Lonely Planet Romania & Bulgaria

by Lonely Planet

  Gah SynagogueSYNAGOGUE

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Str Dimitrie Onciul 7)

  By the post office, this 1870 structure is Suceava's only surviving synagogue out of an original 18. The well-preserved and elaborately decorated temple is still used by the tiny Jewish community, though it's normally closed to the public. Contact Suceava's Jewish community (0230-213 084) to arrange a visit.

  St Dumitru's ChurchCHURCH

  (Biserica Sf Dumitru; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0745-672 429; www.sfantuldumitrusuceava.ro; Str Curtea Domnească; h9am-6pm)

  This impressive post-Byzantine church (1535) was built by Petru Rareş. Traces of original exterior frescoes are visible and the impressive interior frescoes are largely restored.

  TTours

  Hello BucovinaTOURS

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0744-292 588; www.hellobucovina.com; Aleea Nucului 1, bldg 1, apt 3; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri)

  This youth-oriented travel agency is associated (and shares an office) with Irene's Hostel. It offers a wide variety of tours, including day trips to the Bucovina painted monasteries and other regional sights, as well as more ambitious journeys to Ukraine and Moldova. See the website for details.

  Explore BucovinaTOURS

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0746 933 659; www.explorebucovina.com; Str Nicolae Bălcescu 2)

  Highly regarded travel agency that organises group tours of the painted monasteries as well as of monasteries and attractions in neighbouring Neamţ county. These include the Neamţ Citadel, Agapia Monastery, Văratec Monastery and Neamţ Monastery.

  AXA TravelTOURS

  (%0741-477 047; www.axatravel.ro)

  AXA is run by experienced local tour guide Sebastian 'Gigi' Traciu. One-day and multiday tours visit the Bucovina monasteries, Târgu Neamţ, the Bicaz Gorges, Lacu Roșu and Maramureș. Tour prices depend on participant numbers, and can be as cheap as 160 lei per person. Other day trips include horseback riding and river rafting.

  zFestivals & Events

  Suceava DaysRELIGIOUS

  (h24 Jun)

  Patron St John is celebrated each 24 June, with most of the action taking place at the Monastery of St John the New. To welcome the pilgrims who come from around the country, the city pulls out all the stops, offering beer, street food and music.

  Festival of Medieval ArtsCULTURAL

  (Festival de Artă Medievală Ștefan cel Mare; hAug)

  The annual Festival of Medieval Arts highlights the costumes and customs of Suceava's glory days in the 14th and 15th centuries. It's held in mid-August at the Royal Citadel.

  4Sleeping

  Suceava is blessed with the best modern hostel in the region. Otherwise there are several decently priced hotels to choose from.

  oIrene's HostelHOSTEL$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0721-280 100, 0744-29 25 88; Aleea Nucului 1, bldg 1, apt 3; dm from 50 lei; pniW)

  A cheerful, well-maintained hostel with accommodation in three- and four-bed dorms spread out over half a dozen rooms. There's a shared kitchen and peaceful garden, and the location is just a few minutes' walk from the central park. A big plus: the hostel can help arrange tours to the Bucovina monasteries and surrounding attractions.

  oHotel BaladaHISTORIC HOTEL$$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0330-100 026; www.hotel-balada.ro; Str Mitropoliei 5; s/d 205/250 lei; pnaiW)

  This historic hotel has been extensively refurbished and offers uncommonly good value. The rooms are stylishly modern yet sport period details like high ceilings and padded headboards. The lobby, public areas and in-house restaurant boast crystal chandeliers, shiny wood panelling and elegant tiles. The location is within easy walking distance of the centre.

  Union ApartmentAPARTMENT$$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0741-477 047; www.union-apartments.ro; B-dul Ana Ipătescu 7; apt from 180-300 lei; aW)

  Accommodation offered in a central, three-room private apartment. There are two bedrooms and a pull-out sofa in the living room, providing decent value for self-caterers. The price varies depending on the number of people. The owner can provide airport pickup and arrange day trips to the painted monasteries through AXA Travel.

  Hotel SonnenhofHOTEL$$$

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0230-220 033; www.hotelsonnenhof.ro; B-dul Sofia Vicoveanca 68; s/d from 260/320 lei; aW)

  This fancy four-star place is good for drivers and those not so budget-conscious. It's 3km from town on the Târgu Neamţ road (12 lei by taxi), and has excellent rooms loaded with amenities and decorated in soothing tones. The hotel's Restaurant Mozaik ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0230-220 099; www.hotelsonnenhof.ro; B-dul Sofia Vicoveanca 68; mains 30-65 lei; h10am-11pm) is well regarded.

