TOURS AROUND ROMANIA

• Turda Salt Mine & Turda Gorge
• Nicula Monastery - Sic
• Turda Salt Mine - Rimetea (Torocko) village - Coltesti castle ruins
• The Wind Cave - the longest cave in the South Eastern Europe
• Scarisoara Ice Cave
• The unrivalled world of Maramures and Bucovina
• Cluj-Napoca - Turda Salt Mine - Rimeti Monastery - Biertan fortified church - Sighisoara
• Apuseni Mountains Trip

Cluj-Napoca - Turda Salt Mine - Turda Gorge

A day trip to Salina Turda (Turda Salt Mine) is a must for any visitor to Cluj-Napoca. One of the most important salt mines in Transylvania, Salina Turda has been known since ancient times, but was put into operation for underground mining work during the Roman period.

Another "must-see" is Cheile Turzii (Turda Gorge), just a half an hour drive from the Salt Mine. A beautiful natural reserve with a unique landscape, it is 1.5 km long and has almost vertical, up to 300 m high walls. Turda Gorge is one of the most popular attractions in the Apuseni Mountains.

Cluj-Napoca - Gherla - Nicula Monastery - Sic

GHERLA has been an Armenian settlement since 1672 and was called Armenopolis; carved Armenian family crests are still visible over many doorways.

The Baroque Armenian-Catholic cathedral, built between 1748 and 1804, sits in the city center.

In the year of 2002, Nicula Monastery celebrated 450 years since its first documentation (1552), and at least as many years of existence; it became a place of miracle when the image of the Holy Virgin, an Icon painted by the orthodox priest Luca of Iclod in 1681, cried with tears for 26 days in 1699.

For those interested in Orthodox rituals, seeing a Holy Virgin Icon considered to be miraculous and visiting one of the largest collections of icons on wood and glass, NICULA Monastery is the place to visit.

Sic - important Hungarian village that is spread over several hills, boasts a number of churches and municipal buildings, testifying to its former importance as a center of salt mining. Sic is considered to be a kind of repository of Hungarian folk culture.

Cluj-Napoca - Turda Salt Mine - Rimetea (Torocko) village - Coltesti castle ruins

The Salt Mine is mentioned in official documents in the middle of the 13th century, when the mine was offered to the Transylvanian Catholic Church leaders. In the Middle Ages, Turda was one of the largest places of salt extraction in Transylvania. It ceased activity in 1932, to be used as an anti-air craft shelter during the Second World War.

REMETEA (Torocko) village - located in front of a 1129 metre high rocky mountain, Remetea is an old Hungarian village built by German miners who were brought here for extracting iron. Approximately two hours after leaving the village, we will hike to the peak of the mountain. The reward for your two hours of sweating will be an amazing view over the village, the Coltesti Castle, along with several other scenic valleys

Continuing our trip to Coltesti, we will visit the medieval ruins of the castle. Built in the Thirteenth Century by the local Hungarian leader Thorotzkay, the castle was a residence for his family for over 350 years.

Cluj-Napoca - The Wind Cave

The Wind Cave (Pestera Vantului), is the largest cave in Romania, and now with the length of almost 52 km, it is also the most extensive limestone labyrinth and cave-reservation in South-East Europe.

The actual length of the cave is around 52 km (3.2 km in airline extension), but there are many passages, which have never been surveyed. In great line, the Wind Cave is a multi-levelled complex system, which has a main active passage and three main fossil floors.

Cluj-Napoca - Scarisoara Ice Cave

Situated in a isolated place, deep inside the forests of the Bihor Mountains (part of the Apuseni Mountains), Scarisoara is the biggest ice cave in Romania, a unique phenomenon in Southeastern Europe. The glacier entrance (at 1165 m high) is through an impressive sinkhole, with a diameter of 60 m; descending 48 meters, on the bottom of a great abyss, you'll walk on a surface of 70000 cubic meters of ice, 20 meters thick. Obviously, on the glacier the temperature is constantly below 0, so in the summer time while descending, it might be a temperature difference of 25 degrees or even more.

Discover the unrivalled world of Maramures and Bucovina with The Romanian Youth Hostel Association !

Cluj-Napoca Hostel - Maramures region - Nasaud Hostel - Suceava Hostel

Designed to introduce you to some of the nicest regions in Romania, this itinerary will take you to the famous wooden churches and remote valleys of Maramures, across the Carpathian Mountains through the amazing region of Nasaud, into the Northern reaches of Bucovina, a region blessed with a luxurious nature, where the frescoe monasteries have been preserved for almost 5 centuries.

