Sfantu Gheorghe
Miercurea Ciuc
Gheorgheni
Odorheiu Secuiesc
Odorheiu Secuiesc to Targu Mures
Targu Mures
Southwest Transylvania
Alba Iulia
Deva
Retezat Mountains
Northern Transylvania
Cluj-Napoca
Turda
Huedin Microregion
Apuseni Mountains
Bistrita
Transylvania
Why Go?
Transylvania’s forested valleys and Gothic castles are forever embedded in the popular imagination. Even before arriving, most visitors can picture this land of dark fairy-tales, where fog drapes like cobwebs over the Carpathian Mountains.
Explore these stirring landscapes on hikes through Piatra Craiului National Park, or the Bucegi (and tougher Apuseni) Mountains; or see them frozen over at winter sports centres Poiana Braşov and Predeal. Next, indulge your medieval fantasies among the watchtowers and cobbled lanes of Braşov and Sighişoara or venture to Transylvania’s castles: world-famous Bran, ornate Peleş, and Hunedoara’s Gothic apparition.
Deeper in the countryside, rural Transylvania's tapestry of cultures awaits: vibrant, secretive Roma communities, Székely Land hamlets where only Hungarian is spoken, and Saxon villages with crumbling citadels. Here, standstill traffic means horses and carts waiting patiently for herds of goats to scatter.
And yes, Transylvania will satisfy vampire tourists – and enthral all with its jumble of edgy cities and villages that time forgot.
When to Go
AMay Mild weather and wildflower-carpeted meadows; go hiking in Piatra Craiului and Bucegi Mountains.
AJun–Sep Peak season for hiking, and medieval cities like Braşov and Sighişoara are in full swing.
ADec–Mar Check snow forecasts and head to ski slopes in Poiana Braşov.
Best Places to Eat
A Szentgyörgy Pince
A Kulinarium
A Crama Veche
A Basa Fogadó
A Sergiana
A Roata
Best Places to Sleep
A Villa Hermani
A Youthink Hostel
A Casa Luxemburg
A Lol & Lola
A Select City Center
A Casa Georgius Krauss
Transylvania Highlights
1 Sighişoara Tripping along the cobbled lanes of this medieval town.
2 Fortified Saxon Villages Marvelling at lost-in-time citadels surrounded by green meadowland, such as at charming Biertan and Viscri.
3 Libearty Bear Sanctuary Holding your breath in a bear hide, or watching mighty mammals recuperate.
4 Apuseni Mountains Exploring the rugged Apuseni Mountains on foot or bike.
5 Bran Castle Suppressing a shiver at spooky Bran Castle, before roaming windswept ramparts at nearby Râșnov Fortress.
6 Corvin Castle Blinking in amazement at the Gothic turrets of Hunedoara's spellbinding castle, seemingly plucked from the darkest fairy-tale.
7 Alba Carolina Citadel Strolling or cycling Alba Iulia's star-shaped citadel, the largest in Romania.
8 Bârgău Valley Drinking in panoramas of this scenic valley, immortalised in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
9 Cluj-Napoca Delving into the hidden life of an arty, festival-rich city with rough charm.
a Sibiu Admiring baroque buildings and enjoying the cafe culture of this genteel town.
History
Though they lived in the 5th century BC, the Dacians still elicit pride among modern Transylvanians. Fascinating traces of their history remain: metalwork, remnants of their fortifications, and even temples, such as at the Sarmizegetusa Regia archaeological site. As the Roman Empire marched across the Balkans, Dacian civilisation fizzled away. When Rome withdrew in AD 271, centuries of skirmishes followed between Huns, Slavs, Visigoths and other tribes.
For 1000 years, up until WWI, Transylvania was associated with Hungary. In the 10th century, at the behest of Stephen I of Hungary, the Székelys (a Magyar, Hungarian, tribe) settled in what they called Erdély (‘beyond the forest’ – the root meaning of Transylvania). In the 12th century, Saxon merchants arrived to help defend the eastern frontiers of Hungary. The seven towns they founded – Bistriţa (Bistritz), Braşov (Kronstadt), Cluj-Napoca (Klausenburg), Mediaş (Mediasch), Sebeş (Mühlbach), Sibiu (Hermannstadt) and Sighişoara (Schässburg) – gave Transylvania its German name, Siebenbürgen.
