TRANSYLVANIA
4-10 May 2012
Until 1919, Transylvania was part of the Hungarian Crown lands, and its villages and towns bear witness to this rich mix of peoples: Hungarians, Romanians, Saxons and Roma. Our journey will take us through the foothills of the Carpathians, considered the last, great medieval landscape in Europe.
Cluj feels Austro-Hungarian, with its fine Gothic cathedral rising above the main square. The Banffy family had their large neo-Classical town house on the square. We shall also the visit their family seat, Bontida. As national costume is such a feature of the region, the newly designed Ethnographical Museum is a delight. Alba Iulia was one of the most important towns in Transylvania; it was chosen for the coronation for Queen Marie and Ferdinand in 1919. From here, we drive to the Apuseni region in the heart of the land of the Moti, who live in scattered villages higher than any settlements in Romania; the village of Rimetea is a World Heritage site. The village of Viscri has proved the template for conservation in the Saxon areas. Life is slow here, but it is very much a living village. We shall visit some of the traditional craftsmen and the wonderful church. Sighisoara is one of the best-preserved mediaeval citadels in Europe. The museum in the Clock Tower, the monastic church hung with Anatolian rugs and fine city walls reveal much of its wealthy past. Biertan is one of the most spectacular of the fortress churches in the Siebenburgen. We shall also visit the more ancient Richis down a valley terraced for vines by the Romans. On our way to Sibiu there are other important villages, among them Malancrav, which boasts wonderful 15th century frescos and an exquisite altarpiece of 1520 still in situ. Sibiu is one the most important towns in the region and, like Malancrav, retains a number of Saxons; here is a beautiful and interesting town centre.
Cost per person £820 Single room supplement £66 (the tour is costed on 12 people)
The price includes accommodation in superior guesthouses and three-star hotels, ground transport, entries, all visits and guides, 2 dinners and 3 lunches. Flights to Cluj not included (the flights are about £300, but new timetables are pending on Wizz).