  5Eating

  oNatanaelICE CREAM$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0230-533 033; www.natanael.ro; Str Ștefan cel Mare 3; cones 5-10 lei; h8.30am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat)

  Arguably (okay, definitely) the region's best ice cream is sold here at the outlet of a Christian aid group based in Suceava. The ice cream and dairy products are produced by the group's own cows and the recipes tend toward the buttery, creamy end of the ice-cream spectrum.

  oRestaurant Centru VechiINTERNATIONAL$$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0749-222 202; www.centruvechisv.ro; Str Vasile Bumbac 3; mains 20-35 lei; h8am-midnight)

  This big local favourite serves hearty grills and salads, and has a local wine and beer selection. Start with a creamy chicken soup (ciorbă rădăuţeană), and move on to exquisitely prepared lamb chops or roast pork. Dine on the spacious terrace in warm weather.

  LatinoITALIAN$$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0730-920 920; www.restaurant-latino.ro; Str Curtea Domnească 9; mains 20-45 lei, pizza 20-30 lei; h8am-11pm)

  In the eyes of locals, this is Suceava's best Italian restaurant, with subdued class and attentive (if not always prompt) service. There are numerous pizza options, and the varied pasta and grilled meat dishes are all excellent.

  6Drinking & Nightlife

  From Thursday through Saturday nights, most bars become 'clubs' with DJ music, flashing lights – the works.

  AproposCAFE

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0330-111 725; www.apropocafe.ro; Str Republicii 10; h8am-11pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-midnight Sat, 10.30am-11pm Sun)

  A local favourite for good coffee and homemade lemonade, stylish modern decor and a convenient central location. It also serves cakes, light bites and breakfast (12 to 15 lei), including an excellent and otherwise hard-to-find eggs Benedict.

  Oscar WildePUB

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0751-350 575, 0330-803 102; www.oscarwilde.ro; Str Ştefan cel Mare 26; h8am-1am)

  Suceava's nearest thing to an Irish pub (look for the giant black Guinness canopies), Oscar Wilde is a big, wood-floored bar with outdoor seating. It serves food, including a decent breakfast, and on weekends becomes a slightly chaotic 'club.'

  LoungeCLUB

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0755-181 968; www.loungesuceava.ro; Str Ştefan cel Mare 20a; h7am-midnight Mon-Fri, noon-4am Sat, noon-midnight Sun)

  One of several similar clubs around town, Eclipse does double duty as a coffee bar by day and a cocktail bar/club by night. The central location is a big plus. There are DJ parties, karaoke nights and the like most weekends.

  8Information

  ATMs and exchange offices line Piaţa 22 Decembrie and Str Ştefan cel Mare.

  InfoturismTOURIST INFORMATION

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0230-551 241; www.turism-suceava.ro; cnr B-dul Ana Ipătescu & Str Mitropoliei 4; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri)

  Provides maps and information on local sites.

  Post OfficePOST

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0230-531 872; Str Dimitrie Onciul 6; h8am-7pm Mon-Fri)

  8Getting There & Away

  Air

  Ştefan cel Mare International Airport (SCV; GOOGLE MAP ; %0230-340 400; www.aeroportsuceava.ro; Salcea) is 15km northeast of Suceava, but has limited flights. Tarom ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0230-214 686; www.tarom.ro; Str Nicolae Bălcescu 2; h10am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat) has daily flights to Bucharest.

  Bus

  The cen
tral bus station (Autogara; GOOGLE MAP ; %0230-524 340; Str Vasile Alecsandri, cnr Str Armenească) is near the southern end of Str Armenească. Bus and maxitaxi services departing from here include the following:

  ABucharest (90 lei, eight hours, four daily)

  AGura Humorului (8 lei, one hour, 13 daily)

  AIaşi (30 lei, three hours, 12 daily) Maxitaxis depart from a car park behind the bus station, dubbed ‘Autogara Intertrans’.

  APiatra Neamţ (25 lei, three hours, three daily)

  ARădăuţi (8 lei, 45 minutes, 13 daily)

  ATârgu Neamţ (15 lei, two hours, three daily)

  See the website www.autogari.ro for timely information.

