For today’s
post, we’re featuring an article written by Dinu Mendrea, owner of the Casa Heidi vacation rental in Transylvania. Dinu is an accomplished photographer, writer, artist and host.
Read more about Casa Heidi and the wonders of Transylvania from Dinu, a true expert on the
region.
I could
(should) write about Transylvania's ethnically colorful history. Or I could
elaborate on its well-preserved German (Saxon), medieval cities and villages, about
some of their incredible fortified churches (part of which appear on UNESCO's
World Heritage List), or about the organ concerts you can still enjoy in
Brasov's spectacular Black Church.
Of course, I could write about the
impressive castles and palaces (Dracula's Castle for example being just 1 km
away from Casa Heidi), all the museums, parks, National Parks, the original
Bear Park. Or I could describe the great traditional restaurants tempting you
with the area's German, Hungarian, Romanian and Jewish cuisine. Then there are
the more recently created and highly affordable attractions such as paragliding,
ATV and Jeep tours, horse riding, mountain biking, skiing, swimming, Spas with
great massages and more. But I won't write about these.
 |
| Brasov, Old City Center, Transylvania, Romania |
I prefer
to emphasize THE most striking feature of this area and THE reason for which I
decided to have this dream-vacation-house built here and not anywhere else.
It's the breathtaking landscapes – and I will let my pictures speak. While you
look at them, try to imagine the smell of hay meadows full of flowers mown by
hand, the scent of endless fir tree forests, the sound of the mountain creeks,
the chirps of crickets and the bleating of the sheep. The nostalgic farming
scenes which we in the west remember only through fairy tales and movies are
all still here, waiting to be experienced.
+Castle+CDinu+Mendrea.JPG) |
| Dracula's Castle |
Transylvania
offers a special opportunity: to smoothly oscillate between 21st century
leisure, comfort and the beauty of nature and life, as they used to be. The
fact that the British "Guardian" newspaper considered Casa Heidi to
be one of Europe's best 20 self-catering vacation homes was probably thanks to
this combination. There is no guarantee that the next generation of travelers
will still be able to feed their nostalgia in this part of Europe.
After an
exhilarating day walking along the village's stunning hills, forests and
rivers, filled with wild flowers, forest mushrooms and wild strawberries, enjoy
sliding into the hot double Jacuzzi tub, up in villa's roof attic, still with a
magnificent view of the imposing Carpathian peaks in front of your eyes. You
are certain to enjoy the time of your life!
About Dinu:
As a graduate of the art academy, a free lance photographer for the National
Geographic magazine, I collected ideas, designs and objects from many parts of
the world, bringing them all back to this cozy Transylvanian nest. Casa Heidi's
website: www.casa-heidi.com
