Discover Medieval Transylvania

Transfer Bucharest airport – Sibiu city (280 km, about 4 hours driving). Accommodation at a 3* pension. Declared for Cultural capital of Europe Sibiu was once the king of the Transylvanian Saxon towns, serving as capital and dominating cultural activity. Sibiu is home to the first hospital in Romania (1292), the first pharmacy (1494) and the oldest museum in Romania, the Brukenthal Museum, opened in 1817.

We drive to Hunedoara (130 km, about 2 hours driving). We visit Corvin Castle, also known as Hunyadi Castle or Hunedoara Castle (Romanian: Castelul Huniazilor or Castelul Corvinilor), a Gothic-Renaissance castle. It is one of the largest castles in Europe and figures in a list of the seven wonders of Romania. It is great and breathtaking, provides the feeling of medieval times. We drive back to Sibiu. In the evening we visit Sibiu by night!

Short drive to visit Astra Open Air Village Museum - the second largest open-air museum in Europe (250 acres) is located in the middle of a dense forest and surrounded by a beautiful lake. It features more than 300 buildings as well as watermills and windmills, and other structures representing village architectural styles from many parts of Romania.

Drive to Biertan (70 km, about 1 hour driving). Biertan is one of the most important Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, having been on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1993. Featuring late-gothic architecture with heavy doors and double exterior walls, the church boasts the largest Transylvanian multi-paneled wooden altar and a remarkable wooden door which once protected the treasures in the sacristy.

We continue the tour to the remarkably well-preserved town of Sighişoara (30 km, about 30 minutes driving), so rich in history that the entire old city center is a UNESCO site. Hear about the medieval town’s legendary former resident Vlad the Impaler, a Wallachian prince and warlord who inspired Bram Stoker’s fictional character Dracula. Discover the only city in Romania which looks exactly the same way as in the XVIth century.

Accommodation at a 3* hotel.

We drive to Viscri about 1 hour. As we approach, admire the impressive whitewashed walls and red-roofed towers that surround the village, designed to protect early inhabitants from invading Turks. Wander the rustic streets of the town and visit its UNESCO World Heritage-listed church. Prince Charles, who owns a house in Viscri, says "Transylvania is in my blood".

Visit a remarkable fortress - Rupea - with three rings, dating from the 14th century, built on a basalt rock. Inside the fortress there is a well 60 m deep. The water is still drinkable.

We continue the tour to Brasov (90 km, about 90 minutes driving). Accommodation at a 3* hotel for 3 nights.

Brasov walking tour by night.

Fringed by the peaks of the Southern Carpathian Mountains and resplendent with gothic, baroque and renaissance architecture, as well as a wealth of historical attractions, Brasov is one of the most visited places in Romania. Founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1211 on an ancient Dacian site and settled by the Saxons as one of the seven walled citadels, Brasov exudes a distinct medieval ambiance and has been used as backdrop in many recent period films.

Today we visit Bran Castle (a.k.a. Dracula's Castle) - Rasnov Fortress - Peles Castle.

We drive about 45 minutes to Sinaia town for visiting Peles Castle. The expansive, Bavarian-style Peleș Castle was built among a lush forest to house Romania’s royalty in the 19th century and is among the most beautiful in Europe. A guide will lead you through many of its immaculate, ornate rooms, still adorned with luxuriant furnishings and décor. You’ll also have the chance to tour the neighbouring Pelișor Castle, a smaller royal residence decked out in art nouveau finery.

We continue the tour from Sinaia (about 60 minutes) to Bran Castle, also known as ‘Dracula’s Castle’ — a hilltop estate that conjures up visions of howling wolves and bats fluttering in the moonlight. Wander the castle’s Gothic chambers and learn about its ties to Bram Stoker’s undead antihero. Enter if you dare and wander through the castle’s many well-preserved rooms and chambers. Gothic furnishings and details help set the scene for ghastly legends of all that happened here, including the imprisonment of Vlad the Impaler. This 15th-century prince was notorious for his bloodthirsty campaigns against invading Turks and is said to have inspired Stoker’s malevolent Count Dracula.

We drive about 30 minutes to Râșnov, situated among the stunning Bucegi Mountains. Learn about the storied history of Râșnov Fortress, a walled stone compound designed to ward off attacks by the fierce Tartars and used as a refuge for local villagers during medieval warfare. Explore the time-worn courtyards, ramparts and well of the 13th-century fortress built by the Teutons. A short drive back to Brasov.

Sustainable, local, eco tour! The beauty of Romania lies in its countryside!

Experience the traditional Transylvanian way of life on a small group tour from Brașov to the rural villages of Pestera and Magura. We do a walking tour in the area visiting the Bat Cave enjoying the landscapes and village life, interacting with the locals (3 - 4 hours, easy to medium, up to 12 km). Now, the Bat Cave is a national natural monument, part of the National Park “Piatra Craiului”. Cave entrance is through a narrow corridor, followed by a grotto and a gallery. You can admire the Jurassic limestone formations, formed over centuries, including so-called "tears of the earth". The cave is not electrified, in order not to change the natural habitat of the bats. Visit the oldest guesthouse in the National Park, taste several varieties of handcrafted cheese, than we have a farm-fresh cuisine. With a flexible pace and the personalized attention of your guide, it’s a unique and authentic way to experience the Romanian countryside.

Highlights

Small group day trip to the authentic Romanian mountain villages of Pestera and Magura from Brașov
Discover the culture of the villages, nestled in Transylvania’s Piatra Craiului National Park mountain
Take a trek into the forests and meadows to see wild flowers and go inside of Bat cave
Savor lunch made from fresh, simple ingredients at one of the guesthouses in the area
Enjoy a flexible itinerary and the undivided attention of a guide on this small group tour
In these 2 villages the people never died because of cancer or heart attack - they live an healthy life: working the land, taking care of animals (sheep and cows), preparing and eating home made food from their small farm (meat, eggs, milk), drinking fresh water from the spring and home made alcoholic drink called "tuica" made from different fruits: apples, plumps, pears!

What You Can Expect

Sample traditional Romanian cheese on a small group day trip to Magura and Pestera.

Nestled in the Piatra Craiului National Park Mountains in the Southern Carpathians, the villages of Pestera an Magura offer an authentic glimpse into rural Romanian life. Your immersive, full-day tour begins in central Brașov, where you’ll meet your local guide and board a private vehicle for the 45-minute drive to the village. Along the way, let your guide know if you have any specific interests so he or she can customize the day’s itinerary.

Learn about the history of the villages, where the traditional industries of sheep farming and cheese making are still practiced by many of the village’s. Visit the Bat Cave about 10 minutes. Next, set off into the surrounding hills and meadows of Magura village for a moderate guided hike for 2 to 3 hours. Let your guide know if you prefer to hike for longer or shorter, and go at a pace that’s comfortable to you.

Make a stop to the oldest guesthouse in the National Park. Meet some of the farmers, and sample two-three different kinds of cheese.

After working up an appetite, we have a hearty lunch. Savor simple Romanian cuisine homemade from local farm-fresh ingredients including eggs, vegetables or pork. Purchase beer or wine to top off your meal. From the guesthouse we have a walk in Pestera Village back to the car, about 1 hour. We can visit also the local church.

Relax on the scenic return drive to Brașov.

3 hour transfer to Bucharest airport.