Cycling Holidays - Transylvania's Heritage

Transylvania's Heritage

Romania

From £799 P/P

Explore Transylvania and its rich heritage on this self-guided holiday. A great introduction to the Carpathian Mountains and Transylvania, visit the mysterious region made famous by Bram Stoker. You will ride through picturesque National Parks and the Fagaras Mountains and enjoy a trip to the bustling city of Bucharest. The route passes an abundance of fascinating cultural attractions including ancient villages, churches and fortresses. There is also the opportunity to ride the Transfagarasan Route, one of the highest mountain passes in Romania.

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Itinerary
Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and welcome in Bucharest

Arrive Northern Train Station before 2 PM. Train transfer to Zarnesti. Change in Bračov. 2nd train transfer to Zarnesti, a mountain village and main entrance to the Piatra Craiului National Park. Accommodation and dinner at your guesthouse.

Day 2: Head to the Fagaras Mountains

You will ride to the South, to a small typical village called Ohaba. Passing by Vulcan you will have the opportunity to visit the fortified church, a witness of the Saxon heritage since they colonised Transylvania.

Ohaba stands at the foot of Fagaras Mountains, the highest mountains in Romania. There you will visit the oldest flour mill in the county, powered by a water and you will hear it’s amazing story from the communism period. Dinner and accommodation in a guesthouse. (BLD, ~50 km, +400m, -600m)

Day 3: Ride to the village of Carta

You cycle at the foot of the Fagaras mountains over Bucium river. You will step by the original village of Lisa where a 100 years old machine, tailoring thick woolen blanket is still working; then passing by Sambata de Sus with its impressive Bračcovenesc monastery from 1696. After that the trip goes further over Dragus (etnographic museum).

You cross the Victoria town and to the small village of Cartisoara and from there to the village of Carta, where you will visit the ruins of the Cistercian monastery. Hopefully you will have the opportunity to meet the pastor and hear his beautiful stories.

Overnight at guesthouse in Carta village. (BLD, ~66 km, +380m, -450m)

2 extra nights possible in Carta:

- One for the visit of Sibiu: we recommend to have an extra day in this magnificent village and to go by train to visit Sibiu, one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Romania. This is certainly the reason why Sibiu was chosen « the cultural capital of Europe in 2007 ».

Developed by Saxons on a Roman village, Sibiu was the residence of the Austrian government in Transylvania. The small streets, the picturesque courtyards and the rock stairs create a romantic atmosphere. Lots of monuments and interesting museums are also waiting for you. In the evening you return by train to Carta village.

- One for riding the Transfagarasan route: details below

Day 4: Follow the route through Transylvania

The route through Transylvania continues towards Biertan and its enormous fortified church with several ring-walls. It is Unesco World Heritage since 1993.

Trip along country roads and you’ll enjoy the pastoral landscapes and fortified church of Richis. Dinner and accommodation in Biertan village.

(BLD, ~65 km, +700m, -750m)

Day 5: Sighisoara

This cycling day will allow you to discover other treasures from Transylvania. You move on to Sighisoara, one of the few medieval citadels in Europe that is still fully inhabited and also included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage.

Discover the old town with its famous clock tower, which initially served as the main entrance to the citadel, but also covered stairs, medieval streets, the house where Vlad Dracul, the father of Vlad the Impeller known by Brač Stocker’s legend as Dracula, was born.

On the road you can make a small detour to DumBračeni, another town with an important Armenian Catholic Church, another witness of our glorious past. Accommodation in a charming 3* hotel.

(BL, ~40 km, +480m, -500m)

Day 6: Apold Village

Today you will cycle through the Transylvanian hills to Apold village which also has a lovely fortified church. Then you will arrive in Soars village where you will spend the night.

The country road will take you to remote and bucolic areas where you will surely meet shepherds watching over their sheep herds. Do not miss this meeting!

(BLD, ~48 km, +600m, -500m)

Day 7: Viscri

From Soars we bike to one of the highlights of this trip, Viscri, where you will have the opportunity to visit Viscri’s fortified church. This church was restored with the help of Prince’s Charles foundation.

A ride day thorough those old and time-standing villages offer a peaceful immersing into yourself; time to meditate at the passing of time and connection to the nature.

(BLD, ~35 km, +350m, -300m)

Day 8: Homorod

Leaving from Viscri you will reach Homorod. You will continue your route to Rupea Fortress, one of the oldest archaeological remains in Romania. Due its dominant position, next to the city, the fortress is a remarkable presence from distance.

A ride which will takes us through the villages that will make you discover the ancient rhythm of the Romanian villagers.

(BLD, ~58 km, +350m, -400m)

Day 9: Bračov

After breakfast, private transfer to Bračov and train departure to Bucharest. End of the trip.
Route Overview

Route Overview

9 days of which 7 of cycling. Medium level (from 35 to 66 Km / day, with some climbs). For very good riders you can ride sometimes 2 stages in 1 day.

Route Map (For guidance only):

Routes maybe subject to change or alteration. All route notes, maps and day-by-day information will be given to you upon arrival at the first hotel or at the welcome meeting. GPS/GPX Files are available for most our the cycling holidays we offer. Please ask us for details.

