Wallachia (Ţara Românească), the region between the Carpathians and the Danube River, admittedly lacks the must-sees of Transylvania and Moldavia. Nevertheless, it's rich in early Romanian history, particularly at the historic seats of the Wallachian princes in Curtea de Argeş and Târgovişte. This was Wallachian prince Vlad Ţepeş’ old stomping ground, and north of Curtea de Argeş stands the ruins of what many consider to be the real 'Dracula’s castle'. Lovers of modern sculpture will want to see Constantin Brâncuşi’s work on open-air display in Târgu Jiu, close to the region of his birth.

The Danube flows along the southern edge of Wallachia and is best seen west of Drobeta-Turnu Severin, where it breaks through the Carpathians at the legendary Iron Gates. Drobeta-Turnu Severin was once a thriving Roman colony, and you can still see the remains of Emperor Trajan’s mighty bridge (AD 103) that once traversed the Danube.