Most important things to do in Focsani

Maybe Focsani is neither the most touristic, nor the most iconic little town in Romania, but I would recommend it warmly, as I live here and grew up here, being able to give you the best advices.

You can reach Focsani from many directions, coming from Bucharest, Iasi, Suceava, Brasov , etc. Most important thing to know, it is usually only a transit point toward other destinations. I find it not very correct and right, and I would like to convince you about the contrary, you can make a good vacations in Focsani! If you are a businessman wishing to conclude some business in the area, you must be aware about the former huge communist enterprises, just waiting for new masters, after their dissolution and bankruptcy.

Focsani proudly counts 70 000 inhabitants according the last census. Important to mention, during the last years of Ceausescu regime, when the industry of Focsani was reaching its peak, the town was counting 100000 people, and most of them were living in the sad communist block of flats, you will observe them for sure! As the town is not big, I would recommend whether a walking, or a biking tour!

Focsani, the central square and the Monument called "The carrot" by the locals

You can stay in Focsani at one of the big hotels Vrancea or Unirea, but no one has a good service; it is also possible that they don't even have warm water! Hotel Sorste has another level and expectations, but it simply fails on architecture, and bad positioning, in an old factory. The newer pensions of the town might be the last, but the best option.

Start your visit in Focsani from the southern part of the town, that quarter even is called South. Just entering the town, please discover the stadium with other sports installations ( important to know if you are the sport freak). On the other side, notice the huge former factories, which are today deserted. Some entrepreneurs invested there, but all the site seems sad and obsolete. A little further, a memorial mausoleum, build after WWI, hosting thousands of deaths in its underground. The architecture looks like Byzant church (as a matter of fact, it really is an orthodox church on Sunday e.g.).

Focsani, a broader view

Now come the military barracks, please don't take photos anymore, let the satellites do it for you! They are not so special and spectacular at all, don't worth to be mentioned, but they have in the front of them a few lovely monuments, and even an amazing wooden church, build in the good old tradition of Maramures!

Other 500 meters along the main road, and you find the Downtown, with the administrative buildings and the central square. In this square notice, please( you can't miss it simply!) the monument, called by locals "The carot", which is the favorite dating and meeting point in Focsani. It is dedicated to the Union from 1859, when Moldavia and Wallachia came together as only one country. The border was right there, and on that old times, Focsani was divided in two parts, two different cities with distinctive administrations! Do the huge importance of Focsani during the Union process, the town came in discussions to be appointed as the Capital of Romania. Finally, the town lost the battle in favor of Iasi and Bucharest, but every year at 24th of January, the celebration of the Union, there is a big people mass in the central market, with the president coming.

The mausoleum from Focsani is used as an Orthodoxe church

The church nereby is silent, but spectacular, the town oldest, dating back from 1663. All around, only a few steps further you can discover many other churches, or the animated trading market, with good shopping possibilities. Also, the town museums, the History Museum or the Natural Sciences Museum.  Another noticeable Museum, the Ethnographic one, is much further, 6 km away, in the middle of an oak forest.

Last, but not least: remember that the town of Focsani is the local Capital of the Vrancea vineyards. Be sure to find here at every step good wines, bottled or not. At the company Vinexport you can take part to wine tastings, and in October, by the end of the month, takes place an epic wine festival.

A Romanian Wine Festival

Focsani is a little town 200 km away from Bucharest. Nice, peaceful, clean enough, but has not very spectacular old architecture landmarks, as do  other bigger or smaller cities in Romania. During Ceausescu's forced industrialization policy, all Downtown has been destroyed, and instead have been build so many identical blocks of flats. Maybe it is easier to live in these match boxes, but the city itself acts grey and is not able to differentiate comparing to other sad grey towns countrywide.

In the very peaceful like Focsani, the Wine Festival is a necesary celebration, which everyone waits  in the Autumn

Nevertheless, there are also some things making Focsani special. First of all, in the Vrancea mountains, not far from Focsani (80 km) have the origin and epicenter all the major earthquakes who scares all the Romanians every 50 years. Amazingly, these earthquake don't do much harm in Focsani, but can cause large scale destructions in Bucharest and other towns lieing 200 km away or more! One might say, the people of Focsani are the most feared Romaniawide!

At the presentation stand of vineyard Rovinex I managed to taste an excellent Feteasca Neagra from 2006

Second, Focsani is a local center of the biggest vineyards in all Romania. Consequently, it is normal to organize here an yearly Wine Festival, and this edition from 2012 has a huge budget, which is not so normal in a poor country like Romania. But the people live their lives and take profit from this huge festival with consistent budget. Most important than everything else, the wine is being honored as it deserves, and many exquisite wine tastings ruled by leading someliers took place between 19th-21st of October 2012.

The Romanian "mici" or "mititei" are one of the stars of the Wine Festival. They enjoy a good tradition and reputation, and are easy to pair practically with any wine.

My personal favorite was a fabulous Feteasca Neagra 2006 from Rovinex, which has such a strong bouquet.  Legends say, that you can get drunk with Feteasca Neagra even without drinking a single drop! That impossible to describe bouquet is all the secret! Further, when you have this wine in your mouth you'll notice! Tastes like dried wood fruits, and it is not wise to hold it in the mouth longer than 60 seconds, or you can get drunk again only through tongue absorbtion. Last, you must spit this excellent dangerous wine, no matter how sorry you might be. Pair this wine with a roasted meat or chicken, may be even with mititei, the local star of the Festival and uncrowned King.

Imagine how difficult is for the poor locals to drink the contents of so many barels, paired with mici or  meat.

May be next year you will have the time to see Festival alive, if you will go healthy and wealthy through the End of The World. You need only some time and a small budget, as I have as always some unbeatable propositions, need only to mail at dorugiu@gmx.net or to call at 0726268717