We’ll start the day with a visit in Cisnadie (or Heltau), a former Saxon town. We’ll explore its fortified church, recently restored, with its great architecture and many interesting stories about the life of the Saxon communities (the brave ones can try a visit up in the tower and attic – quite an adventure!)

From Cisnadie, we’ll have a very short drive (about 10 minutes) till our next destination, Cisnadioara (or Michelsberg). Also a famous little Saxon village, it is famous due to its 800 years old fortress erected in Romanesque style on the top of Saint Michael’s hill. After the visit, we can have a walk in the village and admire the old, beautiful Saxon architecture of the houses. In summer time, we can even have a coffee/ local beer break at Casa Agora in the village – a cozy terrace in a beautiful garden, with local delicacies.

After Cisnadioara we head towards Rasinari. If the first two places are traditional Saxon town, Rasinari is a traditional Romanian shepherd village. Due to its location at the bottom of the mountains, its well preserved old traditions and customs, its big variety of hiking trails and its gastronomy events, Rasinari was awarded in 2022 the title Best European Tourism Village by the World Travel Organization. We’ll explore the village and see what makes it so special.

We’ll head to Sibiel, another little Romanian village, right at the bottom of the mountains. We can have an easy hike in the orchards above the village and follow the Apple Trail – the village is know for its delicious fruits. Actually, every last Sunday in October, the people in the village organize the Apple Fair where they sell different types of apples, local natural juice and pies but also locally made dairy and meat products. Its a great occasion to feel the local spirit and meet the villagers.

In Sibiel we can also visit the Icon Glass Museum, an interesting exhibition organized more than 40 years ago. Optional, we can stop here to have lunch at some artisans’ household. 

The last visit of our countryside day is at the Astra Museum – the biggest open air museum in Europe. Located in the middle of the forest, on the bank of a lake, the museum is an amazing universe of the rural life in Romania. Its 10 km of alleys – probably not all, though – we’ll take us along old rural households, craftsmen and artisans workshops, wooden churches, little shrines, sheepfolds, water and wind mills. The museum has won lots of awards for arts, restoration and events, in the recent years, including the Europa Nostra Prize in 2017 and 3* in the Michelin Travel Guide so, it really deserves a relaxing visit!