How to get to Chefchaouen?

Chefchaouen is located (112 km/2 hours 11 minutes drive southeast of Tangier, which was our starting point) in northern Morocco.

What to do, see and visit in Chefchaouen?

Chefchaouen is known for the blue facades of its houses that squat beneath the wooded hills of the Rif Mountains. Apart from a walk in the old town (medina), the city doesn’t offer much.

Bab El Mahrouk gate

We started the tour north of the medina, from where we could take pictures of part of the city. Unfortunately, it was not the typical view from which you have a blue city in the desert like in the palm of your hand. I mention the more famous one at the end of the article. We entered the medina through the gate (Bab El Mahrouk; 550 m/11 minutes walk north of Place Outa El Hamam). Immediately after entering, we understood why Chefchaouen has the epithet blue city. They painted (almost) all the facades of the houses blue. Despite how popular the city is among visitors, here and there I managed to find an empty street.

Chefchaouen is not located by the sea like the other cities we visited. Therefore, high temperatures prevailed here in the afternoon as well. The narrow streets provided shelter from the scorching sun and the air flowed faster in them.

Bab El Onsar Gate and Ral Elma Park

From the northeast, you can reach the medina through another gate (Bab El Onsar; 500 m/7 minutes walk northeast of Place Outa El Hamam). This gate was also built in the 16th century. It was really busy around the gate. Some tried on Moroccan costumes, in which they were then photographed, artists sold their works here, visitors flocked from all sides. From this gate, it is also the closest to the photogenic Ras Elma park (650 m/9 minutes walk northeast of Place Outa El Hamam). Here, the waterfall springs from under the building that stands above it.

Locals were not as willing to pose here as in other Moroccan cities. Some even asked for small change for the photo.

The water of the Fouara stream gradually flows down the narrow valley below until it passes through the so-called local laundry, a place where householders wash clothes and carpets since time immemorial. At every turn there were stalls with souvenirs and others where they prepared fresh orange juice for you. The blue city on the hill is indeed so photogenic that visitors want to take pictures in every alleyway on every single step. It can feel a bit annoying at times when you are moving from one place to another.

Place Outa El Hamam

The center of the medina is Place Outa El Hamam. In the center of the square there is a fountain with a small pond. Dominating the southern part of the buildings are the fortress (Kasbah), which houses the Ethnographic Museum (Musée Ethnographique de Chefchaouen) and the Grand Mosque (Grand Mosquée), from which the prayer was carried throughout the square. We also ended our city tour in the square with a cup of hot mint tea.

Kasbah and Grand Mosque

The fortress from the 15th century functioned as a prison, today it hosts a small art gallery. Go up to the observation deck of the Portuguese Tower, from which you can see the medina and the surrounding hills. Explanations in the tower are in Arabic, French and Spanish. The ticket costs 60 mad/6 euros/person. The Grand Mosque, like other mosques, is closed to non-Muslims.

La Plaza de sidi Belhassen square

If you enter the alley between the mosque and the fortress, you will find yourself in La Plaza de sidi Belhassen. The square became famous for the wool market. It was an annual market for animal sacrifice until the late 1960s.

Place El Haouta

Only 300 m/5 minutes walk northwest of Place Outa El Hamam is another smaller square, Place El Haouta. Although you won’t find any significant attractions in the square, according to the photos on the Internet, it looks very picturesque.

Bab El Sor and Bab El Ain gates

When leaving the medina, we passed through 2 more gates – Bab El Sor (120 m/1 minute walk west of Place Outa El Hamam) and Bab El Ain (280 m/3 minutes walk west of Place Outa El Hamam). At the second gate, stop for a delicious ice cream.

Spanish Mosque

The mosque (1.3 km/21 minutes walk southeast of Place Outa El Hamam) was built by the Spanish in the 1920s. Although it never served its original purpose, it offers one of the best views of Chefchaouen. All those illustrative photos of the city that you can find on the Internet come from this location.

In conclusion …

I regret that we did not visit several interesting sites in the city of Chefchaouen. The guide more or less „dragged“ us up and down the alleys, as if he didn’t know where he wanted to go.

Opposite the public toilets stands the shop of a Moroccan. I couldn’t believe my eyes, how casually and naturally he told us about the square that is adjacent to his store, about its history and the buildings that stand on it. I just thought to myself: „It’s a shame that this gentleman didn’t accompany us through the city.“ Then the tour would have looked completely different.

Also read these articles from Morocco:

• Morocco before the 1st visit
• Tangier – gateway to Africa
• The archaeological site of Lixus near the city of Larache
• Tétouan – Andalusia in Morocco

The article was created in cooperation with FIJET and FIJET Slovakia.

© Ing. Adam Vanečko

Príspevok Chefchaouen – 50 shades of blue je zobrazený ako prvý na Adam Vanecko Traveller Food & Travel Blog.

A bit of the history of the Lixus archaeological site

In the Phoenicians times, Lixus is considered one of the largest cities in the western Mediterranean and the oldest city in Morocco. Archaeologists have found objects in the site that were imported from all over the Mediterranean. In the 6th century BC the city was attacked by the Carthaginians and remained in it until the establishment of the Roman Empire in 40 AD. Gold, ivory and slaves were traded in the city. On the other hand, salt, wine, olives, fish sauce and wild animals were exported from Lixus to amphitheatres throughout the Roman Empire. During this period, several private and public buildings were built in the city.

During the times of the Roman Empire, the city experienced its greatest prosperity. Thermal baths, temples, basilica, amphitheater and fortifications were added. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD the so-called the dark age, from which we have not preserved many finds. We know that the industrial district functioned until the beginning of the 5th century and that a community of Christians lived in the city before the arrival of the Muslims. Muslims occupied the city until the 14th century. An Islamic villa with an atrium, a mosque, waste pits and ceramics have been preserved from this period.