Take this opportunity to join us on a tour from the Northen Transylvania to Bucovina, save time and money by visiting some of the most interesting touristic places in Romania.

Our trip highlights in the Maramures region will be: the miracle place - Nicula Monastery, the famed wooden churches (Desesti, Breb, Budesti, Sapinta, Birsana, Rozavlea, Botiza, Poienile Izei, Bogdan Voda, Ieud), Sapinta Merry Cemetery, the former communist prison in Sighet and of course, the local plum brandy (tuica)!!

Then we will stop in Nasaud, a must for hikers in Transylvania. Visits to traditional sights: a watermill, a wooden church, a 19th century `tuica` distillery, the local folk museum. On the way to Bucovina, we'll follow the way to Bistrita, a Sachsen town, 25 km from Nasaud, and to the Dracula`s castle in Tihuta.

From here we'll head straight to Suceava, where we'll overnight in Class Hostel. Early the next morning we'll go on a trip to see the 500 year old painted monasteries for which Bucovina is famous - Humor, which has the best interior frescoes painted in dark red, Voronet, the blue that is different in different moments of the day and whose ingredients have not been discovered yet, Moldovita with an impressive Crucifixion Scene, Sucevita in just a breathtaking landscape, Arbore from 1502 and Dragomirna the tallest one here, 42 m and only 9,6 m width.

Itinerary : Retro Hostel Cluj - Gherla - Nicula Monastery - Desesti - Breb - Budesti - Sighetul Marmatiei - Sapinta - Birsana (overnight stay) - Rozavlea - Botiza - Ieud - Poienile Izei - Bogdan Voda - Nasaud hostel (overnight stay)- day trip to the local watermill, the traditional wooden church and the 19th century `tuica` distillery - Bistrita - Prislop pass - Suceava (overnight stay) - day trip to the old painted monasteries.

Please note that our guide tour is flexible according to your wish.

Here are some other alternatives :

• extra night at Retro Hostel Cluj for visiting the Turda Salt Mine, Turda Gorge or The Ice Cave of Scarisoara.
• extra night at Nasaud Hostel for visiting the mineral water resort, Sangeorz Bai, right near the Rodnei Mountains, where digestive diseases are cured.
• extra night at Class Hostel Suceava for visiting Neamt fortress (1380), Neamt Monastery, Secu, Sihastria, Sihla, and Agapia monasteries.

REMEMBER : The rates are according to the number of people and to the chosen itinerary !

Cluj-Napoca - Turda Salt Mine - Rimeti Monastery - Biertan fortified church - Sighisoara

A day trip to SALINA TURDA (Turda Salt Mine) is a must for any visitor to Cluj-Napoca. One of the most important salt mines in Transylvania, Salina Turda has been known since ancient times, but was put into operation for underground mining work during the Roman period. The Salt Mine is mentioned in official documents from the middle of the 13th century, when the mine was offered to the Transylvanian Catholic Church leaders. On the way to Blaj, 17km off the main road is the RIMETI MONSTERY, one of the best located monastaries in Romania, also close to the densely wooded Apuseni Mountains and Rimeti Gorge.

BIERTAN (Birthalm), one of the best preserved in Transylvania, also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The village has been known since 1283 when a document mentions an economic relationship with the diocese of Alba Iulia. Gradually the town grew and in 1418 King Sigismund of Hungary gave to it the right to hold court; about one hundred years later the construction of a new home for the Episcopate began in the area. The present church was built by the Saxons in the late 15th Century. The construction lasted until 1522, while Biertan became the Episcopal residence 50 years later, a great privilege, which it was to keep for the next three centuries. The magnificent walls which fortify the church stand 12m tall.

After a journey of more than 200 km, we'll drop you off at a hostel in the city of Sighisoara, one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Romania.

7 days touristic packages program for visiting the Apuseni Mountains

Touristic program for the visiting of Apuseni Mountains

Day 1 Receiving the tourists from the Cluj-Napoca airport. Visit of the town for the touristic interesting spots. Their transport by microbus to the boarding and lodging house. Introducing the house and the family. Dinner.

Day 2 Breakfast. Visiting the surroundings, the village and even a sight-seeing (for example: the Bulz Peak with belvedere to the Aries Valley) Historical presentation of the house and locality.

