Roman Festival Dacia Felix – Under the sign of the eagle

The Retezat Tourism Association organized, in Hațeg and Sarmizegetusa Ulpia Traiana, in 2016, 2017 and 2018, three editions of the Roman Dacia Felix Festival – Under the sign of the eagle – In memory of Dorin Alicu.
In 2017, the event has changed its name, from the Roman Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa Festival to the Roman Dacia Felix Festival – Under the sign of the eagle, another tradition event from Hunedoara County, was created around Sarmizegetusa Regia: DacFest – Under the wolf sign.

The event in the Hategului Realm was dedicated to the memory of the Cluj archaeologist Dorin Alicu, who dedicated more than 30 years to scientific research at the site in Hunedoara county, a personality of the archaeological world in Romania, a man and a professional valued both in the local community of Sarmizegetusa in Hațegului Realm, as well as in the University in Cluj-Napoca.
The event was organized in partnership with the Museum of the Dacian and Roman Civilization, the administrator of the archaeological site in which the activities of historical reconstruction are carried out. The other partners were the Terra Dacica Association Aeterna Cluj-Napoca, the largest and most experienced historical reenactment organization in Romania, which offered demonstrations of “living history” but also the university professor Alexandru Diaconescu, from Babeș – Bolyai University in Cluj – Napoca, the one who provides guidance and explanations for all activities in the event’s program.

The Roman Festival Dacia Felix aims to promote the ecotourism destination Hațegului – Retezat Realm (certified in 2016 by the National Tourism Authority) and the archaeological site Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, former Roman capital of Dacia, one of the most important tourist and cultural sites in Hunedoara county and in Romania as well. All this, according to the manager of the ecotourism destination of Hațegului – Retezat Realm, Anca Rusu, the archaeological site Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, although it is known nationally, it is not promoted enough. Also, many tourists do not make the clear distinction between the two Sarmizegetusa locations, both situated in Hunedoara county: Regia and Ulpia Traiana. A living history lesson, offered by authorized reenactors, creates another view of the site and attracts a greater number of tourists, in an area with a high potential for tourism development, such as Sarmizegetusa community, located in Hațeg Realm. Including the name selection, together with the other festival, DacFest – Under the wolf’s sign, the festival aims to promote the two historic capitals so important for Romanians.

The festival is focused on a period of three days, and the history and life of the Roman world is carefully explained by history and archeology specialists. Tourists from Hunedoara County, but also from Alba, Caraș-Severin, Cluj, Sibiu, Timiș counties, from the rest of the country or even from abroad, were delighted with the event, with the workshops, the guides explanations, but also the historical reenactments, in which they were able to see battles, different rituals or activities of the actors, specialists in history, who are part of the Terra Dacica Aeterna Association. The first three editions of the event gathered several thousand visitors each.
This year the Roman Dacia Felix Festival has taken a break, but Anca Rusu, the representative of the Retezat Tourism Association and the Ecotourism Destination Hațegului – Retezat Realm, announced that she intends to continue the legacy of the event in 2020 with a fourth edition.

The ecotourism destination Hațegului – Retezat Realm covers three of the most important tourist areas in Romania – The Dinosaurs Geopark of Hațegului Realm and The Retezat National Park, both with international recognition of UNESCO, as well as part of another large protected area, namely the Grădiștea Muncel Natural Park – Muncel . The ecotourism destination Hațegului – Retezat Realm, is the third such area in Romania certified by the Ministry of Tourism. It aims to offer visitors a unique experience, through products, ecotourism services to the highest standards, but also by promoting a responsible attitude towards the environment and the local community.
The area of ​​the Hațegului – Retezat Realm is an extremely attractive one, thanks to the countless natural, historical and cultural sites, but also to the more than 40 hiking or bicycle routes, those regarding the cycle tourism being approved by the Ministry of Tourism.