August 29, 2025, 3:01 pm | Read time: 5 minutes

Wallachia in Southern Romania

Wallachia is a region in southern Romania, surrounded by the Southern Carpathians to the north and the Danube to the south. It is divided by the Olt River, a tributary of the Danube, into Little Wallachia, called Oltenia, in the west, and Great Wallachia, called Muntenia, in the east.

Given that the proverbial Wallachia is associated with a rural, isolated area, one might not expect a real metropolis in the middle. We’re talking about Bucharest, the capital of Romania. More than 1.7 million people live there (as of 2021), making it the most populous city in the country.

Interestingly, the term “Wallachia” originally comes from the Germanic language area. The term can be found in places like Walcheren in the northwest by the North Sea, Walchensee in Bavaria in the south, and extending to Southeast Europe. According to the Online Lexicon of the University of Oldenburg, the name traces back to the Romance-speaking population in the region we now know as Romania. The Germanic peoples originally referred to non-Germans as Wallachians, primarily meaning Celts (the name Wales also derives from this), but later Romans. “Wallachia”—or “Wallachian” for a person—was thus always a foreign designation. The inhabitants of the region in today’s Romania called their land Ţara Românească (Romanian land) and themselves Români.

What to Discover in the Region

If you’re proverbially sent to Wallachia, you’ll find a diverse region with much to offer. Nature lovers and hiking enthusiasts will be particularly pleased. A popular hiking area is the picturesque landscape directly adjacent to the Southern Carpathians. These include numerous trails through forests and alongside small bodies of water.

Additionally, there are extensive nature reserves with rare plant species and native wildlife. The Wallachian Plain is particularly good for bird watching.

Wallachia also invites you to explore its cities. Besides Bucharest, there are other noteworthy cities in the region, such as Sinaia. Known as the “Pearl of the Carpathians,” it’s famous for the supposedly healing effects of its mineral springs. The mountain town is also popular with winter sports enthusiasts due to its ski slopes. You can also visit castles and palaces, like Peleș Castle, one of the country’s most visited attractions. It once served as the summer residence of numerous Romanian kings and is located in Sinaia. It has been used as a film set multiple times in the past.

The town of Bușteni also offers excellent conditions for hikers, climbers, and skiers, as it is located in the Bucegi Mountains. A cable car provides quick access to the mountain. Those interested in the region’s history should visit the first capital of Wallachia, Curtea de Argeș. Its cathedral is one of the most famous buildings in all of Romania.

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For drivers, the Transfăgărășan Highway is a real highlight. It is located at an altitude of about 2,042 meters and connects the Argeș Valley in Great Wallachia with the Olt Valley in Transylvania. The crossing of the Făgăraș Mountains, a mountain group in the Transylvanian Alps, is particularly impressive. If you don’t want to tackle the nerve-wracking switchbacks, you can take a gondola directly to Bâlea Lake, a glacial lake in the Southern Carpathians.