples can be seen.

The Museum of Archeology (Το Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο) - right next to the Agora, one of the most important museums in the Greek provinces, with precious findings from the island, among which one can see an archaic Kouros (κοῦρος) sculpture of 3.5 meters.

The Sanctuaries of Zeus (ο Δίας Ζευς), Artemis (Αρτέμης) - Artemision, Dionysos (Διόνυσος), Poseidon (Ποσειδώνας) - the remnants of these religious sites can be found close to the central Agora.

The Gates of Silenus (Πύλη του Σειληνού), Hercules (Ηρακλής), Dionysos (Διόνυσος) and further down Zeus and Hera's (Ήρα) Gates - are reached going along the southwest side of the ancient fortification wall

The Ancient Amphitheatre (Αρχαίο Αμφιθέατρο),The Acropolis (Ακρόπολη) with the temple of Pythian Apollo (Ἀπόλλων), Athena's temple (Το Άδυτο της Αθηνάς) and the Altar of Pan (Το Άδυτο του Πάνα) - are situated on the three hill above the town, were you can enjoy a great panoramic view. There are also the ruins of the XIII-th century medieval castle.

Evreokastro (Εβραιόκαστρο) - was located at the Northeast end of the commercial harbor, below the Ancient Theatre. On a small rock stood the 5th century BC sanctuary of the “patrimonial gods” such as Zeus (Δίας), Athena (Αθηνά), Artemis (Άρτεμη), the Nymphs (Νύμφες) and Hephaestus (Ήφαιστος). Today a picturesque chapel dedicated to the Saints (Αγίους) and Apostles (Αποστόλους) stands here, in place of an early Christian basilica constructed with materials from the ancient sanctuary.

There are also plenty of tavernas with good food and beautiful traditional streets with flowers in the windows.

7) Alyki (Αλυκή)

The Alyki (Αλυκή/Aliki) or Alykes area has been inhabited since the VII-th century BC. It is the second biggest archaeological site on the island, with ancient temples, sanctuaries, early Christian basilicas and the biggest marble quarry from antiquity. The peninsula hosted the main ancient quarries that provided high quality Thassian marble. Part of the Roman port is sunken, while some of the old giant stone blocks can still be seen today.
The two bays of Alyki were important harbors in antiquity, but nowadays they are beautiful clear water beaches, with only some small fishing boats anchored in the sheltered golfs.
Some pictures of this unique site can also be found here.

8) The Ancient Tower of Thimonia (Θημωνιά)

The Ancient Tower of Thimonia is situated nearby Aliki, about 1km towards Limenaria. From the main road you have to walk for about 10 minutes (or drive a 4x4) on a bumpy road to reach the ruined hellenistic tower.

9) Limenaria (Λιμενάρια) - Metallia (Μεταλλεία)

Limenaria (Λιμενάρια) is the second largest town of the island. It began its growth in the beginning of the XX-th century, because of the mining operations made by the German company Speidel to exploit the Zn-Pb (calamine) ores. The people from Kastro moved away from the mountains because of their jobs in the metallurgical plant.
While the town is a nice resort with all kinds of attractions, at the southern end there is the abandoned mining complex known as Metallia (Μεταλλεία). The former Speidel offices are known as "Palataki" (Παλατάκι), a sample of architecture from the beginning of the XX-th century and can be easily seen as a landmark on the cliff above the sea.

10) The Monastery of Archangel Michael (Moni Archangelou/Μονή Αρχαγγέλου)

Thassos has many monasteries, most of them remote and rather small, dependencies of the monasteries from Mount Athos. The Monastery of Archangel Michael is the biggest and most important of them all. It was built in the XVIII-th century as a dependency of the Monastery of Philotheos on Mount Athos. It is places on a cliff above the Aegean Sea, with a magnificent view.
The monastery is a convent for nuns, having as its most precious belonging part of the Holy Nail from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Every visitor has to be proper dressed (and for this there are trousers and skirts at the entrance) and no photos are allowed inside the convent.

