December 27, 2017

It is among skeptical reactions and puzzled faces that, weighed down by the past Christmas, we leave for the airport: destination Bucharest. I must admit that in the beginning I wasn’t really convinced either: it was Leo who insisted and, as usual, I agreed. But, once bought the tickets, I started the research and Romania finally begun to take shape and color in my mind. I was suddenly amazed by the beauties and the traditions of some of its regions and I couldn’t wait to leave.

Arrived in Bucharest, we are welcomed by an unexpectedly tepid sun that will escort us during most of the trip. Still, it's winter and the snow on the sides of the roads is struggling to melt, but certainly, we didn’t experience those polar temperatures and sharp wind that we had read so apprehensively about.

In the window of our rental car, endless fields populated by grazing herds alternate with metal tangles of industries, until, after a couple of hours, we begin to climb. It is here, in the so-called Transylvanian Alps, that in 1873 the first king of Romania decided to build his private summer residence. The white castle of Peleş rests on a gentle hill surrounded by a lush forest and seems to have come out of a fairytale. It doesn’t surprise that, together with Bran Castle, it is among the most touristic sites in the country. It was built to impress, and a visit inside is not to be missed: there are rooms of all kinds, from Turkish to French, from Moorish to Florentine, and it makes me smile to think that maybe the king and the queen enjoyed having a tour around the world every day in about ten minutes.

Crunching a boiled corn bought in the market at the entrance of the castle, we leave Peleş behind to continue on to Transylvania. What should have been a journey of just over an hour, however, doubled: this is the area of ski resorts and we decided to hit the road exactly during the closing time of the ski facilities. We arrive in Brașov in the dark. For the night we rented a small studio along the old city walls and, laid our things, we go out looking for a restaurant.

I would have never expected Brașov to be such a lively town: the crowded streets of the center are lit up by Christmas lights, there’s a market in the main square and at almost every corner there are kiosks selling kürtőskalács and mulled wine, that we obviously can’t miss trying. Strolling about, a side alleyway intrigues us; there is a small group of people chatting outside what appears to be the entrance to a restaurant. We take a look and we are immediately convinced to have found the right place for our dinner. The Bistro de l'Arte is a slow-food presidium, true to the principle that food should be good for those who eat it, for those who grow it and also for the planet. We couldn’t have been luckier for the first real meal of the trip, delicious and accompanied by live music. Tired and a little tipsy, we decide to leave the exploration of the town to the next day.

December 28, 2017

In the daylight Braşov looks different: it is a pastel-colored town that is slowly waking up. Retracing the same cobblestone alleys of the previous evening, now almost deserted, we find ourselves in Piata Sfatului. The clock tower marks 8.30 am. We look around and it seems surreal that in the communist time the whole square, now surrounded by bars and restaurants, was used as a parking lot.

Wandering around the streets of the center, we come across a very peculiar one: with a width of only 120 cm, Strada Sforii, built as a shortcut for firemen, ranks among the narrowest streets in Europe. We then visit the largest Gothic cathedral of Romania, Biserca Negra, whose name is due to the color of the walls, darkened by fire in 1689, and we continue towards the medieval towers outside the city walls. The view is enchanting: a miniature Braşov, in which the imposing cathedral and the clock tower stand out, lies quietly at the foot of Mount Tâmpa. A Hollywood-style sign adorns its top, also known as a site of a mass impalement by Vlad Ţepeş.

It is exactly around the infamous voivode of Wallachia that the legend of Dracula was created: the Irish writer Bram Stoker, indeed, was inspired by this sanguinary figure in the writing of his most famous novel. However, the literary character has gained so much fame to eclipse the historical one to the point that the two are often overlapped, creating a confusion that is very willingly exploited to encourage tourism. So much so that, although Vlad has never set foot there, Bran Castle is presented to tourists as the home of Dracula. With this in mind we reach the ultimate tourist trap of Romania, which nevertheless deserves a visit anyway: after all, it’s a medieval fortress erected by the Saxons between 1377 and 1382.

As we approach Bran, we find more and more vampire-styled hotels, bars and restaurants: according to signs in multiple languages it was here where Dracula was born, there where he stopped and there where he killed a whole family! Second thoughts are beginning to rise in our minds when we finally sight Bran Castle perched on a 60 meters cliff. It is a strange, irregular building, made up of a combination of wood and stone and characterized by exposed beams and red-tiled roofs. It was erected by the Saxons of Braşov as a defensive fortress against the frequent Ottoman raids and later became a customs post thanks to its strategic location.

The interiors are partially furnished. Following an obligatory path, we go from one room to another through narrow doors and steep stairs, we also take a secret passage to the second floor and, after a few minutes of claustrophobia, we exit on an internal balcony from which we can admire the courtyard, perhaps what I liked the most of the visit. The tour doesn’t last long and in short time we are back in the car. A few hours of driving await us to reach Viscri and we decide to leave immediately in order to avoid driving in the dark. In fact, Romanian roads are not great: besides the fact that there are no highways, the roadside conditions could be better and in some areas, roads aren’t even paved. This was the case of Viscri. Actually, we were looking for rural tourism and that was exactly what we got.

