Join me on a magical journey through Transylvania exploring rich folk traditions, local hospitality, beautiful lanscapes. We have created two fascinating journeys with a focus on tradition and folk culture. Staying in village accommodation, eating local food and meeting local craftspeople, not to mention stunning scenery, Unesco listed churches and a huge bi-annual flea market.
A journey from Kalotaszeg to Szeklerland including pretty Saxon villages, beautiful landscapes, local traditions, crafts people and a huge bi-annual flea market.
Junes tour will explore the cultures of the Saxon, Csango, Szekler and Kalotaszeg regions of Transylvania. We will visit artisans, food producers and private collections. We will travel in a spacious midi bus, staying in village accommodation, eating local food. Its a wonderful time of year to experience rural Transylvania with wild flowers in abundance and the beginning of hay making.
June 6 meet for a pre -tour welcome drink and optional supper at Zama restaurant in Cluj
June 7.
Pick up from accommodation 8/9 am
Travel to Rimetea, a pretty village with traditional houses. Visit a dowry collection and learn about the textiles of the area.
Visit a Roma community who make their living from copper work, demonstration and learn about their traditions and lifestyle
Stay in the very pretty, quiet Saxon village of Alma Vii. Visit the fortified church. Option for a swim in a natural swimming pool
Supper at Alma Via
June 8
Visit the magnificent Saxon fortified church of Biertan
Visit the workshop of weaver and embroiderer of the Romanian blouse in Malanvcrav
Travel to Szeklerland where we will visit a herbalist and tea maker in her magical garden
Travel to a remote village in Szeklerland where we will visit Orsolya Veerart, ethnographer, weaver and natural dyer in her beautiful homestead.
Travel to Ghimes, home of the Csango people where we will stay in renovated traditional houses for 2 nights. Saunas and hot tubs on the hillside
June 9
Full day in Ghimes, we will travel to the Szalamas valley where we will visit a Csango family and learn about their costumes, culture and music.
Travel to the hills full of meadows of wild flowers, visit milking stations and cheese makers enjoying panoramic views.
June 10
Travel to Zalanpatak where we will visit and have lunch at the retreat of King Charles
Visit the Suto family of furniture makers and painters
Visit a local blacksmith
Supper in a Saxon courtyard in Viscri
Travel to Mesendorf where we will stay for 2 nights in an old Saxon house
June 11
Visit Sacele and learn about the costumes and textiles of this region where through centuries Hungarians, romanians, Saxons and Roma have created a colourful cultural mix
Lunch in the village
Walk around Brasov and visit the black church with its famous collection of carpets
Special dinner in Mesendorf
June 12
Visit a family who make the embroidered waistcoat of the Fagaras region
Alfresco lunch in Rasinari with the Lungu family.
A walk around the centre of Sibiu
Drive to Savadisla in Kalotaszeg where we will stay for 2 nights
June 13
Early start to visit the huge bi -annual flea market where I will introduce you to dealers from different areas in Romania
Visit a dowry room belonging to a master embroiderer in Kalotaszeg
Musicians and folk dancers from Kalotaszeg
June 14
Visit a stunning private collection of textiles,
Lunch in the village of Szek
Return to Cluj where the tour will end mid- afternoon
The tour will be led by Cristian, an experienced local guide, and myself. We are both passionate about all aspects of folk culture and have planned an immersive and varied itinerary. We really want to show you the magic of Transylvanian folk culture, taking you to people and places. I have been travelling to and researching the folk traditions for many years.
Max 10 participants
Cost £2150, £240 single supplement, payable by bank transfer (£50 surcharge for payment with credit card).
5% discount for returning tour customers
Payments can be transferred in your local currency according to the mid exchange rate on the day of payment
Discovering the folk traditions of Kalotaszeg, the Transylvanian Plain and Maramures
The tour starts in Cluj on the morning of the 9th October. There will be a welcome drink the evening before.
With two nights in Kalotaszeg, 2 nights in Szek and 3 nights in Maramures this tour explores the folk culture of 3 distinct regions of Transylvania.
