From Putna to Sucevita
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Hiking in Bukovina's mountains (known as obcine) is a rewarding experience for the landscape lover in you,
but also for the spiritual experience. Because here, in Bukovina, for centuries the painted monasteries have never ceased to attract like a magnet.
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Putna monastery, a pilgrimage site for the Orthodox faithful, is beautifully located among the green hillocks of
Bukovina. Make sure you visit the monastery, but also don't miss the rock where Daniil the Hermit dug his cell
and lived. Also, on the road from the monastery to the train station, visit the small wooden church built in the
14-th century, which makes it one of the oldest wooden structures in Romania. Its secret, the legend says, is that
the locals disassembled the church to hide it from the Tartars' invasions and when they were gone, they put the
church back.
From the Putna station follow the path marked with blue cross to Sucevita.
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Don't worry if you suddenly lose the blue cross mark. Just follow the path through the forest. In about
three hours you should reach the village Sucevita. Also, don't worry if you think you lost your way in the
forest. It happened to me two times. Just try to follow the path, it will lead you eventually to the destination.
Sucevita monastery, among the lush hillocks of Bukovina, has been an open book for the peasants for centuries. Its frescoes, among the most beautiful in Romania, depict scenes from the Old and New Testament. Don't miss the Tree of Jesse and especially the Ladder of Virtue. Better get a guide, the nuns will be delighted to help you.
Notice also the Greek philosophers depicted in Byzantine dress, notably Plato with a coffin and a skeleton above his
head, a hint to his writings about life and death.
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Take accommodation in one of the agro-touristic pensions, which abound in the region. Try the local food specialties, you'll not be disappointed.
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