The wetlands of Romania

Romania's Danube delta is gloriously unspoilt, says Lucy Carrington in the Sunday Times. Stretching over 1,035 square miles beyond the town of Tulcea, near the border with Ukraine, it is among the largest wetland in the world - and one of Europe's last great wildernesses, preserved largely thanks to decades of underdevelopment during the Communist era. Exploring its "maze of lagoons and canals" by boat, you'll see a vast array of bird-life. Around 300 species have been identified here; some are spectacular (such as the white-tailed eagle), and some very rare (including the pygmy cormorant) - but you don't need to be a "serious birder" to fall under the region's spell: it will work wonders on anyone "in need of a little peace and quiet". Contact Romaniatourism.com (020 7224 3692 ).

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