Visit Transylvania-Romania

23/09/2021

Explore the wonderful and Unique Turda Salt Mine

Salina Turda is one of the oldest salt mines in Europe, one of the mining sites that fell into disuse around 1932, after about 2000 years of extraction activity that began in the pre-Roman era. It is located in Transylvania, a few miles away from Cluj, and one of the most beautiful cities in Romania.

The Turda salt deposits date back to ancient times and were dug up to thirty meters deep, leaving tunnels that were used as anti-aircraft shelter during war. It was later converted into a tourist attraction and then into a mining museum. The mine has recently been transformed into an incredible and very popular amusement park - a magical place immersed in a natural environment of unparalleled beauty.

Today, the Turda Salt Mine spans over a of 27 square mile space and boasts a depth of 120 meters, in a chasm enclosed by dark salt walls. It houses a Museum of Contemporary Art, an amphitheater with 180 seats, a Ferris wheel, a bowling alley and even a spa for respiratory treatments. The mine maintains a constant temperature of 10 degrees with a humidity of 80% and through guided paths that allow you to admire the huge stalagmite formations, you can reach a small underground lake where you can navigate throughout on small rental boats. The various levels of the caves can be visited through ancient elevators that were once used for the transport of salt.

Each tunnel in the mine was excavated without the help of machinery or explosives and for a long time it was one of the main salt deposits in the entire region. The salt mines are one of the most spectacular attractions in the world, where you can enjoy admiring a true natural wonder.

13/09/2021

Sighisoara UNESCO Citadel

Sighisoara Citadel (latin, Castrum Sax) is the historical centre of Sighisoara city (German, Schäßburg - Schassburg or Schäsbrich), located 90 km away from Sibiu city. It was build in the 12th century by Saxon colonists and has maintained its original structure almost unchanged until today. It is part of UNESCO heritage since 1999, encompassing a rich history which illustrates the dominance of Saxon and Szekel colonies in the area.
While its first written documentation dates back to 1298, its existence goes far beyond this date. More specific, the historian Georgius Kraus places the beginnings of Sighisoara citadel around 1191, being tightly bound to the presence of a royal “castrum”, served by Szekel military. After this date, the Saxons established a seat here and started building the medieval city - the current name of Sighisoara comes from a Romanian adjustment of the Hungarian "Segesvár".

The oldest preserved constructions are: The church of the old Dominican Monastery (13th-15th century) and the Hill Church (13th-16th century). Most of the houses within the citadel date back since the 17th-19th century, having suffered some changes since their original establishment. The fortifications were build around the 14th-17th century.

The citadel is surrounded by a 930m wall, build initially to serve as protection against Turkish attacks - the initial defence wall had 14 towers and 4 ramparts, out of which 9 towers and 3 ramparts were maintained until today. The towers had served as residences for various craftsmanship’s, evidence by the name of the towers - Clock tower, Butcher Tower, Skinners Tower.
The most important and imposing tower, the Clock Tower, was preserved in a very good shape and serves today as Sighisoara’s history museum.

An important part of Sighisoara’s history is tightly bound to the connection with the Draculesti family and the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler. Born around 1431, Vlad, the future famous Vlad Tepes, the Romanian prince which inspired Bram Stoker for his famous novel Dracula, spends his childhood and begins his education in the cosmopolite Sighisoara - the house where he was born can still be seen today and a very well maintained fresco on the building stands as clear proof that the building once belonged to the Draculesti family.

The citadel is also home of numerous festivals such as International Blues Festival in March, the International Arts and Film Festival having as theme the vampires in May, the famous Sighisoara Medieval Festival end of July and german-inspired Lanternennacht (Night of Lights) in November and December.

