The North East of Romania, where Iasi and the famous monasteries are, is a beautiful place with very friendly people, great food and wine (Cotnari). Modernisation of the bigger cities is evident yet the country side remains mostly untouched and very charming. The area where many of the monasteries are (near Suceava) is mountainous and lusciously green.In 2008, this is a country of sharp contrasts in many ways. E.g. in rural areas it is very common to see families travelling by “horse and cart”, whereas in many of the main roads “top of the range” cars are not uncommon. Iasi is often referred to by its citizens as the “cultural and scientific capital of Romania”. In my opinion this is an accurate comment since Iasi has been/is the home of many prestigious poets and academics in a wide range of disciplines. The city of Iasi has everything to be a great tourist destination (e.g. culture, sights, great atmosphere, reasonably priced food and hotels, and welcoming people), yet, without a local international airport, the 6-8 hour drive from Bucharest may keep it an unspoiled European gem for a little while longer.
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