Transylvania

Transylvania was an autonomous state for more than 170 years, it was called the Principality of Transylvania and it was under the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire. This historical region of Romania has been very disputed over time, being part of Dacia, the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Hungary or the Austrian Empire.

Transylvania is often associated with the vampire realm. This starts from the story in the novel Dracula, published by Bram Stoker in 1897. So, don’t worry, vampires don’t live in Transylvania, even if such a conservative people is still involved in some practices that might scare you.

One of these practices made a big difference a few years ago, when the Discovery Channel station made the decision to include Romania in the top of the scariest destinations in the world. The reason for this was that some of the locals suspected that a villager had turned into a ghost after his death. They dug up the body, took out his heart, burned it and drank the ash. The case was also reported in The Telegraph. As tourists you will not come across such pagan customs, which had been passed on from ancestors, but it is good to know that they exist.

Transylvania covers an area of ​​57,000 km² and is divided into 16 Romanian ethnographic areas, having traditional names such as the Land of the Woodlands or the Prince’s Land.

The place-name Transylvania has its origin in medieval Latin and means “The land beyond the forest”. On the coat of arms of Transylvania there is the black eagle with a yellow beak, the sun and the moon (the symbols of the Saxons) and seven fortress towers, representing the seven fortified Saxon villages/churches in this region.

The medieval villages, developed around the fortified churches, were born during the 12th – 14th centuries. Over time they were attacked and conquered and then conquered back, burnt or devastated by plague, but they succeeded in remaining particularly charming. If 15-20 years ago they were destroyed by the exodus of the Saxons, today they have regained their former glow.

We are offering you a multitude of experiences in such Transylvanian villages and we guarantee you that, whatever you choose, you will not regret it. Here you will come into contact with a world that has been long gone in the rest of Europe. You will discover a way of life that has not changed for centuries, in which traditions and customs are religiously kept.

Idyllic landscapes, peace and fresh air, charming cottages and tables packed with local goodies. What could be more beautiful?

Visit the most beautiful medieval fortresses in Transylvania. The ancient remains, almost a millennium old, are still standing and are waiting for you to introduce you to a unique atmosphere. Among them, the most famous are the Alba Carolina Fortress, Rasnov Fortress, Deva Fortress, Sarmisegetusa Fortress, Feldioara Fortress or Rupea Fortress.

Obviously, we didn’t forget about Sighisoara, the only medieval fortress in Eastern Europe, still inhabited. Here we are offering you several accommodation options in historical houses, hundreds of years old.

Visit the best castles in Transylvania. By far, the most famous of these is Vlad Tepes’ Castle – Bran Castle. However, at least as spectacular is the Corvin Castle, also known as Hunyadi Castle.

So you know, there are hundreds of castles in Transylvania. Some of them you can only visit, in others you can even book a room, and others are waiting to be restored. If you want a complete experience at the castle, you have to go to Covasna, a county nicknamed “The Land of the 160 Mansions”.

Visit the isolated villages of Apuseni. The Apuseni Mountains area was voted by the American publication CNN in the top 3 tourist destinations worldwide for the year 2019. Here you will get to experience an archaic lifestyle. All of a sudden, you will find yourself in a place where there is no phone signal, no internet and even no electricity. You will have the chance to reconnect to offline life, wandering along the mountain paths and admiring the dream landscapes. Here you’ll find some of the best hidden gems in Europe

Many attractions and sights await you in Apuseni. That is why we are also offering you some exceptional accommodation nearby this reference destination for European rural tourism.

Tree houses, mansions or traditional houses … Whatever your preferences, you will have where to choose from.

Visit some of the most spectacular salt mines in Europe. Turda Salt Mine and Praid Salt Mine are some of the most important sights of Transylvania, which you should not miss them if you come to the area. You will discover a charming underground world.

Visit Sibiu and Sibiu Neighbourhood Area. This region has received many distinctions over time, being successively declared as European Capital of Culture, European Destination of Excellence or European Gastronomic Region. The medieval city and the villages around it, located at the foot of the mountains, attract hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world every year.

Our platform offers you unique accommodation options and unique experiences both in Sibiu and in the medieval villages of “Marginimea Sibiului” (Sibiu Neighbourhood Area).

Transylvania offers one of the last medieval landscapes of Europe. The flowering meadows cover hundreds of hectares, avoiding the intensive agriculture that has taken over much of the continent. Secular forests and alpine meadows complete this dreamy landscape.

Many species of flora and fauna, almost completely extinct in other corners of the world, found shelter here. Scientists have confirmed that the largest diversity recorded in a plant community worldwide is in the dry pastures of Transylvania. Not only are they well preserved, but they also seem to be expanding.

On the other hand, about 50% of Europe’s large carnivores live in the Carpathian chain that surrounds Transylvania. From wolves and lynx to brown bears, all are protected by strict laws. Even if they sometimes interact with humans, the conservation of these species on the Romanian territory can only delight us.

As a conclusion, Transylvania hosts over 600 protected species of butterflies, 23 protected species of mammals, 55 protected species of birds, 10 protected species of reptiles and amphibians and 11 protected species of fish. If you opt for a trip or a tour in the wild Transylvania, together with one of the local tour guides, you will have the opportunity to admire some of them.

Now that we have presented the most important sights and places to visit in Transylvania, let’s move on to the next chapter.

In the area of ​​Transylvania, the gastronomy received Romanian, Hungarian and Saxon influences. Starting with artisan bread and continuing with high-quality sausages or cheeses, Transylvanian cuisine is delicious and very versatile.

In these picturesque regions, many rural brunches are organized every year. Whether in the backyards of the fortified churches or in the households of the villagers, you will have the opportunity to taste old culinary recipes. The ingredients are purchased locally, where you have already learned from the previous article that agriculture is made ecologically.

So, prepare your taste buds, the feast is about to begin.

Enjoy traditional Romanian food in Transylvania

• cheese and greens slab pie;
• lamb in a cauldron with onion, garlic and spices (shepherd’s recipe);
• pork tenderloin from Sibiu, prepared with ham, mushrooms, cheese and potatoes, plus other spices;
• bean soup in bread crust, served with red onion;
• chicken papricas, with sauce and dumplings;
• goulas with or without meat;
• Brasov style stew with veal, internal organs, bone soup, wine and tomato sauce, plus onion and greens;
• shepherd’s bulz (polenta and cheese dish), with kneaded sheep and cow’s milk cheese;
• papanasi with fresh cow cheese, sour cream and sourish jam;
• kurtos kalacs – spit cake, made of dough and sugar, roasted;