In a venture to discover Transylvania, you will come across the abundance of historical sights and natural landmarks of this region. Discovering Transylvania implies amazing castles, well preserved fortresses and churches, natural fascinations like ice caves or unspoiled sceneries and full of life cities displaying a harmonious mélange between medieval and state-of-the-art.
If you plan to discover Transylvania, you can start either from North or South. Neither route will disappoint you, as Transylvania keeps surprising tourists from every direction.
Say you start from the North; you will first come across the accumulation of caves in the Crisana region. The most notable ones are Scarisoara Ice Cave, which is the second biggest in south-eastern Europe and the Bear’s Cave in Chiscau, known for the unfortunate story of the 15.000 years old cave bears. The dozens of caves in this region are close to Oradea, another city worth visiting.
Discover the true spirit of Transylvanians in its largest and most developed city, Cluj-Napoca, loaded with museums and a bunch of fun activities, as it is a European Youth Capital. Close to Cluj, there’s another not to be missed natural monument: the enormous Salina Turda Salt Mine and the museum and amusement park within.
Alba Iulia, the city of the Great Unification of Romania, is known for its star shaped fortified center, the Alba Carolina Citadel. South from Alba-Iulia, in Hunedoara County, you will discover the treasures of two essential eras for Transylvania: the 1st century B.C. Dacian Fortresses in Orastie Mountains and the medieval Corvin/Hunyad Castle in Hunedoara. Don’t forget about the medieval Fortress of Deva.
Discover Transylvania further on by reaching one of the medieval cities, Sibiu, the 2007 European Capital of Culture. Exploring Sibiu will lead you to the Large and Little Square, the legends of the Bridge of Lies and the Lutheran Cathedral.
It would be a pity not to also see Cozia Monastery down south from Sibiu, the most visited religious site in Romania. Cozia will lead you to Poenari Castle, once Vlad the Impaler’s residence. To return from this little detour, Transfagarasan highway, the best road in the whole world, is at your service.
When discovering Transylvania, Brasov and its surroundings are a must-see. The mountainous Brasov is another one of the medieval cities that has always attracted tourists with its most prized possessions: the Black Church, the White Tower, the Council Square, Rupe Street and the belvedere from Tampa Mountain.
Orbiting around Brasov, there is a great deal of other medieval landmarks. The Citadel of Rasnov, the Bran Castle which is probably the most famous castle in Transylvania for its connections to Bram Stoker’s “Count Dracula” and the astounding architecture of Peles Castle in Sinaia where the Royal family lived, are all close to each other.
If you feel like you’ve already discovered Transylvania, wait, there’s more. Pass by Prejmer Fortified Church, because it’s the largest one in Southeastern Europe and then, don’t forget about the last of the medieval town, Sighisoara, for it’s an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Covered Stairs will lead you to the Hill Church and back to the Clock Tower. Here is also the last vampire-aficionado exhibit, Dracula’s House.
Isn’t it worth it?
Come and explore, enjoy, take pictures, create memories, experience, interact, folklore nd traditions…
Come and Discover Transylvania !!!
