Rider Favourite

Romania: Road Biking the Transylvanian Alps

Day 1 Arrival day - transfer from Bucharest airport/hotels to Cincsor

We will meet you at Bucharest Airport (for morning flight arrivals landing before 9 am) or pick you up from your hotel in Bucharest and transfer to Cincsor (total transfer time 4 hours), where we start our adventure. If you are arriving on a flight that lands after 10 am we recommend you arrive a day earlier and stay a night in Bucharest (or in Brasov which is on the way), otherwise you will need to take a private transfer and join us later. From Bucharest, we drive directly to Cincsor, where we will be staying at the Cincsor Guesthouse, a charming former Protestant Saxon School and now a comfortable hotel. Cincsor is a quiet and pretty village, and we will aim to arrive in time for a warm-up ride in the surrounding countryside to get you used to the bikes and terrain and a briefing from your guides. There should be time to relax before our welcome dinner.

Cincsor Guesthouse
Dinner
Ride 25-30km

Day 2 From Cincsor to ride the Transfagarasan

Our Romanian cycling adventure gets off to an incredible start as we get to ride the legendary Transfagarasan, which according to a recent report in Top Gear magazine is the world’s best alpine road. The riding starts right out of the hotel door, which is the way we always like to start, and you will enjoy a gentle 35km through the lovely Transylvanian countryside to warm up before the Transfagarasan comes into view. We will make a stop before setting off to conquer the mighty Transfagarasa. It is a 25 km climb, up to 2000m altitude at Balea Lake and although long, the climb is not overly steep. The views are truly sensational as we wind up towards the top. The reward at the summit is one of Romania’s amazing natural wonders, Bâlea Lake is a spectacular glacier lake carved into the rugged stones of the Făgăraș Mountains, which are also known as the ‘Transylvanian Alps’. We will all ride up at our own pace and enjoy lunch by the lake before regrouping for the breathtaking descent down to Cartisoara where our van is waiting for the shuttle back to Cincsor or an optional spin back to the hotel.

Cincsor Guesthouse
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 97km
+1850m

Day 3 Cincsor to Sighisoara

After a typical Romanian breakfast, we will hit the road for a superb ride to discover the Transylvanian Highlands. We will pass the lovely village of Cincu centred on its fortified church and ride through the extraordinary landscapes of Transylvania with the Carpathian Mountains providing a spectacular backdrop. Today's ride is through rolling countryside with a few small hills but nothing to compare with the Transfagarasan. We pass many small villages as we ride along country backroads and alongside the Hartibaciu River riding through what is known as the Brasov-Sibiu-Sighisoara cultural triangle. We also pass Bradeni, located on a pretty lake and also boasting an impressive fortified church dating back to the 13th Century, before arriving in Sighisoara. We should arrive in time for lunch and have plenty of time to explore Sighisoara, which is one of the best-preserved mediaeval towns in Europe and included in the UNESCO World Heritage list as one of the last living mediaeval cities. Dating back to the 12th century, Sighisoara was founded by German craftsmen and merchants known as the Transylvanian Saxons who were invited to Transylvania by the King of Hungary to settle and defend the frontier of his realm. Over the centuries the city has played an important strategic and commercial role at the edges of Central Europe and still retains a mediaeval charm and atmosphere rarely found in Europe anymore.

Fronius Residence or Central Park hotel
Breakfast, Lunch
Ride 70km
+500m

Day 4 Sighisoara to Sibiu

After an excellent medieval breakfast, we again ride right from our hotel and out into the Romanian countryside along a secondary scenic route along the Hartibaciu valley through the small town of Biertan, one of the most important Saxon villages boasting another impressive fortified church and a UNESCO World Heritage listing. You will feel the history and heritage of this fascinating part of the world and it is a real privilege to be able to ride through such a beautiful and interesting country. Today we ride in the historic town of Sibu. You will have the option to transfer the last 25km and avoid the traffic or ride to the hotel. Sibu is a delightful place to spend a couple of nights with its noble Saxon history, art-nouveau facades and gold-embossed church, dozens of museums, and plenty of coffee houses to relax apres-ride and soak in the atmosphere.

