Cycle Romania

Upon arrival, we will be greeted by an Exodus leader and transferred out of Bucharest to the small town of Vulcan in Brasov Country, Transylvania. This transfer is roughly three hours, but will be broken with a short stop. Say bună ziua (hello) to your leader and fellow travellers around 6:30pm, where we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventure ahead. Your leader will ensure a big welcome by arranging a group dinner for us all. Want to explore further? Additional pre-tour hotel nights are bookable through your sales representative.

After breakfast, we set up our bikes and enjoy our first cycling experience in the region. We begin with an ascent, away from traffic and into remote pine-covered hills, stopping for a view of the snow-topped Bucegi Mountains. We then tackle a 4.5mi (7km) dirt road that offers us a glimpse of life in rural Romania. Please note, we may go in the opposite direction during rain to avoid the dirt road; this adds 6mi (10km) to the cycling distance. Today we also visit the oldest flour mill in Fagaras county, which is powered by the neighbouring river. The tale of how it survived the Communist period is fascinating. Our goal is the town of Bucium; however, if the weather is favourable, we may take a detour (adding 3mi/5km) to a nearby cave that served as a place of worship more than two centuries ago. At that time, the local people – the Dacians – would have prayed to Zalmoxis, a popular deity in the lower Danube region. Little is known about Zalmoxis, though what is known is based mainly on the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus.

We ride to the village of Lisa, with the ridge of the highest mountain range in Romania, the Fagaras Mountains, as our constant companion. There we visit a wool mill to see how woollen blankets and clothes are still made using traditional methods. There is even a 100-year-old machine still in operation. We then cycle to the village of Cartisoara and on to Carta itself and visit the Cistercian monastery. The oldest buildings on the site date to around 1205 and, like many buildings in the area, have a fascinating history. Please note, on some departures our groups stay in Cartisoara and will visit the monastery in Carta on Day 4. The distances of each day would, therefore, change by 3mi (5km). We may also have time during the day to take a detour to Sambata Monastery, which will add 6mi (10km) to the day’s cycling.

Today’s ride starts with a crossing of the river Olt and continues along quiet country roads. We cycle past the fortified church of Richis as we make our way towards Biertan. Once there, we tour a Unesco-listed fortified church, which stands on a hill overlooking 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 thanks to the concentric ringed walls and huge towers, and is often considered one of the most impressive of its kind in Romania. It achieved Unesco status in 1993 and has numerous interesting buildings in the complex. The church contains some beautiful Renaissance pieces, while there are also three bastions, six towers and three rows of walls to ward off undesirables. Please note, the cycling today will be approximately 42mi (68km) if we sleep in Cartisoara, 39mi (63km) if we sleep in Carta.

Today we have a beautiful ride through the countryside and remote villages of Transylvania. Following the river Tarnava Mare, we pass hop fields and set our sights on Sighisoara. One of the few fully inhabited medieval citadels in Europe, this Unesco-recognised spot is fascinating. We have a free afternoon to wander the streets and immerse ourselves in places so wonderfully preserved and faithful to the origins. There is even 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 Bradeni village. One of these places will be our perfect stop for a snack and looking around the fascinating old church. Then we hop back on the bikes to continue our ride through small farming towns and pastures. Today’s ride ends in the small village of Cobor. Here we will discover the beautiful story of an old abandoned house to a farm and guesthouse with organic vegetables cultivated in their own garden and involved in animal protection projects. The seeds originate in old varieties that produce less, but higher quality.

After breakfast, we ride out of Cobor. The day starts with a short climb through the forest before a lovely stretch of road through several small towns takes us to Viscri. Here we can explore this pretty old town and visit a well-known fortified church and meet the brickmakers and blacksmiths who helped restore the building in 1991. It is now regarded as one of the best examples of a fortified church anywhere in the world. There will be plenty of time to fully explore Viscri, which we will tour by horse-drawn cart.