Romania Cycling Adventure

On arrival, we are greeted by our local leader and transferred out of Bucharest to the small town of Vulcan in Brașov County, Transylvania. The journey takes roughly three hours – broken by a short stop.Say bună ziua to your leader and fellow travellers around 6:30pm as we gather for the first time to get to know one another and hear more about the adventure ahead.Our leader arranges a warm welcome with a group dinner for us all.If you’d like extra time to explore, additional pre‑tour hotel nights are available through your sales representative.

After breakfast, we set up our bikes and enjoy our first ride in the region. We begin with an ascent, away from traffic and into remote pine‑covered hills, pausing for views of the snow‑topped Bucegi Mountains. We then tackle a 4.5mi (7km) dirt road that offers a glimpse of rural Romanian life. In wet weather, we may ride in the opposite direction to avoid the dirt road – adding 6mi (10km) to the distance. We also visit the oldest flour mill in Făgăraș county, powered by the neighbouring river – its survival through the Communist period is a remarkable tale.Our goal is Bucium; however, if the weather is favourable, we may detour – adding 3mi (5km) – to a nearby cave that served as a place of worship more than two centuries ago, when local Dacians would have prayed to Zalmoxis, known primarily from the writings of Herodotus.

We ride to the village of Lisa with the ridge of the highest Romanian range – the Făgăraș Mountains – as our constant companion. Here we visit a wool mill to see blankets and clothing made using traditional methods, including a 100–year–old machine still in operation.We then cycle to Cărțișoara and on to Cârța to visit the Cistercian monastery, whose oldest buildings date to around 1205 and, like many in the area, have a fascinating history.Please note, on some departures we stay in Cărțișoara and visit the monastery in Cârța on Day 4 – the distances for each day would change by 3mi (5km). We may also have time for a detour to Sâmbăta Monastery – adding 6mi (10km) to the day’s cycling.

Today’s ride starts with a crossing of the Olt and continues along quiet country roads. We pedal past the fortified church of Richiș as we make our way towards Biertan. Once there, we tour a Unesco‑listed fortified church set on a hill above vineyards and fields. Building began in 1486 by the German‑Transylvanian Saxon community when the area was part of the Kingdom of Hungary.As a late–Gothic church, it stands out for its concentric ringed walls and towering defences, and is often considered among the most impressive of its kind in Romania. Recognised by Unesco in 1993, the complex includes numerous intriguing buildings. The church contains beautiful Renaissance pieces, while three bastions, six towers and three rows of walls once helped to keep intruders at bay.Today’s cycling will be approximately 42mi (68km) if we sleep in Cărțișoara, 39mi (63km) if we sleep in Cârța.

We enjoy a beautiful ride through the countryside and remote villages of Transylvania. Following the Târnava Mare river, we pass hop fields and set our sights on Sighișoara – one of the few fully inhabited medieval citadels in Europe and Unesco‑recognised. You have a free afternoon to wander the streets and immerse yourself in this wonderfully preserved place, including the house where Vlad Dracul, father of Vlad the Impaler, was born.

Today’s ride follows a lovely quiet country road through the Transylvanian hills to Apold and Brădeni. One of these villages will be our perfect stop for a snack and a look around the fascinating old church. We then hop back on the bikes to continue through small farming towns and pastures. The ride ends in the small village of Cobor, where we discover the inspiring story of an old abandoned house reborn as a farm and guesthouse, with organic vegetables grown in its own garden and involvement in animal protection projects. The seeds originate from old varieties that produce less, but higher quality.

After breakfast, we ride out of Cobor. A short climb through the forest leads to a lovely stretch of road through several small towns en route to Viscri. Here we explore this pretty old town and visit a well‑known fortified church, meeting the brickmakers and blacksmiths who helped restore it in 1991 – now regarded as one of the finest examples of a fortified church anywhere. There is ample time to explore Viscri, which we tour by horse‑drawn cart.

After breakfast, we take a long private transfer to Bucharest, stopping at the beautiful medieval town of Brașov en route. Here we climb the towers of the old fort for views over the town centre and the 14th–century Black Church, before returning to street level for a short stroll along the cobbled pedestrian roads.We then continue towards Bucharest. If there’s time, we stop at Peleș Castle – a forest‑wrapped residence of the former Romanian royal family – for a short walk around the spectacular gardens before completing our journey to Bucharest, arriving at the end of the day.

After breakfast, you have most of the day to explore Bucharest – wander the old streets, do some last‑minute shopping or visit the city’s museums and palaces – before the trip ends. Either make your way home or speak to your sales representative to extend your stay in this fascinating city.