Transylvania walking holidays: the tour of the most beautiful villages in Romania

We will pick you up in Brasov and after a walking tour in the old town, we will head to the mountain villages near Bran Castles. Located in a beautiful natural setting between Piatra Craiului and Bucegi mountains, the villages offer splendid views over the whole area. The best time to visit the villages is in June when the meadows are painted with a burst of colours from the wildflowers, and the peaks are still having spots of snow. In the afternoon, we will visit Bran Castle. Overnight in Brasov or in the villages near Bran.

hiking distance: 10 kilometres; altitude gain: 300 m; driving time: 1.5 hour

If the first day was dedicated to the Romanian mountain villages, today we will explore the Saxon area of Transylvania’s countryside. We will have a short walk through Viscri, the village hidden in Transylvania’s highlands, made famous worldwide by Prince Charles of Wales, whose foundation owns a house in the village. Then we will head to Sighisoara, the charming medieval city which is considered to be the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler. In the afternoon we will have a walk around Biertan and its castle-looking fortified church. Before going to Sibiu we can have a home-cooked dinner prepared with local ingredients by the ladies from the village.

Overnight in Sibiu or in the villages in the area.

hiking distance: 8 kilometres; altitude gain: 300 m
driving time: 3.5 hours

Just a short walk is not enough to understand the atmosphere of the former Saxon village. Exploring Viscri helps us immerse ourselves in a bygone era as we stroll along the cobbled streets lined with colorful, charming, traditional old houses. We will experience authentic rural life, where the herd of cows, buffaloes and goats roam the streets every morning and afternoon, where the smell of freshly baked bread wafts from the local bakery or horse-drawn carts are still the main method of locomotion. We can explore on foot the timeless landscapes of rolling hills, vibrant wildflower meadows and the majestic Viscri fortified church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And let’s not forget that Viscri is the village in Transylvania where we can visit the residence of King Charles III.

Overnight in Viscri or in the villages in the area.

hiking distance: 8 kilometres; altitude gain: 200 m
driving time: 0 hours

Today we will spend half of the day exploring Sibiu, the charming former European Capital of Culture in 2007. Then, in the afternoon, we will drive for 30 minutes to Nucet, where we will have a 2 hours hike around the village. During the walk, we will reach a ridge offering probably the best view of the Fagaras mountains and the Olt river. Also, after the walk, we can stop at a guesthouse in the village for another delicious home-cooked dinner.
Overnight in Sibiu or in the villages in the area.

hiking distance: 4 kilometres; altitude gain: 100 m
driving time: 1 hour

Fagaras mountains panorama

Today, we offer an enchanting hiking experience in a picturesque shepherd village near Sibiu, nestled in a valley embraced by mountains. This village is adorned with wooden huts along the hillsides, serving as hay storage or temporary dwellings during the summer. Depending on availability, we have the opportunity to savor a delectable lunch prepared by the shepherds themselves or indulge in a cheese tasting directly sourced from the local producers.

Overnight in Sibiu or in the villages in the area.

hiking distance: 6-12 kilometres; altitude gain: 300 to 700 meters, depending on the path we choose
driving time: 1.5 hours

Today it would be a long driving day, as we leave Sibiu and head to the Apuseni mountains. Before reaching the mountains, we will stop in Hunedoara to visit one of the most beautiful castles in Europe: Corvin Castle. Then, we will continue our journey to Apuseni mountains where we will have a few options, depending also on the season. We can visit a hamlet which is inhabited only in the summertime, or we can visit an alpenhorn singer, living in a hamlet accessible only from an unpaved road. The lady can also prepare dinner for us, or can just cook for us the famous local cheese pies.

Overnight in Apuseni mountains

hiking distance: 6 kilometres; altitude gain: 100 m
driving time: 5 hours

We are spending the second day in Apuseni mountains heading to Rimetea, the village where 90% of the population is belonging to the Hungarian minority living in Transylvania. Before reaching Rimetea, we are driving to a remote hamlet, to admire a splendid view of the Trascau mountains and to see the straw huts perched on the heights.

Arrived in Rimetea, we will spend the afternoon exploring the village, admiring the beautiful white houses with green window frames and red flowers, discovering the secrets of the gates symbols and getting a splendid view of Piatra Secuiului mountain.

Overnight in Rimetea

hiking distance: 5 kilometres; altitude gain: 100 m
driving time: 2.5 hours

On the last day of our Transylvania countryside trip we will leave Rimetea and head to Turda, to visit the extraordinary salt mine, nowadays an amazing touristic attraction. Then we will head to Cluj-Napoca, the largest city in Transylvania, where we will have a walking tour of the old town, the last stage of our trip.

Overnight in Cluj-Napoca
walking distance: 5 kilometres; altitude gain: – m
driving time: 2 hours