CNN Travel has published a list of European destinations perfect for a modern-day Grand Tour, and Romania’s Apuseni Mountains are on it. “The Grand Tour was a rite of passage for men and women of certain wealth and status in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, taking in the best Europe had to offer,” CNN says in its article.

A total of 17 places from across Europe have been included on the CNN list. Spain’s Picos de Europa comes first, followed by the Lofoten Islands in Norway and the Apuseni Mountains in Romania.

“Part of the western Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania, the Apuseni make for the ideal summer break, with cooler temperatures and uncrowded paths through ancient woodland and limestone crags,” reads the Romanian destination’s description. “Brown bears and wolves prowl these hills, although it takes patience and a keen eye to spot them. Climbers can try a number of different protected via ferrata routes which rise from the riverbank south of the village of Vadu Crisului.”

Other destinations recommended by CNN are the ancient Greco-Roman city of Ephesus in Turkey, France’s Avignon, Lisbon, the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland, Plovdiv in Bulgaria, The Cairngorms in Scotland, and Italy’s Pompeii. The complete list is available here.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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