Brasov has a water park, Paradisul Acvatic.

It’s not the biggest water park in the world, but compared to any other we’ve visited in Romania, it’s easily the best. Bucharest has its Water Park, but being outdoors (and directly under the flightpath of Otopeni Airport) it has a very limited shelf life (June-September). Paradisul Acvatic is under cover of an enormous glass roof and open year round.

Paradisul Acvatic, Brasov

Besides the pools and slides there are plenty of other attractions, all included in the reasonable-if-hardly-cheap entrance fee, such as hot tubs, jacuzzis, saunas and a huge Turkish bath (which is really rather good). There is also massage, about the only extra you pay for: 20 lei for 30 minutes.

Our only gripe about the place would be that the onsite restaurant is not great, and is rather expensive. But then who comes swimming to eat?

What’s probably best about Paradisul Acvatic is the view from the main pool: straight towards Poiana Brasov. In winter you can sit in a jacuzzi and look towards Poiana, all covered in snow. It’s rather nice to do so.

We did read a while ago that Bucharest was to get something similar, in Parcul Tineretului of all places. Like many things, the project appears to have died a death.