  Train

  Suceava’s two train stations, Gara Suceava (aka Gara Burdujeni, Gara Sud and Gara Principala) and Gara Nord (aka Gara Iţcani), are both roughly 5km north of the centre, and easily reached by bus or maxitaxi (7 lei). The Agenţia de Voiaj CFR ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.cfrcalatori.ro; Str Nicolae Bălcescu 8; h7.30am-8.30pm Mon-Fri) sells advance tickets. Most trains originate or terminate at the Gara Suceava.

  Train services include the following:

  ABucharest (91 lei, seven hours, six daily)

  ACluj-Napoca (73 lei, seven hours, four daily)

  AGura Humorului (7 lei, 70 minutes, five daily) Disembark at the Gura Humorului Oraş stop.

  AIaşi (40 lei, two hours, nine daily)

  ATimişoara (121 lei, 14 hours, two daily)

  Bucovina Monasteries

  Bucovina’s painted monasteries are among the most distinctive in all Christendom. They’re cherished not only for their beauty and quality of artisanship, but also for their endurance over the centuries and their overall cultural significance. The half-dozen or so monasteries, scattered over a large swathe of Bucovina, date mainly from the 15th and 16th centuries, a time when Orthodox Moldavia was battling for its life with forces of the expanding Ottoman Empire.

  The monasteries are hailed mainly for their colourful external frescoes, many of which have survived the region’s cruel winters relatively intact. The external wall paintings served as both expressions of faith and as an effective method of conveying important biblical stories to a parish of mostly illiterate soldiers and peasants. But don’t pass up the rich interiors, where every nook and cranny is filled with religious and cultural symbolism.

  CONSIDER A GUIDED TOUR

  A guided tour is the most time-efficient and informative way to visit. Several travel companies offer guided tours, including transport and meals, from their base in Suceava. Câmpulung Moldovenesc is also a practical starting point for exploring the monasteries.

  1Sights

  The main attractions here are the churches and monasteries themselves, though most of the monasteries also have smaller, separate museums tucked somewhere within the grounds. Normally, a single admission fee (adult/child 5/2 lei) gives access to the churches, gardens and museums. A photography tax (normally 10 lei) allows for taking photos of the church exteriors, but interior photography is always off limits.

  There are a handful of common-sense rules for visiting the monasteries, the main one being visitors should act and dress 'respectfully'. In practice, this means no short pants for men and covered shoulders and longer skirts or pants for women. If you turn up in shorts, cover yourself with one of the capes or cloaks hanging on pegs near the entry.

  oArbore MonasteryCHURCH

  (Manastirea Arbore; %0740-154 213; www.manastireaarbore.ro; Hwy DN2K 732, Arbore; adult/student 5/2 lei, photography 10 lei; h8am-7pm May-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Apr)

  This Unesco-protected church in the village of Arbore receives a fraction of the visitors of the other painted monasteries and hence feels more private and special. The small scale allows you to study the paintings up close, to appreciate the skills and techniques. The monastery dates from 1503 and was the brainchild of local nobleman Luca Arbore. It took about five months to build and four decades to paint.

  The tiny interior consists of just three chambers. The chamber nearest the altar has a particularly well-preserved votive painting (on the facing wall) of Arbore and his family offering the church to God. The tombs of Arbore and his family sit in another chamber. The interior is in the process of long-term restoration and preservation. The exterior paintings on the western wall are in relatively good shape, while the paintings that once covered the rest of the outside have been lost to the ravages of time.

  Voroneţ MonasteryMONASTERY

  (Mănăstirea Voroneţ; %0230-235 323; Str Voroneț 166, Voroneț; adult/child 5/2 lei, photography 10 lei; h8am-7pm May-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Apr)

  Built in just three months and three weeks by Ştefan cel Mare following a key 1488 victory over the Turks, Voroneţ Monastery is the only painted monastery that has had an internationally recognised colour associated with it. 'Voroneţ Blue', a vibrant cerulean hue created from lapis lazuli and other ingredients, is prominent in its frescoes. A 2011 restoration of frescoes in the entryway revealed the incredible quality of these paintings even more clearly.

