British newspaper The Guardian has published its readers' favorite holidays spots in Romania. The winning reader's tip was for the ruins of Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa (in picture). These are the remains of the Roman settlement started after Emperor Trajan's conquest of Dacia and should not be confused with the older Dacian site Sarmizegetusa, which Trajan's army destroyed after the final decisive battle. The recommendation describes the ruined town as having “every building a Roman settlement should have” and says visitors will be “enthralled” by the size of the site. Also mentioned is the nearby UNESCO listed Densus church, which is reportedly built from stones taken from a Roman mausoleum.

The vast majority share of the tips are for Transylvania, with the other parts of Romania barely getting a look in. The Saxon towns and villages, such as Sibiu, Sighisoara and Biertan, get a mention. Readers also liked the Liberty Bear Sanctuary in Brasov and the chance to get away from it all at the Nomad Camp. “It's a million miles away from English camping: you spend the night snuggled up in a luxurious yurt with a log fire and animal skin rug,” reads the recommendation.

There are very few recommendations for the rest of Romania; Timisoara is mentioned, while Bucharest's sole entry is the Count Dracula Club. A restaurant in Mamaia is the only tip for the coast and Maramures as a whole is listed.

See The Guardian's Best of Romania.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Wikipedia)