So basically these were the "Top 10" of Thassos. Nevertheless the list would go on with some beautiful villages and beaches such as: Makryammos (Μακρύαμμος), Chrissi Ammoudia (Χρυσή Αμμουδιά) and Chrissi Akti (Χρυσή Ακτή) - Golden Beach - the longest beach on the island, Panagia (Παναγία - beautiful mountain village with small streams flowing though it), Potamia (Ποταμιά), Kynira (Κοίνηρα) - Paradise Beach (Παράδεισος), Astris (small beaches among the rocks; the unique Giola natural "pool" can be found nearby, although it's not that easy to spot - you may ask me for directions), Psili Amos, Potos (Ποτός), Pefkari (Πευκάρι) - nice for snorkeling because of the deep sea with rocks. For more info you could also check greekisland.

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Thassos (Θάσος) Island - Center

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:04:00 +0000

With an area of almost 400000 km² and a permanent population around 14000 people, situated in the Norhern Aegean Sea (Αιγαίο Πέλαγος), close to the coast of Thrace (Θράκη) - in The Thracian Sea (Θρακικό Πέλαγος) - Thassos (Thasos/Θάσος) is one of the best places to see during a summer holiday.

Thassos is a very rich in history place. The island has been inhabited since the Paleolithic, with more important archaeological findings beginning with the Bronze Age (around 1000 BC). Being colonized at an early date by Phoenicians because its natural resources (especially gold, as Herodotus/Ἡρόδοτος mentioned), Thasos took an active part in the war conflicts from the antiquity (such as the wars against the Persians or the conflict with the Athenians) and later became part of the Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire. From 1462 Thassos was part of the Ottoman Empire and from 1820 was given to Muhammad Ali of Egypt. For a short period of time (1941-1944) Thasos, along with the rest of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, was under Bulgarian control. The island was the place of internal skirmishes during the Greek Civil War until 1950.

One can enjoy in Thassos of both mountain and sea, all no more that a couple of kilometers from each other. The coastline is full of resorts for all tastes, although rather peaceful ones (and I like that), while the center of the island is wilder, with old olive groves, pine and fir forests and small shrubs. It's worth mentioning that Thassos is also called the Emerald Island because of the sea which is greener (than the Ionian Sea for example, but still clear and salty), and also because of the green inland part.

In this post I'll try to cover the central part of the island, while in the next one the coastal attractions. One piece of advice, before venturing in the mountains without a guide please check out this map. It's the best map of the island, and much much better than the "touristic maps" you'll be able to find there. Most of the roads from inside the island have no markings, are bumpy, some narrow and steep, and always winding, so getting lost is possible (luckily the island isn't that big). Make sure you have an appropriate vehicle (4x4 or ATV) and enough gas.

1) Maries Lake (λίμνη Μαριών)

The best road from inside the island is the one going through the village of Maries towards Ipsario Mountain. It's paved only part of the way but overall, it's the best you will get. (Tip: From Skala Marion (Σκάλα Μαριών) the road to Maries goes under the main road that circles the island.) While Maries is one of the oldest and most beautiful villages in Thassos, dating back to the Middle Ages, the natural reservation near Lake Maries, just a couple km away is a wonderful place with fish and waterfalls and it's the only lake on the island.

2) Mountain Ipsarion/Ypsario or Ipsarion (Υψάριο)

This is the highest point of the island (1026m). As I mentioned before, an off-road vehicle is recommended but from Maries you can reach Mount Ipsario even with a normal car (the higher the ground clearance the better) if you drive slowly and stick to the road. There's also a road from Theologos, but that one really needs an off-road vehicle. The shortest trekking routes are from Potamia. Nevertheless, the view from the top is definitely worth the trip.

Nearby you can also see the shelter of the mountaineering club of Thassos on a small plateau at 922m.

