Postcards from Romania

Words by Dalene Heck / Photography by Pete Heck

We spent a lot of time on trains in Romania – not because it is a giant country or that we ventured to see every corner of it – but because the tracks are in rough shape and the trains must therefore move so slow. In one trip it took us 3 hours to travel only 95 kms. (Perhaps a good reason why that journey only cost us 3 Euros.) But we certainly didn’t mind. Long hours of staring out train windows with Arcade Fire on shuffle is one of my favourite all-time activities. It is a time to reflect, to absorb and mull over what was experienced in the city before, and anticipate what is coming in the next. And the sights that can be seen from such rides make it all completely worth it.Feet dangling from the open train door as we lumbered down the track. Train stops that were without a platform in sight – passengers at their destination would make a short leap to the ballast below and begin their march to a small town in the distance. The town would have its own characteristic spire from a Christian Orthodox Church that rose like a beacon in the center. Surrounding were rolling hills, half-plowed fields, and rows of sunflowers stretched up to the sun. Caged sheep and horses attached to carts, buildings that crumbled. Peeling paint and rusted bars on windows.

It’s been over a month since we left and I miss those train rides, and miss that country. There’s such a gentle and old-world beauty to Romania, both in and outside the cities, that is effortlessly alluring. It is not a place which will be forgotten quickly, and is one that is already willing us to return.

It’s been over a month since we left… and I miss that country. There’s such a gentle and old-world beauty to Romania, both in and outside the cities, that is effortlessly alluring.

Romania Countryside
Traditional Loom
Romanian Dolls
Transfagarasan Horse
Driving the Transfagarasan
Bucharest-Atheneum-974x658
Bucharest
Streets of Bucharest
Main Square Brasov
Night in Brasov
Black Church Brasov
Sighisoara by Night
Iron Bridge Sibiu
Sibiu Town Hall
Sibiu Windows
Sibiu-Streets-974x1442
Peles Castle

wait, there’s more!

From us travel bloggers who never give you many tips – here we are – about to give you some tips. We’ve been keeping track on our Trover page of some of the places we visited (or wanted to visit) to help you plan your own visit to Romania! Click thru to see the best of what the country has to offer.

Romania Guide – a photo list by Hecktic Travels

20 Comments... Read them below or add one of your own
  • August 25 2014

    I’ve always wanted to go to Romania and your photos only further whet my appetite!
    Emily recently posted..Lycian Tombs and Kaunos Ruins – A Stop in Dalyan

    • August 30 2014

      And I’m not sure that our photos even do justice to the beauty Emily. I hope you get there!

    • jack
      March 17 2015

      In mai i will be there. Happy me.

  • August 25 2014

    Love! It definitely makes me want to go back.
    Amanda recently posted..A Beachy Bucket List

    • August 30 2014

      Us too! Every time I look at a photo. 🙂

  • Shivya Nath
    August 25 2014

    What stunning pictures! Now I know what you meant when you said Pete accepted the challenge of photographing Sibiu 🙂 Brings back so many memories from my own trip.

  • It’s like a time warp – love it!

    • Pete
      September 4 2014

      Thanks Katie!

  • September 1 2014

    Gorgeous postcards! I love the one of the white horse! Thanks for sharing!

    • Pete
      September 4 2014

      Cheers Mary!

  • September 1 2014

    Beautiful photos! Oh how I loved Romania!
    Kirstie recently posted..How to Save Substantial Money While Rocking the Expat Life

    • Pete
      September 4 2014

      Us too Kirstie 🙂 Cheers!

  • September 1 2014

    Stunning captures! My favorite is of those dolls, how very pretty!! Thanks for the virtual tour of this beautiful country 🙂
    Arti recently posted..Swayumbhu Siddhivinayak Ganesh Temple – Vazira Naka, Borivli

    • Pete
      September 4 2014

      Cheers Arti, That’s one of my favourite’s as well 🙂

  • Stephanie - The Travel Chica
    September 5 2014

    Good choice of travel music.

  • September 18 2014

    Beautiful! I’ve got to make sure I get to Romania while we’re in Europe!
    Heather recently posted..Tallinn, Estonia: Europe’s Sleeping Beauty

  • September 21 2014

    Incredible photography! I’m visiting Romania now, you’ve really captured the beauty of the country wonderfully!

  • October 3 2014

    Your words remind me of 1974, when four of us went in a 50’s kombi (it was fairly new then) to Istanbul and back. We visited my penfriend in Arad, Romania. We stayed with the family and really experienced everyday life there. Nicolae Ceausescu was very much the good leader then, though there were signs … We visited Dana’s father in Timisoara (the first place in teh world to have electric street lights I think?) where her father was working as a musician. I tell you, stay with people in a country, you learn soooo much.

    • October 6 2014

      We did just that Bevil – a few days in the countryside with a lovely family. We got an incredible insight into rural life, would love to go back for some more!

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