Exploring Transylvania comes with promises of medieval citadels, fortified churches, and legendary castles. It’s a genuine retreat for nature lovers amidst the majestic Carpathian Mountains, but since October 2022, the new Via Transilvanica invites active travelers to explore the essence of Romanian culture. The 870-mile (1,400-km) trail snakes through time-warped villages and vast, ancient forests from Bukovina in the northeast to Drobeta-Turnu Severin in the southwest by the Danube River.
This specific section of the Via Transilvanica takes hikers between two Transylvania villages: Richiș and Nemsa.
The route for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders passes by 12 UNESCO World Heritage sites and is an immersive journey through the woodlands and lush meadows of Transylvania––and beyond. It’s not uncommon to see scenes of local traditions and life: villagers growing their own food, traveling in horse-drawn carts, and diligently gathering stacks of hay. Along the way, “the road that unites” ––Via Transilvanica’s motto––is an experiential journey that marries the country’s incredible natural diversity with two millennia of cultural, historical and ethnic heritage.
Today, adventurous travelers have easier access to Transylvania and the trail from Romania’s newest airport in 50 years, the brand-new Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport, and Cluj-Napoca’s newly expanded airport.
Via Transilvanica sparks new life in countryside communities
Via Transilvanica is a social project that has provided a new purpose and clear prospects of economic development for Romania’s lesser-known cities, towns, and villages on the verge of depopulation.
“Romania revealed itself in a way we didn’t know before,” says Alin Uşeriu, one of the founders of Tășuleasa Social, an NGO that envisioned the trail back in 2018. Uşeriu runs the organization with his brother Tibi Uşeriu, an ultramarathoner and three-time consecutive winner of the notoriously hard 6633 Arctic Ultra.
Mihaela Andreea Rusu gazes ahead while standing along the Via Transilvanica near Biertan, a village in Transylvania, Romania.
The Via Transilvanica has 1,400 milestones or markers designed by artists, including this one found in Biertan.
Travelers looking for the best vantage point for panoramic views of Copsa Mare should consider visiting the bell tower at the Biserica Evanghelica Fortificata. The 184-foot bell tower is the tallest one in Romania’s historic Burzenland region.
Discovering the trail step by step on foot, Uşeriu claims it was the best way to get to know the country. An agrarian nation at its core, Romania offers a less-crowded, eco-friendly option in a continent increasingly burdened by overtourism. A gateway to a slower way of life, Via Transilvanica unveils rural Romania and its bucolic, wild landscape.
“We asked ourselves, could we do a project based on values?” And that answer was a definite yes. Starting with a volunteering school in 2000, the mission of Tășuleasa Social began with a concern for the environment and the heightened threat of illegal logging and deforestation. Transylvania is home to Europe’s last remaining primeval forests, so the organization’s main message of sustainability and preservation grew stronger. However, its driving force has been preserving the authenticity of life in these small towns living off the land.
John Michael Wasmer takes a break from walking along Via Transilvanica near the village of Biertan.
“We revived some villages that were almost abandoned,” says Uşeriu. One of the most telling cases is that of Șapartoc––a hamlet located 8 miles (13 km) from storybook UNESCO-listed Sighișoara––that had gone from a population of 800 to only a few residents. For the first time in 47 years, the Orthodox church bells rang to celebrate the birth of a child in December 2021. The baby’s parents, Radu and Andrea, are also the hosts running a traditional agro-tourism guesthouse there. As a result of the project and the opportunities it brings, population started rising again, with more families incentivized to move in such areas.
Reaching close to 40,000 hikers in its first two years, on an average of seven days trekking, the potential is expected to reach 300,000 per year in the future. Encouraged by response so far, the Romanian brothers have hosted adventurers from as far as Australia, Canada, South Africa and Japan in their headquarters on a scenic hilltop near Bistrița, which acts like a campus of sorts.
Close to 40,000 hikers made the average seven-day trek along the Via Transilvanica in its first two years, according to Tășuleasa Social, the NGO that envisioned the trail back in 2018.
Via Transilvanica has become the best ambassador for the country. In addition to the circular orange “T” signposts seen on the trail, a total of 1,400 sculpted andesite stone markers every kilometer conveys a unique story that contributes to the epic path’s visual identity. More than 80 artists worked in carving the bollards, turning it into one of the largest outdoor sculpture exhibitions in the world.
Experience Romania’s gastronomy and rural hospitality along the trail
Passing through some 400 villages, tourists will notice that each locale has its own culinary traditions and folklore. “You could literally taste 400 variations of the same soup,” Uşeriu laughs.
Eating a farm-to-table meal in a villager’s home isn’t an uncommon practice, and it usually is a great way to form long-lasting friendships. Daily feasts are to be expected (and almost impossible to refuse), typically starting things off with shots of fiery pălincă, a plum brandy between 40 and 50 percent alcohol. Along the trail, new gastronomic points of interest and small entrepreneurs continue to emerge, including hair salons and massage parlors.
Yoga instructor Anca Burduhos, who lives in Biertan, organizes silent hikes along the Via Transilvanica that include a yoga class followed by a small picnic. It’s her way of helping visitors completely immerse themselves in nature’s sounds, smells, colors, and textures.
German artisans and traders, known as the Transylvanian Saxons, founded the historic heart of Sighişoara, which stands as an example of a small, fortified medieval town.
German long-distance hiker Christine Thürmer is one of trail’s earliest supporters, the only woman in the world to have now completed close to 40,390 miles (65,000 km) on foot. An author of four bestseller books, Thürmer has traversed the entire route prior to its inauguration, an experience she writes about in her latest book––translated into Romanian. She believes the biggest asset of her Via Transilvanica trek was the Romanian hospitality. “I came as a stranger and left as a friend,” she explains.
What you should know
Backpackers and hikers should consider using Anna Szekely’s comprehensive trail guide. Also, Tășuleasa Social’s executive director, Szekely provides detailed route descriptions, advice on how to book your stay in advance, housing options with pricing, and restaurant options.
Romania holds Europe’s largest concentration of brown bears (some 8,000 of them), and readers also get key tips and warning signs regarding active bears after sunset. A more common occurrence (while hiking) are shepherd dogs, trained to protect sheep from wolves. When making the trek along Via Transilvanica, outdoor enthusiasts should stay alert and plan ahead to explore Romania safely.
German artisans and traders, known as the Transylvanian Saxons, founded Sighişoara (seen here), an original example of a small, fortified medieval town. For centuries, it was an important strategic and commercial area located on the edge of central Europe.