3) Kastro (Κάστρο)

Kastro is the main attraction for the so called "Safari trips" mainly due to the bad roads and its remote location. Situated inside of the island the village once had a protected position during the times of piracy. The village was abandoned mainly due to the opening of the mines by the German company Spiedel, founding the town of Limenaria. Nowadays it is in the process of being rebuilt in thassian traditional style. It became a touristic attraction, with one tavern and the small church of St. Athanasius (Άγιος Ἀθανάσιος), surrounded by fortified walls. There's also the cemetery of Profitis Ilias with lots of old bones.

4) Prehistoric Cemetery of Larnaki and Kastri site (around here).

At the entrance in Theologos there is a sign leading you on a dirt road on the left. Passing by a small church and after about 1 hour of (slowly) driving on a dirty/rocky road you can reach one of the oldest archaeological sites on the island. There isn't much to see nowadays besides some (really old) tombs, but this is really the wildest and pristine part of the island I have seen.

5) Theologos (Θεολόγος) Village

Placed towards the center of the island and easily reached by a main asphalt road, the village of Theologos (Θεολόγος) is the starting point for reaching some of the above locations and the place to go for trekking in Thassos. It is also one of the oldest settlements on the island. Things to see: the church of Agios Dimitrios (1803), the church of Panagia (1833), a centuries old bridge, a watermill and a folkloric museum in the mansion of the mayor Chatzigeorgiou.

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The Danube Delta (Delta Dunării)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:23:00 +0000

Situated in the eastern part of Romania, the Delta of Danube is an unique natural reservation in Europe. It's an astonishing place by its biodiversity and peacefulness. Contrasting with the crowded resorts on the Romanian Black Sea shore, the Danube Delta gives you the opportunity of being in the middle of the wild nature.

Although a strictly protected area, one can find more and more modern Hotels inside the reservation (as floating hotels or built on sand banks) or noisy big boats. There are a few traditional villages in the middle of the Delta that can not be reached by land, but I stayed in the fishing village of Murighiol, easily reached by car (and by boat) from Tulcea. It i situated on the right bank of St.George (Sfântul Gheorghe) channel, close to the lakes of Uzlina, Pojarnia and Isac and right next to the ruins of the Roman city of Halmyris. On the opposite side of the village one can also find the "Sărături" Lake natural reservation - a place where colonies of birds such as those from Recurvirostridae family, the Red-crested Pochard (Netta Rufina) or the Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) can be found. And with this occasion I'd highly recommend my host (very kind, rather talkative and a very good cook). The place is quiet, has everything from hot water to TV cable but no internet (there is no internet in the Delta yet), it is clean and it has a very nice unique touch.

In 1991, the Romanian part of the Danube Delta became part of the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites and it's definitely a landscape worth seeing. For more information check out Wikipedia, deltadunarii.ro or romaniatourism.com. There's too much to be said and seen so I'll try to keep it brief. Besides, I'm not an expert in fauna or flora. For a brief tour inside the ecosystem of the Delta of Danube (plants, wildlife and traditions) you can also visit the modern museum "Delta Dunării" in Tulcea (exact location here) where one can also find the biggest aquarium in Romania.

If you're found of fishing this is the place for you (but you need a fishing permit). I was more into nature and photography and hired a boat (with a local driver that knew the places) for a few hours ride. One can see lots of birds (the Danube Delta hosts more than 300 species of migratory and resident birds), such as pelicans, cormorants, geese, egrets, herons, ibises, spoonbills, grebes, rollers, bee-eaters, ducks, swans, eagles, hawks, falcons, coots, moorhens, cranes, limicolas, cuckoos and small birds, as well as beautiful yellow and white water lilies. During my stay i saw (with my untrained eye) the following (see also my pictures): The White Pelican (pelecanus onocrotalus), Herons (Ardeidae family such as Small Egret (egretta garzetta), Great Egret (egretta alba) or Squacco Heron (ardeola ralloides) ), Cormorant (probably Pygmy Cormorant (phalacrocorax pygmeus) and Great Cormorant (phalacrocorax carbo) from Phalacrocoracidae family), some species of ibis (probably Glossy Ibis (plegadis falcinellus)/Ţigănuş), Gulls (such as Laughing Gulls (Larus ridibundus) or Little Gull (larus minutus) and some Common Gulls (or Mew Gull - larus canus) ), Summer Swan (or Mute Swan - cygnus olor), Spoon Bill (platalea leucordia), White Stork (ciconia ciconia), Whiskered Tern (chlidonias hybridus), Gaffinch/Cinteza (fringilla coelebs), Eurasian Nuthatch/Scorţar (sitta europaea) and a wild goose (possibly Anser albifrons). I also saw some Hoopoes (upupa epops) in the nearby corn fields but i couldn't get it on camera.