Medieval Transylvania was autonomously ruled by a prince accountable to the Hungarian crown, while the indigenous Romanians were serfs. After the 1526 Turkish defeat of Hungary the region became semi-independent, recognising Turkish suzerainty. In 1683 Turkish power was broken and Transylvania came under Habsburg rule four years later. After 1867 Transylvania was fully absorbed into Austria-Hungary. In 1918, after Austria-Hungary’s defeat in World War I, Romanians gathered at Alba Iulia to demand Transylvania’s union with Romania.
This unification has never been fully accepted by Hungary, and from 1940 to 1944 it set about re-annexing much of the region. After the war, Romanian communists moved to quash Hungarian nationalist sentiments. In ensuing decades, feelings of resentment subsided somewhat and Romania’s relations with its western neighbour calmed.
Prahova Valley
Wallachia funnels into Transylvania in this narrow valley at the foot of the fir-clad Bucegi Mountains. Sinaia, a king’s summer retreat a century ago, is the finest town, but the real draw is up, way up, with hiking and biking trails along the flat plateau atop the mountains, and ski trails that carve down the mountainsides. If you’re looking for just a taste, it’s possible to do a day trip from Braşov, and take a cable-car ride up for a short hike. But it’s easier if you stay a night or two.
Sinaia
Pop 11,600
Nestled in a slender fir-clad valley, Sinaia teems with hikers in summer and skiers in winter. Backed by the imposing crags of the Bucegi Mountains, it's a dramatic place for a to hike for the day, or, using the network of cabanas open to walkers, several days.
The town itself is a melange of crayon-coloured wooden houses contrasted with the 'wedding-cake' style of its grander 19th-century buildings. Once home to Romania’s first king, Carol I, who created a summer retreat here, Peleş Castle is a dream of hidden passages, fairy-tale turrets, vertiginous galleries and classical statues; it's so beguilingly imaginative, it could raise a swoon from the most hardened cynic.
Sinaia is administratively part of Wallachia but is most easily reached from Transylvania.
Sinaia
1Top Sights
1Peleş CastleB1
1Sights
2Pelişor PalaceB1
3Sinaia MonasteryC2
4Sleeping
4Hotel CaraimanD3
5Hotel PalaceD3
6Vila EconomatA1
7Villa ObliqueA1
5Eating
8Hotel-Restaurant BucegiC4
9Irish HouseC4
1Sights
oPeleş CastlePALACE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.peles.ro; tour adult/senior/child 20/10/5 lei; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun)
Over 40 years, dozens of builders, artists and wood-carvers brought Peleş Castle into existence. The neo-Renaissance masterpiece was commissioned by Romania’s first king, Carol I, and its first stone laid in 1875. Today this former royal summer residence is a wildly popular tourist attraction. Visits are by compulsory 40-minute guided tour; photographing inside costs a steep additional 32 lei. Inside, not a single corner is empty of silk rugs, Murano glass, carved walnut or polished marble.
In the Honorary Hallway, note the Swiss and German landscapes, fashioned from inlaid wood, to remind the king of his homeland. Beyond Iraqi carpets and alabaster Biblical scenes, you’ll enter an Arms Room brimming with armour for men and their horses (the latter weigh 100kg apiece). Even more elaborate are the weapons in the Oriental Room, while the Portrait Room and Library offer a glimps
e into the distinguished life of the royal couple. The latter has a secret passageway (which you will be shown if you opt for a longer tour involving the castle's upper floor). Also impressive is the Moorish Dining Room, replete with brass lamps and walls inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
Even in peak summer season, organisation of the tours can be threadbare and you may have to queue, especially if you're waiting for a tour in English or German.
It’s possible to park near the castle, though large tour buses turning around can make the parking lots painful to navigate. Otherwise it’s a half-hour hike uphill from central Sinaia.
Pelişor PalacePALACE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; compulsory tours adult/student/child 20/10/5 lei; h9.15am-4.15pm Thu-Sun, 11.15-4.15pm Wed)
It’s hard to believe that Carol I’s nephew Ferdinand (1865–1927) could have been unsatisfied with lavish Peleş Castle; nonetheless, Pelişor Palace was built for him just next door. The smaller, art nouveau palace stands about 100m uphill from Peleş. Ferdinand's wife Queen Mary acted as Pelişor’s interior designer, filling it with imported Viennese furniture. Entry is by 45-minute guided tour.