08/09/2021

06/09/2021

Everything you need to know about Balea Ice Hotel in Trasylvania Romania

The Ice Hotel from Balea is one of the most interesting and exciting tourist attractions from Romania during the winter season or especially for a winter holiday vacation in Romania. But what is there to know about this intriguing hotel built of ice and why should you care to visit it? Well, here’s everything to know about this tourist attraction.
When is the Balea Ice Hotel open?
The hotel is built each year during the winter season from ice blocks extracted from the nearby Balea Lake. The period of time during which the hotel is open for tourists depends very much on the weather conditions. For example, for the 2018-2019 season, the hotel is scheduled for opening on December 23rd, 2018. Most of the times, the hotel was open only in January for a couple of months until March.
How to get to the Balea Ice Hotel?
The hotel is located next to the Balea Lake, at the heart of the Fagaras Mountains in Sibiu County.
The Fagaras Mountains are the tallest mountains in Romania and the hotel itself is found at an altitude of 2,034 meters. Make sure to take some warm clothes and shoes with you, because the average temperature in the area is around 2 Celsius degrees.
Near the Balea Lake passes the high altitude Transfagaras road. During winter the road is covered with a layer of snow that sometimes reaches up to 2 meters, so it can be very difficult to reach the Ice Hotel, or in some cases, it’s not advisable to climb all the way up there, depending on the weather. Make sure you always check the weather forecast before you start your trip to the Balea Ice Hotel
The most convenient and easy way to get to the ice hotel is to use the cable car. The departure is made from the Balea Cascada Hotel. Up to the said hotel, you use the car even during winter when the road is most of the time covered in snow. Starting from the Balea Cascada Hotel, the Transfagarasan road is closed for the winter months.
If you want, you can climb on foot from the Balea Waterfall (1,234 meters) to Balea Lake (2,034 meters). You have to take into account the big distance and the big difference in level. This option is not recommended unless you have experience with hiking.
How is the Balea Ice Hotel made?
The ice hotel is built each year starting with 2005.
After months of careful planning, the hotel is built by handy craftsmen from the Mures County. The hotel is built entirely out of snow and ice blocks extracted from the largest glacier lake in the Fagaras Mountains, Balea Lake. To make it stable and durable for the months to come, the craftsmen use blocks that weigh around 70 kilograms.
The working environment is harsh and hard to endure. Temperatures are often below zero degrees and the blizzard is the most worthy enemy of the constructors. In this freezing atmosphere, a new hotel is conceived every year, from materials offered only by nature.
Each year, the hotel is built around a certain theme. The themes are transposed and brought to life by the ideas and creativity of the ice sculptors, who manage to transform the Ice Hotel into a unique attraction. The theme of the 2018-2019 season is “Frozen Love“ and the hotel rooms will have the names of the main attractions from the Fagaras Mountains. Because 2018 is a special year in Romania, as we celebrate 100 years from the Great Union of 1918, the ice hotel will also mark this special event by giving its own restaurant the name of King Ferdinand I.
What can you do at the Balea Ice Hotel?
Obviously, tourists who want to spend the night at the ice hotel can do so, but make sure you book a room in advance because there are limited places available. The rooms at the Ice Hotel have all the furniture carved entirely from ice. You donțt have to worry about the low temperature if you are spending the night there. The hotel provides optimal accommodation conditions. Although the bed is made of ice, there are mattresses and sleeping bags placed over it that provide an optimal temperature.
If you don’t want to spend the night at the hotel, you can still visit it, just like any other tourist attractions. Tourists are still required to pay an entrance fee. You can visit the hotel, grab some lunch at the ice restaurant or have a drink at the bar. If you just want to stop for a drink at the Balea Ice Hotel bar, you should know that even the glasses are made of ice. Food served at the restaurant is also served on ice plates.
The ice church built next to the hotel completes the ice building complex and it also has a different design each year.
Other attractions and activities in the area
Most tourists usually just spend a night at the hotel or stop by for a day trip. The Balea Ice Hotel may be exciting and fun, but it’s still something just for those who are not afraid of extreme temperatures and who are willing to sacrifice some of their usual comforts to stay there.
Luckily, the Fagaras Mountains area is one of the most beautiful in Romania, especially during the winter season. If you want to visit the area and enjoy hiking, you can easily opt for one of the many hiking trails in the Fagaras Mountains.

03/09/2021

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03/09/2021

3-Day Best of Transylvania Tour: Brasov, Sighisoara, Bran & Viscri

The region of Transylvania is famous for many reasons: medieval cities, traditional and fortified villages, beautiful countryside landscapes, friendly villagers living a peaceful life and much more! If you can't spend 1 week to see everything then this tour is a great choice: major cities & sightseeing, picturesque areas and rural culture! A concentrated dose of Transylvanian beauty!

This is a 3-day private trip starting from Bucharest visiting major attractions and cities in the region of Transylvania.

Included: full-time private guide & transport in modern car, 2 nights accommodation, all entrance fees (standard), snacks and water. Not included: meals and personal expenses

Premium accommodation included: 1 night in a traditional mountain guesthouse in Magura. 2nd night in a medieval-styled guesthouse in Sighisoara Citadel. Delicious breakfasts with local products!

Guided walking tours of landmarks and squares in Brasov and Sighisoara Citadel. Guided visits of Peles Castle, Bran Castle and the UNESCO Fortified Church in Viscri

See traditional rural life in the picturesque villages of Magura and Pestera. In Viscri we can go for a horse-dragged cart ride, visit a blacksmith's workshop or serve a home-cooked lunch!

Tour can be extended with 1 day/night to visit Sibiu and sights in the area (Biertan, Sibiel and Transfagarasan Highway) OR replace Sighisoara and Viscri with Sibiu

The guesthouses we selected for this trip are all top-notch: 4* services with comfortable beds in spacious rooms serving delicious and filling breakfast. Location: either with great views or in the heart of the city.