Places to Visit in Romania: The Countryside Villages

You probably never thought of Romania as a travel destination. But, I must confess that it isn’t a hidden gem anymore. In the last couple of years, tourism in our country developed to a great extent. I was really happy to find a lot of backpackers who chose the best places to visit in Romania for the countryside. 

So, for those who want to taste a piece of my country, I’m gonna make some authentic recommendations in my article. Besides the big cities of Romania (like Bucharest, Iași, Cluj-Napoca, Oradea, Brașov, Sibiu, or Timișoara). I totally recommend you to discover the Romania countryside. It has the best places to visit in Romania. Also, the charming villages will take your breath away when you visit Romania.

Now, I’m gonna take you on a tour of 3 villages in the Romania Countryside. You can make this tour in a minimum of 3 days. Or you can stay longer and enjoy the easy life of the peasants, especially in Viscri.

Dalnic Village

Our first stop was in Dalnic village, which is placed really convenient, nearby Brașov city but also hidden between the mountains. Dalnic is not, by surprise, one of the most splendid villages of Transylvania. It lies in a picturesque environment right at the peer of Bodok Mountain’s eastern crest.

We slept at Gaal Kuria, an old mansion built in 1844 and fully restored in 2014. The rooms are beautifully decorated. The accommodation gives you access to the sauna and a hot tub, perfect for winter. It is one of the best places to stay when you visit Romania.

In this village, you can also visit the memorial place of Dózsa György and the reformed monumental church. This particular building has the newest rune-script discovery that became a monument symbol for Seclerland ultimately. In Dalnic we can also visit the Lázár-Béczásy mansion-house that was built in 1753, the Gál-Borbáth house-mansion and the Bartha-house.

Viscri Village

Our next stop was Viscri village, which is a UNESCO Heritage Site. The most important thing to see there is the Fortified Church of Viscri, a true architectonic jewel. The white fortified church was first mentioned in 1400 as Alba Ecclesia and it was built in the XIII century. You can visit the church, its tower (that gives you a full view over the village), the defensive walls and the bastions (which hosts small exhibitions). The tower climbing is a bit challenging, but the view is breathtaking. The whole experience is something you need to try.

In Viscri you should make time to walk and observe the people and the buildings. You can the locals that carry on practicing skills like making horseshoes and nails, handmade bricks, and tiles. You can eat at a unique restaurant located in a barn. Or you can find accommodation in one of those old and authentic houses.

Biertan Village

Biertan was our third and last stop. We read about it and we knew from the beginning it was a must-visit. One of the things we wanted to see there was the Medieval Fortified church. It is for sure really impressive because of its size. The Church is surrounded by 3 defensive walls, bastions, and towers and it was built between 1493 and 1522. Inside the church, a 140-year old organ lies along with the highest polyptych altar from Transylvania, and a pulpit made of hone dating from the 1500s.

If you have time when you visit Romania, I recommend you to have a hike in the hills nearby. This way, you can fully admire the village from above. If you are visiting Biertan in late August, you can attend also the Luna Plină Film Festival (Full Moon Film Festival). It is a festival of horror and fantasy film that takes place in the Gothic fortress

I hope my article will stir up your curiosity about Romania! Next time you are planning your holidays, consider the best places to visit in Romania and see the beautiful Romania Countryside.