Tulips and lilac for a Romanian spring: less beaten paths in search of Romanian flowers
Around Orthodox Easter and then around Labor Day, Romania gets ready to go on mini breaks. Business gets lighter, and people leave Bucharest in flocks starting the days before Easter (this year celebrated on April 21). For those still searching for the unexpected destination for a Romanian Easter, here are some ideas, all filled with flowers.
Tulips
Sometime mid-April, tulips are in bloom. There are two places in Romania where you can see lots of tulips during this period. One is in Arges, and the other one in Mehedinti county.
Pitesti is easily reachable from Bucharest via the highway, so this is suitable even for a one – day trip.
The other tulip – related place is in Mehedinti county, in the south-western part of Romania. This one promises to be more special, as it involves a special Romanian tulip, the Cazane Tulip, which is unique in the world. This yellow tulip is protected by law, it grows on the abrupt sides of the mountain, and can only be seen while on a boat trip on the Danube.
A trip to see this tulip is actually a trip to the natural resort Portile de Fier. To get there, you have to reach a place called Orsova, and then to a village called Dubova, where you can also find accommodation.
Lilac
Another lilac forest is located in the other corner of Romania, in Tulcea county, close to the Danube Delta, in SE. The place is called Valea Oilor, close to Ciucurova and the Ciucurova forest. This is open for tourists but don't expect any amenities, just lots of lilac trees, all in bloom in the month of May.
editor@romania-insider.com
(photos from simfonialalelelor-pitesti.ro, ponoare.ro, www.cazaneledunarii.com)