8-Day Holiday
(7 nights, 5 days of riding ).
"Villages of Transylvania"

Transylvania is the home of many ethnic groups of Central and Eastern Europe. Here the Romanians have met with the Magyars, the Saxons, Swabs, Secui and Ruthenians.

One of the most beautiful legends concerns the Saxon Transylvania, otherwise known as Siebenburgen (Seven Citadel Towns). According to legend, the lost children of Hamelyn looking for a way out of the cave- prison of Almasch (Germany of today), surfaced and found themselves in Transylvania.

This is the romantic explanation for a strange phenomenon, which is the presence in these parts of a German speaking, blond, blue-eyed population observing German customs even though they are more than 1000 km far from Germany.

The famous poem of Browning takes up the Hamelyn story:

"In Transylvania there's a tribe
Of alien people who ascribe
The outlandish ways and dress
On which their neighbours lay such stress
To their fathers and mothers having risen
Out of some subterranean prison
Into which they had been trepanned
Long time ago, in a mighty band,
Out of Hamelin town in Brunswick land,
But how or why they don't understand’

The historical facts are that the fortified towns and villages of Transylvania were built in the 12th century by emigrants from the Moselle region of Germany who called themselves Saxons. They were attracted by the trade privileges granted to them by Magyar rulers who wanted them to guard the mountain passes against Tatar and Ottoman invaders.

Here they created Siebenburgen, the seven citadel-cities and in the villages they built fortified churches to shelter and defend themselves if attacked.

This trip invites you to ride at the foothills of the Carpathians through these Transylvanian villages guarding the mountain passes. (see the map)

Day 1: Arrivals, welcome cocktail, get acquainted with your hosts. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 2: Get acquainted with your horse, warming up in the manege, ride around the Rahau village, 3 hrs, 20 km.

Day 3: Rahau - Deal - Carpinis - Poiana Sibiului, approx. 4 hrs, 25 km.

After breakfast we depart towards the Cindrel Mountains following country roads and forrest paths, passing through Deal, Carpinis, the forrests of Dumbrava, Pitigaia, Dealul Spet.

We arrive at Poiana Sibiului where we can visit the St Archangel Church on the hill, built in 1766 of timber, declared a historical and architectural monument. At Poiana we can also see the Ethnographic Museum housing agricultural and craft tools, woven goods, icons, clothing and furniture typical of shepherds’ dwellings.

Day 4: Poiana Sibiului - Rod - Tilisca - Gales - Saliste-Vale - Sibiel, approx. 4 hrs, 25 km. Highlight: visit to the glass painted icons Museum.

From Poiana Sibiului we head towards Rod, Tilisca, Gales where we can visit the Ethnographic Museum Barbu Constantin. The museum has an in door pavilion and several constructions in the garden with an inventory of 1300 pieces.

We will see tools and implements used in agriculture, sheep breeding, bee-keeping, fruit gathering and crafts: potter, hatter, carding, leather-making with illustrations of local customs.
In the garden we shall see a Saliste House with specific interior and a sheep fold from the 19th Century.

We shall pass through Saliste and Vale and shall arrive at Sibiel where we can visit the Museum of Glass Painted Icons. Set up in 1969 from public donations it houses a valuable collection of Glass Painted Icons from various centers all over Romania. The museum has also wooden icons, peasant ceramics, furniture pieces, home textiles and antique Romanian books.

Day5: Sibiel – Fantanele – Cabana Fantanele – Varful Guga Mare – Varful Captanu Mare – Poiana Sibiului, approx. 7 hrs, 37 Km.

Starting at Sibiel we shall pass through Fantanele, toward Fantanele Cabana. From here, toward west, we will head to Pigeon Coast in order to reach Guga Mare Pick at over 1200 meters altitude.

Following the mountain coast we will reach Capatanu Mare Pick, at 1220 meters altitude, and we will descend on the Mountain Plain and we will turn right toward Black Stream. Passing by Pietriceaua Pick we will reach Poiana Sibiului, in the hart of Marginimea Sibiului, an area filled with pastoral traditions.

Day 6: Poiana Sibiului – Dobârca - Gârbova – Reciu – Câlnic - Rahau, approx 6 hrs, 30 Km. Highlight - cheese and wine lunch la Garbova

From Poiana Sibiului we will start, passing thru Dobarca, towards Garbova. Here we are going to enjoy a real gastronomy feast by testing out traditional cheeses and local wines coming out of farmers win yards of an area well known for its products.

After lunch we will head towaerd Calnic, via Reciu, where we going to have the opportunity to visit the Farmers’ Fortress. Build up by the Transylvanian Saxons in the 13th Century; the Fortress was the residence of the Saxons’ Greavs until the year 1430, when the last descendents of this noble family sold it to the farmers’ community in Calnic. From Calnic, we will be back to the Club, at Rahau, in time for dinner.

Day 7: Relaxation at the Country Club or day-trip to Sibiu. Highlight: farewell dinner at Mesteceni.

Day 8: Breakfast and Departure.