Lots of beautiful pictures can be found at fotodelta.ro, while some of my personal photos follow:

- and some pictures from the Tulcea aquarium:

Paxos (Παξος) and Antipaxos (Αντίπαξος) Islands

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:39:00 +0000

From Corfu town some of the organized cruises take you visiting the two southern islands of Paxos (or Paxi/Παξοί) and Antipaxos (or Antipaxi/Αντίπαξοi) . Paxi can also be reached from the mainland (Igoumenitsa/Ηγουμενίτσα and Parga/Πάργα)) as well as from Italy by hydrofoil boats.

These two small islands are special, mainly because of their size and population (and I like small islands) but seems that many people consider this since real estates are rather expensive here.

The bigger island Paxos has been inhabbited by prehistoric time, and shared most of the Corfu's history. Its biggest towns are Gaios (Γάιος - the main port and capital) and Lakka (Λάκκα), where one can find a bigger diversity of shops and tourist attractions.

The island has steep shores with caves and it is covered in olive groves. The main occupations of the locals are, besides tourism, olive oil making, soap manufacturing and fishing. One can also find some gold and silver shops with tradition.

For more info check out the official site (still unfinished) , paxosmagic.com, here and here.

South of Paxos lies the small island of Antipaxos, famous for its wine. With an area of 5 square kilometres and a population of around 100 inhabitants I'd like to call it a rather ... intimate island, with a couple of magnificent beaches with crystal clear water.

The location on wikimapia, while some of my photos follow:

Corfu (Kerkyra/Κέρκυρα) Island - North

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:39:00 +0000

9) Mountain Pantokrator (Παντοκράτωρ) - the highest point on the island (almost 1000m) gives you an impressive view of the surroundings. On clear days one can see as far as Italy. On the top there is the Monastery of Ipsilos-Pantocrator, dedicated to the transfiguration of Christ, somewhat overwhelmed by a huge antenna. The road to the top is narrow but good for any car.

10) Sidari (Σιδάρι) - a northern lively resort with nice tavernas, as are the nearby resorts of Roda (Ρόδα) and Acharavi (Αχαράβι) [the first two pictures below]. It is famous for it's unique cliff shore sculptured by erosion - the most renown beach is Canal D'Amour (Kανάλι της Αγάπης). It is believed that couples swimming together in the Canal D'Amour will remain together forever.

11) Angelokastro (Αγγελόκαστρο [or Ανγελόκαστρο]) - is one of the most important fortified Byzantine complexes of Corfu. It is a remarkable piece of engineering, situated on top of a cliff in an important strategic position. It played a major role during the Great Siege of Corfu in 1571 when the Turkish attack on the northwestern flank of Corfu was successfully repulsed by the defenders of the castle. The castle dates back to the XI-th century, with evidence that the site was occupied by the early Byzantine period (between V-th-VII-th century AD).

For more info check out Wikipedia and here.

12) Paleokastritsa (Palaiokastritsa/Παλαιοκαστρίτσα) - situated close to the Angelokastro Fortress (from which one has a magnificent panoramic view of the resort, and not only), the resort is one of the most renown of Corfu. It is one of the first villages to be promoted for tourism because of its scenery, rocky formations and fine pebble beaches. It also has a marina where boat trips are organized. More info on the resort cand be found at paleokastritsa.org.