Viscri is one of the Saxon villages of Transylvania. I found it by chance looking for ecotourism in Transylvania, but it’s actually quite a famous one thanks to its fortified church, which is a UNESCO World Heritage. When we arrive, the sun is going down over the silent village. Then suddenly a noise: a man passes by on a cart pulled by a horse. Time seems to have stopped in the 16th century when the village was inhabited by only fifty-one households, three shepherds, one teacher and two beggars. Now it still doesn't count more than 500 inhabitants, but only 27 of them are of Saxons descent, as most left after the fall of the communist regime. Another thing that has changed is that one of the houses is now owned by Prince Charles of Wales himself, who during a trip fell in love with Viscri and decided to buy a property and to patronize a restoration fund. Since then, most of the abandoned houses have been restored according to the local tradition, with Saxon furniture put back into use. Two guesthouses have been opened and some tourists have started to pop up. Viscri is a real treasure for those seeking an authentic experience, and a retreat of a few days, enjoying the peaceful countryside, can really heal the soul.

We are staying at Viscri 125, a restored farmhouse beautifully decorated with traditional furniture. An old barn at the bottom of the courtyard serves as lounge and restaurant. It’s there where, next to a cozy fireplace, dinner is served. Organic ingredients compose the simple yet delicious dishes. The atmosphere is very homey and the kindness of Marius, the host, is remarkable.

December 29, 2017

I wish we could have stayed longer in Viscri, exploring the countryside and attending some of the numerous workshops offered, but, after a copious breakfast and short walk around the village, we had to get going. Our first stop is Saschiz and its 15th century fortified church, also listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Transylvania has more than 150 well-preserved fortified churches of a great variety of architectural styles. They were built in the smaller Saxon villages that didn’t own defensive walls, they usually incorporated military features, such as thick walls, battlements and embrasures and they had enough rooms to host the entire village population during the siege.

Next is the delightful medieval town of Sighișoara, whose citadel is enclosed by a complex of protective walls and watchtowers. We make our entrance into the citadel from the clock tower gate, a symbol of Sighișoara, built in the 14th century and later expanded. Unlike the other thirteen towers that were owned and defended by different guilds, the Clock Tower was a public good; it marked the time and days of the week, represented by seven figures also depicting the seven ancient gods, seven planets, and seven basic metals. A visit to its top shouldn't be missed, as if offers an amazing view of the town.

Getting lost in the citadel is a pleasure for the eyes: pastel-colored buildings, stony lanes and medieval towers follow one another. We then head to the hilltop church, connected to the citadel by an old wood and stone covered staircase built in 1642 with the aim to facilitate the access in case of snow.

After a quick stop on the way at Criș Castle and Biertan fortified church, we reach Sibiu, the last medieval town of our trip to Transylvania. Sibiu was founded in 1190 by the Saxons on an ancient Roman settlement and soon became a rich town thanks to its strategic location along the trade route between East and West. For this reason, it was divided into the Upper Town, home to the wealthier Saxons, and the Lower Town, home to the peasants. Nowadays Sibiu is a lively town that in 2007 was elected European Capital of Culture. We take a walk starting from the Lower Town and its tiny streets with the two-story colorful medieval buildings and we then reach the Upper Town through the Bridge of Lies that according to the legend has ears and knows when someone standing on it is being untruthful.

Then, moving from one square to another, we end up at the Christmas market, which in Sibiu is taken seriously. Countless stalls occupy the whole square, they sell food of all kinds, souvenirs, and toys for kids, there is a skating rink and a stage but what impresses the most is the lighting: a huge Christmas tree stands in the middle of the square and projected on every building are animations of blue snowflakes.

December 30, 2017

For our last day in Transylvania, we planned to visit Bâlea Lake. Actually, the real highlight of the day should have been the way itself to the lake: the legendary Transfăgărăşan awarded as one of the most spectacular roads in the world. So, after breakfast in a café in Sibiu center, we start driving excited for what awaits. Unlike the other days, the sky is covered and it looks like it’s going to snow. As we climb up, we start realizing that it won’t be possible to arrive at the lake by car. During winter, indeed, the road that hits 2,145 m of altitude is covered by snow and inevitably partially closed. The only way to the lake is Bâlea Cascada cable car, probably the tiniest one I have ever seen with a capacity of only fourteen people. The line is huge but we don’t give up hope and, after an hour of waiting, we finally manage to get on the small red cable car.

Bâlea Lake is quite a touristic place: there are few restaurants, a snow park, and even an ice bar. To be fair, I don't know if going in winter is worth the hustle, especially considered we were lucky to wait "only" one hour. Surely, the weather conditions and the misty atmosphere contributed to cool pictures but for what I have seen I believe that the landscape in summer should be much more breathtaking.

Our four-day trip to Transylvania ends here, as we drive back to Bucharest right in time for New Year’s Eve. Ultimately, Transylvania exceeded expectations: I fell in love with the colorful Saxon architecture, the medieval towns, and the rural traditions. And I really enjoyed the hospitality and the food, so cheap and delicious, and absolutely perfect for cold weather.