The route of traditional gastronomy is one that mainly seeks connection to the local community. Travelers thus get in touch with the locals much easier, listen to their stories and easily immerse themselves in the realities and traditions of the visited place. On the other hand, food unites everything related to building heritage with intangible heritage. Any cultural or natural monument is easier to understand and appreciate, after eating well and tasty. Food is meant to bring people together and provide context for stories about everything.

Start on the Route of traditional Romanian gastronomy and you will discover surprises everywhere. Romania comes to us with an unexpected richness of flavors, but especially with an abundance of stories told by people who put their passion to prepare specialties typical of the region in which they live. I will now reveal just a few of these small joys of Romania, authentic tastes from all over the country, discovered through my travels. I invite you to discover them too!

We start with the refinement of Brasov County, where, in recent years, a true gastronomic culture has been built with a lot of work, which immerses us in a captivating culinary story. Seasonal menus with local ingredients or tasting menus, all are true culinary journeys accompanied by stories of the place presented by the hosts themselves. You will find them, among other charming locations, at Casa Terra in Făgăraș, at the Guest House in Cincșor or at Cobor Household.

Then we continue with the amazing variety of cheeses from Mures County, where tasting them becomes a real adventure for the senses. Whether we are talking about a visit to the production unit, followed by a tasting of local products or even participation in workshops for the production of specialties, we recommend stopping by Cheese Market in Miercurea Nirajului, the established producer of Telemea de Ibănești with specialties protected at European level or Therezia cheese factory. One of the small cheese manufactures, the one in Cund, which produces aged cheeses, even offers workshops on how to curd more modern types of cheese, such as Camembert.

Very attractive, in summer, is also the thematic route "Potecu' Stânelor" in the mountain area of Alba County, created to offer visitors a complete and complex culinary and cultural experience. The circuit practically connects with several sheepfolds in the Sureanu Mountains area, where you can find natural milk products and mutton and cow meat. In addition, you can participate in traditional sheepfold activities: feeding, milking, cheese or curd making.

I also want to recommend Buzau County, where the most beautiful memories can be linked to a bike trip from Berca to the Muddy Volcanoes (Paclele Mari or Paclele Mici), with picnics and tasting local products or a foraging hike in the Amber Hills area, a visit to the Amber Museum with lunch and pickle workshops at PGL Casa Militaru in Colți.

Equally unique and unmissable are cooking workshops, with walks through the forest picking aromatic herbs, mushrooms or truffles; tastings of artisanal cheeses, homemade jams, craft beer and local wines or tasting and fine dining menus at Conacul Grigorescu in Berca.

We cannot end our small culinary journey without passing through Maramures, where I recommend choosing culinary workshops and gastronomic stays at the Cânța family in Unguraș. Mrs. Maria has many recipe proposals and prepares everything either in front of visitors or with them together. House specialties are cochlitele (baked corn flour with yogurt), served with sour cream, bread with corn flour or polenta with sheep's cheese in layers with greaves.

Let's discover Romania with taste. With good taste.