This concludes my list of recomended hotspots (take the last picture as a little bonus for the road - all my appreciation for the bus drivers). I initially wanted to name the post series "10 things you shouldn't miss in Corfu" but there are more that 10 things that shouldn't be missed (and i kind of cheated because Corfu Town by itself would mean at least 10 "must see" places) and the title would've been too long :D. And one more note: the listings are not ordered according to their significance but to their location.

If you have anything to add, please leave a comment.

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Corfu (Kerkyra/Κέρκυρα) Island - South

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:39:00 +0000

6) The Byzantine Fortress of Gardiki (βυζαντινό Φρούριο Γαρδικίου) - built in the XIII-th century, it is situated near the village of Gardiki among some beautiful olive groves. Although well preserved it is somewhat overlooked by the tourists. It can easily be reached from the main road. Apart from the principal castle, there are numerous other ancient edifices strewn around the castle’s surrounding areas, and each one unique in their architectural features. Tools from the Paleolithic Era were also discovered.

7) Korission Lake (Λίμνη Κορισσίων) - a natural reservation by the sea with an incredible scenery of water and dunes. Unique petrified sand-dunes and Juniperus stands can be found here. A magnificent wild area, it is the nesting ground of over a hundred avian species, many endangered. This is the place with some of the best (i.e. golden sandy) beaches on the island. There's Halikouna beach (3km) and a few more Blue Flag beaches south. But also the strongest currents can be found here so swimmers should be careful.

8) Alikes salt pans (Αλυκές) - not much of a tourist attraction but a special wild peaceful (desert-like) place that I liked. It is a protected area, breeding ground for a number of bird species. Now abandoned, the salt pans were an important part of Corfu's economy. See this article for a short history of Corfu salt extraction. There's also a chapel nearby having as patrol St.John and a small marina. While you're there you could also visit the nearby town of Lefkimi (Λευκίμμη) - the second largest town of the island.

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Corfu (Kerkyra/Κέρκυρα) Island - Center

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:27:00 +0000

There is a lot to tell about the island of Corfu (Greek: Κέρκυρα/Kérkyra; Latin: Corcyra; Italian: Corfù) and for a summary go check Wikipedia. For me the island is one of the best places to spend you summer holiday.

There's something special about the Greek islands: the people, the food, the history rich places and the combination of mountains and sea. Besides the great weather during summer (in winter life gets rather rough), one can enjoy water sports and the beauty of the mountains in a rather limited space (the islands aren't that large). I especially like the facts that you can't get lost that easily in the mountains of a small island and you can visit the entire place during a summer vacation.

Regarding Corfu - it's simply great. Situated in the Ionian Sea, part of the Greek Ionian Islands, the island is very close to the western Greek shore and to Albania. It can also be reached by ferry from Italy. One can also get to Corfu by plane, since there is an international airport on the island, but for visiting freely the island a personal or rented car is a must. At least two weeks would be OK, but i only had one so i was always in a hurry during my stay.

The island is believed to had been first inhabited by the ancient Phaeacians. It had a part in many of the important events of the Hellenic period, proclaimed a free state during the roman conquest, occupied by the Genoese, later part of the Principality of Epirus. The island placed itself under the protection of Venice, which in 1401 acquired formal sovereignty over it, that's why many Italian influences can be seen nowadays. Because of the Venetian protection the island withstood the repreated attacks, mostly those of the Ottoman Empire until the 19th century. Situated in the middle of a conflict zone the island's control shifted between the French, Ottoman and finally British, until the Ionian islands joined Greece.

During a couple of blogposts I'll try to highlight some places that shouldn't be missed while spending your time there (of course with personal photos :) ). If you have in mind anything I missed, please leave a comment.

And if you're interested in the wild life of the island you can go here.

1) Corfu City (Κέρκυρα/Kérkyra) - the capital of the island, the biggest city, also known as Kastropolis (Castle City) is worth at least two (or three) days for visiting. Being a historical town there are lots of places to see (besides the picturesque narrow streets typical for most of Greece) - since 2007 the old town has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Unfortunately i didn't have but a couple of hours for the town visit, and the visit of The Old Fort (Paleo/Palaio Frourio) took most of the time (but it was worth it). So, some of the things that can be seen:

The Old Fort (Παλαιό Φρούριο) which was built between the VI-th & XIX-th centuries, with impressive architecture.

