Transylvania

Steeped in legend and myth, the region of Transylvania is one that tingles the spine and raises the goose bumps. It was here, in the so-called Land Beyond the Forest, that Count Dracula made his home, and where countless other mystical characters have emerged; Romani witches and monstrous Munsters. But blood-curdling tales and Frankenstein-esque stories aside, this sprawling province that forms the very heart of Romania is anything but grotesque! No sir, this one’s as beautiful as they come, famed for its soaring ridges of Carpathian rock and the grass-clad hills of the Apuseni. Its rolling fields and deep-set valleys are ringed with hiking trails, dotted with the occasional castle spire courtesy of the Teutonic Knights or Vlad the Impaler, and punctuated with vibrant cities like Cluj-Napoca, Brasov and Sighisoara. With such striking nature, it’s hardly a surprise that outdoorsy pursuits are top of the agenda for many a Transylvania tour guide. Think skiing in Sibiu, fantastic trekking opportunities in the Făgăraş, ticking off Saxon fortified churches from Biertan to Viscri, sheer-cut cliffs at the Piatra Craiului National Park – the list goes on!