UNESCO Heritage in Roumanie

Cluj, the largest city in Transylvania, is one of the most important university, cultural and industrial centers in the country. If you arrive around noon you will have time to discover the old city center which stands out for the richness of its Gothic and Baroque architecture: the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Michael, one of the oldest religious monuments in the city, the birthplace of Matei Corvin, Banffy Castle - built in the 18th century in Baroque style, which today houses the Art Museum. You can also admire the Orthodox Cathedral, the National Theater and the Opera in Baroque and Rococo style.

The morning will be dedicated to visiting the Turda Salt Mine. This salt mine, exploited since antiquity, leaves no one indifferent. Over the centuries it has served as a makeshift shelter, cheese aging cellar, tourist attraction, therapeutic center, leisure center…currently it is an unmissable tourist site.

Around noon you will be in Alba Iulia to attend the ceremonial changing of the guard at the entrance to the citadel.

The Vauban-style fortress, recently restored, will enchant you and transport you to the atmosphere of the early 18th century.

Finally, the Deva citadel, which you can see from afar, also deserves a visit especially since there is a cable car…The citadel located on a volcanic cone offers a splendid panoramic view over the Mures valley and the mountains to the south.

Today you will be off the beaten path, as these visits are rarely featured in tourist programs; however the places are absolutely remarkable: the Corvin Castle, the largest castle in Roumanie, the Densus Church – the oldest stone church in Roumanie), the Dacian remains of Sarmizegetusa Regia* – spiritual center of the Dacians, are only the highlights.

Departure to the Sibiu region. Stop along the way to visit Calnic fortress and the Museum of Icons on glass in Sibiel.

In the afternoon, you will visit the city of Sibiu – European capital in 2007.

Sibiu was founded in the 12th century by Saxon settlers who settled in the region. The city still retains its medieval atmosphere.

To visit: the Great Square (Piata Mare) - the city center since the 16th century where the Council Tower stands, one of the city's symbols; the Small Square (Piata Mica) and Huet Square; the Evangelical Church - the Bridge of Lies – which dates from 1859, is the first cast iron bridge in Southern Europe. It bears this name because it is supposed to collapse as soon as a liar crosses it.

Finally, another must-see site is the ASTRA Open-Air Ethnographic Museum – a concentration of the beauty and ingenuity of the Roumanian people.

Departure towards the Brasov region via the road that runs along the Fagaras Mountains.

Brasov is the "Crown City" of Transylvania, founded by the Order of the Teutonic Knights in 1211 and called "Kronstadt" by German settlers. Nestled at the foot of the mountains, it still retains its old medieval charm.

Take time to stroll through the old city center. Don't miss the must-sees: the Council Square, the old center with its typical German architecture, the Black Church – an imposing Gothic building that overlooks the Council Square, Rope Street. A view from above will be possible from Tâmpa hill (by cable car).

When speaking of castles in Roumanie, the first ones that come to mind are those of Bran and Sinaia.

The Château de Bran is a magnificent medieval fortress built by the Teutonic Knights in the early thirteenth century, and several owners contributed to its construction or restoration over the centuries. Today, it belongs to Dominic de Habsburg.

Bran Castle was unfairly associated with the story of Dracula. Bram Stoker was inspired by its architecture to create the Dracula castle in the Pas de Bargau (Borgo Pas).

Prince Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler) who inspired the character of Dracula never owned Bran Castle, and no evidence proves that he even visited it.

The Peles Castle in Sinaia was built during the reign of Charles I of Hohenzollern, the first king of Roumanie, at the end of the nineteenth century. The result of the work was a true marvel: an imposing castle in Neo-Renaissance German style, with well-defined profiles, an abundance of carved wood and statues. It was the first castle in Europe to have electricity and central heating.

Peles Castle is the former summer residence of the Romanian royal family, a display of exquisite art and architecture.

If the weather is nice, a cable car ride up to 2000 m, on the ridges of the Bucegi Mountains, is also possible.

This day will be dedicated to discovering Saxon heritage in Transylvania – citadels, fortified churches and villages where the imprint of the Saxon community is still present.