The Esplanade (Spianada) in front of the fort had a strategic position, so that the attackers were in open terrain when attacking the fortress. It is split in two parts: Upper square (Ano Plateia/Ανω Πλατεί) and Lower square (Kato Plateia/Κάτω Πλατεία).
Liston (Λιστόν) is a group of buildings built between 1807 and 1814 hosting nowadays offices, restaurants and residences.
Anaktora - St. Michael and George Palace was build during the British occupation around 1819 and it is an unique monument of Georgian style in the Mediterranean, located at the north part of west Spianada. Part of the building hosts the Museum of Asian Art (It was founded as a Chinese and Japanese Art museum in 1927 after the donation of 10.500 items by Gregorios Manos and starting with 1974 it became an Asian Art museum).
The Archaeological Museum of Corfu has a collection consisting of findings from the ancient city of Kerkyra, the Kerkyrian Kassiopi, and also of excavations of Thesprotia.
The New Fortress (Neo Frourio/Νέο Φρούριο) or Fortress of Saint Mark built on the elevation of St. Mark in the XVI-th century by the Venetians.

Saint Spyridon Church (Ἃγιος Σπυρίδων) hosts The Holy Relic of St. Spyridon, the patron and loved guardian of the island of Corfu.
Mon-Repos is situated over the the ancient city of Palaeopolis, founded the 6th century B.C. There are findings of Doric temples dedicated to Poseidon and Hera, ruins of the ancient agora and early christian basilica. The palace Mon-Repos, build at 1831 from Commissioner Adams for his wife, today is changed in a museum.

2) Mouse Island (Ποντικονήσι/Pontikonisi) and Vlacherna Monastery (Μονή της Παναγιάς των Βλαχερνών) - basically part of Corfu town, at the southern part of the Kanoni peninsula that can also be reached from the main road across the Halkiopoulos lagoon. There's a narrow crossing so that on foot or by bike one can easily reach the town. This is one of the most photographed places in Corfu, and a very good place to see the planes because it's right next to the airport runway. Surrounded by trees, in the middle of Mouse Island (its name comes from the mouse-tail-like shape of the stairs seen from above), is the ancient Byzantine monastery of Pantokrator (Bυζαντινή εκκλησία του Παντοκράτορα), dating back to the XII-th century.

For much more info and some nice pictures check out digitalCorfu and Travel-To-Corfu.

3) Achilleion (Αχίλλειο or Αχίλλειον) - situated in the region of Gastouri (Γαστούρι), is an impressive palace built around the theme of Achilles(Ἀχιλλεύς) by Empress Sisi of Austria on the place of a mansion bought from Petros Vrailas Armenis. The palace was designed by Italian architect Raffaele Caritto while Ernst Herter, a famous German sculptor, was commissioned to create works inspired from Greek mythology. His famous sculpture Dying Achilles (Ancient Greek: Αχιλλεύς θνήσκων), created in Berlin in 1884 as inscribed in the statue, forms the centerpiece of the Achilleion Garden. The statue is in accordance with the tragic life of Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria (Sisi), and in contrast with the other sculpture of triumphant Achilles made by Johannes Götz and commissioned by German Kaiser Wilhelm II.

The palace is nowadays a museum with a collection of historical objects, paintings and sculptures, but it can also host certain special events. For more info check the picture below and a virtual tour can be found here, while you can also visit Wikipedia.

4) Kaiser's Bridge (η γέφυρα του Κάιζερ) - is a bridge built by German Kaiser Wilhelm II. He purchased the Achilleion in 1907 after Sisi's death and built the bridge to access the beach without traversing the road forming the island's main artery to the south. The bridge's central section was demolished during the German occupation of World War II to allow for the free movement of its vehicles. Its remnants can be seen from the main road. There isn't much space to park a car though.

