CHRISTMAS is just around the corner, which means it's almost time to curl up in front of the TV and watch cheesy festive films.
If you're planning on doing that this winter, there's a good chance you'll end up seeing lots of scenes shot in a surprising European destination.
Not many people know it, but Romania has made a name for itself as a popular place for filming kitschy Christmas classics.
Its fairytale castles and impressive snowy landscapes make it a filmmaker's dream when it comes to filming holiday flicks.
Among those to have made the most of the country are Netflix's Christmas Prince series, of which there are three films.
Additionally, Hallmark used Romania for several of their movies, including Christmas at the Palace, A Royal Christmas, A Crown for Christmas, A Princess for Christmas and Royal Matchmaker.
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High up on the list of filming locations are Romania's many castles, with places like Snagov Palace and Peles Castle featuring in many of the films mentioned before.
Travel awaits said of Snagov Palace: "It has spellbinding fountains and a formal garden, plus a guesthouse. When there is a blanket of snow, it becomes a winter wonderland — the perfect setting for romantic Hallmark movies."
They then wrote about Peles Castle, adding: "The facade of Peles Castle is decorated with colourful murals and intricate woodwork that give it an air of whimsical fantasy.
"It is no wonder Hallmark selected this quintessential location as the setting for several of its movies."
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They're far from the only castles to have featured in Christmas films, with Bran Castle another to have been utilised for its impressive, whimsical features.
Elsewhere, the capital Bucharest has also played its own starring role in some of the films, with Christmas at the Palace and Christmas Prince both making the most of the city.
Cotroceni Palace is the former Royal Palace of Romania's rulers and is a national museum today, but it was used to film the interior of the fictional Aldovian royal residence in Christmas Prince.
Atlas of Wonders explained: "Several rooms and halls of Cotroceni, including the monumental staircase, were used to film scenes taking place in the noble residence of Aldovia."
Elsewhere in the city, scenes were filmed in the Romanian Athenaeum, a concert hall in the middle of Bucharest and in Herastrau Park, which looks particularly Christmassy when covered in snow.
Castel Film, the Romanian production company behind most of the films, explained why the city works so well as a Christmas film location.
They said: "Over the years, Bucharest has become a go-to filming location for Christmas movies.
"Bucharest’s neo-Romanian establishments and architecture enrich the visual appeal of the films.
"The city of Bucharest also houses a variety of classical interiors which are extensively used in the films."
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