Below are some cultural snapshots, more soon.

Walk up the Moieciu valley on a late summer day and you will see people out on the steeply sloping sides weilding large scythes as they cut the grass. Later, when the potatoes are ready, locals travel down to the plains beyond Bran to gather in the crop. Often working their strip's of land collaboratively, the transport may be horse-drawn carts, or increasingly, mechanised transport.

At the end of the summer the sheperds return from the mountains bringing cheese and the sheep they have been looking after for the summer period. We often see them when walking through high pasture areas, grazing the sheep by day, and protecting them from wolves and bears in the night.

In winter it's a different scene, as people spend more time in doors, hiding from temperatures which can drop to -30 deg C at night. Animals are tucked away in warm barns, fed with the grass collected during the summer. Horse drawn sledges mix with 4 wheeled transport. Some locals get more involved in their predominantly winter-time activities such as weaving blankets or rugs.

On New Years Eve children arrive to sing for sweet and cash rewards. They come in small groups,and often sing in tune and with gusto. You might also get a visit from a deer, or even a bear, fortunately a human in costume. Savour special meals and twisted bread, baked in traditional ovens.

Autumn Colours and Culture

This 7 day itinerary takes us through beautiful mountain scenery and the dramatic colours of autumn in Romania, and is the backdrop for exploring and experiencing Romanian culture. Based in our comfortable villa in the Translyvanian mountains, our trips each day will give an insight into the unique history of Romania.