  The wondrous size, scope and detail of the Last Judgement fresco, which fills the entire exterior western wall of the Voroneţ Monastery, has earned near-universal accolades as being the most marvellous Bucovina fresco. Angels at the top roll up the zodiac signs, indicating the end of time, while humanity is brought to judgement in the middle. On the left, St Paul escorts the believers, while a stern Moses takes the nonbelievers on the right. Heaven and the Garden of Eden is on the bottom left, the Resurrection is on the bottom right.

  On the northern wall is Genesis, from Adam and Eve to Cain and Abel. The southern wall features the Tree of Jesse (King David's father) with the biblical genealogy. The first three rows portray St Nicholas' life and miracles. The next two rows recount the martyrdom of Suceava's St John the New. The bottom row, from left to right, features the monastery's patron saint, St George, fighting the dragon, St Daniel the Hermit (Daniil Sihastrul) with Metropolitan Grigorie, a Deisis icon, and the 1402 procession of St John the New's relics into Suceava.

  In the antechamber lies the tomb of Daniel the Hermit, the ascetic who encouraged Ştefan cel Mare to fight the Turks, and then became the monastery's first abbot. Daniel's cave is located near Putna Monastery.

  The monastery is located about 6km from the town of Gura Humorului.

  Suceviţa MonasteryMONASTERY

  (%0230-417 110; www.manastireasucevita.ro; Suceviţa; adult/student 5/2 lei, photography 10 lei; h8am-7pm May-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Apr)

  Suceviţa Monastery (built 1582–1601) is the largest Bucovina monastery, and some regard it as the finest. It's perhaps best known for its exterior Ladder of Virtues fresco, with its 32 steps to heaven, near the main entry. It exhorts priests to righteous behaviour and to avoid the unfortunate fate of the clerics depicted tumbling from the ladder due to sins like greed or vanity. The church's tomb room contains the coffins of monastery founders Simion and Ieremia Movilă.

  The continuity of the Old and New Testaments is emphasised on the southern exterior wall, where a tree grows from the reclining figure of Jesse, flanked by ancient Greek philosophers. The Virgin, depicted as a Byzantine princess, stands nearby, with angels holding a red veil over her head. More good cheer appears on the porch's south-side archway, where frescoes depict the Apocalypse and the dark visions of St John in Revelations. The western wall is bare. Legend says the fatal plunge of the artist from the scaffolding there dissuaded other painters.

  Suceviţa was the last painted monastery built. Ieremia Movilă (d 1606) is depicted with his seven children on the western wall. The monastery's museum exhibits various treasures and art pieces.

  Moldoviţa MonasteryMONASTERY

  (Mânăstirea Moldovița; Vatra Moldoviței; adult/student 5/2 lei, photography 10 lei; h8am-7pm May-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Apr)

  Built in 1532, Moldoviţa Monastery occupies a fortified quadrangular enclosure with tower, gates and well-tended lawns. The central painted church has been partly restored and features impressive
frescoes from 1537. The southern exterior wall depicts the siege of Constantinople in AD 626, under a combined Persian-Avar attack. Interestingly, the besiegers are depicted in Turkish dress – keeping parishioners concentrated on the contemporary enemy.

  Inside the sanctuary, on a wall facing the carved iconostasis, a pious Prince Petru Rareş offers the church to Christ. The monastery’s small museum displays Rareş’ original throne.

  Humor MonasteryMONASTERY

  (Mănăstirea Humorului; Gura Humorului; adult/student 5/2 lei, photography 10 lei; h8am-7pm May-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Apr)

  Founded by Chancellor Theodor Bubuiog under Moldavian Prince Petru Rareş, Humor Monastery, built in 1530, is surrounded by ramparts, with a three-level brick-and-wood lookout tower. The narrow walls enclosing the last stretch of stairway were designed so that defending soldiers could kill off attacking Turks one by one. Humor's predominantly red-and-brown exterior frescoes (1535) are divided topically. On the southern wall's left-hand side, patron saint the Virgin Mary is commemorated; on the right, St Nicholas' life and miracles are captured.

  Other features to look for include a badly faded depiction of the 1453 siege of Constantinople, with a parable depicting the prodigal son's return, on the right of the southern wall. St George appears on the northern wall. The porch contains a painting of the Last Judgement: the long bench on which the 12 Apostles sit, the patterned towel on the chair of judgement, and the long, hornlike bucium (pipe) announcing Christ's coming are all typical Moldavian elements. The three square images in red, white and black (on the bottom right) are unique to Humor: they represent the fire, the coldness and the darkness (or boiling tar) of hell.