6. The best of Transylvania Tour

Departure from Cluj-Napoca, Sibiu, or Brașov.

See the best of Transylvania in 3-7 (or more) days, including several UNESCO sites; discover its extraordinary culture mix, castles, villages, crafts, people, and the Romanian, Saxon, and Hungarian cuisine…

Itinerary proposal for the 7-day tour option:

Day 1. Walk around the city of Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania’s main city. See landmarks like the Gothic St. Michael’s and Reformed Churches, the Opera House, Muzeon—the Jewish History Museum—or the Banffy Palace. If you have seen Cluj already, let’s head to Transylvania’s countryside instead. See a corner of the Apuseni Mountains and visit the lovely village of Rimetea, one of the most beautiful in Romania, inhabited by Hungarians, the place where the sun rises twice… Overnight in Rimetea. 

Day 2. See the Turda Salt Mine, a stunning underground complex. Go to Alba Iulia, a former capital of Transylvania, with its Vauban citadel, Romanesque Catholic Cathedral (1000 years old), Roman ruins, and Renaissance palaces. Visit Hunedoara’s Gothic Corvin Castle, the largest medieval castle in Romania. Reach Sibiu, the chief city of the Transylvanian Saxons. Overnight in Sibiu.

Day 3. See Huet, Great and Lesser Squares, the landmarks of the Old Town, as are the baroque Brukenthal Palace and the gothic Evangelical Cathedral. Watch the merchant houses featuring “the sleepy eye” dormers. View the Liars Bridge and the Guilds Tree. In the afternoon, choose to visit either the Astra Village Museum (the largest of its kind in Romania) or the villages of Rășinari and/or Cisnădioara. Another option is to visit an off-the-beaten-path Gypsy coppersmith instead. Overnight in Sibiu.

Day 4. If it is open (from June to October), climb Transfăgărășan, the world-famous road, with its brown bears. Optionally, see the Cârța ruined monastery or the Șinca Veche cave monastery. Arrive in Brașov, see the Council Square, the large Gothic Black Church, featuring a collection of precious Anatolian rugs, Behind the Walls Alley and the narrow Rope Street, and walk on the pedestrian Republicii Street, with its restaurants, shops, and outdoor cafes. Overnight in Brașov. 

Day 5. Visit Prejmer, the strongest village fortress of Romania, a UNESCO site, or Libearty Bear Sanctuary, instead. See Bran Castle (the so-called “Dracula Castle”), really impressive from outside… You can also visit, somewhere else, the virtually unknown place where Bran Castle’s original furniture and royal collections are kept today… Visit Peleș Castle in Sinaia, the residence of King Charles I of Romania, one of the most beautiful and luxurious summer royal palaces of Europe. Overnight in Brașov.

Day 6. See Viscri village, famous for its connections with King Charles III. Enter in the fortified church, included in UNESCO. Optionally: visit another place, the off-the-beaten-path last truly Saxon village left in Romania. Arrival at Sighișoara, another UNESCO site and a lovely inhabited medieval citadel, the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler (“Dracula”). Walk around the Citadel, climb the Scholars’ Staircase, and visit the massive Clock Tower, with its astronomical clock and museum. Overnight in Sighișoara.

Day 7. Pass through the Hungarian Szeklers community area. If available, see charcoal making and/or get a ride with the Sovata steam train. Visit a pottery workshop in Corund and Târgu Mureș city (famous for its Palace of Culture). Head back to Cluj-Napoca, where the circuit ends.

The tour includes the accommodation with breakfast, the guiding fee, the transport, and all entrance tickets.

You can choose another itinerary or tour length (from 3 to 7+ days), pick up another starting/ending place, and decide various accommodation and meal options.

For price, dates, and more information, please fill out the form or contact me by WhatsApp or email.