““Only the Argeș, a tireless traveler, cuts through the twists of the valleys, and its waves speak incessantly, sometimes louder, sometimes softer. Its waves speak of the greatness and beauties of Negoiu, from whose flank they originate.” – Alexandru Vlahuță

Up the Argeș River, towards the mountains, where the Romanian village has preserved many of its traditions, time is patient. Besides the beauty of the place, the upper area of the Argeș River, with a rich history and tradition, awaits its guests with exquisite dishes prepared with local ingredients.

Strewn here and there with traditional houses, bordered by dense forests and high hills, the Argeș Valley is the place where the ancient meets the modern. An example of a traditional house, preserved over time, is the George Ștefănescu Memorial House, the founding composer of the Romanian Opera, considered the creator of the Romanian singing school. The building, declared a historical monument, was built of brick in 1873, respecting the architecture of the princely houses of that time.

Then there are the people, simple, modest, who still make their living respecting the customs of the village. Perhaps some traditions have been lost with the passage of time, but what has been preserved is the purity of the soul of the rural people who continue their way of life and take care of their households. The influences of the modern world are inevitable, but here, at the foot of the mountain, it seems that people are closer to nature. It’s a mutual respect, an unwritten law.

Here, legends blend with history to such an extent that you let yourself be carried away by the story and transpose into magnificent characters. Here, historical monuments still echo their trumpet over time. Here, the houses are living proof that in the Upper Valley of the Argeș River, there are hardworking and diligent people.

And there is also the Argeș River, about which many have spoken in their writings. The Argeș River, which has been flowing downhill for hundreds, thousands of years, and which waters the villages it encounters with sometimes swift, other times crystalline, but always life-giving waters.

You can’t tell the story of the Romanian village in words, you can’t encompass its vastness and immortality in words. The Romanian village must be discovered, on foot, with patience, to truly capture its essence.