SNAGOV MONASTERY
Read moreOn a tiny island to the north of the lake lies this monastery, founded around the beginning of the 15th century by the Wallachian prince Mircea the Elder (Mircea cel Bătrân). The monastery church, a handsome brick edifice, is in the Byzantine style. Its interiors are covered with frescoes. Vlad Țepeș, the voivode who inspired the character of Dracula, had defensive walls, a bridge and a prison built here. Legend even has it that he was buried there, but to date no evidence has confirmed this. The island can be reached by footbridge or by boat.
MONASTERY CĂLDĂRUȘANI
Read moreNear Snagov, on the shores of Lake Căldărușani, this monastery was built by Prince Matei Basarab in the 17th century. It notably housed music and painting schools, where Nicolae Grigorescu, the famous Romanian painter, studied between 1854 and 1855. Inside, the collection of religious objects includes icons from the 18th century and others painted by Grigorescu. Access is difficult without a car. From Bucharest, take the Ploiești road, turn right at Balotești and then left towards Lipia; from Snagov, follow road 101C past Lipia.