Transylvania Holidays with Exeter International

Let us smash the myths and take you beyond the forest.

If Maramures is Romania’s soul, then Transylvania is her heart. The region is the centre of the country and her cultural core.

To understand the ethnic mix of the region today we have to know who her conquerors were. The fortified churches are a testimony to the Saxon colonisation in the Middle Ages. Saxon merchants arrived in the 12th Century to help fortify and defend the eastern borders of the region, which at that time were controlled by the Hungarian Kingdom.

The Saxons founded several settlements, among which are the present day cities of Sighisoara, Brasov, Sibiu, and Cluj-Napoca, which all boast perfectly preserved Saxon architecture.

The medieval city of Brasov was founded in the 13th century by the Teutonic Knights, and much of it is still preserved.

It is in Sighisoara that you will learn about the confusions of the Dracula myth. The well-preserved medieval fortress town is the birthplace of Vlad Tepes (the figure behind Dracula’s legend). In his six year reign (1456 - 1462) he is estimated to have killed 100,000 people, mainly by using his favourite method of impaling them on a sharp pole. Despite his methods, Vlad is revered as a folk hero by Romanians for driving off the invading Ottomans.

Sibiu was European City of Culture in 2007 and today has an ethnic Saxon mayor. Cluj is the capital of the region, and her former mayor is now prime minister of Romania. Both cities have had major investment over the last five years and offer a cosmopolitan alternative to the surrounding country life.

Some of the villages in the region, such as Miclosoara are Szekely are ethnic Hungarian - you can tell the people apart quite clearly from their traditional dress and distinctive looks. Some don’t even speak Romanian.

Romanian Holidays with Exeter International

We can help you see beneath the surface of this fascinating region. Having an Exeter International experienced guide will make your journey come alive.

For more information or a suggested itinerary please call us on 020 89562756 or email us at enquiries@exeterinternational.co.uk