Did you know that …

…according to ancient Greek fables and myths, Heracles‚ last task was to bring 3 golden apples that guaranteed eternal life from the garden of the Hesperides? The apples were guarded by the nymphs Hesperides, daughters of the Titan Atlas. Giant Atlas had to carry the entire firmament on his shoulders forever as a punishment for rebelling against the gods. The garden was allegedly located in the city of Lixus. And the golden apples could be Moroccan tangerines.

Tour of the Lixus archaeological site

We started the tour at the Lixus Museum (Museo di Lixus). In several rooms, you will get to know the development of the site and the most important finds.

Industrial district

Then the guide took us to the industrial district. I’m not talking about any factories, but artisan workshops. They specialized in the processing of fish meat and the production of fish sauces (garum – fish sauce made from fermented fish). The neighborhood is located near the river and is believed to have been the city’s river port. The district consists of 10 workshops and 150 fish maceration tanks. Workshops were said to be among the largest of their kind in the entire Mediterranean and operated for almost half a millennium.

As you walk around the tanks, be careful not to accidentally fall into one of them and end up in fish sauce. The surroundings are not secured in any way.

Amphitheater

From the industrial district, we continued further up the hill until the amphitheater and public baths began to appear in front of us. In the amphitheater, fights between gladiators and wild animals took place. The public baths, like other discovered Roman baths, consist of an antechamber, cold and warm rooms and pools. The bath was decorated with marble and wall paintings. Only a few meters above the amphitheater stand the last remains of the basilica.

Residential district

Inhabitants of the city of Lixus lived at the very top of the hill. The residential district consisted mainly of spacious and richly decorated Roman houses with colonnaded courtyards. The houses were inhabited by the owners of meat workshops and farms around the city. Houses were characterized by geometric and figural mosaics, wall paintings and private baths. The mosaics discovered here are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum in Tétouan.

We didn’t see much of the residential area. Grass and small bushes were really everywhere. In some places they even grew out of the walls.

Palace complex

As you approach the palace complex from the residential area, you will still see the last wall that protects it today. The complex consisted of a palace with annexes, a temple, thermal baths with an ancient wrestling arena, an Islamic villa, a mosque, drinking water storage tanks, the remains of an aqueduct, pre-Roman houses and a necropolis. The remains of palace buildings represent all the periods that the site has gone through. From the Phoenicians to the 14th century, when the inhabitants left the site to move to the new town of Larache.

From the entire location, you will have its surroundings in the palm of your hand. You’ll see the Loukkos River winding its way through the landscape before emptying into the Atlantic on the horizon. You will not miss the sea salt tanks and the seaside town of Larache.

Useful information

Explanations are only in Arabic and French. We English speaking visitors were given a paper from which we learned more about the history and the site. The site’s official website is also only in French. The ticket costs 60 mad/6 euros/person.

What to do, see and visit in Larache?

Despite the fact that Larache is only 7 km/12 minutes by car west from the archaeological site of Lixus, we did not visit the city. Maybe we didn’t have to sit at the hotel for two hours after lunch. It doesn’t matter. I hope I will have the opportunity to visit this city again.

What we know about the city is that it was occupied by the Spanish in the 17th century and its inhabitants built ships for corsairs. In 1911, Larache became the main port of the Spanish protectorate.

Place de la Liberation

The center of the city is the Place de la Libération square. It is lined with cafes where locals spend a long time sipping mint tea.

Old Town (Medina)

Similar to other cities in Morocco, the old city in the form of a medina has been preserved in Larache. It is entered through the Bab Al Khemis gate. The narrow streets converge on the Zoco de la Alcaiceria square, which functions as a market. To the north of the medina is the ruined Saadian fortress, and to the south is a viewpoint.

Terrasse Corniche

700 m/8 minutes walk from the Place de la Libération is the view of the Terrasse Corniche. The viewpoint offers a view of the old town of Larache, the mouth of the Loukkos river and the Atlantic.

Ras R’mel Beach (Plage Ras R’mel)

You won’t find many places with gradual access to the sea directly in the city. However, nearby (11 km/17 minutes by car north of Place de la Libération, just 1.5 km as the crow flies) you will find Ras R’mel beach. A boat runs across the mouth of the Loukkos River to take you from one bank to the other. The trip should cost around 10 mad/1 euro/person.

In the city, you can still see a fortress from the 17th century, which is closed to the public, a gallery in the medina, a music conservatory, which you can only see from the outside, and the grave of the French writer Jean Genet.

In conclusion …

The ravages of time have already taken their toll on the archaeological site of Lixus. I confess that I have already visited more attractive archaeological sites than Lixus. In them, they clearly defined where visitors can move and where their entry is already prohibited. As visitors, we got everywhere in Lixus. I didn’t have such a strong need to climb all the stones and take pictures on all the walls, which are slowly (some maybe quickly due to the actions of others), but definitely falling apart.

Several speakers spoke about sustainability during the academy. I apologize in advance, I don’t want to offend anyone, but if the tours of the archaeological site of Lixus continue as they are and no protective measures are taken, the site, which has survived for thousands of years, will surely disappear sooner or later.

Also read these articles from Morocco:

• Morocco before the 1st visit
• Tangier – gateway to Africa
• Chefchaouen – 50 shades of blue
• Tétouan – Andalusia in Morocco

The article was created in cooperation with FIJET and FIJET Slovakia.

© Ing. Adam Vanečko

Príspevok The archaeological site of Lixus near the city of Larache je zobrazený ako prvý na Adam Vanecko Traveller Food & Travel Blog.

How to get to Alba Iulia?

Alba Iulia is located in the Alba county, a historical region of Transylvania in central Romania, 355 km / 4.5 hours northwest of Bucharest.

By car

The city of Alba Iulia is crossed by 3 national roads DN1, DN14B and DN74, while part of DN1 is part of the E81 European road.

