Transylvania Tours & Trips

What our customers ask about Transylvania Tours & Trips

• I've heard about cultural activities in Transylvania - what can I actually do there and where should I go?

  You'll find amazing hands-on experiences in Transylvania's villages that really connect you with local life. Head to Viscri or Saschiz where you can work alongside artisans in their workshops - try your hand at traditional blacksmithing learn wool weaving on these beautiful old looms or make Saxon-style ceramics. For a real taste of local life join a dinner in one of those incredible 300-year-old Saxon barns in Malancrav or Mesendorf where families cook amazing dishes like sarmale using recipes passed down through generations. Don't miss the bread-making workshops in Crit village where you'll do everything from grinding wheat in medieval mills to baking in the original stone ovens that villages have used forever.

• Where can I find the best natural areas to explore and how do I get to them?

  The Carpathians are just incredible and Piatra Craiului National Park is definitely a highlight with these dramatic limestone ridges and amazing wildlife. You can easily access the trails from Magura or Zarnesti villages - there's everything from gentle valley walks to proper ridge hikes if you're up for a challenge. The Libearty Bear Sanctuary near Zarnesti is fascinating 69 hectares of oak forest where rescued bears roam free you'll need to book a guided tour for this one. If you're looking for high-altitude adventures the Fagaras Mountains are perfect for hiking from June through September and you can use the famous Transfagarasan highway to reach some amazing trails around Balea Lake at 2034m.

• What are some of the less touristy routes around Transylvania that locals recommend?

  If you really want to get off the beaten path try the village-to-village routes through Saxon communities. There's this fantastic circuit connecting Viscri Biertan and Malancrav where you'll see real village life - people still use horse-drawn carts and farm like they have for centuries. Travelers who've done these routes love them because you avoid the crowds and get to stay in family guesthouses where the hospitality is just incredible. The Via Transilvanica is another gem - it's this 1000km marked trail that takes you through all these different cultural regions from mountain villages to beautiful pastoral valleys.

• I'm looking for authentic places that aren't packed with tourists - what should I check out?

  Skip the busy Bran Castle and head to Rupea Fortress instead - it's this amazing 14th-century citadel with three defensive rings and the views across Transylvania's hills are just stunning. The Densuș Church is really special it's Romania's oldest working church built with stones from the old Roman settlement at Sarmizegetusa Regia. The villages around Sibiu especially Rășinari and Sibiel are perfect if you want to see traditional Romanian life without the tourist crowds - there's even Europe's largest collection of reverse glass-painted icons here. In summer check out the Hârtibaciului Valley where you can watch traditional haymaking and see how shepherds still live and work in these beautiful meadows.

• What local foods should I try and where's the best place to find them?

  You're in for a treat with Transylvanian food - it's this amazing mix of different cultural influences. Try the borsch with home-smoked meat and fresh vegetables in the guesthouses along Târnava Valley it's absolutely delicious. When you're in Brașov look for restaurants serving vânătoresc and cozonac secuiesc these are real local specialties. If you're here in summer head up to the mountain shepherd camps for brânză de burduf - it's this incredible sheep cheese aged in pine bark. The rural guesthouses especially in Mărginimea Sibiului serve amazing farm-to-table meals - don't miss the tochitură with mămăligă or alivenci. And if you're here in autumn the markets in Sibiu and Mediaș are perfect for trying seasonal specialties like zacuscă and local plum brandy.