Transylvania is not a fictional realm, created by Bram Stoker, nor the land of vampires, werewolves or supernatural beings.
It a land full of charm, a multiethnic region, located in the Central-North-Western part of Romania.
Sibiu is a good exponent of Transylvania, a multicultural town, the former capital of the province, whose main attraction is the charming old town. Due to its position,
Sibiu is a great base to explore Transylvania, being located at a reasonable distance from Brasov, Bran, Sighisoara or Hunedoara.
We designed this multi-day trip having in mind the optimal route to cover the main attractions of Transylvania in 5 days, starting and ending in Sibiu.
The guide will pick you up from the airport, transfer to your hotel, and later, after you have a rest, we discover Sibiu during a walking tour
through the Old Town. If time permits, we will have a stroll in the Astra Open Air Museum, where we will learn more about Romania's rural architecture and the crafts and trades of the Romanian villages.
On this day will change our base from Sibiu to Brasov. We will head east, from Sibiu, along the Carpathians Mountains.
In summer, we will drive on the Transfagarasan road, as far as Balea Lake. We will admire the scenic mountain landscape and enjoy driving on one of the most beautiful
roads on the world ( according to BBC show Top Gear). From Transfagarasan we will continue our journey towards East, down to Bran Castle, the medieval stronghold famous
due to its association with Dracula, but also, starting 1922 a summer residence for Queen Maria of Romania. We will spend the night in Brasov, of if you want, in Bran. Driving time: around 4 hours.
In the last day of our tour, we will return to Sibiu, via Sighisoara. It will be a UNESCO tour, as, besides Sighisoara, we will be able to visit also the fortified churches of
Prejmer, Viscri or Biertan, all of them listed on UNESCO World Heritage list. Driving time: approximately 4 hours. Overnight in Sibiu or transfer to the airport, depending on your flight.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW: We designed this tour with 3 nights in Sibiu and 2 nights in Brasov, for an optimal itinerary. The order to the tours can be changed, depending on the day
of the week we start the tour, as some of the attractions mentioned beforehand, may be closed for public on Mondays or Tuesdays. Also, the starting or the departure city can be changed, depending on your
flights. Moreover, the length of the trip can be extended or shortened, or the program can be adjusted depending on interests and time available.
This is a private trip is suitable for small group tours (from 2 to 8 persons). For larger groups, please contact us for an adjusted itinerary
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Sibiu is located in the south of Transylvania, close to the border with Wallachia, a decisive element that contributed to the development of trade with the neighbouring region and transformed the city from a small Saxon village a few centuries ago into a city that played an important role in Transylvanian history. With a population of approximately 170,000 inhabitants, Sibiu has experienced rapid growth in the last 20 years, based on education (the city being a small university centre), industry (mainly automotive) and the Saxon heritage, which shaped the collective conscience of its inhabitants. The European Cultural Capital in 2007, Sibiu has distinguished itself since then as a promoter of cultural events, the city's agenda being rich with theatre, music, dance or film festivals.
Corvin Castle is representative of the classic image of a medieval castle, seeming to be taken from a fairytale cartoon. No wonder, as the founder of the Castle, Ioan de Hunedoara, the governor of Hungary, had wanted to have a residence according to his status. Raised in the 15th century in Gothic style, and modified many times later, the castle suffered drastically from a fire in the 19th century, which burned almost every piece of wood in the castle. Renovated at the level of that century, the castle is currently undergoing a wider restoration process, meant to give the castle its former grandeur. The castle is located in Hunedoara, a city that has developed rapidly, starting a century ago as a steel centre, the ruins of the former industrial installations being able to still be seen around the castle
Ironically or not, the initial purpose of the Transfagarasan was not tourism. The communist dictator, Ceausescu, ordered the construction of a road across the Carpathians for military reasons, but fortunately, the road was never used by the armies. The construction was not an easy task, several army engineering units contributing to the construction of the road, starting from both sides of the Carpathians at the same time. After 4 years, they managed to meet and complete one of the most incredible mountain roads in Romania. Having over 80 kilometres, and reaching 2000 meters in altitude, Transafagarasan has become a must-see attraction in Romania, from July to November, the period when it is open to traffic.
When it was built in the 14th century as a border fortress, no one thought that, after 600 years, Bran Castle would be associated with the image of a vampire. Known worldwide as Dracula's Castle, the true story of Bran Castle is not gloomy or violent at all. On the contrary, starting with 1922, the castle became the summer residence of Queen Maria of Romania, who transformed the former medieval fort into a welcoming and comfortable house. One of the main achievements of the queen was the English-style park that can be seen in front of the castle. Having a British origin, the queen wanted to recreate the atmosphere of her country of origin, next to the park, in front of the castle, being raised a tea house, the restaurant of today.
Brasov formed in close connection with Sibiu, being also founded by the Saxon settlers. Benefiting from the commercial opportunities offered by its position in the southeastern corner of the Kingdom of Hungary, Brasov was an important craft and trade centre of Transylvania. His position on the corner of the kingdom made him a target for the Turkish invaders, not often, the invading armies appearing at the city gates. Currently, Brasov is an important cultural, university and industrial centre of Transylvania, with a population of approximately 300,000 inhabitants. Its location near the mountains makes Brasov a destination sought by winter sports lovers, the largest ski resort in the country being 20 minutes from Brasov.
Sighisoara was also founded by the Saxon settlers, in fact, the 7 most important cities in Transylvania were originally Saxon cities. Unlike its sisters Brasov and Sibiu, Sighisoara is located in the centre of Transylvania, its position limiting commercial opportunities and economic development. The Sighisoara fortress is located on a promontory bordered by the Tarnava river, which has determined the recent development of the city outside the fortress. For this reason, Sighisoara's citadel has remained relatively unchanged in recent years, this being the reason why it is a UNESCO site. In the tourist guides, Sighisoara appears as the birthplace of Dracula, which is half true. There is historical evidence that Vlad Tepes, the ruler who inspired Bram Stoker to create the image of the bloodthirsty prince, was born in Sighisoara.