🧳 In the Guide’s Backpack, episode 2
In the Guide’s Backpack (episode 2) is our new monthly series that invites you to discover Romania through the eyes of the people who know it best—our guides. Each edition of In the Guide’s Backpack dives into the memories, favorite places, and inspirations that shape their journeys.
At Beyond Dracula, our guides are more than experts: they’re storytellers, companions, and keepers of the little-known magic that makes this country unforgettable. In this monthly series, we invite you into their world through a set of personal, Proust-inspired questions. From their favorite Romanian dishes to the hidden corners they love most, each guide shares what makes Romania feel like home, and why travelers fall for it, again and again.
Whether you’re planning your first visit or your fifth, these insights from our team offer a deeper, more personal lens on Romania. So if you’re wondering what Romania is really like, there’s no better place to start than with those who know it best.
🧳 In the Guide’s Backpack, episode 2: Meet Anne
This month, meet Anne, who is, simply put, the life of the party! A longtime Beyond Dracula collaborator, she’s the kind of person who can turn a quiet afternoon into an unforgettable adventure, with boundless energy, quick wit, and a warm presence.
1. What’s your earliest memory of discovering something magical about Romania?
When I was in kindergarten and met a bear in the backyard.
2. Name a special place in Romania. It can be a hidden gem or simply the place you are most attached to.
The Corunt area.
3. Which historical figure or Romanian legend would you most like to meet and what would you ask them?
Queen Elizabeth—I would ask her if it’s true that she used a stand-in when playing the organ.
4. What’s the most unexpected thing about Romania that surprises visitors?
5. Your favorite Romanian food?
Braised cabbage with sausages.
6. What’s one travel experience anywhere in the world that changed the way you see the world?
The year I spent in Mexico.
7. When you’re not guiding, where do you go or what do you do to recharge and find inspiration?
A trip with the camper together with my family works wonders.
Stay tuned for next month’s guide—and more personal insights into the places, people, and moments that shape how we experience Romania.