5) Kaiser's Throne (Ο θρόνος του Κάιζερ) - on the other side of the island (western coast), above the village of Pelekas (Πέλεκας) and 12km from Corfu Town, there's a lookout point made by Kaiser Wilhelm II and names such Kaiser's Throne. On a clear day one can have a splendid view of the entire island from here (not to mention magnificent sunrises/sunsets).

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Sighişoara (Schäßburg/Segesvár)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:57:00 +0000

Situated in the middle of today's Romania, Sighişoara (Saksesch Schäsbrich, Šesburχ, German Schäßburg, Magyar Segesvár, or Latin Saxoburgum) is placed near the ancient Dacian settlement of Sandava, and the fortified Castrum Stenarum (or Capistenarum) with archaeological findings from Legio XIII Gemina.

The fortress was built by Saxon settlers, invited to the region by King Géza II of Hungary to defend the eastern border. The town was first mentioned in 1280 by the name of Castrum Sex, and in 1298 as Schespurch but the settlement was already inhabited in 1191.

Placed at the trading crossroads the town was an important economic and religious center in the medieval times. In 1999, the inhabited citadel of Sighişoara was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for its 850 year old testimony to the history and culture of the Transylvanian Saxons.

Nowadays a medieval festival is hosted every year at the end of July, when the peaceful fortress suddenly gets very crowded and noisy, but this is the time when the streets are filled with folk and rock music, jesters, street acts and handicraft.

More info on Wikipedia, Wikitravel and some here. The location is on Google Maps and some of my photos taken during the festival follow:

Bran (Törzburg/Törcsvár)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:09:00 +0000

30 Km from the city of Braşov, Bran dates back to the beginning of the XIII-th century. It was founded by the Teutonic Order as a wooden fort and it had a strategic position, between Wallachia and Transylvania.

Nowadays it is a peaceful commune, one of the most famous places in Romania, due to its castle in which it is thought that Prince Vlad Ţepes, the legendary Dracula (found in Bram Stoker's novel), lived. The Bran castle was built in 1377 by King Sigismund of Hungary. The castle is opened for visiting, while inside its courtyard one can see some traditional Romanian houses.

In Bran there is also a copy of the "Stella Maris" chapel from Balchick, built by Pricess Ileana, where the heart of Queen Mary should have been kept after the Treaty of Craiova.

The location of the Bran Castle is here. Some more info and pictures on the official site, here and below:

Braşov (Kronstadt/Brassó)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:28:00 +0000

Being a rather big city (267 sq km), there's so much to tell and so much to see, that I'll mostly post links to other sites with further information about Braşov, for example Wikipedia or the comprehensive Brașov Travel Guide. Situated in a picturesque area, with hills and mountains nearby, and with the Tâmpa Mountain (995 m) overlooking the town, Braşov (also known as Brassó in Hungarian, Kronstadt in German , Brassovia or Corona in Medieval Latin or Stalin City during 1950-1960) contains one of the biggest and best preserved medieval cities in the area.

The first attested mention of Braşov is Terra Saxonum de Barasu ("Saxon Land of Baras"), in a document from 1252. The old city has many sights and many of the houses date back hundreds of years ago. Some points of interest are:

- The Black Church (Biserica Neagră) - dates back to 1477, with a Gothic architecture, blackened by smoke from the 1689 great fire.
- The central square (Piaţa Sfatului)
- The First Romanian School.
- The Rope Street (Strada Sforii) - one of the most narrow street in Europe (111-135 cm wide and 80m long)
- St. Nicholas Church - 14th century
- The Citadel Fortress (Cetaţuia/Der Berg Schloss) - built in 1529 and upgraded several times, nowadays a restaurant can be found inside its walls.
- The Bastions of the guilds and the fortress gates - Graft Bastion, White Tower, Black Tower, Blacksmiths' Bastion, Catherine's Gate, Schei Gate, Weavers' Bastion

