Did someone say ‘Transylvania’? Well, here’s the chance for you all ~ explorers around the globe, to reach your travel-step-goals ~ as you wander and walk in the heart of Romania’s cities and villages, but not missing unique experiences. Oh, wait! You mean what’s the real deal when visiting Transylvania? You’ll have a lot of good food to taste, UNESCO sites to see and local drinks to cherish on your trip.

 

But now, first things first. Whether you come by car or by bus, by train or by plane, a sneak peek on what you expect to find in Transylvania should be definitely much more than the House of Dracula. Now that we have agreed on this myth, let’s move on to serious things like a little history and a bit of geography about the region of Transylvania. This time’s for real.

Transylvania. General info – Cities & Villages

Transylvania’s cities and villages are no more, no less than a group hug inside Romania’s Carpathians mountains, which means you can visit them all in a row and you won’t have time to get bored at all.


If you are a city traveller, then this journey will certainly suit your expectations as you walk by in the urban area of Transylvania: Brasov ~ Sighisoara ~ Cluj-Napoca ~ Alba-Iulia ~ Sibiu. Old towns or the historical centres of all these cities are not alike, but they cover a nice mix of medieval architecture, international pubs, traditional restaurants, coffee and souvenir shops. That’s why we chose to point out their differences or records that make them unique, just as it follows:

Transylvania: City of Brasov

When in Brasov, find the narrowest street in Eastern Europe (Sforii Street), visit the largest gothic church in Romania (Black Church) and feel like you’re a student again in the very first school teaching children in the Romanian language (First Romanian School Museum).

Transylvania: City of Sighisoara

Wherever you’ll take a break in the city of Sighisoara, from sunrise to sunset, you’ll always see on the horizon The Clock Tower, the most impressive one in the Transylvania region. Balance the city tour with a cardio workout through The Scholars’ Stairs, a beautiful covered wooden staircase, and let the sunlight guide you to the next spot of the citadel. Preferably at golden hour.

Transylvania: City of Cluj-Napoca

An Englishman once said: ‘It seems like Cluj is having a party every day’. And he was not only referring to the spirit of UNTOLD festival, but also to the ever after animated city. You can even Clujin’ & enjoy it every season by taking a walk in the most beautiful botanical garden in Romania (Alexandru Borza Botanical Garden).

Transylvania: City of Alba-Iulia

From the little ones to the old ones, we, the Romanians, are very connected to the city of Alba-Iulia and we call it, properly, ‘the other capital’. From 1918, 1st of December is our National Day and it marks the union of Transylvania with Romania (Great Union Day), held in Alba-Iulia. On this day, every year, Bucharest and Alba-Iulia host the most spectacular military parades in our country.


Thus, even if you are in a hurry or already tired towards the end of your trip in Transylvania’s cities, make sure you visit this important city and its star-shaped fortress, the largest citadel in Romania (The Alba Carolina Citadel).

Transylvania: City of Sibiu

Once you get to Sibiu, you will see all alone that it wasn’t designated by chance as the European Capital of Culture in 2007. The facades of the buildings are like a symphony, far from being inappropriately branded, no matter if they are museums, banks headquarters, restaurants or telecommunications companies.


Also, the most visited museum in Romania, the ASTRA Museum of Folkloric Traditional Civilization, located in Sibiu, will be on the same benchmark next year if you also visit it as well. If not, at least don’t choose The Bridge of Lies from the city centre to be your witness. 😉

Transylvania. Prejmer ~ Viscri ~ Saschiz ~ Biertan ~ Valea Viilor

For the five must-visit cities in Transylvania, we propose five other beautiful villages in the region. So, if you mostly like the countryside and have just a little time to spend in Romania, then a rented car and the Google Maps app will get you back to the origins of people living slow and happy, pretty far from the hustle and bustle of the city. Reaching Prejmer ~ Viscri ~ Saschiz ~ Biertan ~ Valea Viilor, where technology hasn’t come that far, but it doesn’t seem to worry the locals, you’ll disbelieve that famous quote ‘beauty (of nature and villages) is in the eye of the beholder’. They are present anyway.

Cultural – Unesco – Castles & Fortress – Attractions

From fantasies to reality, although Dracula was the unofficial brand ambassador of Transylvania for a long time, we should always remember about his Majesty, King Charles III, formerly known as the Prince of Wales, and his unconditional love for Romania and the village of Viscri.

TOP 10 attractions in Transylvania

Besides breathtaking natural landscapes Transylvania has to offer, categorised as national pride, there are also many cultural sights, like old, but gold castles and fortresses, and last, but not least, UNESCO sites to stop by and stare at them. We counted 10(+) of them, so you already have the list to craft it by your interests as an itinerary just before you come and visit the heart of Romania.

