VISIT TRANSYLVANIA
Mures County, located in the historical region of Transylvania, has its county seat in Targu-Mures and is one of the most visited counties in Romania. It is the multiethnic county where Romanians, Hungarians and Transylvanian Saxons live together, the ethnic influence being present in the local customs and traditions, as well as in the architecture of the settlements.
Sighisoara Fortress, located in the eponymous city, has become a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999 and is considered the largest continuously inhabited medieval fortress in Europe, but also the best-preserved city fortress in Transylvania.
The fortress is worth visiting for its medieval charm given by the cobbled streets, the wooden staircase, the clock tower and the buildings in a well-preserved Gothic architecture. Every year, the fortress hosts the “Medieval Sighisoara” Festival – the first festival show dedicated to the promotion of medieval culture and customs, which, together with the fortress itself, annually attract thousands of tourists both from the country and from abroad.
The Breite Plateau
In the vicinity of Sighisoara you will find an ecosystem that is unique in Europe, namely the largest, most representative and best preserved silvopasture in Central and Eastern Europe, a habitat with centuries-old oaks and durmasts.
Breite Reservation awaits you to discover over 600 trees aged between 400 and 600 years; over 40 species of beetles, some of them endangered; over 270 species of day and night butterflies, many of them internationally protected; various species of turtles, snakes, lizards and woodpeckers. At the edge of the forest watches one of the oldest oaks in the Reservation, with a circumference of over 7.1 m and an estimated age of over 700 years.
Saschiz
20 km from Sighisoara, the village of Saschiz, famous for its ceramics and more, is one of the most charming rural settlements in Transylvania, the medieval atmosphere, the history and the traditions of this small commune being valued including by Prince Charles of Wales during his many journeys to these lands.
The Evangelical Fortified Church of Saschiz, built at the end of the 15th century by Saxon settlers, is the main attraction of the village and is part of the UNESCO world heritage. There, you can admire the organ brought from Brasov in 1788 – one of the biggest in Transylvania.
You can't miss the experience of making your own ceramic object under the guidance of the master from the pottery workshop, as well as tasting the famous Saschiz jams prepared from rhubarb, raspberries, strawberries and Carpathian strawberries – highly appreciated by connoisseurs.
Sovata
Small, chic, full of life and charm, Sovata is a permanent seasonal SPA resort recognized in Europe since 1850.
Bear Lake, the largest heliothermal salt lake in the world, with the highest salt concentration on the planet. The name comes from its stretched bear skin shape, while its salt water has therapeutic properties for a variety of ailments.
Surrounded by hills clothed in beeches, oaks, hornbeams, elms, chestnuts, firs, and, last but not least, the Salt Mountain of Praid, the resort offers excellent opportunities for rest, relaxation and healing.
A quick getaway to the traditional marketplace, delighting your senses in one of the modern SPAs of the resort, tasting local delicacies – the famous cream and cheese pie (langos) or a fresh, warm and inviting Kürtőskalács, the two-hour journey by Mocănița – the steam engine train, evening walks on the famous hiking trails of Mount Gurghiu, a dinner at Campu Cetății – where you can enjoy freshly caught trout with polenta – and, last but not least, a visit to Salina Praid (Praid Salt Mine) are just a few ingredients for a memorable getaway the Sovata.
Transylvania Motor Ring
Transilvania Motor Ring (TMR), the first motor racing circuit in Romania made to European standards, can host any kind of auto, motorcycle and cycling competition designed for asphalt circuits. The complex located in Cerghid can be rented for organizing public or private events, sports competitions, driving schools, launches, exhibitions, presentations, workshops and team buildings.
Mociar Forest
Mociar Forest, located a short distance from the town of Reghin between the villages of Solovăstru, Beica de Jos and Gurghiu, has been a forest reserve since 1932. Over time it has been studied by many biologists, who have unanimously classified it as the oldest forest in Romania. The forest has an area of 48 ha and hosts over 300 secular trees protected by law, namely beeches and oaks, aged between 650 and 700 years.
