The Alternative Guide to… Romania
Romania at a Glance
Capital city: Bucharest
Population: 19.5 million
Local currency: Romanian leu (£1 = 5.8 leu)
Famous face: Gheorghe Hagi, a footballer nicknamed the "The Maradona of the Carpathians", was considered one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe during the 80s and 90s
5 things you never knew about Romania
The country is home to over 6,000 brown bears (main picture above), the largest wild population in the whole of Europe.
There's a "Game of Thrones"-style statue of King Decebalus, carved into cliffs overlooking the River Danube near the southwestern city of Orsova. At over 135 feet high, it's the tallest rock sculpture in Europe.
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Peles Castle, a medieval fortress in Transylvannia, was the first castle in Europe to be powered by electricity from its very own power plant.
Romania's streets are quite literally paved with gold. Actually, that's not true - however, Romania does have more gold resources than any other European country.
Rope Street, in the Transylvannian town of Brasov, is said to be the narrowest street in Europe.
National dish
Sarmale - these are essentially cabbage rolls, filled with spiced pork and rice, and often served with hot peppers and sour cream.
If you see one thing in Romania, make sure it's...
...Bigar Cascade Falls. Located in the Caras Severin region iun southwest Romania, this might just be the most beautiful waterfall in the world.