In the historic heartland of what used to be Moldavia, they take their religion seriously. The painted monasteries of Bucovina are one of the Eastern Orthodox's greatest treasures and perhaps Europe's best kept secret.
 
Built to commemorate Stephen the Great's victories in battle, they date back to the 15th century. Both inside and out, every inch of the medieval chapels is adorned with elaborate frescoes, intricate gold-plated designs and solemn yet serene iconography. Black-clad Orthodox monks and nuns still flit among the courtyards and sound their eerie calls to prayer, refugees from an era the rest of the continent has all but forgotten.
 
Voronet gives its name to its very own shade of blue, while at Putna the medieval prince himself lies at rest. Elsewhere, outside the towns, vast stretches of untouched countryside also cling tenaciously to the past. On the roads you're just as likely to see a horse and trap as a motorcar, and sooner or later you'll find yourself swigging home-brewed palincă with locals who wouldn't look out of place in a Thomas Hardy novel.