Day 3 Lunch. Trip with the microbus. Visiting the Campeni town, an old town with Romanians from the region. Visiting the higher course of Aries, the Albac village, the The Gate of Ionele Cave and the biggest glacier in Romania - the The Glacier from Scarisoara Cave (with ice of 25,000 cm), Lupsa's Village Museum and the ancient Lupsa Monastery (one of the oldest monasteries on the Aries Valley). Return to the house. Dinner.

Day 4 Lunch. Excursion by microbus to Posaga Monastery and the Healing Source, to the Rameti monastery and Rametului Gorges. Return. Discussion about the place's legend. Dinner.

Day 5 Excursion to the Stina from Negoi Peak and breakfast with milk and maize prepared by shepherd. Filming and taking photos of various landscapes. Gathering forest fruit: bilberry, raspberry, musgrooms. Dinner.

Day 6 Excursion by microbus to the village of Salciua and visit to the cave with water, Huda of Papara Cave including the zone Vinatara and of Poieni Valley with typical sheepfold resembling that of 100 years ago. Return to the house. Dinner.

Day 7 Breakfast. Transport of the tourists to the Cluj-Napoca airport, after having visited the Turzii Gorges natural reservation and then the Turda Salt Works.

Touristic program for the visiting of Apuseni Mountains

Day 1 Receiving the tourists from the Cluj-Napoca airport. Visit of the town with its touristic interest sports. Their trasport by microbus to the boarding and lodging house. Introduction of the house and family. Dinner.

Day 2 Breakfast. Visiting the surroundings, the village and even a sight-seeing (Example: the Bulz Peak with belvedere to the Aries Valley. Historical presentation of the house and locality.

Day 3 Lunch. Visit to the Roman mining galleries of Rosia Montana and the locality (an ancient mining town attested by the Romans 2,000 years ago under the nameof Alburnus Maior), and then the natural reservation of The Basalt Columns from Detunata . Return and visit to the Lupsa's Village Museum and an old Lupsa Monastery (one of the oldest monasteries existing on the Aries Valley). Return to the boarding house.Dinner.

Day 4 Lunch. Participating in the field work (hay harvest, timber sawing, fruit harvesting, driving the animals to the pasture, harvesting the forest fruit). Visiting a typical sheepfold of the Apuseni mountains. Dinner at the sheepfold (maize porridge with cheese, milk and cheese butter).

Day 5 Visit to the geological reservation The Snail Hill (vestiges from the tertiary epoch of sea snails shells), then to the Avram Iancu Museum and Gaina Peak . Return to the house. Dinner.

Day 6 Breakfast. Excursion by microbus to Scarisoara Belioara Botanical Reservation, to the Posaga Monastery and the Healing Source. Dinner.

Day 7 Breakfast. Transportation of the tourists to the Cluj-Napoca airport. Halt and visit of the natural reservation Turzii Gorges and then the Turda Salt Works.

Visiting program of the carstic regions and caves from The Apuseni Mountains

Day 1 The taking over of the tourists at the Cluj-Napoca airport. The visit of the beauty spots from the city. The transportation of the tourists at the pension with the pension's Jeep. Meeting the family and the presentation of the pension. Dinner.

Day 2 Excursion with the Jeep in the Salciua Village and the visit of Huda of Papara Cave with water, including the Vinatara Region and the Poieni Valley with "moti" typical folds, like those from 100 years ago. Coming back to the pension.

Day 3 Trip with the Jeep to the Scarisoara Belioara Botanical Reservation, , to Posaga Monastery and to "The fountain of the leech". Dinner.

Day 4 The visit of the The Glacier from Vartop Cave , the The Gate of Ionele Cave and of the biggest glacier from Romania - The Glacier from Scarisoara Cave (75000 mc of ice), eventually the visit of The Big Coiba Cave. Returning to the pension. Dinner.

Day 5 A trip by jeep in the region of The Sighistelui Valley Cave, the Corbeasca with water Cave. Camping in the area.

Day 6 The visit of the Canyon's The Sighistelui Valley Cave and the Magura Cave. Returning to the pension. Dinner.

Day 7 Breakfast. The transportation of the tourists to the Cluj-Napoca airport. Stopping and visiting the Turzii Gorges Natural Reserve.

7 day touristic program informative prices : 280 Euro

ARE YOU A GROUP TRAVELLING AROUND ROMANIA? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A TRANSPORT ALTERNATIVE? THE ASSOCIATION'S MINIBUS IS AT YOUR DISPOSAL! FEEL FREE TO ASK FOR DETAILS!