It is with sad regret said good-bye to all our new Romania friends we met over the New Year period at Biertan.  Meeting such lovely people has been a delight, but saying farewell, and never knowing if we shall see them again is one of the hardest parts of travel.  Romania has proven to be a surprise for us.  We planned on coming here for maybe one or two weeks, and here we are in our third week.  How does time fly so fast?

We are loving this country of Romania, and also loving the Romanian people who we meet too.  Each day is full of wonderful experiences and new places to discover.  In fact, we decided to extend our stay because we feel so at home here.

But for now, we are moving on again, and we will be experiencing the stunning Baroque (Baroc) architecture of Brukenthal Summer Palace in Arvig, Romania.

A friendly greeting awaits us from the little snowman on the front door as we head inside.

It is after lunch and the dining room at Brukenthal Palace is bustling with tables celebrating the end of the New Year break in the Transylvanian countryside.  Explorason decides he wants hot chocolate with whipped cream and a slice of their homemade dessert, and I go for a nice glass of Romanian wine with freshly prepared torte that is covered in berries. These, I am told, were picked locally in the gardens here.  We relax and enjoy the fire and the beautiful view outside.

We head into our room and are just delighted at how spacious it is. The view is over the gardens, and the room is naturally well lit, and the heating is cozy.

I think they downplay the excellence of this property.  Lovely toiletries and toweling slippers are provided, and Explorason was delighted to find a chocolate treat on each of our pillows too.

Once unpacked we decide to go for a walk around the garden of Brukenthal Palace.  It is a large property, and I have heard plans to renovate the other buildings is currently the buzz conversation.  But we find it delightful just as it is.

There is a tiny creek running through, and Explorason enjoys racing around over the little bridges and through the garden archways. The sun is just starting to sink in the distance, and the colors light the sky beautifully.

We take a walk to the fountain. The water is freezing, and the view down towards the Orangery is just incredible.

This is the view looking back toward the main building of Brukenthal Palace where we are staying. There are plans we are told that this will soon expand, and the other buildings on the property renovated.  If that occurs, it will be incredible.

With rosy cheeks, we head up the driveway toward the store which is quite nearby.  I love the moon rising in the distance.

We head in for dinner. I discover an incredible stew with mushrooms that come from the garden. It has breaded balls inside in a creamy thick sauce topped with finely grated parmesan, and over the next few days, I enjoy this as my favorite meal.

With full tummies, we head off to bed to our lovely warm room, and I enjoy the white fluffy soft pillows and quilt.

We wake to the aroma of coffee slowly wafting down the corridor.  Time for a hearty breakfast.

This day we are heading to the Hotel of Ice, where we will sleep that night (I will write about this separately) so we are glad of a full breakfast.  There is a cooked choice fruit, muesli, juices and a really lovely roasted bread with different choices of cold platters and traditional savory and sweet spreads. I really like the aubergine/eggplant spread, and find it quite addictive.  They also have some great traditional fruit spreads, and these are also part of the range that is available as bottled produce that you can purchase here too.

I took the photo below, but more dishes came out even after this.  It was a great selection.

Outside it was snowing quite heavily, but thankfully the staff all set to work assisting me with a cleared track to get our car out. They helped me too with a push of the vehicle when the wheels skidded in the slippery snow.  Nothing seemed too much trouble for them.

If you are planning to come to Romania, this is ‘a must ‘ to add to your itinerary.  It is a once in a lifetime experience.

You only live once and this experience is just incredible!  What are you waiting for?

For those of you who want a short break holiday – there are also two fabulous discounted packages available below

with 35% t0 55% discount depending on if there are two or four persons.

1/  For a 3-night via SIBIU at 45% off – for 2 person package

– click on the banner below

and quote Coupon code 45s3rj

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2/  For a 3-night via SIBIU at 55% off – for a 4 person package

– click on the banner below

and quote Coupon Code 55s3rj

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3/  For a 5-night via BUCHAREST at 35% off – for a 2 person package

– click on the banner below

and quote Coupon Code 34b5rj

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4/  For a 5-night via BUCHAREST at 50% off – for a 4 person package 

– click on the banner below

and quote Coupon Code 50b5rj

BOOKINGS and ENQUIRIES: Book this hotel here

Accommodation Name: Palatul Brukenthal Avrig

Location: Str. Gheorghe Lazar nr. 39  555200 Avrig jud. Sibiu, Romania

Date stayed: January 2015

Dining facilities including breakfast: Yes

Bar: Yes

Wi-fi: Yes

Child-friendly: Yes

Disclaimer: This review is based entirely on our own experience, and does not reflect the opinions of the owners.  All opinions and information stated are intended to be correct, but are our own, and in no way is intended to mislead or misinform.

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