Here is the list of all the cultural interest points from Braşov county (unfortunately only in Romanian) . Location of the old city is on Google maps. Some more info on romaniatourism.com and some photos here and bellow:

Horezu/Hurezi Monastery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:25:00 +0000

Situated near the town of Horezu, on the territory of Wallachia, the Horezu (or Hurezi) Monastery (a convent for nuns) was founded between 1690 and 1697 by Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu and it's considered a masterpiece of romanian Brancovan art (Brâncovenesc style - evolving from the Byzantine style, with Boroque, oriental and Renaissance elements). The same style can be found at Cozia Monastery and in other historical monuments from Bucharest.

The monastery was intended to be a burial ground for the royal family, but Constantine Brâncoveanu and his sons were decapitated in the Ottoman Empire by the sultan in 1714 and his body can be found in a monastery in today's Turkey, while the big church from Hurezi olds an empty sarcophagus.

Most of the original mural paintings of the churches (dating back to 1692-1702) were preserved.
The school of mural and icon painting established at the monastery in the 18th century was famous throughout the Balkan region. In the XVIII-the century the "Brâncovenesc" style became a national style, one of the greatest episodes of the romanian medieval art.

The Hurezi Monastery is part of UNESCO World Heritage, and its location is here. Some more info and photos can be found here. Some of my personal photos follow:

Women's Cave (Peştera Muierii)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:35:00 +0000

Women's Cave (Peştera Muierii/Muierilor) is located in the village of Baia de Fier, near the gorges of the Galben (Yellow) Stream. The exact location is this. Made by the Galben River in the Mesozoic era, the cave gets its name from the fact that it used to shelter the women and children during wars. Almost 3600 meters long, the cave has four levels, but only an 800 meter section (with electricity) can be visited.

Inside the cave were discovered both human and animal remnants, among which is a well preserved cave bear skeleton. There are also interesting stalactite and stalagmite formations as well as bat colonies. Some of the main limestone/calcium formations are the Altar Chamber, Altar Gate, the Small Basins and the Large Basins, the Turk’s Chamber, the Chamber of Wonders, the Guano Chamber or the Bear's Gallery.

Regarding the actual visit, the entrance is different from the exit and the guide enters the cave hourly with groups of at least four persons. Be advised that it's actually a timed visit. You're rushed through the cave (even if you wanted to take pictures - a separate photo fee being paid) so that it takes around half an hour a visit. This is to be expected since that guy needs some time for himself too, doesn't he ?! Anyway it might depend on the guide person/time of the year/his other businesses. Fortunately that guy's hastiness (that made me angry) was compensated by the hospitality from Pensiunea Andreea (i'm not used to advertise, but this is indeed a very nice place to stay because of the accommodations and the hosts).

A few km away one can also visit the Polovragi cave (not opened for visits every day - and I couldn't enter on Thursday) and monastery, near the gorges of the Olteţ river.

More info and photos here and here while some of my photos follow:

Sculptural Ensemble in Târgu Jiu (Constantin Brâncuşi)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:32:00 +0000

Constantin Brâncuşi is one of the greatest Romanian artists, pioneer for the XX-th century abstract sculpture. His pieces of art can be found in museums from Romania, France, U.S.A, Australia, of in some private collections.

The sculptural ensemble in Târgu Jiu was erected as a monument to the fallen Romanian heroes of the First World War. The sculptural elements are disposed on an axis 1,275 meters long, oriented from West to East, nowadays in two parks of the city. From the Jiu River in the West, one can see the Alley of Heroes (representing the time given to a human life), starting with the Table of Silence (Masa Tăcerii - symbolizing birth), boarded by the symbolic chairs (in the shape of hourglasses), passing through the Kissing Gate (Poarta Sărutului - symbol of marriage), and ending with the Endless Column (Coloana Fără Sfârşit/Coloana Infinitului).

The location on Google is this, while more information can be found on the Tg.Jiu City Hall official site, and on the website of the Romanian National Institute For Research & Development in Informatics.

Bellow are some of my personal photos: