Active and Cultural Tours

Romania offers a wide diversity of family holidays, active (walking & trekking, cycling, mountain-biking, horseback riding, skiing, tour-skiing) or cultural tours taking you to the most interesting places around the country.
Although Transilvania, that lies in the north-eastern part of Romania, is known as a weird

destination due to Dracula's myth, Romania is a rich country with beautiful landscapes,

fauna and flora, as you will find out if you choose a tour in Romania.

Active Tours

During the winter, you can choose a very active walking holiday in the Carpathian

Mountains. Just prepare your snowshoes!

The Piatra Craiului and Bucegi Mountains are especially well preserved and offer perfect

surroundings for hiking. You understand that once you will see the beauty and richness of the landscape.

But what will impress you maybe even more are the rural areas where you will be immersed.

An unforgettable journey... A step back in time that will surprise you... Do not forget about the stop at the

legendary Bran „Dracula's” Castle.

Trip Highlights:

climb Romania’s highest peak – Moldoveanu (2.544m)
classic ridge walk along the Fagaras „Transilvanian Alps” ridge; enjoy a magnificent panorama of the

region

follow tracks of wolves, bears & lynxs in Piatra Craiului National Park
cross villages that reveal the countryside in complete harmony with nature. Among them, the village

of Fundatica which is probably one of theest known for its pastoral traditions. Known for its smoked

cheese, this village will give you the occasion of a nice stop for tasting.

walk to Bran Castle – well known as „Dracula's Castle”. A sleigh ride may be a good option as well.

Another good option for an active holiday can be a Multi Sports Tour in Transilvania

You can discover the “Dracula” romanticism, majestic castles, medieval towns, world class biking, hiking

and wildlife viewing in this wonderland of undiscovered Europe.

Trip Highlights:

hike in the Bucegi Mountains. Take a cable car for a day hike on the windswept Bucegi Plateau.

This area is said to have been sacred to the ancient Dacians, ancestors of modern Romanians, and

and rock formations like the Sphinx and the Old Women that we see were landmarks before the

birth of Christ

visit to medieval towns of Brasov, one of the great cultural and trading centers of Romania,

Sighisoara – UNESCO (also the reputed birth place of Vlad Ţepeş (the Impaler) or Dracula (son of the

Dragon) in 1431, the namesake of Bram Stoker’s vampire “Count Dracula”) and Sibiu - the 2007

European capital of Culture;

remote villages: Viscri – UNESCO and other fortified churches. These monuments to faith and war

were built between the 13th and 16th centuries by Saxon immigrants from Germany and have

become icons of Romanian cultural history. Seven are now listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

bike deep into the Transilvania countryside to rural villages to experience the traditional hospitality

of the Romanian people. But don’t let them bite your neck !

optional visit to a bear hide in the wild :)
bike and hike in The Fagaras Mountains. At Balea Lake (6700’) hike through stunning alpine country

and if lucky, you may spot chamois, the wild goat of the Carpathians, scrambling among the crags.

Then bike down from the mountains and ride on through picturesque villages to the town of Zarnesti

and Piatra Craiului (King’s Rock) National Park The park protects the Piatra Craiului Mountain range,

a narrow, saw-like ridge 15 miles long and up to 7400’ high considered one of the most dramatic and

wildest parts of the Carpathians.

Hike in Piatra Craiului National Park. This could be full of options: hike in the majestic Piatra Craiului

through a gorge where part of the movie Cold Mountain was filmed, or kayak a scenic river, try the

new adventure sport of canyoning (a combination of hiking, climbing, and swimming), mountain bike,

rock climb or watch European brown bears (cousins of the American grizzly) in the wild.

It’s up to you! You can choose your activity on the tour or before your departure.

horse and cart ride – the traditional way of transportation
folk show – traditional musicians and dancers
visit Bran Castle and the real Dracula’s Castle at Poienari.

Although never the residence of Vlad Dracula, he did use Bran Castle as a fortress and may

have spent two days in its dungeon hiding from invading Ottoman Turks. It later became the

home of Romanian royalty and is now a museum.

After the castle tour you can explore the picturesque villages in the area by foot, talking with

locals and sampling the local cuisine, including Romania’s traditional polenta and melted

cheese made fresh with organic produce from neighboring farms.

Hiking in Romania

The Carpathians Mountains surround Transilvania. Travel to the unspoilt mountains with sharp rock edges, large forests, beautiful fauna and flora and feel like there is nothing else more pleasant and relaxing than trekking its paths.

Hiking days will be in average 5 - 6 hours long, with plenty of time to take photos and study the different flower, the birds, treks of wildlife, etc. Go home with wonderful memories from hiking in Romania.

Trip Highlights for such a tour would be:

family run guesthouse to get a closer contact with the locals
Bucegi Mountains - Sphinx & Biddies rock formations
medieval town of Brasov / Kronstadt with Black Church
Dracula's Castle (Bran) and the story vs. myth
Pearl of Carpathians - Sinaia - The Royal Summer Residence - Peles Palace
horse and cart ride
traditional folk and dance show optional - if available
time to meet and speak with the locals; get a real feeling of the local's life

... and much more

Paragliding Flight, like birds over Transilvania and Carpathians

Get your adrenaline level high ! Fly over the Carpathian mountains!

Admire Transilvania from the sky!

Professional instructors can take you along on a tandem flight (no previous

knowledge for flying are necessary). Start from the top of a mountain, the actual

flight takes about 15-30 minutes.

Horseback Riding

The Carpathian Mountains are the largest intact ecosystem in Europe.

Take advantage of the freedom spirit of the horse riding holidays in Romania.

You can choose from easy learnig leassons for beginners, to intermediate rides

over the nearby hills but returning for the confort of a nice hotel in the evening

or even a relaxing swimmig pool, but you can also choose the horse-riding

trekking holiday, active from morning till dusk, where you help get the horses

ready, ride the whole day to your next destination, put the horses to rest and

get ready for the next riding day.

Travel, ride, explore and enjoy a unique Romanian experience !

River Rafting

On Romanian rivers, water sports can be practiced all throughout the year.

Furthermore, you can experience sea-kayaking and wind-surfing. So get ready for

a unique and energizing adventure in which you discover the secrets of sailing on

quick waters.

A trip on the spumous waves is an experience you must try! For example:

Bistrita River rafting - Get ready for a unique and energizing adventure in which

you discover the secrets of sailing on quick waters.Furthermore, you can experience

sea-kayaking and wind-surfing on the Colibita Lake.

Medieval Family Adventure

A great experience for the whole family, a multi activity experience with interesting

stops at different local workshops and craftsmen and time to admire

the traditional way of life.

Trip Highlights:

overnight in rural and remote villages of Transilvania
home-cooked meals by the locals, with your help
visit different workshops in villages: blacksmith, bricks & tiles,
horse and cart rides
mountian bike rides over the rolling hills
rock climbing lessons
maybe a stop at the adventure park near Brasov

.. and much more.

CHEILE NEREI MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE

If you have an adventurer’s spirit and you want to explore untraveled paths, align to the start of

the race. You will be awarded with good cheers, positive energy and extreme sensations!

'Cheile Nerei Mountain Bike Race' began in 2014 and takes place this year in June, in Sasca Montanӑ

commune, Caraş-Severin County. The event is addressed to both amateur and professional cyclists

and has a charity purpose.

Lovers of the two-wheel sports and those who are passionate about riding their bike in the great

outdoors are invited to discover in a most unexpected way one of the wildest and most spectacular

sceneries in mountainous Banat.The stormy Nera has dug an amazing defile into the Aninei Mountains,

rich in impressive tourist attractions.

* For details on the event go to: http://www.sascabike.ro/, https://www.facebook.com/CheileNereiMTB

[An article written by Andreea Bertea]

You can also combine hiking in the Carpathians with sightseeing tours !

Enjoy short walks away the beaten paths to explore the rural areas & the nature.

Cultural and Leisure Tours

Prepare yourself for a trip back in time as our cultural tours will take you around the country’s most beautiful treasures. Visit the beautiful churces of Bucharest, the Transilvanian fortified churches and castels, the painted churces of Moldavia and the lost Greec and Roman settlements along the Black Sea shore. Romania has so much to offer and is almost impossible to summerise all it’s wonders in a few words.

Romania’s culture is the product of its geographical position and of its distinct historical evolution. It is fundamentally defined as the meeting point of three regions: Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans, but cannot be truly included in any of them. The Romanian identity formed on a substratum of mixed Roman and Dacian elements, with numerous other influences. During late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, the major influences came from the Slavic peoples who migrated and settled in nearby Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine and eventually Poland and Russia; from medieval Greeks and the Byzantine Empire; from a long domination by the Ottoman Empire; from the Hungarians; and from the Germans living in Transylvania. Modern Romanian culture emerged and developed over roughly the last 250 years under a strong influence from Western culture, particularly French and German culture.

Besides representing the largest part of the remaining descendants of the Eastern Romans, Romanians are having the largest percentage of Christian Orthodox among the Latin peoples.

Romania preserved so many unchanged traditions and skills, who passed over the generations. Take this opportunity and travel in Romania while you can still admire and learn these unique & o natural skills that were kept alive over centuries.

Please see below some examples of cultural tours:

Cultural holiday in Northern and central Romania

Such a tour will cover the Transilvania area - Zarnesti, Bran and Brasov, then Maramures area with the famous wooden churches and Moldova region with the stunning 500 years old painted monasteries.

Trip Highlights:

The Gorges of Zarnesti in the Kingstone Mts. National Park.
explore the forests of the National Park. Bear tracks, deer

tracks are almost always seen.

visit Sighisoara, an inhabited medieval castle.
Panoramic view at Prislop Pass
Merry Cemetery and Barsana Church
the wooden churches: Botiza, Ieud, Poienile Izei
the painted monasteries Humor, Sucevita, Moldovita and

Voronet

the ceramic center from Marginea

Textile Tours in Maramures

Immerse in Maramures area and see HOW-TO-DO-IT-YOURSELF . Maramures is the region overwhelmed by the most vivid and preserved traditions. Go to homes where women are still using the looms to make their own blankets, rugs, ... Also they are processing and preparing the wool needed for weaving, scrapping, spinning, dyeing .