  1. Bran Castle (Bran village) is probably the most famous medieval castle in Romania and it is surely way too touristy sometimes, visited both by foreigners and Romanians. It became popular at once with the Hollywood movie Dracula (1992), although Bran was never Dracula’s castle. But this doesn’t stop you to get in the depths of the legends and take part in the annual Halloween party hosted by Bran Castle.
  2. As you reach the top of Rasnov Fortress (city of Rasnov), you’ll enjoy panoramic views over the Carpathians, so take care of your phone battery and make room on your SD memory card in advance. You will also feel a deep sense of security by hearing your guide’s stories and putting yourself in people’s shoes living there in times of war. If you come with your kids, you shouldn’t miss Dino Park, an open-air museum covering a lot of interactive areas, both for children and adults.
  3. Fagaras Fortress (city of Fagaras) is located, as it used to be said a long time ago, at the halfway between the commercial road between Brasov and Sibiu. Also known as Fagaras Citadel, it is one of the largest and best conserved feudal monuments in Europe. Its imposing walls made it impossible to be conquered.
  4. If history is your second language, then Corvin Castle (city of Hunedoara) is definitely a must visit attraction from your trip in Transylvania. Its gothic architecture will leave you speechless, as it is one of the most beautiful and well preserved castles in Romania. Speaking forwards in a history dialect, not too far from Corvin Castle is Sarmizegetusa Regia, which means it will take you about an hour to see the Romanian Stonehenge.
  5. UNESCO sites. Saxon fortified churches from the previously proposed villages Prejmer ~ Viscri ~ Saschiz ~ Biertan ~ Valea Viilor are all one of a kind. If Prince Charles got fascinated by Viscri, who are we to not even like the others at least.
  6. The historic Center of Sighisoara is one of those places where you want to get lost and find the way to the hotel only at midnight. Both the authorities and the citizens understood its touristic potential and made Sighisoara a safe place to visit. Although most people living in Transylvania are very calm, here it also applies the unwritten fact ‘little the town, nicer the people’.
  7. Transfagarasan road got the Top Gear badge of the most beautiful road in the world. And it is not only a spot you’ll love to see from sunrise to sunset, but also taste the freedom of life surrounded by nature. Even if you come in the summer season, get some winter clothes and reach the final destination Balea Lake, one of Romania’s natural pearls.
  8. If you are still searching for the region’s wonders, then lake Sfanta Ana (Harghita county) is one that should not be missing from your list. It is part of Tinovul Mohos Natural Reservation, so here you’ll find an exhibition with contrasts of vegetation layers.
  9. Once you step into Salina Turda (Cluj county), one of the oldest salt mines in Europe, your lungs will silently thank you for this choice. It is an underground masterpiece where you’ll discover the magic of the salt mine, and also an entertaining area, a mini-amusement park that suits all ages.
  10. Baron Samuel von Brukenthal (former) Summer Residence (city of Avrig) offers you the chance to get in a place sprinkled with history and travel in times of Habsburg governor of Transylvania. It could be a perfect break for an escape from the city, a well deserved breath of fresh air, where architecture and nature meet.

 

Unique experiences in Transylvania

But much more than top tourist attractions from Transylvania, it’s the people and circumstances that count to make good memories from a trip. ‘Cause in the end, these will last in time, along with Instagrammable pictures. So, wanna get away from the ordinary, ticking off cultural sights on a travel map? Then you can take other ‘routes’ and choose music, movie, or theatre festivals during your stay in Transylvania.

Festivals

Are you the life of the party in your group of friends? Watch out for Cluj-Napoca festivals, they are calling you! Both UNTOLD & Electric Castle festivals are held in the summer season, when it is said that a lot of people living in Cluj are going on vacation during these two music festivals, ‘cause the town is too crowded. Why would you be missing? Fortunately, people who work in the hospitality industry stay in the town. 😉

 

Still in doubt? Then you should know that UNTOLD Festival is in the TOP 3 European Festivals, along with Tomorrowland (Belgium) and Glastonbury (Great Britain). Electric Castle is organised near Cluj-Napoca, in the village of Bontida and it was designated the largest medium-sized festival in Eastern Europe.

 

Or maybe you are the one always listening to rock music? Then you should feel the rhythm with people like you in Rasnov, at Rockstadt Extreme Fest, Eastern Europe’s most loved rock festival, as hosts like to call it. If you have friends listening to jazz music, don’t be selfish and tell them about Jazz in the Park Festival, a small, but chill festival in Cluj-Napoca.

If you have the heart & soul of an artist, reserve tickets in advance for Transylvania International Film Festival (TIFF, Cluj-Napoca) or Sibiu International Theatre Festival (FITS, Sibiu) and get your dose of culture as you wish.

Gastronomy – Culinary scene – Local Food

In Romanian, we don’t say ‘yummy yummy in my tummy’ when tasting delicious traditional dishes, we say ‘it’s like at my mother’s home’ instead. And I promise this is not a fiasco. I bet you’ll thank yourself for choosing local food when ordering the second portion of the same meal.