• DN1 leads through Bucureşti – Ploiești – Brașov – Făgăraș – Sibiu – Alba Iulia – Turda – Cluj-Napoca – Oradea – Borș to Hungary. In the city, it identifies with the E81 European road, which connects Transcarpathian Ukraine with the Romanian Black Sea coast (Mukachevo – Halmeu – Satu Mare – Cluj-Napoca – Turda – Sibiu – Piteşti – Bucureşti – Constanţa),
• DN14B leads from Alba Iulia via Blaj to Copșa Mică,
• DN74 leads from Brad via Abrud – Zlatna to Alba Iulia.

By bus

There are 5 bus stations or stops around the fortress:

• Autogara Autotrans STP Alba – 260 m / 3 minutes walk north of the train station and 2 km / 22 minutes walk south of the fortress,
• Autogara Livio Dario SRL – 170 m / 2 minutes walk north of the train station and 2 km / 25 minutes walk southeast of the fortress (at Autogara Autotrans STP Alba),
• Benzinaria Petrom – Gara – 230 m / 3 minutes walk west of the train station and 1.7 km / 21 minutes walk south of the fortress,
• Statie Intersectie Magazin Spar – 1.5 km / 20 minutes walk northwest of the fortress and 3 km / 40 minutes walk northwest of the railway station,
• Statie Intersectia Autogarii – 2 km / 22 minutes walk northeast of the fortress and 2.5 km / 30 minutes walk north of the railway station.

The bus journey from Râmnicu Vâlcea (174 km) took 3 hours and 49 minutes and the ticket cost 39 lei / 8.06 eur / person. You can buy a ticket for this long-distance bus directly at the bus station and just show it to the driver when entering the bus.

By train

The railway station (Gara Alba Iulia) is located 1.8 km / 22 minutes walk south of the fortress. From the station we traveled back to Slovakia. Before the trip, we bought train seats. Behind the window was a nice English-speaking cashier. We did not get to Poprad (of course) directly from Alba Iulia. Fortunately, it was necessary to change train only 3 times – in Vințu de Jos, Budapest, Hungary and finally in Košice, Slovakia.

The journey took (incredible) 15 hours and 46 minutes. A return ticket from Poprad to Alba Iulia cost 73.50 eur / person. The ticket was valid for 1 month. Price did not include seats. To Vințu de Jos we took a regional train. A seat from Vințu de Jos to Budapest cost 3 eur / person. From Budapest to Košice a seat also cost 3 eur / person. A seat from Košice to Poprad cost 1 eur / person.

Before the trip, stock up on food very well. The station in Vințu de Jos was a bit strange. There was an overpass, which was not used at all. The waiting room was heated, but if you only have a hole instead of a window, it is probably not very effective. And you won’t find a vending machine for drinks or food at the whole station.

Where to get information in Alba Iulia?

The National Center for Tourism Information and Promotion (Centrul Național de Informare și Promovare Turistică; 500 m / 6 minutes walk west of the fortress center) is literally hiding among the western bastions. We managed to visit the center in 5 minutes 12 (in fact it was 4.55 p.m.). The employee of the center was already about to lock up when we „robbed“ her and asked for promotional materials about the city at the last minute. She „put“ maps and brochures in our hands and respectfully sent us away.

What to do, see and visit in Alba Iulia?

Alba Iulia has been the capital since ancient times. At that time, however, it was called Apulum and was the most important center of the Roman province of Dacia. The first fortress was a Roman military camp. In the years 1542-1690 it was the capital of Transylvania. The citadel of Alba Iulia is the largest fortress in Romania. Although the medieval fortress (2nd in a row) was built in the 13th century (on the foundations of a Roman military camp), its current appearance is slightly younger and dates back to the 18th century.

This, 3rd fortress, the Citadel of Alba Carolina (Cetatea Alba Carolina; in German Karlsburg, named after Emperor Charles VI, who initiated its construction), was built for more than 20 years (1715-1738). The fortress was designed by Italian architect Giovanni Morando Visconti using the Vauban military architectural system. Albu Iulia has been considered the symbolic capital of Romania for more than a century. Admission to the fortress is free.

The 1st, 2nd, 3rd gate of the fortress of Alba Iulia and the Obelisk of Horea, Cloșca and Crișan

You can enter the citadel through three entrances – from the east, from the west and north and through 7 gates. On the east and west sides of the fortress there are, on each three gates, on the north side one gate.

The 1st fortress gate (Poarta I-a a Cetății) at the eastern entrance has the form of a triumphal arch and is decorated with rich sculptural decoration inspired by Greek mythology. From the gate, a 130 m long paved sloping road leads to the 2nd fortress gate (Poarta a II-a a Cetății), which was partially destroyed in 1937 due to the construction of the obelisk and later rebuilt.

From the 2nd gate you can see the 3rd fortress gate (Poarta a III-a a Cetății), I dare say the most beautiful. It has the shape of a double triumphal arch. It is dominated by the equestrian statue of the Habsburg Emperor Charles VI. In the area between the gates, the 22.5 m high stone obelisk (Obeliscul lui Horea, Cloșca şi Crișan) will certainly not escape your view. The obelisk was erected on 14 October 1937 (on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the peasant uprising) to commemorate the three martyrs (Horea, Cloșca and Crișan), leaders of the peasant uprising, which took place in the years 1784-1785. At night, all sights are impressively lit.

History

The reason for the uprising was the poor level of feudal servitude in Transylvania. Orthodox Romanians were also not politically equal to Catholics, represented mainly by the Saxon, Hungarian and Székelys nobility. Leaders Horea and Cloșca were tortured by breaking in the wheel. Crișan hung himself in his cell to avoid torture. It is assumed that Horea’s death cell was in the 3rd gate under the statue of the king. The uprising ended with the servitude abolition in Transylvania in 1785.

