A walk in the Piatra Craiului National Park, also in The Carpathians, is a more gentle, rural experience. It’s here that Jude Law and Nicole Kidman filmed Cold Mountain, the park doubling up for Virginia and North Carolina. If anywhere warrants the term “bucolic” then this was it.

Scythes, as opposed to machinery, are often used to cut the hay and therefore wildflowers are able to grow in abundance. The multi-colored meadows and pyramid-like haystacks, unique to Romania, all add to the pastoral scene.

One reason for hiking in Romania is the opportunity to hike from hut to hut as opposed to camping. Another is that Romania is very cheap compared to western Europe. Go to Romania to see an unspoiled part of Europe and to challenge yourself with some serious trekking.

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