TOURISM IDEAS

TRANSYLVANIAN TRAILS

Explore Rural Transylvania, the Saxon villages, the painted monasteries of Bucovina, and Dracula’s Castle

You start with a visit to Bran castle and learn about notorious Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s mythical character - Dracula. Pausing in the saxon town of Brasov to admire the wonderful Baroque architecture, you then head into the hills above Zetea on foot. In medieval Sighisoara, spires and battlements soar into the sky. A hike through lovely countryside brings you to Biertan with its impressive fortified church. Travelling north through the picturesque Carpathian mountains, you stay with local villagers - where will gain a real insight into country life. This base is perfect for exploring the UNESCO World Heritage monasteries in the surrounding area, all of them covered with beautiful frescoes.

This is a 10 days trip, graded “easy”, with some “moderate” sections on the walks, so it is suitable for anyone in good health. To gain a deep understanding of the local culture you will stay as a guest of Romanian families. They offer a welcoming homely atmosphere, mostly with twin-bedded accommodation, and shared bathroom.

A Night in the Mountains with Shepherds

On this holiday you have the option of spending an amazing night in the hills with shepherds to learn about everyday life in the mountains. This involves sleeping in a “kober”- a very basic bed, covered on all sides, which can be moved fom place to place. Blankets are provided, but you will need to take a sleeping bag as well. Facilities are very basic, since there are no toilets or showers, and you must wash in a spring. But all this adds to the adventure! The important thing to remember is that the shepherds are willing to be your friend, and will teach you all kinds of new survival skills. We promise this will be a unique, privileged, challenging, life-changing experience!

The Transylvania Express

You take our luxury Romanian Royal Train from Bucharest to the most important and interesting locations in Transylvania. The train was built in Italy in 1926 for Romanian King Ferdinand. For the entire trip this historic train becomes your home where you will enjoy haute-cuisine and fine wines. Every day is spent off the train exploring the Transylvanian landscape, culture and history. There will be plenty of opportunity to meet all the cultural groups who live here - and enjoy their traditional music and dance. For more information see our website at: http://www.transylvania-express.com/