Bronze model of the medieval citadel and the Michael the Brave church

From the obelisk to 3rd gate you walk around a bronze model of medieval citadel marked with attractiveness. Looking south you can see the wooden Michael the Brave church (Biserica Mihai Viteazul), built in 1988 in the „Maramureș“ style. The church stands on the site of the former metropolitan cathedral, which was built here by Michael the Brave in 1597 and which was destroyed by the Habsburgs in 1714.

Via Principalis and the path of the Three Fortresses

When you pass the 3rd gate, you get on the so-called The Via Principalis, which led through the entire Roman military camp from north to south. On your left hand you will see The path of the three fortresses (Traseul Celor Trei Fortificații), which is open to visitors during the summer tourist season. Three fortresses because the first fortress was a Roman military camp, the second a medieval fortress and the third the Citadel of Alba Carolina from the 18th century. Every fortress they built here included the previous one.

Principia Museum

In the center of the citadel is the Fortress Square (Piața Cetății). In the northern part of the square is the University December 1, 1918 (Universitatea 1 Decembrie 1918) and the Principia Museum (Muzeul Principia). Archaeologists have found the most important part of the Roman military camp in these places – the seat of the 13th Legion of Gemina, the only legion that remained in the province of Dacia during the entire period of Roman rule. In the museum you can admire, among other things, the old walls and the ingenious in situ heating system.

The Union Hall

The western side of the square is bordered by one of the most important buildings not only of the city, but of the whole Romania – The Union Hall (Sala Unirii). It was in this hall on December 1, 1918 that the representatives of Transylvania and Romania signed the Treaty of Unification. Why did they meet in this room? The answer is simple. Because it was the largest room in the whole city, which could accommodate up to 1,228 Romanian delegates. Admission to The Union Hall is free. You will receive a zero ticket at the entrance.

The equestrian statue of Michael the Brave

South of the hall is the equestrian statue of Michael the Brave (Statuia Ecvestră a lui Mihai Viteazul), a Wallachian prince who united Wallachia with Transylvania and Moldova in the 16th century. Alba Iulia is one of the few places that Michael the Brave personally visited. It happened on November 1, 1599 and he stayed in the city for 10 months. However, after his execution in 1601, this union disintegrated. The statue was ceremoniously unveiled on November 28, 1968, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of unification.

The Custozza and Lossenau Monuments

In the middle of the square, two monuments rise in height – Custozza and Lossenau. The Custozza Monument (Monumentul Custozza), in the shape of an obelisk, was erected in 1906 to commemorate the soldiers and officers of the 50th Infantry Regiment who fought alongside the Habsburg army against the Italians at the Battle of Custozza in 1866.

The Lossenau Monument (Monumentul Lossenau) was erected in memory of Austrian Colonel Ludwig Losy von Losenau, the leader of the Habsburg troops, who fell in the battle of Simeria in 1849 during the revolution in Transylvania. The neo-Gothic monument was built in the 1950s. Although there is no one in the square, it is „enlivened“ by statues of figures typical of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

National Museum of Unification

To the west of The Union Hall stands the National Museum of Unification (Muzeul Național al Unirii). The museum is comparable to other county museums in Romania. On three floors, it offers a walk through history from prehistory to the 19th century, which covers an entire floor of the museum. The tour ends with an exhibition of sculptures in the lapidary. The ticket cost 5 lei / 1.03 eur / person.

St. Michael’s Cathedral and the Coronation Cathedral

If we continue further west, we will suddenly find ourselves in the shadow of two monumental churches. To the left is the St. Michael’s Cathedral and on the right the Coronation Cathedral.

Roman Catholic St. Michael Cathedral (Catedrala Romano-Catolică Sfântul Mihail) was built in the 13th century. It thus became the oldest cathedral in Transylvania. The cathedral is a kind of royal tomb. John Hunyadi (Iancu de Hunedoara), the Duke of Transylvania and the Governor of Hungary, Isabela Jagiellon, Queen of Hungary and finally her son John II Sigismund Zápolya, the first prince of Transylvania, all found eternal rest in it.

Coronation Cathedral, Unification Cathedral or also the Orthodox Church of St. Michael (Catedrala Încoronării) was founded only in the first quarter of the 20th century in the years 1921-1922. The first religious building to be built in Transylvania after the great unification. For Romanians, it is a real monument of national unity. Coronation because on October 15, 1922, they crowned King Ferdinand I and Queen Mary. Opposite the main entrance to the cathedral rises a 52 m high bell tower.

The 4th, 5th and 6th gate of the fortress of Alba Iulia

The 4th fortress gate (Poarta a IV-a a Cetății) is located on the west side of the citadel and is decorated with several Baroque sculptural elements. We also know it as the „New Gate“ or „Bishop’s Gate“. It is the only ornate gate on the west side of the citadel. The 5th fortress gate (Poarta a V-a a Cetății) has a simple architecture without decorative elements and the shape of an arched corridor. Gates were once connected by a drawbridge over the moat. The 6th fortress gate (Poarta a VI-a a Cetății) freely connects to the 5th gate. It is a simple gate with two massive pillars, on which are placed two stone cannonballs at the moment of firing.

Museikon

Museikon (240 m / 3 minutes walk northwest of Fortress square) focuses mainly on sacred art. It contains a valuable collection of Transylvanian icons, historical prints and other religious objects. It is exhibiting medical items in the basement, as the building housed the first military hospital in Romania in the 18th century.

The 7th fortress gate

The last, northern, 7th fortress gate (Poarta a VII-a a Cetății) was discovered by chance during reconstruction works. It is believed that it did not serve its purpose and was bricked up before the completion of the fortress. Again, it has the simple form of an arched corridor without statues.

Where to stay in Alba Iulia?