Queen Mary died in the Golden Room, the walls of which are entirely covered in gilded leaves.
Sinaia MonasteryMONASTERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Str Mănăstirii; 5 lei; h10am-4pm Mon-Sat)
The church and monks’ cells on this site during the 17th century weren’t ample enough to accommodate Sinaia’s growing religious community, so in 1846 this serene complex was built. Its main church is a marvel of carved floral decoration, with oil paintings within. Easily as magnificent is the backdrop of forested mountains.
2Activities
Skiing and hiking are the main draws in the Bucegi with a good range of basic, intermediate and advanced runs, and similarly challenging walking routes.
Take the Telecabina Sinaia ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.teleferic.ro/sinaia; Str Cuza Vodă; return adult/child 25/14 lei, with bike 70 lei; h8.30am-5.30pm summer, to 4.30pm winter, closed some Mon mornings) to Cota 1400, a festive scene with sleds to hire, open-air grills, a ski-hire shop and chairlift. From here you can also take the second cable car, Telecabina Cota 1400-2000 ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.teleferic.ro/sinaia; one-way adult/child 35/17 lei, with bike 70 lei; h8.30am-6pm summer, to 5pm winter, closed some Mon mornings). Between late-December and mid-March, this accesses some 20km of cross-country skiing, as well as a dozen pistes of which half suit intermediate levels (red), with a few black (advanced) and blue (beginners) runs too.
In summer the trails (at least 30 to choose from) are great for hikers.
4Sleeping
Midrange to top-end hotels clamour to mimic Peleş Castle's grandeur (with varying degrees of success), so you'll find no shortage of atmospheric places to sleep in Sinaia. At the budget end of the range, the area also has plentiful pensions and hiking chalets.
Hotel CaraimanHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0244-312 051; www.caraimansinaia.ro; B-dul Carol I, 4; s/d/ste 165/212/270 lei; pW)
Built in 1880, this austere yet welcoming hotel has bags of atmosphere, only slightly diminished by the number of tour groups pouring in. Some might gripe that attentive staff and a more thorough cleaning service would lift Hotel Caraiman's game, though these are small quibbles compared to its stained glass, chandeliers and sweeping stairways that once felt the footfall of Transylvania's elite.
Hotel PalaceHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0244-312 052; www.palacesinaia.ro; Str O Goga 4; s 175 lei, d 212-270 lei; pW)
If you're hankering for a high-end stay after exploring Peleş Castle, the 1911-built Hotel Palace assures a regal experience. Rooms have high ceilings, crimson carpets and supple beds fit for a prince. Room prices vary by size and view; opt for one with a balcony overlooking the park, if you can.
Villa ObliqueSPA HOTEL$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0344-883 992; www.villaoblique.ro; Str Cota 1400, 3A; d from €85; pW)
Treat yourself to an intimate getaway at this spa hotel, 700m west of Peleş Castle. There's a sauna and hot tub to linger in before you retreat to a regally furnished room with billowing drapes, high ceilings and cushioned headboards. In summer you can barbecue on the terrace, while in winter there's ski storage available.
Vila EconomatHOTEL$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0244-311 151, 0725-310 700; Aleea Peleşului 2; d from 290 lei; pW)
This gingerbread-roofed hotel looks to be transplanted straight from Hansel and Gretel, while inside its rooms are crisp and elegant. The location, right near Peleş Castle in the former offices of the Royal Guard, is hard to beat, and the buffet breakfasts are superb.
5Eating
Hotel-Restaurant BucegiEASTERN EUROPEAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0244-312 217; www.hotelbucegisinaia.ro; B-dul Carol I, 22; mains 25-40 lei; hnoon-10pm)
With catfish fillet, frogs' legs and pastrami of bear, this restaurant with a hint of Alpine ambiance has Sinaia's most interesting menu. If venison or tripe soup sounds a little heavy, you can fall back on comfort food such as Ukrainian beetroot broth or crisp Bulgarian salads.
