Romania Photo of the Day by Dreamstime: Olt Valley in autumn colors

The Romania Photo of the Day created in partnership with stock photo provider Dreamstime aims to highlight the best of Romania. From stunning landscapes and popular tourist destinations and landmarks to people, traditions, and food, this series helps you discover Romania one photo at a time. This week, we put the focus on beautiful Romanian landscapes in autumn colors.

There is a place in Romania where nature has managed to stay unspoiled by modern civilization, says surprising-romania.blogspot.com, where a whirling river flows through spectacular gorges, and its banks boast centuries-old churches and bathing resorts, where people can find peace of mind and bodily rest - the Olt Valley. (Photo source - click on the number to get to the photo 22584621 | Whitewizzard | Dreamstime.com)

The Olt Valley is the longest gorge in Romania (47 km), stretching from Turnu Rosu to Cozia.

According to Libertatea, the valley’s history harkens back to Antiquity. 2000 years ago, the Olt Valley was one of the most important routes in Dacia, both commercially and for military purposes. The Roman fortress of Arutela is located here.

The river, which flows into the Danube at the Bulgarian border far to the south, says balkania-tour.com gave the historic region of Oltenia in southwestern Romania its name.

A good departure point, surprising-romania.blogspot.com tell us, is Căciulata, passing through Cozia, by the Cozia Monastery, erected by Mircea the Old; then one crosses the river on the dam of the Turnu power plant, the first and largest hydropower plant built on the Olt River. On the right bank of the river, one can visit the Arutela Castrum and the Arutela tourist complex. The trip can continue with a hike, through the forest, to the Turnu Monastery, and then to the Stănişoara Monastery.

The Cozia National Park covers both banks of the Olt River, approximately 17 000 hectares of land, and the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful.