When we decided to go to Romania, I put three places on my must-see list: the villages of Sirnea, Pestera and Magura.
I had read about them via Google searches. There wasn’t a lot of information, but what I found was enough to make me want to visit.
We spent three days in these villages of Piatra Craiului National Park.
They are breathtakingly beautiful.
They are worth veering off the standard tourist loop. Even if some of the hairpin turns along the way will have you holding your breath.
These villages are located on rolling hills and valleys of the Carpathian Mountains. The sunsets and sunrises are phenomenal.
Every brightly colored home and barn, cow and horse, dog and goose all but demands to be included in your future photo album.
We walked as much as possible. Along gravel paths and through forests, over hills and to village churches.
The crickets chirped, cow bells rang, dogs barked furiously, the sheep barely made a sound and fire ants stung.
That’s not to say we didn’t visit castles, hike through nature or enjoy urban architecture during our eight-day adventure in Romania. We did!
But the villages of Sirnea, Pestera and Magura left an indelible impression on us.
If you’re planning a trip to Romania, do yourself a favor and visit at least one of these villages. We were lucky to enjoy all three.
