Things to see and do in Romania

Let imagination run wild at Bran Castle, the legendary abode of the medieval king known as Vlad the Impaler, who helped inspire Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula (www.draculascastle.com).

Address: Castelul Bran, 498 Traian Mosoiu Street, Bran, Romania

Visit the Greek/Byzantine port of Constanta, founded in the sixth century BC and veer inland to interesting archaeological sites including the ancient Greek city ruins of Histria, Tomis and Callatis (www.constanta.ro).

The terrain in Romania is perfect for mountain biking, in fact there are numerous outfitters which cater specifically to cycling holidays. Trails range from novice to advanced, however most are geared towards cycling enthusiasts.

Watersports are a popular past time as is soaking up the sun at a resort on the white sandy beaches of the Black Sea Coast. The main hotspots are Constanta, Costinesti, Eforie Nord, Eforie Sud, Jupiter, Mamaia, Mangalia, Navodari, Neptun, Olimp, Saturn, Techirghiol, Venus and Aurora.

It's worth the trek to the Painted Monasteries of Bucovina (Voronet, Sucevita, Moldovita and Humor) in Moldavia. These UNESCO World Heritage Sites are painted with frescoes on the outside (www.romanianmonasteries.org).

Rejuvenate at the curative thermal springs, salt waters and mud of Lake Techirghiol; ease aches and pains in Romanian Riviera spas such as Mangalia, Eforie and Neptun; or relax in western Romania's well-equipped spa towns, like Baile Felix or Baile Herculane (www.spas.ro).

Visit Sibiu, the chief city of the Transylvanian Saxons. Much of the four walls and 40 towers remain, and among its pretty blue, red, apricot and green painted houses are some of Romania's best museums (www.sibiu.ro).

Catch some traditional folk music and dancing; shows can be seen in many hotels and restaurants.

The Carpathian Mountains, a densely forested mountainous area, are ideal for hiking. In winter, resorts such as Poiana Brasov and Predeal offer some of the best skiing in Eastern Europe or go bob-sleighing at Semenic and Sinaia.