Total distance cycled: 362 km

Starting point of the cycling holiday:Bucharest
Getting There

Getting There

We recommend flying to Bucharest airport to reach the starting point of this cycling holiday.

Flights are available with a number of airlines to your required airport or you can travel to the start using alternative methods such as rail or road.

We recommend using Skyscanner to find the best flight prices by date or Rail Europe for European rail travel. There is customer car parking available at most hotels for a supplement. Please contact us for more details.

Please use local transport to arrive at the starting point or call us on 0800 755 5385 for more specific travel advice.

You do not need to go back to the starting point of the cycling holiday as all hire bikes are left at the final hotel.

Important: Please book your flights only after the cycling holiday has been confirmed by invoice or email. Flights and transfers are not included in the advertised holiday price.
What’s Included?
What’s Included?

The Transylvania's Heritage cycling holiday includes the daily transfer of luggage to the next hotel and local support if required.

TRANSFERS: All transfers are private, by local buses or trains.

Day 1 & 9 – Train Bucharest / Brasov – Brasov / Bucharest: about 2h 45
Day 1 – Train Brasov / Zarnesti: about 40 minutes
Day 9 – Private transfer from Vad to Brasov: about 1h15 (possible detour to Bran castle, see “Extras”)

LUGGAGE Luggage will be transferred from one guesthouse to the other.

Bike Hire

LODGING: Double occupancy in guesthouses and small charming hotels. Exceptionally shared
facilities.

MEALS: 8 breakfasts, 7 picnics and 7 dinners to our guesthouses.

Not Included
- Flights to/from the start and finish
- Evening meals (unless stated)
- Local daily taxes (Payable at the hotel)
- Helmets
- Water Bottles
- Travel Insurance
- Bike Insurance (unless stated)
- Welcome Meetings (unless stated)
- Transfers (unless included)
Bike Hire

Bike Hire

This cycling holiday uses fully-equipped touring bicycles with puncture resistant hybrid tyres that are ideal for road cycling but with some tread to give you the security you need on dirt track sections. The bikes have 21 or 24 gears, a comfort seat, front suspension, adjustable handle bars, bike stand, mudguards and a bottle holder as standard.

They have front suspension to make them comfortable cycling along cobbled streets or going through potholes, but they are not mountain bikes or designed for challenging terrain.

The bikes provided by established and recognized brands such as Giant, Trek or Kalkhoff. We have a range of sizes from XS to XL and both high bar and low bar models.

If you would like GPX files for a suitable device, please request them at the time of booking. Devices are not provided and please make sure that you bring along with you any fittings required to attach the Garmin (or similar) to the handlebars. You might want to download maps onto your phone to avoid data charges when roaming.

All bikes are provided with standard flat pedals. You can bring your own cycling pedals, but ensure that you have the correct tools to remove the pedals if the tour does not have a welcome meeting. You may also not be able to travel through airports with the tools if you are carrying hand luggage only.

E-Bike Upgrades:

Why not upgrade your cycling experience to an E-Bike (Electric Bike)? Using a power assisted bike is a great way to go on a cycling holiday and will help you smooth out inclines or longer days in the saddle. Each E-Bike features an LCD display, removable batteries for easy charging and assistance up to 25 km/h with a range of around 120 km for each full charge depending on usage.

E-Bike upgrade prices vary per tour, but if you require any more information about bike hire and electric bikes, please get in-touch with us on +44 (0) 800 7555385.

Hotels

This cycling holiday stays in good quality hotels with private facilities carefully selected for their proximity to your cycle route and comfort. If you wish to know specific information about the hotel facilities, Wi-Fi and upgrades used on the holidays, please contact us on +44 (0) 800 7555385 for more information.

The hotel list below is subject to change and should be used as a guide. We will confirm the exact hotels prior to arrival.
Transylvania's Heritage	Sample Hotel List
Strada Gheorghe Baritiu	Pensiunea Garofita Pietrei Craiului Zarnestri
Brasov county	Pensiunea Casa Moga
Sambata de Sus	Pensiunea Izvorul Pranz
Sibiu county	Pensiunea Oppidum
Mures county	Casa Wagner
Brasov county	Pensiunea Andrada
Brasov county	Pensiunea Viscri
Strada Principala	Pensiunea Silba

You will receive your final hotel list approximately 4 weeks prior to your arrival date detailing the hotels used on your cycling holiday. If you wish to know more about the hotels prior to completing a booking form, please contact our Customer Services team via email or by phone.

Date & Prices

You can find out more about this cycling holiday by completing a Contact Form or call 0800 755 5385 to speak to one of the team.

2020 Cycling Holiday Prices:

Season	Date Band	Arrival Day
Season 1:	20.04. – 25.10.2020	Daily

Category A Information:

Season	Prices per person including bike hire
Season 1:	£799
Single Supplement :	£289

Hotel Category Descriptions:

Category Type	Accommodation Overview
Category A:	Guesthouses small and charming hotels. Some with shared facilities

EXTRA NIGHT PER PERSON PER NIGHT PRICES (YOU WILL STAY IN THE SAME HOTEL AS PER THE CYCLE TOUR):

Location	Price DBL/BB	Single Room Price SGL/BB
Bucharest (Cat A):	£ Available on request	£ Available on request
Carta (Option 1):	£49	£59
Carta (Option 2):	£79	£89 (available on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays)