Wooden churches, hay stacked by hand and horses on country roads — glimpses of a Romania where traditional ways of life still continue.
There are not many places left in Europe where you can see a rural way of life that has changed so little. Romania is one of them — for now.
Maramureș
In the north, the villages are known for their tall wooden churches, carved gates and embroidered Sunday clothes. Many families still cut and stack their hay by hand in summer.
Bucovina
The painted monasteries are the headline, but the villages around them are just as memorable: painted eggs, wooden houses and gardens that feed the family.
The Saxon villages
In Transylvania, villages like Viscri keep their fortified churches and colourful houses almost exactly as they were.
How to visit respectfully
Travel in small numbers, ask before photographing people, buy from the makers directly, and stay long enough to talk. That is how we travel — and it is why families welcome us back.
