Today we will get the chance to discover one of the oldest Romanian civilizations: Mărginimea Sibiului. It is an area inhabited mostly by shepherds, who still follow the same traditions and beliefs their ancestors used to, hundreds of years ago. We will depart from Cluj at 9 A.M. from City Tours & Events office in Hermann Oberth street and after a couple of hours of driving, we will arrive in Răşinari, a small village at the foot of the mountains. During a walk through the small and narrow streets of the village, we will get to know some of the local traditions and of the most important people who were born here: Emil Cioran (Romania’s famous philosopher), Octavian Goga (poet and prime minister in the 1930s) and Andrei Saguna (famous orthodox bishop).

After the tour of the village, we will have the unique chance to participate at a local festival, called Sounds & Flavours of Transylvania. This kind of culinary events are dedicated to the locals, who get the chance to present their finest and most traditional homemade dishes to visitors from all over the country. The local teacher and his family are going to present us the famous Rasinari cheese and other mouth-watering specialties. Local musicians and dancers are going to perform traditional Romanian dances as well.

In the afternoon we will depart for Alba Iulia. Founded by Roman colonists in the 2nd century AC, it was not only the main point of an important commercial route, used to bring gold from the mountains, but also the place where the gold was prepared for shipment to Rome. The city had to have three temples, a forum and hundreds of administrative and private buildings;  some of their ruins have been restored in the past years and can be visited today. Following the Hungarian conquest of the region, the city was rebuilt in the 10th century, becoming one of the religious centers of the country. The catholic cathedral, dating back to the 10th century, is the oldest church in the country and is a unique architectural treasure, combining Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles. Many rulers and bishops were buried here, among them, Johann Hunyadi, the prince of Transylvania and father of the Hungarian king Mathias Corvinus. As a sign of religious tolerance, just a couple of meters away, you can find the orthodox cathedral, built in the 1920s especially for the coronation of the Ferdinand and Maria, king and queen of Romania. The architecture is typical for the Romanian-orthodox churches. Among so many highlights, probably the biggest one is the Austrian Vauban citadel, built in the 18th century, almost unspoiled until today.

In the evening we will return to Cluj.

Price: 47 € /person

Price includes transportation in modern van, English speaking guide, cheese tasting, lunch with local products and folklore at “Sounds & Flavours of Transylvania”, entrance fees and welcome drinks.