The university town of Craiova, founded on the site of the ancient Dacian and Roman stronghold of Pelendava, is a regional commercial centre and transport hub. All long-haul trains between Timişoara and Bucharest stop here, so it makes a convenient point to break a long journey. The modern city, frankly, is not much to look at; though the historic centre, bordered on one end by Romania’s prettiest county prefecture buildings, is great for a relaxing stroll. On summer evenings, the town converges on the centre to see a ‘singing fountain’ display, during which the water jets rise and fall to the sounds of Mozart and Strauss.

Craiova is applying to be the future European capital of culture several years ago and I think with more improvements to the infrastructure, they should be able to make it. Me and my friends had some beers in Craiova, home to the largest natural park in Central and Eastern Europe. The plans were awarded the gold medal at the 1900 Universal Exhibition in Paris. I enjoyed walking through the park because there was a small zoo section, families paddling away in those paddle boats on the lake, children playing around and adults running through the park. I felt like a local there on a bright summer evening, just enjoying the time spent with my friends and looking at the big fountain in the middle of the lake. Festivals, history and unforgettable natural environments look set to earn Craiova and the entire Oltenia region European recognition indeed. Although I did not have time to discover much in this city, I liked the atmosphere that it exuberates. We bought ingredients from the supermarket Auchan before going back to the apartment to whip up a sumptuous dinner of salad, beer sauce chicken and fries with homemade dip. It tasted so good, washed down with Timisoara beer of course.