The story of the Transylvanian Saxons begins in medieval times, soon after Transylvania was conquered by the Hungarian Kingdom. At that time, years of fierce fighting with the Tartars left the area defenseless in the wake of future invasions, so in the 12th century king Geza II invited German colonists, to whom he granted numerous privileges, to settle here and defend the southern and eastern borders of Transylvania and of the kingdom. The industrious Saxons thrived and prospered over the course of eight centuries founding Siebenburgen, the land of seven legendary citadels and numerous other towns and villages. Nowhere else in Europe will you find such a high density of fortified churches in such a small area, than in southern Transylvania. In fact every rural settlement founded by the Saxons has a church strengthened with defensive walls.

Things took a turn for the worse for Romania and its people when the communists took over the country after the second world war. The country was in turmoil and no matter if you were Romanian, Saxon or Hungarian you were stripped off of your properties. After communism fell, the mass exodus of the Saxons followed in the 90s. The vast majority decided to pursue happiness elsewhere, move to Germany and to leave Transylvania and Romania behind. This cycling tour is about their lost world, their heritage and about the ones trying to preserve it and bring it back to life. And although most of them have left a quarter of a century ago, the mark they left over the 8 centuries of inhabitance is visible all around. It includes everything from the iconic architecture of the villages to the wonderful fortified churches and the specific cuisine and traditions.

€2990 per person for groups of 2 people
€2430 per person for groups of 3 people
€1930 per person for groups of 4 people
€1790 per person for groups of 5+ people

Single supplement - €180

Deposit - €200

• English-speaking local guides
• Fully equipped bike
• Helmet
• All accommodation and meals
• Fruits, nuts, snacks, and water during riding
• Assistance car
• Car transfer on the last day to Sibiu, Sighișoara or Brașov
• Tickets and donations

For the ones wishing to add some spicy to the standard Saxon Transylvania tour, we can easily add the famous Transfăgărășan climb to our schedule. The day will follow the program of Transfăgărășan day trip and we'll sneak it between 3rd and 4th days. Depending on the group preferences, we'll do the transfer from Veseud to Cârțișoara by van, or we'll ride our bicycles.

The road is officially open between the 15th of June and the 30th of October. In most years the first snow falls at Bâlea Lake in late September, so climbing the road at the end of the season may be a matter of luck.

Including this 6th day of riding will rise the prices listed above by 20%.

Accommodation is provided in double or single rooms with private bathroom in small and cozy village guesthouses. The heart filled hospitality of our hosts will make you feel at home everywhere we’ll spend the night. All guest houses are unique and have beautiful gardens in which you can relax after a day’s riding. For single rooms there’s a single occupancy supplement.

Delicious and tasty locally sourced food is cooked by all guesthouses. Breakfast and a three course dinner are included in the tour package. The traditional Romanian spirits like plum or sour cherry brandy are complementary on the house while drinks like wine and beer can be bought separately at each guesthouse. Vegetarian options are also available upon request.

Lunch is included in the tour package and in most of the days we will break for a freshly cooked lunch and coffee at a special venue where other activities are included as well. A packed lunch is provided on the other days and whenever refreshments breaks are needed we’ll make it happen, as your holiday will be enjoyed at your own pace. Fruit, cereal bars and water are available anytime.

52 km (32 miles)

498 m (1,630 feet)

261 km (162 miles)

2,490 m (8,160 feet)

Transylvania is hilly and that’s why any trip in this region implies some climbing, but the effort will be lavishly rewarded by the wonderful landscapes, colourful flower meadows and tranquil villages where life flows at a very slow pace. Every day there will be some short and rolling hills and a climb which will require more effort to conquer. But don’t worry as the descents are always beautiful and rewarding. For the elevation profile and for the number of kilometers/miles covered on a daily basis, see the day to day itinerary.

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 22 kilometers (13,5 miles) on which we’ll ride on gravel.

* At times, from various reasons, the routes, the activities listed in the daily breakdown or the guesthouses we sleep in may slightly change. Our guides will always try to replace them with similar or higher standard services in order to provide the same trip experience.