Transylvania - Transilvania

Coat of arms of Transylvania.

Transylvania is a region located in the center of Romania, surrounded by the Carpathians. It is famous for being the place of origin of Count Dracula.

Regions

Literally the name of Transylvania from Latin trans = between / crossing Y silvania = Forest, we could translate it as the Forest country or the Country among the forests, has its origin in the Roman conquest back in the 1st century AD or 2nd century AD when the Roman emperor of Cordovan origin Trajan conquered the lands of the Dacians by then Roman empire.

Transylvania despite its status as Principality, has always been a symbol of disputes and quarrels with its neighbors who claimed it as a province, previously annexed as part of the Habsburg Empire (which brought together the most important royal houses at that time), later as part of Hungary, and finally joined Romania, since 1918, currently has 4 important areas:

  • Ardeal (a name widely used by Romanians) Hungarian: Erdély, German: Siebenbürgen, Serbo-Croatian: Transilvanija / Трансилванија, Turkish: Erdel, Slovak: Sedmohradsko or Transylvania, Polish: Siedmiogród
  • Bánato Banat in Romanian, Banat / Банат in Serbo-Croatian, Banat in German, Bánát or Bánság in Hungarian, Banát in Slovak, is a historical region of Southeast Europe, today divided into three countries: Romania, Serbia and Hungary, the current county of Csongrád .
  • Crişana in Hungarian: Körösvidék, in German Kreischgebiet) is a historical region of Romania, named after the three tributaries of the Criş River (hun: Körös) that runs through the territory: the Crişul Alb, the Crişul Negru and the Crişul Repede. Its historical capital is Oradea.
  • Maramureş in Hungarian: Máramaros, Latin: Marmatia, Ukrainian: Мармарощина / Marmaroschina is a historical region located in the north of Romania. The capital of the region is called Baia mare. Other important cities are Satu Mare Y Vişeu de Sus.

Cities

  • Arad
  • Brasov
  • Timisoara
  • Sibiu
  • Cluj Napoca
  • Alba Iulia
  • Sighişoara
  • Baia mare
  • Predeal
  • Savârşin - town located in the district of Arad and place of residence of the King Miquel I from Romania The Royal House can be visited.
  • Gheorgheni-Harghita - It is like a dream, among mountains in a tourist area, Hungarian is spoken and it is full of rural houses, its people are very friendly, nearby there are many interesting places to visit such as "Lacul Rosu" (Red Lake), which has a page own website, and there are very cheap houses and hotels.

Other destinations

Castle of Brán

Understand

It is important to know not to mix things up about whether the Transylvanians are Romanian or not, the population is quite reluctant to the issue, keep in mind that the Transylvanians are very hospitable and it is a mixed population on a linguistic and personal level, as a result of the influences that it has suffered during Many centuries, although you will see a great difference between the behavior of Transylvanians and the rest of the country, it is better not to mention your opinion, the rest of the country is bothered by the difference and they do not like the differences imposed by the Transylvanians.

To get

The main airports of Transylvania as a reference according to air traffic we can name the airports of Timisoara abbrev.TSR, Arad abbrev. ARW.

To arrive by plane, low-cost companies such as Wizzair, Blueair, Ryanair come to Târgu Mures, Cluj Napoca, Arad, Timisoara, at reduced prices starting from Madrid, Barcelona, Y Valencia or from Milan And also by bus from anywhere in Europe, by car it is more complicated, to Romania everything is a motorway, from the rest of Europe, but inside, the problem is that you have to go through all the cities and look at the few signs that there are. If you go by car, it is advisable when entering a city, to take the mandatory route for trucks, which is usually easy to get to the other side of the city.

Transylvania is relatively easily accessible, due to its relative economic prosperity, tourist industry, and proximity to Central Europe.

By plane

There are three main airports in the region.