Salina Turda (Turda Salt Mine), a true museum of the history of salt mining, is located in the Durgău-Valea Sărată area of Turda and is the most spectacular underground mine shaped by people in the world, being recognized as a major treatment destination for its healing properties. This is a human-made underground, which served for mining the salt deposits that resulted after the evaporation of the sea that covered this entire region millions of years ago. Currently, if it were necessary, the salt in the Turda Salt Mine could secure the consumption of the entire planet for 60 years.
Upper Mures Valley
If you want to discover one of the most beautiful areas of Transylvania, start exploring the Upper Mures Valley. Scaunul Domnului is a spectacular mountain plateau, being among the most famous tourist attractions of the Defileul Muresului Superior (Upper Mures Gorge) Natural Park. Overlooking the commune of Deda Bistra, at an altitude of 1,381 m, it offers a wonderful panorama of the whole area towards the Bistra Valley and, further away, towards the Mures Valley, including the ridges of the Călimani Mountains.
Călimani National Park covers an area of approx. 24,000 hectares in the north of the Eastern Carpathians. With unique landscapes and ecosystems, rare species of flora and fauna, the Park favors various tourist activities: hiking, camping, mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, ski touring, bird and animal watching. Tourist packages are available: with guide, with horses, junior ranger, photo safari.
The Steppe Peony Reservation of Zau de Campie
The Steppe Peony Natural Reservation, a unique place in Romania and in Europe, was declared a protected area in 2000, aiming at preserving the steppe peony. The fame of the botanical reservation of Zau de Campie, located in Mures County, has exceeded the borders of Romania, for several years now tourists from countries such as Hungary, Italy, Russia or Germany have been coming to these lands to admire the peonies in all their splendor. The 3.5 ha reservation includes about 50,000 peonies.
The Musical Instruments Factory in Reghin, the “City of Violins” is the largest factory of its kind in Europe! Reghin city harbors two musical instruments factories and several luthier workshops as well. Some of the greatest concert halls around the world reverberate at the sounds of musical instruments created in the “City of Violins”.
Bethlen Castle
10 km away from Danes, in the village of Cris, in the middle of a picturesque dendrological park, lies a castle with a troubled history belonging to a family of great tradition. The fortress built by the Bethlen family, designed in German style, was transformed into a castle in 1400 and restored in Renaissance style in the 2000s. The Bethlen family heirs, Aniko, Eva and Agnes, still live in Targu-Mures.
Teleki Castle – Gornesti
The castle was built between 1772-1803, in a Baroque style inspired by Grassalkovich. The building's architecture is unique, its main facade with decorative elements crafted to the highest detail being the most representative architectural element.
The castle hosts weddings, balls, concerts (120 people max.), conferences, corporate dinners. During the summer, camps, festivals, outdoor weddings and concerts are organized in the castle garden. Gornesti even has two B&Bs, with a total capacity of 120 people.
Kemény Castle, a jewel in the Renaissance style, is located near the National Road 15 Reghin-Toplița and is an architectural complex built by the Kemény family in Brancovenesti, Mures County. The castle was nationalized on March 2, 1949, being used as a prison, correctional school, and neuropsychiatric recovery and rehabilitation center. At the end of September 2014, the castle was given back to the ownership of the Kemény family and opened to the general public.
The Lapusna Royal Hunting Castle is located at an altitude of 815 m, in the commune of Ibănesti, Lăpusna village, in a spectacular mountain area. The castle is 45 km from Reghin in the Gurghiu Mountains, in the eponymous valley. Though built between 1925-1926, the castle was completed and decorated only in 1933. It belonged to the Romanian kings (Ferdinand, Carol II and Mihai I) until 1949, when it was nationalized. During the period when Nicolae Ceausescu was head of the state, Lăpusna Castle became a hunting castle and hosted big names of the international politics such as Nikita Khrushchev, the general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.