The Prejmer peasant fortress was built by the Knights of the Teutonic Order from the 13th to 16th century, during the process of colonizing the region. It is surrounded by a defensive wall 4 m thick, divided into 272 rooms meant to shelter the inhabitants in case of attack. It is said that the number of rooms corresponded to that of the families living in Prejmer at the time of construction!

In the inner courtyard, you can see the stairs and walkways that allowed access to the rooms built along the walls.

Prejmer Church has been part of UNESCO World Heritage since 1999.

The village of Viscri (Deutschweisskirch) will captivate you with the architecture of its gabled houses, beautifully painted blue with facades decorated with moldings. The village has already charmed Prince Charles, who bought a home there… The fortress still contains a church in Romanesque style, built during the 12th century, being one of 6 fortified churches listed on UNESCO's World Heritage list

Sighișoara resembles a traditional village from a medieval tapestry. The Citadel, the houses in Bavarian style and the shops seem frozen in time. It is one of the most beautiful, interesting and visited places in Roumanie.

To get to Bucovine, you will first pass through Targu Mures – a remarkable city for its Palace of Culture built in 1913 in Transylvanian secession style, then through the city of Bistrita – a Saxon city in northern Transylvania that preserves a remarkable medieval center, before crossing the Bargau Pass - the place where Bram Stoker set the action of his novel "Dracula", to finally reach Bucovine.

Day discovering painted monasteries and rolling, wooded landscapes of Bucovine.

The initiative to paint the exteriors of churches appeared in 1530, previously only the interior was decorated. Within a few years about fifteen churches were "dressed" with frescoes renewing the great themes of Byzantine iconography. This movement faded as quickly as it appeared. Despite the climate, the exterior paintings have survived centuries and you can see today those that are best preserved: Moldovita, Sucevita, Humor and Voronet.

Each monastery is painted in a specific color: blue, green, red or yellow!

You are leaving Bucovine heading to Maramures - a treasure of traditions and rituals still very much alive, which has carved its history into wood, preserving as nowhere else in Roumanie its traditions, art and folk costumes.

On the way, the village of Ciocanesti will certainly catch your attention with these houses whose outer walls are decorated with geometric or floral motifs. This is the perfect time to say goodbye to Bucovine!

As soon as you pass the Prislop Pass, the architecture changes, you will see the typical wooden gates for Maramures and a little further on, the spire towers of the wooden churches.

Almost every village has a small wooden church and a new larger one, of recent construction.

Discovery of historic Maramures whose highlights are the Barsana monastery and the Merry Cemetery of Sapanta.

The Barsana monastery is well known in Maramures as a pilgrimage site. The entire complex is built in wood and perfectly integrated into nature, a jewel of traditional architecture.

Sapanta became famous thanks to its cemetery which illustrates the history of the village on carved and painted wooden crosses. The Merry Cemetery of Sapanta is the creation of sculptor Stan Ioan Patras, who began in 1935 to paint each cross in blue - the traditional color of hope and freedom - and to place an epitaph on the crosses - a brief poem written in the first person, naive, sometimes ironic. The source of inspiration is the life of the deceased, his personality and the village's perception of the person in question.

Just next to Sapanta is the new Peri Monastery. With its tower of 78 m in height, it is currently the tallest wooden building in Europe and perhaps in the world.

In Sighet you can visit the Memorial Museum (a museum housed in one of the harshest political prisons in Roumanie during the 1950s) or the Village Museum (especially if you have not visited the one in Sibiu) to see the collection of traditional houses, domestic objects and archaic installations of the peasants of Maramures.

On the way to Cluj, a stop in the Cosau Valley, the villages of Breb, Sarbi, Budesti, is a must as it is the territory that has best preserved the architecture and traditions of Maramures.

Do not miss the old installations that still use the power of water in the village of Sarbi: "valtori", ecological washing machines, the distillery, etc.

In the afternoon you will arrive in Cluj, take the opportunity to visit the old town center especially if you have not already done so at the beginning of the circuit.

Continuation of visits to Cluj if time permits.

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight, at your own expense.