Purpose-built in the 1950's during Rumania's communist era, Poiana Brasov is Romania's premier ski resort. Situated in the Transylvanian region of the unspoilt Carpathian Mountains, it is located on a sheltered plateau amidst coniferous pine forests. Its name literally translates as "in Brasov's clearing". Brasov (13km) is a medieval Saxon town with a rich cultural history but it's also significant in recent history because it was here in 1987 that Romania's people first publicly opposed their Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu. Most of Ceausescu's grandiose projects were expensive failures and his secret police kept the people under check with their vast network of informers. It was Ceausescu who decided to export Romania's food to pay off the country's mounting debts leaving his people to struggle to live with wage cuts, longer hours and rationing of basic foodstuffs. By the mid-80s meat was unobtainable in Romania and Ceausescu and his wife (his first deputy prime minister) lived in luxury while his people starved. The Brasov protest riots of 1987 were crushed but the late 80's brought the collapse of many communist regimes in eastern Europe and Ceasescu was finally executed by firing squad on Christmas Day 1989. Years of political unrest followed until 1996 when Emil Constantinescu leader of the reform-minded Democratic Convention of Romania was elected. Since this reform Romania's economy has improved with falling inflation, improvements in social benefits and better relations with Hungary. His main achievement though has been in giving Romanians hope and more and more young Romanians are now choosing to stay in their homeland and make the most of their promised opportunities. Tourism is still in its infancy in Romania but the country is steeped in legend and culture and offers the tourist incredible value for money. Poiana Brasov attracts visitors all year round. Its exceptionally pure ozonised air, free of dust and allergens combined with relatively low atmospheric pressure is reputed to give a feeling of well being and would explain why this is such is used by so many visitors as a health retreat. The country boasts more than 70 spa towns, many of them in attractive mountain settings. Speleology, or caving, is a popular activitiy in Romania with over 11,000 caves throughout the country which can be visited without official permission. Emil Racovita, a remarkable Romanian, was a pioneer in the recognition of speleology as a science back in the early 1900s. Transylvania is of course also famous for being the home of Bram Stoker's legendary Count Dracula, or Prince Vlad Tepes who was born in this area in 1431 and on whom the story was based. His real life home Bran Castle can easily be visited on a day trip, or there are rooms available for those wishing to spend the night! With such emphasis on tourism, Romania's economy is improving and many of the outdated 60's and 70's style hotels are now being renovated and modernised. Poiana Brasov makes a good choice for a holiday base having superior accommodation and so many interesting places easily accessible.

Aprés Ski in POIANA BRASOV

Skiing in POIANA BRASOV