  • Cluj-Napoca International Airport It is located in northwestern Transylvania. It is the largest airport in Transylvania and an emerging regional center.
    • WizzAir [1] flies to / from Brussels, London, Eindhoven, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Valencia, Dortmund, Milan, Venice, Bari, Zaragoza, Bologna and Tel Aviv;
    • TAROM flies to / from Frankfurt, Vienna, Milan, Bologna, Madrid and Bucharest;
    • Lufthansa [2] flies to / from Munich;
  • Sibiu International Airport It is located in the southern part of Transylvania.
    • BlueAir flies to / from Madrid and Stuttgart;
    • Austrian Airlines flies to / from Vienna;
    • Lufthansa flies to / from Munich;
    • TAROM flies to / from Bucharest and Munich;
  • Târgu Mureș Transylvania Airport has been closed for renovations since December 2016.

By train

There are several daily international trains:

  • Dacia Express: connects Vienna with Bucharest (via Budapest); passes through several cities in the southern part of Transylvania (Deva, Alba Iulia, Mediaş, Sighisoara, Brasov);
  • Ister Express: a faster night train that connects Budapest with Bucharest and has the same route as the previous one;
  • Pannonia Express: connects Prague with Bucharest (via Bratislava and Budapest) and reaches the same southern Transylvanian cities as previous trains;
  • Corona Express, a night train linking Budapest with Brasov via Cluj and the eastern parts of Transylvania;
  • Hargita Express: connects Budapest with Brasov via Cluj-Napoca and the eastern parts of Transylvania (from Cluj-Napoca two coaches go to Târgu-Mureş);
  • Ady Endre Express: links Budapest with Cluj-Napoca (leaves Cluj-Napoca early in the morning, arrives in Budapest around noon and then returns to Cluj-Napoca, arriving at night);
  • Maros / Mureş Express: connects Budapest with Târgu-Mureş;
  • Máramaros / Maramureş Express: connects Budapest with Sighetu Marmaţiei via Cluj-Napoca (leaves Budapest in the morning, arrives at Sighetu Marmaţiei in the evening, the time of return to Budapest is the same);

Very frequent trains link the cities of Transylvania with Bucharest and the main cities of all other regions of Romania. Check schedules at infofer.ro [3].

There are three types of trains.

  • Regal - This is the slowest but cheapest way to go somewhere. Regio trains stop at all stations.
  • InterRegio: InterRegio trains are much faster than Regio trains. Due to the fact that it is very comfortable, many international trains are InterRegio. The ticket is more expensive than the Regio ticket but affordable.
  • InterCity: the fastest and most comfortable way to travel, but the ticket is very expensive.

The cheapest way to travel is the train, even for four of you. On some routes you can find private companies, they offer cheaper tickets.

Travel

Transylvania is a must see destination for people traveling through this part of Europe.

The trains they are usually the best way to travel between major Transylvanian cities and tourist destinations. However, many of the region's landmarks are hidden from major transportation routes, so renting a car or taking a bus to those locations is recommended. You can find information about trains from infofer.ro and Căile Ferate Române.

You can find road maps excellent and detailed in any gas station in the country, in train stations and in most kiosks. These detailed road maps can take you anywhere, without the need for much guidance. However, be careful because secondary and tertiary roads are not clearly marked, so sometimes you have to ask for directions. People are usually very friendly and will help you get to the destination of your choice.

The buses are They are becoming a popular means of transportation in Transylvania. In general, they leave from the train stations of the main cities and stop in the central area of ​​the smaller ones.

As in all of Eastern Europe, the hitch-hiking it is common and even a preferred form of transportation by some locals. It is polite to let someone who takes you some money, about 10-15 lei / 100 km. However, people won't get mad if you don't leave anything and they might reject your money anyway. Choosing the right place to hitchhike dramatically increases your chances; try asking people on the street where to stand.

The bicycles They are a very convenient and eco-friendly way to get around Transylvania and in this way you can observe the natural beauty and even visit the smallest and most remote villages. However, keep in mind that most circuits include high elevations, so you must be used to climbing hills. In remote towns you can always find local people who will sell you some fresh products at a very low price: fruits, vegetables, dairy products, or even invite you to lunch. However, race bikes with narrow tires are not recommended, even the main roads have many flaws and in the more remote areas you will travel on dirt roads so a robust mountain bike is preferred.

Talk

Hungarian, Romanian, German, but also in certain areas Serbian, Polish, Ukrainian, Slovak, all of them are official languages, or co-official as you want to call them, you will see towns or cities where more than one language will be used, and shops that use one of the official languages, although as a general rule the conversations take place in RomanianEnglish, French, Italian and Spanish are quite understood within the population.