Trip highlights:

wash the wool + comb the wool and get it ready in yarns.
go for a walk across the fields to pickup the plants used for

dyeing the wool. In the afternoon each one will take part in

making it's own prefered colour. Spun threads from yarn.

check the loom: The threads of the warp are stretched

between the pegs on the top and bottom of the frame.

The weft, or woof, is then woven across the warp.

practice weaving, some on big looms, some on small looms

that you can take home.

learn about lace, and how to make different lace paterns

Men, if not as interested in the textile work can see the village distillery and how people can make their own wine and brandy or "palinka" - a double distilled plum drink; alternatively they can try local crafts (wood work, the blacksmith).

It could be a nice opportunity to learn the old techniques of processing the wool and threading it to make superb rugs, carpets, jumpers or socks.

Travel in Romania and discover its best kept secrets to find out these skills!

Travel to visit traditional farms

Try visiting small farms based in picturesque villages, where horses and carts are widely in use

even today. During your travel do not miss the small villages, where you will see people using water

buffalos to work the land. Stop at larger farms as well. Some stops at wineries can be included, thus

at the end of the day you can enjoy a nice glass of Romanian wine, which will be one of the highlights

while you travel in Romania.

"Tasty stews with gurkins, cabbage rolls with polenta or Trufle hunting and cooking lessons, this is a

great way to experience the unique taste of the local cuisine while travel in Romania.

Oltenia and the Danube Gorges

Muntenia and Oltenia build together Walachia, the southern Province,the capital of which is Bucharest.

At the time of the ruling Prince Constantin Brancoveanu (1688-1714), southern Romania faces a

Renaissance of the Arts, which combined the Romanian traditional style with the Turkish and the

Venetian style. Some of the most important characteristics are the stonemasonry and the open

entrance halls of the castles and monasteries. These are masterpieces that point to the hospitality

of the people. As they are open and invite one to a visit.

Trip Highlights:

visit of the lake laid Mogoşoaia Castle then tour of Targoviste city. Ruins of the Prince's Court

with church and Chindia-Tower, paintings in the Petraşcu-House, monastery Dealu with a nice

perspective

Drive to Curtea de Argeş through a wonderful hill region. Well conserved Princiary Church from

the 14th century and magnificent monastery with the graves of the Romanian Kings. Further

through the hill region and across the Olt to the Bistriţa convent in Oltenia.

The monasteries of Arnota and Dintr-un Lemn. Above Bistriţa lies - in splendid location - the

monastery Arnota with Matei Basarab's grave. The old church of Dintr-un Lemn Convent was

buildt from a single oak-trunk.

Hurezu Nunnery, one of the masterpieces of the Brancoveanu-era, recognized as such by the

UNESCO. Splendid frescoes. Refreshments and talk with the abbess in the elegant loggia. Well

known Hurezu-ceramics. In Măldăreşti there is a museum that shows two fortified manor houses.

Peştera Muierii (the cave of the women), Târgu Jiu - Hobiţa - Tismana - Iron Gate.

Targu Jiu hosts the famous Brâncuşi-sculptures in the park of the city. Hobiţa is the natal village of

the great sculptor. Tismana, the last nunnery in Oltenia. Over the mountains in Banat to Hercules'

Spa and finally to the Iron Gate of the Danube.

Cazane (Danube Gorges) - These are the gorges of the Danube between Romania and Yugoslavia.

Roman castle and piers of the bridge over the Danube built in 105 at Turnu Severin.

Visit Oltenia's Capital city, Craiova and the house of the famous Brătianu family in Ştefăneşti,

right in the middle of a famous wine region. Wine tasting.

"BLAJ ALIVE" FESTIVAL

"Blaj aLive" was inaugurated in 2013 and takes place in June on the Liberty Field in Blaj. Each summer, the place where the Great National Assembly was held in 1848 is taken by storm by those who love good music and the festival’s vibrant and specific atmosphere.

At Blaj, fun is guaranteed both during day and night. While you’re waiting for your favorite artists you can participate in workshops, painting, photography and design exhibitions, or sports competitions. Youngsters who are passionate about learning technique are invited to assist in seminaries organized by specialists inside the TechDom, a tent set up for career and professional development purposes. Furthermore, there is a playground for the little ones and at night, you can camp under the clear sky.

Blaj aLive is a complete festival, one of the biggest organized in Romania. Its success went beyond the boundaries of the country, being nominated for 'The Best Medium-sized Festival' at the Europe Festival Awards. Hence, enjoy the unique artistic moments and the holiday atmosphere here!

* In 2016, the festival will take place in June.

* The web page of the event: http://blajalive.ro/.

* The Facebook page of the Festival: https://www.facebook.com/BlajaLive.

[An article written by Andreea Bertea]