Traditional Romanian restaurants follow some kind of a general unwritten rule – they all have generous menus so you can order any Romanian dish you want, in any region of the country you are in. Now, brace yourselves!

Top 10 Romanian dishes

  1. For starters, you can choose sharing platters with light salads (like salata de vinete – eggplant dip, salata de fasole batuta – bean dip with caramelised onions, salata de icre fish roe salad) that come along with cheese, jumari cu ceapa – pork rinds with onions, and toba (pork organs and lots of condiments).
  2. Appetiser. Piftie (meat aspic) is also a traditional Romanian dish, mostly prepared in the winter season, and you’ll definitely enjoy it if you like food seasoned with a lot of garlic.
  3. When talking about soups, ciorba de fasole cu afumatura (bean soup with smoked ham) served in a bowl made out of bread is sometimes everything you need after a long, long walk because it is very consistent and delicious. 
  4. Main dish. If you haven’t already heard about sarmale cu mamaliga (cabbage rolls with polenta), then you should make a wish when you first taste them! 
  5. Main dish. Pomana porcului (pork feast) is another traditional dish cooked mostly in the cold season, and it consists of cuts of pork fried in lard and served with mamaliga (polenta).
  6. Main dish. Varza à la Cluj (Romanian Cabbage à la Cluj) consists of minced meat and rice baked, served with sour cream, hot peppers, and polenta.
  7. Mici, the famous mititei, are small sausages with ground meat served with mustard. Like lots of mustard! And lots of ‘mititei’, because it means ‘littles’. 
  8. Dessert. Papanasi (Fried Cheese Doughnuts), or how Romanians like to say ‘rainbow in my mouth,’ is the most popular dessert in our country, and it is served with sour cream and blueberry jam.
  9. Dessert. Cozonac is a sweet bread filled with raisins, nuts, cocoa, and delight, and is usually a cake made for Easter and Christmas. It is a Romanian joke used in the tourism industry which says, ‘If you are poor, you eat bread, if you are rich, you eat cozonac’.
  10. Drinks. Tuica, palinca, or horinca (its name depends on where it is made in our country) is a homemade strong drink that increases appetite, and it is also used as a welcoming toast when arriving in a traditional restaurant or at the accommodation. Before hard work in the field, our old grandparents took a shot to ‘take courage’. The Romanian language is like a book written in words of wisdom, isn’t it?

Local artisans & products – wineries – cheese

Say ’cheese!’ could be a picture moment from your trip in Transylvania, but also a well-deserved snack break with local goodies, like cheese (telemea), caș (pressed cheese), meats, vegetables, fruits, perfectly seasoned with various wine bouquets. Such a delight.

Eating locally is, indeed, an important part of an authentic holiday abroad. This is why we recommend you, from the bottom of our hearts, to do it as many times as possible. So, no matter where you choose the accommodation, try to pre-order a Transylvanian brunch and enjoy it to the fullest. Plus, if you come in the summer season, it is much more likely to find one organised in the middle of nature. We really can’t recommend just one, because we would like to take part in all of them throughout the year.

Good food deserves a glass of good wine, and so do you! Wine tasting is a must-do, can’t-miss, or bucket-list; which way sounds better to you? So, visiting a winery when you come to Transylvania could be a 2 in 1, with wine flavours in one hand and traditional Romanian snacks in the other. Hmm… just imagine this perfect balance! But hey, don’t forget to book tickets in advance, as well!

Here you have some winery recommendations, just to be sure you’ll remember one: Jidvei winery (Alba county), Liliac winery (Bistrita Nasaud county), La Salina winery (close to Turda Salt Mine, Cluj county), Telna winery (Alba county), Villa Vinea winery (Mures county). If you want to ask locals about one of them, keep in mind ‘crama’ is the Romanian singular form for winery and ‘crame’ for plural, wineries.

There are also some more cooltural initiatives taking place in Transylvania where, fortunately, communities and authorities are hand in hand. For example, ASTRA Museum of Folkloric Traditional Civilization (Sibiu) hosts, each and every year, in August, for about a week, the Popular Creators Fair. Traditional craftsmen come from all over the country with their craft products, and everything that has not yet found a buyer is available for sale in the museum until next year’s edition. What a nice way of support, not just locally, but also from north to south, from east to west.

So, have you made up your mind when you come to visit Transylvania? Which cities and villages will you choose for accommodations? Or what local food to taste first? What about the cultural attractions checklist? No matter what your plan is, don’t forget to say ‘Noroc!’ whenever clinking glasses before drinking ~ it is the Romanian synonym for ‘Cheers!’, ‘Salud!’, ‘Santé!’, ‘Prost!’, ‘Cin cin!’ ~ depending on where you are on the globe when reading us right now.