To buy

There is a lot that you can buy, especially things made by hand and in wood. In addition, they are very original and above all cheap. Cities like Korod are magnificent since the whole town is full of stalls of things made by them, and if you are looking for something bigger, wooden houses, because in this area mainly wooden houses of all sizes and shapes are manufactured. you can buy souvenirs, embroidery, wines, cheeses, crafts, clothing, footwear, beauty products, etc.

Transylvania in the big cities or cities is not a trifle, the standard of living of the Transylvanians is identical to that of any other state EU, this assuming the same costs, the salaries in Transylvania with respect to the rest of Romania It is 35% higher, with salaries that are around € 16,000 per year and it is increasing, not to mention the west of Transylvania in cities like Timisoara, Arad or Oradea Taking a deyauno in the center of these cities can cost about € 10 / US $ 14.70 per person, but if you move away from the center the prices tend to drop a lot therefore it will be much more affordable. In the center of Transylvania in Sibiu, or cities like Brasov, Sighişoara, Târgu Mureş, Cluj Napoca the prices are much cheaper, in any case if you want to go shopping, clothing, footwear, or accessories are generally quite expensive.

The currency used in Transylvania like the rest of Romania is he Leu , (plural Read) abbrev. RON.In the western part of the country the Euro it already circulates in parallel with the Romanian national currency in certain shops. On the website of the National Bank of Romania, you have detailed information on banks and savings banks, and interest rates and changes.

  • The change to Euro is 3.66 RON and to US $ is 2.47 RON.
  • Romania foresees the implementation of Euro from the year 2011 or at the latest 2014.

To eat

In Romania they eat a lot sarmale, which are cabbage rolls that wrap rice, garlic, minced meat, and some other seasoning that is then cooked.

Another highlight is the fasole soup (beans). They are masters, they cook it for several hours and they are to die for, and in many restaurants they put it in a very nice little pot.

Tripe soup, there they cut them very small and make a very good soup. I have to clarify that soups and stews are the same there.

But if something that distinguishes this country, they are for the roasted knuckles and above all for the michs, which are a kind of minced meat choricillo with some ingredients, which they add, that if you are one of those who like meat, be sure to try it.

Drink and go out

  • Ursus Black Beer: a medium-bodied dark lager possibly among the top Eastern European beverages
  • Bergenbier - a rich German-style lager beer extremely popular in Romania
  • Stejar beer: a 7% strong beer with a distinctive flavor
  • Lacrima Lui Ovidiu: a sweet and pleasant Romanian wine, available in supermarkets for around 20 lei.
  • Dracula Beer: a kitschy beer sold to foreign tourists, around Bran Castle and in supermarkets, noted for its remarkably unpleasant taste.
  • Ciuc beer - one of the best beers of the Heineken Group
  • Wine from a local winery: You will find them in any city, just ask for "crama" (read: krahmah)
  • Horinca de Bihor, or other Țuică - This is a local brandy. Many locals make their own natural and tasty brandy. You can find it in the houses of the locals (they will be happy if you try theirs) and in the wineries.

Sleep

To sleep there is no problem. Most of the hotels are very good and at very low prices, although sometimes it is preferable to sleep in mountain houses for 10 euros per day. There you can enjoy all the nature and the city a few kilometers away.

Learn

Respect

Health

There are good doctors, although the medical centers are in full development after the communist era and there is a way to go until they complete their total rehabilitation and be updated to European standards. It is convenient to take the European health card, or the European health form E-101, or a travel insurance that will not hurt you in exceptional cases.In any case the emergency number is the 112 as in Spain. Travelers who are not citizens of the EU, it is advisable to have a good insurance that covers the entire trip.

Keep in touch

Surroundings

  • Maramureș in the north, Banat in the southwest, and Crișana in the west are historically linked to Transylvania and can be a good extension of your trip to Transylvania.
  • Moldova is popular for its monasteries and small towns.
  • Dobrogea is where you can go to the Black Sea coast.
  • Bucharest is the capital of Romania and is located about 3 hours from Brașov.
  • In the south of Romania you can see the green Oltenia and the Muntenia region.

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