Irish HouseINTERNATIONAL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.irishhouse.ro; B-dul Carol I, 80; mains 15-25 lei; h8am-midnight)
Eat inside or out at this busy central watering hole, popular with families and après-skiers. Service is a little slow, but coffees are suitably frothy and there's a menu spanning pancakes, pizzas and cheesy chicken schnitzels.
8Information
Sinaia Tourism Information CentreTOURIST INFORMATION
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0244-315 656; www.info-sinaia.ro; B-dul Carol I, 47; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri)
This dinky office offers free local maps, excellent hiking advice, and info on upcoming events. An essential stop before any hiking trip.
8Getting There & Away
Sinaia and Predeal are the best connected towns in the Prahova Valley: both are on the Bucharest–Braşov train line, and have almost hourly services to each. Both towns are also served by less frequent bus services to Bucharest and Braşov. Half-hourly buses travel between Sinaia and Predeal (6 to 8 lei, 40 minutes), stopping at Bușteni.
8Getting Around
Once arrived in the region, the best way into the Bucegi Mountains is by cable car. Hop aboard Telecabina Sinaia to reach Cota 1400 midstation, from where you can ascend even higher via Telecabina Cota 1400-2000 (hiking trails begin from both stations). From Bușteni, the cable car takes you to Cabana Babele, also an excellent starting point for treks.
Bucegi Mountains
Rising to 2505m at their tallest, the Bucegi Mountains are popular with hikers for their unspoiled scenery. This raw wilderness comes with perils: there's a sizeable population of bears and some trails are poorly marked. The Bucegi have a decent network of cabanas to shelter, eat or sleep in, but preparation is key in this high-altitude adventure playground. June to September is best for hiking (though thunderstorms are common). Winters are severe and avalanches are a particular peril during the thaw.
HIKING IN THE BUCEGI MOUNTAINS
This is tricky terrain. Discuss your desired route with the Sinaia Tourism Information Centre, confirming duration, difficulty levels and accommodation. Stock up on torch (flashlight) batteries, take snacks and plenty of liquids, and pack a lightweight jacket and fleece. Sign tourist traffic registers when you leave cabanas, so they can keep track of you if you run into difficulty.
The two most common starting points are from the cable-car stations at Cota 2000 (from Sinaia) or from Cabana Babele (in neighbouring Buşteni).
From Buşteni take the cable car up to Cabana Babele. From Babele a trail leads to the 15m-high WWI memorial cross at 2291m (one hour; it’s marked with red crosses). From here a path (red crosses) leads to the top of Caraiman Peak (2384m). On the peak the path becomes wider, turning into a trail that continues towards Omu Peak across Bucegi Plateau. It gets close to the Coştila Peak (2490m) on top of which is a rocket-like TV transmitter. Nearby is a weather station that has acco
mmodation.
Alternatively, a trail (three to four hours, blue crosses) leads from Cabana Caraiman (2025m), where you can pick up the trail to the WWI cross (30 to 45 minutes, red circles).
From Cabana Babele you can hike south following a yellow-stripe trail to Cabana Piatra Arsă (1950m). From here you can pick up a blue trail that descends to Sinaia via Cabana Poiana Stânii (three hours). An even more interesting destination is the Ialomiței Cave Monastery (Mănăstirea Peștera Ialomiței; GOOGLE MAP ), accessible by trail (1½ hours, blue crosses). Hotel Peştera is nearby.
HIKING TIMES
These are average times. People with higher or lower levels of fitness should adjust accordingly. Browse hiking routes on www.bucegipark.ro.
ABabele to Bran Nine hours
ABabele to Cota 2000 Seven hours
ABabele to Omu Two or three hours
ACota 2000 to Omu Four or five hours
ACota 2000 to Bran Fourteen to 16 hours
AOmu to Bran Eight hours
4Sleeping
Camping in Bucegi is only allowed in clearly signed areas and is, in fact, not altogether recommended due to the possibility of bear encounters. Cabanas provide blankets. It’s sometimes hard to reserve a spot in cabanas, but they’ll always make space.
Cabana ZănoagaCABIN$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0786-781 672, 0741-588 724; www.cabanazanoaga.ro; dm/d/tr 40/100/150 lei; paW)
Lonely Planet Romania & Bulgaria Page 12