Villa Matia Resort is located (850 m / 10 minutes walk east of the fortress; 1.2 km / 16 minutes walk north of the railway station and bus station Autogara Autotrans STP Alba) directly at the eastern side of the fortress. The property does not have a 24-hour reception. There was a telephone number on the front door that we called, and a very nice English-speaking receptionist arrived in about half an hour.

The lady accommodated us in a double room overlooking the road in front of the facility with a private bathroom with shower. But if we had a room on the opposite side of the facility, we would have a direct view of the fortress. Very nice, elegantly furnished and spacious room, which consisted of an entrance hall, the room itself and a private bathroom. There was an electric kettle in the room. It is not necessary to reserve a space in the free private car park, which is available on site. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property.

For one double room for 2 people for one night we paid 124 lei / 25.63 eur. The price included a room and 5% value added tax. The price did not include breakfast (5 eur / person / night), which is served only during the summer season. We paid at the property with a credit card in local currency.

Villa Matia Resort is the 2nd best accommodation during our last visit to Romania and one of the best in all of Transylvania.

Where to eat in Alba Iulia?

The food in Alba Iulia was great.

Hotel Vila Preciosa

Hotel Vila Preciosa (1 km / 11 minutes walk east of the fortress) is a modern hotel in the wider city center. The hotel has a clean and elegant restaurant where we stopped for lunch. I tasted Caramelized chicken breasts with cherry sauce and curry rice. After the main course, we ordered the Papanași dessert, which they prepare here a little differently than in other parts of the country. It looked more like Slovak potato gnocchi with breadcrumbs than fried doughnuts with jam. Still, dessert was excellent. We were served by a very nice, English-speaking waitress. We paid 117 lei / 24.18 eur for lunch for 2 people. One of the best restaurants during our last visit to Romania.

PUB 13 – Restaurantul Cetății

The medieval restaurant PUB 13 – Restaurantul Cetății (550 m / 6 minutes walk east of the fortress center) is located directly in the citadel wall. The medieval atmosphere is enhanced by stone vaults, massive wooden furniture, weapons, flags and coats of arms on the walls. English speaking staff. I tasted chicken breasts with onions and mamaliga, which are served on a hot decorated earthenware dish. The food was really great. We paid 150.50 lei / 31.11 eur for dinner for 2 people.

I finally managed to visit the city of Alba Iulia after a few years. I have corrected old rests from the past and I have no choice but to recommend a visit. The attractive and interesting city abounds in a rich offer of cultural monuments, accommodates you in a cozy hotel and satiates with selected dishes in attractive restaurants. In addition, the bonus is nice people who welcomes every visitor.

Prices were converted according to the current exchange rate of the National Bank of Slovakia valid as of 15 April 2020 (EUR 1 = 4.8378 lei).

I did not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage of the services provided by tourism businesses, institutions and organizations.

© Ing. Adam Vanečko

Príspevok Alba Iulia – Romanian freedom flower je zobrazený ako prvý na Adam Vanecko Traveller Food & Travel Blog.

In Drobeta we were supposed to have the warmest weather from our entire holiday. There should have been an incredible 15! degrees. Actually, there were those 15 degrees, but there was such an incredible wind blowing in the city that we didn’t enjoy the „warm“ weather so much.

How to get to Drobeta-Turnu Severin?

Drobeta-Turnu Severin is located in western Wallachia, Oltenia region, in southwestern Romania, administratively in Mehedinți County.

By car

Severin lies at the crossroads of national roads DN6 and DN67. The national road DN6, which is also part of the European road E70, leads on the route Bucharest – Craiova – Drobeta-Turnu Severin – Timișoara. The DN67 national road leads from Drobeta-Turnu Severin via Târgu Jiu to Râmnicu Vâlcea.

By bus

If you travel to Drobeta by bus, you can get off at the bus station, or one of the following stops:

• Main bus station (Autogara Transport Public Urban Drobeta SA) – 2 km / 23 minutes walk east of the city center and 3 km / 38 minutes walk northeast of the railway station.
• Agentia ,,Drobeta,,Dr. Tr. Sev. – at the main bus station,
• Parcare Interex – at the main bus station,
• Generala nr. 2 (also known as B-dul Tudor Vladimirescu) – 2 km / 25 minutes walk west of the bus station and 280 m / 4 minutes walk north of the Water Tower, ie closest to the center.

The bus journey from Târgu Jiu took 2 hours 15 minutes and the ticket cost 24 lei / 4.96 eur / person.

By train

The railway station (Gara Drobeta-Turnu Severin) is located 1.2 km / 15 minutes walk southwest of the city center.

Where to get information in Drobeta-Turnu Severin?

The Tourist Information Center is just a few steps walk north of the medieval fortress of Severin.

What to do, see and visit in Drobeta-Turnu Severin?

Severin‚s primary offer is somewhat richer, perhaps more attractive than in other cities in western Wallachia. In the city you will find the Iron Gates Region Museum, the Medieval Fortress of Severin and the Water Tower.

Iron Gates Region Museum

Iron Gates Region Museum (Muzeul Regiunii Porților de Fier) exhibits its collections in several buildings – the Multifunctional Pavilion, the Archaeological Park and the Turbine Museum in Gura Văii.

Multifunctional pavilion

The Multifunctional Pavilion (Pavilionul Multifuncțional – Muzeul Regiunii Porților De Fier; 1.3 km / 16 minutes walk east of the center) is the main building of the museum. A book guide attracted us to the aquarium with fish from the Danube in addition to historical, archaeological or ethnographic collections. In the end, we didn’t see any of it. The museum is currently closed due to reconstruction and offers only 4 short-term exhibitions:

• traditional housing in the Mehedinți region – a selection from ethnographic collections
• paintings „Dumitru Ghiață“ – a selection of 46 paintings from the collections of the Museum of Art,
• Roman cuisine – a selection of historical and archaeological collections,
• stuffed birds – a selection of natural science collections.

