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Choose a direct experience of way of life in Transylvania – enlarge your perspective about the history of making the living by its local population during ancient times, but also the life philosophy and daily practices in our days in the remote areas of the Eastern Carpathians. This is a peaceful, spectacular countryside where life goes on nonchalant, in simplicity and perfect harmony of undisturbed nature.
Delve deeper in the wilderness areas to sense these connections and be the one who discover the undisclosed legacy of the last patches of virgin forests with bears and wolves making the rules, right here, in the center of Europe.
Come and capture the wonders of this place and merge in depth of its treasures enriching your cultural horizon.
Price: will be calculated according with the group size, please contact the tour operator
Package includes: 7 nights of accommodation in double/twin rooms, full board meal services for 8 days, guide and transportation throughout the holiday period with takeover from Cluj – Napoca, visitation fees at the cultural objectives, contribution for the conservation work of WWF in the visited areas.
Day 1: Cluj – Napoca the heart of Transylvania
Spiritual and economic capital of Transylvania, Cluj – Napoca is an important academic centre, the heart of multiculturalism and diversity of the area. You will get to know the city by a quick visual tour of its historic center and savor its flavor – a five course welcoming dinner hauling on identity and local specifics.
Accommodation and dinner at Grand Hotel in Cluj – Napoca,
Day 2: The white gold of the Transylvanian Plateau
Deposit of salt formations of the Transylvanian Plateau created with 13 million years ago, will be revealed to you by the salt mine of Turda. The salt extracted in this area was considered as a white gold for centuries and used as currency to pay for services and goods. Today, the salt mine is one of the main therapeutic center and tourist attraction visited by people all over the world. At 120 m. deep you will discover salt stalactites, a salt cascade and the underground lake hidden in the cone shaped mine with recreational areas bathing in wonderful plays of light. Heading north, we will stop for a delicious homemade lunch at a traditional guesthouse in Răzoare and an easy walk afterwards along the gorges of Lăpuș River to glimpse locals working the fields as well as endemic plants and wildlife of the Eastern Carpathians.
In the evening we’ll reach Baia Mare, accommodation and dinner at Hotel Mara with free entrance in SPA area of the hotel.
Day 3: Baia Mare – gem on the golden belt of the Carpathians
Famous for the gold deposits veiled in the surrounding mountains, the city of Baia Mare was one of the most important gold extraction and main mint in Transylvania and Hungary in the medieval period. We will start to discover its treasures at the Mineralogy museum starting from the geological processes forming the precious minerals, continuing with thousands of gems and crystals samples of scientific and aesthetic importance. The historic center is revealing the medieval city boundaries and its important buildings. We will visit: the butcher’s bastion, Fortress Square, St, Marton Church, Stephen’s Tower, Museum of Art hosting the creative work of landscape painters of the Baia Mare Painting School established in 1896, the former Black Eagle Inn. In the second part of the day, a presentation of the conservation work of WWF in Maramureş, will introduce the area that we are going to visit the next day.
We will enjoy a grilled outdoor lunch – in the city park and a relaxed dinner – in the old center of Baia Mare.
Accommodation and free entrance in SPA at Hotel Mara in Baia Mare.
Day 4: Virgin forests – the undisclosed legacy of the Carpathians
A special day, when we will discover old growth forests in the Țibles Mountains hosting the last giants of Maramureș – trees of 300 years and more, embracing steep slopes and massive rocks in old forests like 1000 years ago, with species of plants and animals long lost in other places in Europe. These forests nominated to be included in the UNESCO heritage, are one of the WWF’s conservation areas securing bear habitats. In the afternoon, a visit to the wildlife observatory will give us a glance of their work in the region.
A tasty picnic lunch served near a mineral water spring will introduce us to the savor of local food dishes.
Dinner and accommodation will be secured at the end of day at Hotel Roata in Cavnic.
Day 5: Culture of wood in Maramureş
This day will introduce you to the culture of wood which gave the identity of Maramureş – massive carved wooden gates, UNESCO heritage wooden church built in 1643 in Budești, peasant hydraulic devices – witnessing the local wisdom (built in wood) in Sârbi. Direct experience of traditional lifestyle will be guaranteed by the visit at the Opriș family’s fruit distillery and “horinca” (fruit brandy) tasting and the hat-maker living next door.
An enjoyable walk and nature photography session on flower filled hay meadows between the villages will help us understand how the cultural landscape is shaped by traditional farming.
After a delicious home made lunch prepared by the Țiplea family in Ocna Șugatag, we’ll spend the afternoon at Bârsana Monastery, an iconic place for tranquility and traditional architecture.
Dinner and accommodation at Hotel Grădina Morii in Sighetu Marmației.
Day 6: Reflections of recollections of the past
We will start the day by travelling along the Tisa River on the border area with Ukraine to Săpânța to witness the uniqueness of the Merry Cemetery where grave markers celebrate life with beautiful images and gentle wit. It is believed that a cheerful attitude in front of death was a Dacian custom, who believed in life after death, death being just a gate into another world.
In our way back, we will stop at the Memorial of the Victims of Communism, the museum established in the former political prison in Sighetu Marmației. After a tasty lunch served in a traditional restaurant, you will have the chance to discover the historical center and free time for searching souvenirs in Sighetu Marmației – the former capital of Maramureş.
Late afternoon we will be heading for Vişeu de Sus, the main entrance point in the Maramureș Mountains Nature Park.
Dinner and accommodation will be secured in Vișeu de Sus at Hotel Gabriela.
Day 7: With the Mocănița Steam Train on Vaser Valley
The Vaser River is 62 kilometers long, forming a spectacular canyon-like valley which is the most important tourist attraction in the Maramureş Mountain Nature Park. The access point to the Vaser Valley is the town of Vișeu de Sus, which is also the starting point for “Mocănița” – the narrow gauge steam train, the only means of transportation in the valley. Built between 1930-1932 with the purpose of transporting wood, the train is still used for the original purpose, attracting tourists from all over the world.
In 2010 Vaser Valley narrow gauge railways was declared historical monument, a unique example of our technical cultural heritage and probably the last real forestry railway still operating with steam locos in Europe. In the morning we will embark on one of these trains and start our discovery tour heading to the green heart of the mountains. After 22 km of slow rolling with plenty time for photographing the astonishing landscape, we’ll stop at the Paltinu station and serve our lunch in open air. For those who love tracking, a thematic trail is waiting, climbing on the steep slopes in the old growth forest to a sight seeing point toward the Vaser Valley. After our return to Vișeu de Sus, we’ll be heading to Cluj – Napoca.
Dinner and accommodation in Cluj – Napoca at Grand Hotel.
Day 8: Cluj – Napoca historical center
We’ll spend the day with deepening our perspective on the history of Cluj – Napoca and its architecture carrying the memories of the place: the Matthias Corvinus House, the greatest king of Hungary borne at this place (1458 – 1490), Unirii Square, the Statue of King Matthias Corvinus and St. Michael’s Church, the most imposing gothic edifice of Transylvania, the Hintz House, now the Pharmacy History Collection where natural ingredients and potions from the medieval period are revealed, the Franciscan Church famous for its acoustics.
Optional: the Banffy Palace and the Art Museum.
Lunch break: in a restaurant in the centre of Cluj, before departure to the airport.
We donate 10% of sales of this package for nature protection activities of
WWF Romania Association.
