Travel in county Transylvania

Outside the tiny town of Simon in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains, an NGO called Foundation Conservation Carpathia is creating a 66,000-acre national park. It’s against that backdrop that the hotelier Bogdan Calulanu opened Matca, a 16-room hotel with 10 private villas. is the Romanian word for “queen bee,” the name a reference to the beekeeping practiced in this honey-producing corner of Transylvania and also to the pastoral serenity of a region that’s barely changed since the Middle Ages.

The area around Hardcastle in West Yorkshire springs into life in mid-March. The woodland floor transforms as if by magic into a soft carpet of wildflowers with bluebells appearing later in the season. The area was once called Little Switzerland because of its steep lush valleys bisected by rushing rivers, silver streams and footpaths. We found it to be the perfect antidote to winter, with shafts of golden sunlight casting their magic rays on all the lovely foliage. Head for a nice pub lunch at the Old Gate in Hebden after a morning walk.Nigel

Listed as a Unesco world heritage site since 2008, the Bernina line is one of the highest railways in the Alps, promising four hours of panoramic views from its glass-domed carriages: frozen lakes, rivers crashing down canyons and forests heavy with snow.

The scariest night of the year is approaching when ghosts and ghouls come out to play. To add some historic horror to your Halloween celebrations this season, why not visit one of Europe’s most haunted sights?

Monsters might be fictional characters in books and movies, but these ominous, otherworldly creatures are often linked with real-life places.

Home to over 8,000 brown bears, the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania , Romania are one of Europe’s last frontiers. Greg Dickinson joined Romania’s leading wildlife guide in search of a bear.

If you've got wheels, wanderlust and a spot of time, a road trip in Europe offers the chance to see the continent at a more relaxed pace. From the sunny shores of Portugal to the dungeons of Dracula's castle in Transylvania in Romania, the following itineraries can be easily combined, shortened or altered to suit your wayfaring tastes. Here are 9 of the best road trips in Europe, a clutch of which also feature in our run-down of the best countries for summer in Europe.