Admission is 4 lei / 0.83 eur / person.

Archaeological park

The Archaeological Park (Parcul Arheologic – Muzeul Regiunii Porților De Fier) is located directly at the Multifunctional Pavilion. The remains of a Roman camp, Trajan’s Bridge, a Roman amphitheater, a Roman bath and a medieval church were found in the park.

The fortress was the first Roman camp in the territory of Dacia and served to defend the Trajan’s Bridge. Apollodorus of Damascus had built a bridge over the Danube on the orders of Emperor Trajan as early as 102-105 AD. It was the largest bridge in antiquity, connecting two Roman provinces – Dacia (north of the Danube) and Moesia (south of the Danube). Two basic foothills have been preserved from the bridge, one on the Romanian side and one on the Serbian side.

The rest of the Trajan’s bridge is forever buried at the bottom of the Danube, which rose in these places by 8-10 m after the construction of a hydroelectric power plant. The bridge is even depicted on Trajan’s Column in Rome. The amphitheater was used to train Roman legionaries. After training, they could recover in a nearby spa. You walk through the park yourself. There are information boards in Romanian and English throughout the complex. Admission is 10 lei / 2.07 eur / person.

Gallery:

Turbine Museum in Gura Văii

The Turbine Museum in Gura Văii (Muzeul Turbinelor de la Gura Văii; 12 km / 14 minutes by car northwest of the city center) is located in the Iron Gates hydroelectric power plant in the village of Gura Văii, managed by Drobeta. In addition to the permanent historical and archaeological exposition, it also offers visitors temporary exhibitions from ethnographic, natural history collections and a turbine hall. Thanks to the absent bus from Târgu Jiu and reviews on the Internet, we finally missed the tour of the museum and preferred the attractions in the city. Admission is 10 lei / 2.07 eur / person.

Sailing in these places on the Danube was still dangerous. The river wound through the gorge between the rocks and, in addition, swirls formed in it. In the second half of the 20th century, Romania agreed with Yugoslavia (now Serbia) to build a hydroelectric power plant. It was established in the years 1960-1972 and is the largest dam power plant on the Danube and one of the largest in Europe. Its construction caused the river level to rise by 33 m, flooding 10 places on the Romanian and 7 places on the Serbian coast, including the historic part of Orșova and the Turkish island of Ada Kaleh.

The medieval fortress of Severin

The medieval fortress of Severin (Cetatea Medievală a Severinului; 650 m / 8 minutes walk south of the center) is probably the first stone fortress in Romania. The fortress was built by the king Ladislaus I of Hungary at the end of the 11th century for defense in case of attacks by Kumani and Pechenegs. It later protected from the Turkish invasion. After conquering the fortress, the Turks ordered its demolition. At present, you can walk along its walls for free.

Water Tower

The Water Tower (Castelul de Apă; 350 m / 5 minutes walk north of the center) was built in 1910. Its main function was to supply the city of Severin with water. It was inaugurated four years later and served its mission until 1980. During World War I served as an observatory for German soldiers. The tower is 27 m high.

From the tower there is a view of the regular network of city streets, the Danube and the opposite Serbia. There is a different short-term exhibition on each floor of the tower. On the top floor it was an exhibition of historical photographs of old Drobeta, on other floors an exhibition dedicated to the Serbian town of Negotin and works of art school students. On the ground floor there is a souvenir shop and was an exhibition of photographs of regional churches and monasteries. Admission is 10 lei / 2.07 eur / person.

Where to stay in Drobeta-Turnu Severin?

Mon Cheri guest house is located 900 m / 11 minutes walk northwest of the city center; 1.3 km / 17 minutes walk north of the train station and 2.2 km / 30 minutes walk west of the bus station.

We stayed in a double room with a balcony and a view of the main road with a private bathroom with shower. The room was furnished with older furniture, but I guess I slept here on the best mattress in the whole of Oltenia. The room smelled a bit, but we have become accustomed in Romania. Good English-speaking receptionist, but only Romanian-speaking waitress. Breakfast is also served at the guest house. It is not included in the price of accommodation. The waitress, who was probably also a cook, prepared a tasty omelette for us.

For one double room for 1 night for 2 people we paid 130 lei / 26.88 eur. The price includes room, 5% value added tax, 1% city tax. You can pay at the guest house by card. The price does not include breakfast. For breakfast for 2 people we paid 29 ron / 6 eur. It is not necessary to book a space in the free public car park, which is available on site. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the guest house.

Where to eat in Drobeta-Turnu Severin?

We tried 2 restaurants and one café in the city.

Restaurant & Lounge 16,50

Restaurant & Lounge 16.50 (400 m / 5 minutes walk west of the center) is a luxurious-looking restaurant almost in the city center. We were probably the first guests to come to dinner that day. In some rooms it was not even lit. It was in one, but waiters were sitting and smoking there (again the cigarette smoke). The smoke was smelled a bit in the room where we were eating. We didn’t let ourselves be discouraged, even though I thought we’d get up and go somewhere else. In the end, it was the restaurant where we ate the best. Again, only Romanian-speaking staff. I tasted the specialty of the house, Chicken wok (chicken breast, pepper, eggplant, pumpkin, garlic, sweet chili sauce, basmati rice).

We also tasted dessert. We were very pleased to see the traditional Romanian dessert Papanași (something like Slovak doughnuts) in the menu, which is usually served here with sweet cream and blueberries. After dinner we went for a walk along the Danube embankment. Unfortunately, the waterfront is not arranged in the same way as in other cities in Romania. But the city and its sights are illuminated nicely at night. We paid 150 lei / 31.02 eur for dinner for 2 people.

