Jump on the bison bandwagon, lose yourself in thick fluffy forests, and offer yourself to Dracula as his potential new bride 💉 … Romania is a Grimms fairytale come to life ✨ Except nice.

Get your nature on then smash through Romanian cabbage rolls and Timisoreana - it’s Romanian beer…

This travel destination is doing its bit to keep planet earth ticking over 🌍

Mara is Romania’s stuck-in-time community where houses have their own wells, there are leafy veg plots, and concrete is basically a swear word.

Head for Spanata opposite the Merry Cemetery (no, really) for markets. These guys are big on handicrafts - think intricate pottery, colourful textiles, and traditional clothes. Double down with a trip to Oncesti village. Make sure you pick up some palinca - double distilled alcohol - and plum brandy.

If you get tired of shopping (you won’t) head for Creasta Cocosului and get on the trail of wild boar and mountain lions. It’s a WWF Romania conservation area thanks to the animals and biodiverse grassland.

“Days out just don’t have enough dinosaurs and bison” - said no Romanian ever…

Hateg Country is the stuff of legend. It’s packing fortified citadels, ancient archaeological sites, and one of the largest bison reserves

Head for the Hateg Land Dinosaur Geopark. They’ve got 157 species of butterfly that’ll flap round you as you walk. Paleontologists discovered fossils of dinosaurs here - they’re called ‘the dwarf dinosaur of Transylvania.’ Seriously.

After, you can take your pick - stroll round the largest glacial lake in the range at Retezat Park, or see Bison snooze under oak trees at the Wisent Reserve. Entry fees go towards conservation and upkeep.

Piatra Craiulu is Brasov County’s dreamy shrine to nature. Massive ridges are covered in spongy brown moss and little Edelweiss flowers - which look like wooly daisies - spring up everywhere.

Walk or bike the mountain paths looking out for red toadstool mushrooms. Little timber villages pop up behind slabs of chalky mountain and you might spot a bear or pack of wolves.

There’s a handful of rest stops but Cabana Cumatura is one of the best. Sounds exotic - but it’s all snowy peaks and glacial lakes. Stop for hearty and cheap local stuff like soup and sausages. Everything is organic.

This area’s been protected since 1938 and tourism has meant the park can focus on conservation, research, and rural development.