What better way to celebrate autumn than apple picking in the picturesque Fieni valley? The valley, surrounded by the Bucegi mountains is the perfect getaway.

The villages in the valley have an architecture and layout distinct to Wallachia. Unlike Transylvania where village houses share walls, houses in this area are surrounded by gardens overflowing with flowers and visible from the road. The nearby orchard is bordered by a river at one end and rises up a hill, from which there is an expansive view of the entire valley from Targoviste to the Bucegi. A well placed hill in the orchard was the strategic location of a German bunker from WWII, its remains a testament to how well it served its purpose! Plum trees dot the apple orchard, ensuring each family a 100 litre barrel of tweetka (traditional Romanian brandy) to get them through the winter. Tweetka from this region is a bit milder than in other areas of the country. Converted into a state collective during communism, the land has since been given back to the loving care of its former owners who reside in the community.

The nearby forest is a wealth of berries, mushrooms and wildflowers. September is the best month for mushroom hunting, enhanced by the rich smells of the changing season and the impressionist colors as trees change from their summer to winter wardrobe. September is the tail end of berry and wildflower season, but may still be found.