Rustic Restaurant

The restaurant where we wanted to eat lunch the next day was closed. We therefore went to the nearest restaurant (Rustic; 260 m / 3 minutes walk southwest of the center) in the area. Based on personal experience, I can evaluate that the restaurant is true to its name. After entering, I felt like I had moved back in time a few decades. Large unwashed windows (those windows were probably washed, only the glass could be so old that it was not really visible through it), everywhere full of large green dusty plants, long wooden tables, quasi-wooden roofs with folk motifs above the tables, older, only Romanian speaking lady waitress and lunch price for 2 people lower than for two coffees elsewhere in the city.

We tasted the daily menu: vegetable soup and broth (it was the same vegetable soup, they just put sliced chicken in it). The main course was a slice of pork and a slice of chicken. The oil on which the meat was prepared, I guess, remembered the socialist era. We could choose potatoes in any way as a side dish. I’m glad waitress picked fries for us. Of course, dessert can’t be missed after the main course. This was followed by popular pancakes. I probably wouldn’t go back to the restaurant for the food, but for the experience, or perhaps even better the feeling. We paid 40 lei / 8.27 eur for lunch for 2 people.

Ada Kaleh Café

The Turkish Ada Kaleh café is located right in the city center. We ordered an original Turkish coffee (not poured, but prepared in cezve and sand!) with baklava. I was a little sorry that if it weren’t for the unique environment, I would get the feeling that I was just in any other café in Romania. We paid 42 lei / 8.69 eur for a bill for 2 people.

I can’t say that Drobeta-Turnu Severin did not meet my expectations. It is possible I probably just idealized the city just before I arrived. I am convinced that during the summer, when it is nice, the city has a completely different atmosphere. I don’t want to exaggerate, maybe seaside, but there are definitely terraces everywhere and full of people and warm and fragrant. But I’m idealizing it again.

Prices were converted according to the current exchange rate of the National Bank of Slovakia valid as of March 24, 2020 (1 eur = 4.8357 lei).

I did not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage of the services provided by tourism businesses, institutions and organizations.

© Ing. Adam Vanečko

Príspevok Drobeta-Turnu Severin on the Danube bank and just a jump to Serbia je zobrazený ako prvý na Adam Vanecko Traveller Food & Travel Blog.

How to get to Deva?

Deva is located on the main road and railway from Hungary to Romania, so you can easily get here from the capital of our southern neighbor (Budapest) without a single transfer.

By car

Deva is crossed by the European roads E68, E79 and E673. The E68 starts in the Hungarian town of Szeged and continues through the border crossing Nădlac – Arad – Deva – Sibiu – Făgăraş to Braşov. The European route E79 leads from north to south from Hungary via Romania, Bulgaria to Greece. In Romanian territory, it passes through the cities of Oradea – Deva – Târgu Jiu – Craiova – Calafat. The European road E673 from Lugoj ends in the city.

By bus

If you are traveling to or from the city by bus, you can come to one of the following bus stops:

• Autogara BV Dasler SRL – main bus station next to the train station,
• Parcare McDonald’s – north of the bus station,
• Benzinaria PETROM (langa McDonald’s) – north of the “ McDonald’s“.

Do not worry about anything, the station and both stops are next to each other. Regional and some long-distance buses leave from the southern part of the station, and public transport and some long-distance buses start in the northern part. Some regional buses also stop at public transport stops.

By train

All international trains from Budapest stop in Deva. The railway runs in Romania through the cities of Arad – Deva – Sibiu – Făgăraş – Braşov. Gara Deva (the railway station) is located 700 m / 9 minutes walk east of the city center. The journey from Budapest takes 7 hours 51 minutes. A return ticket from Poprad to Alba Iulia cost 147 eur for 2 people. The seat cost 3 eur / person (2020).

The train literally flies over Hungary, in Romania it „drags“ a bit then. Prepare for checks on both sides of the border. You will stay on the Hungarian side for 40 minutes, on the Romanian side for about 25 minutes. During this time, they manage to replace the locomotives and take about half of the train on their way from Hungary. I was surprised that there is no restaurant car on the train and the offer of refreshments from the trolley is not available. Therefore, get enough food before the trip.

Where to get information in Deva?

The Tourist Information Center (Centrul Național de Informare și Promovare Turistică) is located at the lower station of the funicular to the fortress (Telecabină Cetatea Devei; 850 m / 10 minutes walk north of the city center).

What to do, see and visit in Deva?

Deva does not have an overflowing tourism primary offer. Nevertheless, it offers a few attractions that make it worth staying in the city longer.

Deva fortress

The stone fortress in Deva (Cetatea Devei), which sits on a hill high above the city, is unmissable from every side from which you come to the city. It dates back to 1269. In 1784 it served as a refuge during the peasant uprising.

Hungarian legend says that the builder of the Deva fortress had his wife walled up in one of the walls of the fortress. He wanted to ensure that Satan never destroyed the fortress. The death of his wife was probably in vain. The fortress was conquered by Hungarian rebels after a 4-week siege in 1849 by the explosion of gunpowder warehouses. The tooth of time has been biting into her ever since. Projects for the gradual restoration of the fortress emerged only in this century.

You can go to the fortress on foot or by cable car (20 lei / 4.16 eur / person). Two walking routes – 30- and 40-minute start north of the manor house. Both routes are worthwhile. While the shorter one winds around the hill from the west side, the longer one from the east side. The lower station of the funicular is located at the eastern foot of the hill. You can enter the fortress at any time of the day or night. Admission is free.

In the Deva fortress there are information boards (also in English) and vending machines in case you get hungry or thirsty. From the fortress you will have a view of the surrounding hills, valleys and the city itself, which lies below the hill. In the past, the so-called the „Salt road“ that connected Rome with Transylvania, passed through the city.

