This is the ideal bike trip if you are based in Sibiu and are looking to explore two charming villages and the countryside around the city in a short day ride. Rășinari is one of the oldest Romanian villages in the region and its name was mentioned for the first time back in 1204 while very close to it lies the Saxon village Cisnadioara, or Michelsberg in German, a living proof of the ethnical diversity of the region.

But the history of Cisnadioara is even older than the settlement of German origin Saxons in the south of Transylvania. 

They say that the founders of Cisnădioara were French origin colonists who came here with the Cistercian Order. They took over the basilica in Cisnădioara and turned it into a Romanesque fortress with gothic influences. The Plateau on which the basilica is built was surrounded by a stone wall that offers a splendid panorama of the entire region. The stronghold lost its past role and now it hosts different events such as concerts, theater plays, or movie projections when festivals take place in Sibiu.

We will start riding along the bicycle track in the Dumbrava forest and will follow it until we reach Rășinari village. Here we will stop for a visit at the Rășinari Ethnographic Museum, where you will find out about traditional crafts and occupations, typical clothing, customs and traditions, peasant houses interiors and items. The museum visit will also reveal the resin collection technique, a local occupation since ancient times; in fact the village’s name derives from the word resin.

Leaving Rășinari behind we’ll continue our ride to the Saxon village of Cisnădioara where we will pay a visit to the fortified stronghold on the rocky peak of St. Michael's Hill, an avatar of the Romanesque style in Transylvania. 

After a refreshment break at the local shop in Cisnădioara, we’ll head back to Sibiu. But for those of you who feel like they haven’t sweated enough and still feel like riding, we can make an extra visit to Cisnădie, a charming Saxon little town, to visit its impressive medieval fortified church. It has been recently renovated and its lovely garden is enclosed by a protective double wall. The ride from Cisnădioara to Cisnădie and back will add another 8 km to our trip.

On all our tours we aim to find quite secondary roads, so that you’ll fully enjoy your vacation without the noise of big and busy roads. With few exceptions, we only cycle on asphalt and on this particular tour there are only 3 kilometers (2 miles) on which we’ll ride on gravel.

* 1 pers - €120

2 pers - €95/pers.

3+ pers - €80/pers.

* One person tours can be arranged with maximum one week prior to the date of the ride

• English-speaking local guides
• Fully equipped bike
• Helmet
• Fruits, nuts, snacks, and water during riding
• Car transfer
• Tickets and donations

Fresh and tasty sandwiches, together with fruit, dry nuts and cereal bars are provided during the ride. Any time is a good time for coffee so we can stop in any of the villages to have one. Although the coffee shops on route are not that fancy they will offer an authentic village experience. A good coffee or ice-cream spot is midway through the distance in Cisnădioara.

We recommend you check the forecast in the days before the trip and prepare proper clothes. Even if there are small chances of rain, rather than counting on luck, you should pack a light weight rain jacket. For sunny days please don’t forget to carry some sunscreen with you. For exceptionally bad weather we can cancel a tour, if this is discussed with a few days in advance.

In the morning we will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you by car to the main park in Sibiu, the starting point of the tour. After finishing the ride we will drop you off at the same place or at any other location in the city. Should you have a rented car and should you prefer to drive yourselves to the park and meet us there, we are happy with this option as well.