Located on the Balkan Peninsula, Romania is a country of contrasts. The former Eastern Bloc country has belonged, over the years, to the Romans who gave it its name, the Hungarians and the Ottomans. Here are some of the best places to visit: Sighisoara, a preserved walled city in Transylvania; Brasov, with modern city life and old-world charm; Bucharest, a city that combines the old with the new and houses the largest Parliament building in the world; Mamaia, a popular seaside resort on the Black Sea; Timisoara, one of the largest cities and the first European city to have electric streetlights; and Cluj-Napoca, the unofficial capital of Transylvania and a cultural and artistic center.