Craft Inn Boutique or Art Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 99km
+700m

Day 5 Sibiu - Paltinis resort - Sibiu

After breakfast, we will have a beautiful ride to the Paltinis resort. This is a superb climb to an old mountain resort which has some challenging parts but is well worth the effort. The return will be an amazing descent right into town and the ‘Open Air Village Museum’ of Sibiu, one of the largest in Central and Eastern Europe. Here we can have a great meal and enjoy some historical houses and workshops of the traditional Romanian folk culture from the pre-industrial era. Over 300 houses and other buildings are situated in the forest around two artificial lakes with over 10 km of walkways between them. We will later reach the same hotel in Sibiu and we will leave you to enjoy the medieval city and have a great dinner on your own. There is a shorter, easier option and of course, anyone that wants a day off the bike, perhaps to save their legs for tomorrow’s ‘Queen Stage,’ can have a lie-in and wander around Sibiu at leisure. Sibiu is a great town to go off and explore with lots to do and see and some great places to eat so we leave you free to choose your dinner venue.

Craft Inn Boutique or Art Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch
Ride 81km
+1300m

Day 6 The Transalpina experience from Sibiu to Maldaresti

Our last day riding the “Queen Stage” of our tour is the classic Carpathian Mountain climb and the main challenge of our week in Romania. The Transalpine is known locally as the King's Road and is the highest road in Romania. The road was built under the rule of King Carol II in the 1930s and rebuilt during World War II by German troops. Similar in length and ascent to many classic alpine passes, the Transalpina is a mythic ride for local cyclists and provides a beautiful challenge for our final day. We will transfer to our start point in Saliste and enjoy a few hours riding rolling terrain before the road pitches upwards and snakes upwards around multiple switchbacks to its highest point at the Urdele Pass at an elevation of 2,145 m above sea level. The climb is long and mostly gradual, interspersed with a few steep sections with the last part spectacularly scenic as we reach the top. The road surface is really good, the traffic is usually light and the views are simply amazing. We rate the Transalpina right up there with any of the famous climbs in the Alps, and if the Transalpina was a climb in France, it would be world-famous. Here in Romania, we have the road mostly to ourselves and can enjoy jaw-dropping views without worrying about being overtaken by a pro peloton or enthusiastic group of amateur riders. As it is a long day with a serious 3,000m of elevation and some high altitude cycling to get through, we don't expect everyone to ride at the same speed. Most riders will have their own goals for the day, and our van is always on hand to pick up weary riders. Once over the pass and across the rolling plateau, it is a scintillating and fast 20km descent down into Novaci where we regroup for some celebratory drinks before transferring to our hotel Maldaresti. We end our incredible road biking adventure at our hotel in a lovely restored manor house in Maldaresti village, near Horezu, where we will enjoy a farewell dinner and take the opportunity to sample some wines from the nearby Dragasani vineyards. We are sure you will raise a glass to Romania and agree with us that this must be among the best cycling destination in Europe! We hope you will come back.

Conacul Olarilor or Conacul Maldar
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 139km
+3000m

Day 7 Departure day or extension day

Today it is time to say goodbye. After a nice breakfast, we will provide a van transfer onwards to Bucharest or Bucharest Airport for your onward flights. Alternatively, you may enjoy an additional day in Maldaresti or Horezu, which is known as a centre of pottery and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The surrounding countryside is a great place to relax and maybe make a few extra rides, and not far away is the wine country of Dragasani. We can book extensions at our hotel in Maldaresti and arrange private transfers to Bucharest, Bucharest Airport or Sibu Airport (at additional cost). Please contact our team for arrangements. Private transfer from Bucharest or Bucharest airport to Cincsor – 195 EUR/1 pp 230 EUR/ 2pp Private transfer from Sibiu airport to Cincsor - 95 EUR/1 pp and 130 EUR/2 pp Private transfer from Maldaresti to Bucharest - 200 EUR/1 pp and 240 EUR/2pp Private transfer from Maldaresti to Sibiu airport – 195 EUR/1pp and 230 EUR/2pp Extension night double room/single room at Conacul Maldar/Maldaresti – from 75 EUR/pp in double and 35 EUR/single suppl. (depending on room type availability)

Breakfast

Disclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.