 Bucharest
Romania’s lively capital, the ninth largest city in the EU, is home to more than 2.1 million people. Bucharest has been playing a leading role in the country’s economic renaissance. Companies such as Renault, Ford, General Electric, Pirelli, Continental, Eurocopter, Nokia, Microsoft, IBM, Hewlett Packard, Oracle, Amazon.co.uk, Siemens, IKEA, Carrefour, Orange, Vodafone and GlaxoSmithKline have all chosen Romania as their regional headquarters, with many opting for locations in Bucharest. The capital is set for continued growth with major new infrastructure projects such as a new motorway, ring road and expansion of the international airport.
Bucharest owes its stylish elegance to the re-modeling of the city by French and French-trained architects between 1870 and 1920. Wide, tree-lined boulevards and graceful Belle Époque buildings gave the city the nickname “Little Paris.” Today there’s a thriving cultural and economic life, with attractions ranging from captivating historic churches to communist megaliths. Bucharest is a city of distinctive neighbourhoods, from the quaint old streets of the historic centre to affluent contemporary suburbs such as Pipera in the north of the city.
As the third largest city in the region – after Athens and Istanbul – Bucharest has attracted the lion’s share of inward investment into Romania so far, and prospects for further growth are considerable.
 Cluj-Napoca
Transylvania’s historic capital, Cluj-Napoca (generally shortened to Cluj) is a tantalising mix of old and new. Its many historic attractions, together with the top universities based in the city, and the beauty of the surrounding countryside, combine to make Cluj an attractive place to live and work. It is a good place to do business too – as Nokia’s investment in the city which has created over 4,000 new jobs makes clear. Cluj has also become a magnet for international investment and enjoys excellent transport connections within Romania as well as direct flights from its international airport to London, Munich, Frankfurt, Vienna, Florence, Verona and Budapest.
 Timisoara
The most important city in western Romania, Timisoara’s long been an intellectual and commercial centre, dating back to its days under the rule of the mighty Austro-Hungarian Empire. Closer in style to the cities of Western Europe than its other Romanian counterparts, Timisoara is an important hub for Romania’s fast emerging IT and telecoms industry. Other significant commercial sectors include engineering, textiles, food and beverage, timber processing and footwear. With its intellectual capital and thriving commercial life, Timisoara has proved a popular and rewarding investment centre with more growth expected.
 Brasov
Although the picturesque city of Brasov lies little more than 100 miles from Bucharest, that still places it firmly in Transylvania. Brasov is a delightful city, full of old-world charm, classic attractions, and pleasing open squares. Within easy reach of many surrounding attractions, Brasov is the perfect base from which to explore the region. It is also handy for Romania’s top ski resorts. If skiing isn’t enough of a thrill, then how about making a trip to the forbidding nearby castle of Bran, Dracula’s home of legend?
Along with its historic and natural attractions, Brasov is a lively modern city with a thriving commercial life – and it is currently one of the most popular places to live and work in Romania. Demand for new property is strong, and international investors seem well placed to enjoy continuing healthy returns from the city.
 Transylvania
Transylvania is a nature lover's paradise. The Transylvanian Alps and the Western Carpathian Mountains have scattered villages nestling below summits and vast forests. These mountains offer some of the best skiing in Romania and challenging trekking itineraries. Transylvania is home to many romantic castles and fortresses, including Bran Castle, Dracula's castle of legend. The region also contains some of Europe's best-preserved medieval towns; Sibiu, Sighisoara and Brasov. The region attracts the interest of academics and historians. Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, has paid several private visits to see for himself the restoration and preservation projects preserving Transyvania’s unique legacy.
 Retezat National Park
Stretching over 38 000 hectares, Retezat National Park, a UNESCO biosphere protection area, is the largest single area of pristine mixed forest in Europe. The park has deep narrow valleys, alpine pastures, wide plateaus covered with flowers, high passes and over 80 glacial lakes.
 Danube Delta
The waters of the river Danube flow into the Black Sea and form the largest and best preserved of Europe's deltas. A diverse wetland environment of channels, lakes, reed isles, tropical woods, pastures and sand dunes, it now covers nearly 5,640 sq km. The Danube delta hosts over 300 species of birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species and some 1,150 kinds of plants in its many lakes and marshes.
 The Black Sea
The Romanian Black Sea coast has fine, soft sand and safe, gently sloping beaches, with practically no tides or currents and a warm, dry climate. The over 230 km of coastline has many fine resorts and hotels, with lots of sport and entertainment facilities. Some of the best resorts are Mamaia, Eforie-Nord, Neptun, Venus and Mangalia. In addition to the beach resorts, ancient monuments, vineyards and healing lakes add to the Black Sea's appeal. The lakes at Techirghiol and Agigea are reputed to have special curative powers, so spa resorts and facilities have grown up around them. Romania’s Black Sea coast, compared to that of neighbouring Bulgaria, remains delightfully unspoilt, with sensitive development opportunities to create world-class resorts in several locations offering further opportunities for investors.
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