Museum of Dacian and Roman Civilization

Museum of Dacian and Roman Civilization (Muzeul Civilizației Dacice și Romane) is housed in the Renaissance manor house of Magna Curia, which dates from 1621. On the ground floor you can get acquainted with natural history collections, on the first floor with historical and archaeological ones. Permanent exhibitions are complemented by temporary exhibitions. We saw exhibitions dedicated to contemporary photography, wooden sculptures, treasure from the museum’s collections, or the 750th anniversary of the fortress. The ticket costs 20 lei / 4.16 eur / person.

I was surprised by the exhibition of dresses of Maria Szechy (1610-1678), who was the granddaughter of the infamous „bloody“ Countess Elisabeth Bathory. However, we know her from legends as „Venus of Muráň“. Maria was born and raised in Muráň, Slovakia, but at the age of 17 she married Stephen Bethlen and moved to the manor house in Deva, Transylvania. According to other sources, she allegedly fled to Deva from her second husband, Stephen Kun. After the death of her first husband, she married twice more.

For the first time to the already mentioned Stephen Kun, with whom she divorced. It should be noted that then it was not as common as it is today. The last time she married Ferenc Wesselényi, the Fülek castle captain, later the Hungarian palatine (the second highest position after the monarch). He married Maria only four months after the death of his wife Zsófia Bosnyák, whom we know from Strečno Castle in Slovakia.

Statue of Decebalus

The equestrian statue of King Decebalus of Dacia (Statuia lui Decebal; 500 m / 5 minutes walk south of the center) is located in front of the Drăgan Muntean Cultural Center. Decebalus ruled in the years 87-106 AD. His name means „as strong as ten men“. He fought against the Roman army several times. Last in 106 AD, when he was defeated by the legions of Emperor Traian. Decebalus would rather commit suicide (allegedly pierced his throat) than fall into captivity.

Statue of the Roman emperor Traian

The statue of the Roman Emperor Traian (Statuia lui Traian) is located in the city center in the pedestrian zone behind the huge inscription „I love Deva“. The decisive battle between Traian and Decebalus is also depicted on Traian’s Column in Rome.

Where to stay in Deva?

Rooms Cristian is located (1.8 km / 23 minutes walk south of the center) in a residential area in the southern part of the city. There is a bus stop near the hotel, with public and regional buses.

We were accommodated in a spacious twin room „Deluxe“ with a private bathroom with shower and a view of the street in front of the hotel. At check-in, the receptionist was a little confused, but tried to solve everything to our satisfaction. She made sure I had her phone number so I could contact her with any questions. Rooms Cristian was another of the accommodation facilities in which smoking is probably allowed inside as well, because in our room it was quite felt perceived. The shower flowed a bit.

We found out after its first use, when the bathroom was slightly flooded. The bathroom window was facing the opposite apartment buildings, so you won’t enjoy much privacy there. They prepared breakfast only for us, so we ate both days the same, but it doesn’t matter. They prepared a rich breakfast, which gave us enough strength to explore the city and the region. The receptionist spoke German, the waitress spoke English. Free private parking is available on site. Reservation is needed. Free Wi-Fi internet access is available throughout the hotel.

For one twin room for 2 people for 2 nights we paid 200 lei / 41.57 eur. The price includes room, value added tax, city tax and breakfast. You can only pay in cash in the local currency.

Where to eat and go for coffee in Deva?

During two days we tried 3 restaurants and one café in the city.

BöRD13

The Swedish-sounding BöRD13 (700 m / 9 minutes walk south of the center) is a pleasant modern restaurant on the floor of an older building. The restaurant offers fantastic views of Deva city center with the statue of Decebalus in the foreground and the Deva fortress in the background. Unfortunately, at the time of our visit, there was no free table by the window and the staff seated us at a larger table by the bar. Only one English-speaking waiter was found among the attending staff though. I didn’t want to experiment very much, so I chose a classic and ordered lasagna, which was very tasty. We paid 95 lei / 19.75 eur for dinner for 2 people.

Grizzly Restaurant

Grizzly Restaurant (only 140 m / 2 minutes walk west of the train station) was our first stop after arriving to Romania. Nice, clean, minimalist restaurant with English speaking staff. I tasted fried chicken breast with basil, green sauce and rosemary potatoes. Dinner was simply delicious. After dinner, we enjoyed a local brandy, which did not taste us so much. We paid 110 lei / 22.86 eur for dinner for 2 people.

Restaurant Capriccio Deva

The Italian Restaurant Capriccio Deva is located right in the city center in the pedestrian area. You just enter one of the gates and the restaurant is hidden in the garden of the house. After a tour of the castle, museum and fortress, we got a taste for something big and rich. Naturally, we got a pizza that was mediocre. The waiter forgot about us with the order of the drink, which he later admitted. But he hadn’t had the time to serve us anyway. A little surprising when I think that it is his job, but probably common. We paid 90 lei / 18.71 eur for lunch for 2 people.

The Refresh

The stylish The Refresh Café is located in the city center, right in the pedestrian zone. I really like the fact they did care about the details in the café. On Sunday morning, it filled with many young guests. There was almost nowhere to sit. The café seems to have captured its target audience accurately. I tasted cappuccino and brioche. The coffee was great, so was the cake. If I had lived in Deva, this would have been a coffee shop where I would probably spend my entire salary. We paid 24 lei / 4.99 eur for a bill for 2 people.

I think that two days will be enough for a city tour. The old town retains the atmosphere of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. It is already surrounded on all sides by socialist apartment buildings, but do not be discouraged. The gastronomic scene of the city is excellent. I recommend visiting.

Prices were converted according to the current exchange rate of the National Bank of Slovakia valid on 5 March 2020 (EUR 1 = 4.8110 lei).

I did not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage of the services provided by tourism businesses, institutions and organizations.

© Ing. Adam Vanečko

Príspevok Deva full of stories je zobrazený ako prvý na Adam Vanecko Traveller Food & Travel Blog.