Staying in villages guest houses, eating local food. We will visit dowry rooms, private collections, crafts people, sheepfold, cheese makers and more. I have been running this tour for 3 years and have received great feedback.
Day1 Kalotaszeg
-Morning pick up 08.00-08.30 from your accommodation in Cluj.
-Visit Sinko Kallo Katalin the expert on the embroidery of the region. We will visit her dowry room and her collection of textiles and costume learn about the local textile techniques, the costume. Katalin will take us to the local embroidery -adorned church where she will talk more about the significance of the patterns and motifs used.
-Lunch at an organic homestead high in the Apuseni mountains
-Visit a small private museum and learn about the work of NGO TKD in restoration and preservation of built and cultural heritage in Kalotaszeg.
-Visit a dowry room in Sancrieu
Guest house in Sancrieu where we will stay for 2 nights
Day 2 – Market day
-Early start to travel to the huge and wonderful Negreni market. I will point you in the direction of selllers from different areas.
-Lunch of your choice at the market * not included in cost
-Visit an expert in vagdolas, a technique similar to hardanger, in her dowry room.
-Music and dance from Kalotaszeg with supper
Day 3 Kalotaszeg ( Petrinzel) and The Transylvanian Plain
-Visit a local cheesemaker.
-Visit Ilonka who will show us her dowry room and demonstrate the drawing of the irasos patterns
-Visit the tiny church designed by Kos Karoly
-Lunch with a family in the village
-Travel to the Transylvanian plain to a small private collection / museum.
-Visit makers of embroidered sheepskin waitscoats who will also provide us with supper.
-Travel to Szek where we will stay for 2 nights
Day 4 Szek
A day in Szek visiting crafts people, collectors, dowry rooms and the oldest house in Szek.
-In the evening we will have music and dance and traditional costume demonstration.
Day 5 Journey to Maramures
-Curators tour of the Kallos foundation, an astonishing collection of Transylvanian textiles.
On our way to Maramures we will stop at
-Rogoz to see the wooden church and the adjoining folk museum
and then make our way to a fulling and felting mill
Visit a hat maker
-Travel to Breb where we will stay for 3 nights
Day 6 Breb
-Explore the village of Breb by horse and cart, visiting local makers, the wooden church
village lunch and visit to the dowry room and embroidery demonstration.
-Walk and talk about the ecology of the village and an opportunity to visit a family of local textile dealers
Day 7
-Visit the local markets in Sighetu
-Visit the Skanzen open air museum
Lunch
-The Merry Cemetery in Sapanta,.
-Visit to a sheepfold * this requires a 30 minute walk on a moderate incline
-Music and dance in Breb
Day 8
Return to Cluj on the way stopping in Sapanta where we will visit a carpet weaver and a chance to shop at the little textile market.
Lunch at the house of a ceramicist on our way back to Cluj
Return to Cluj 16.00
Cost £2150, £240 single supplement, payable by bank transfer (£50 surcharge for payment with credit card).
5% discount for returning tour customers
Payments can be transferred in your local currency according to the mid exchange rate on the day of payment
Getting there
Flights to Cluj Napoca International Airport. Wizzair flies from many European cities including London. Lufthansa and others via Germany from London and the US.
Flixbus from mainland Europe
The train lines are being modernised, there are long diversions on trains from Budapest
I am happy to advise, please email me.
Cost
Includes 7 nights accommodation with ensuite bathroom, all transport, guiding, meals from lunch on day 1 to lunch on day 8 excluding lunch on market day when we buy our own lunch at the market. Glass of wine or beer with dinner.
Not included; transport to and accommodation in Cluj pre and post tour, extra snacks and drinks. Compulsory insurance.
Payment terms
Deposit of £500 payable within 7 days of your place being confirmed.
June trip; Further payment of £800 due February 14th 2026 with the balance due March 31st
October trip; Further payment of £800 due June 9th with the balance due July 15th
Other
To experience all activities to the fullest a reasonable level of mobility is required, there will be some (limited) walking on uneven terrain, steps in churches etc
We can accommodate most dietary requirements
To register please complete the registration form, ensure you have read and agree to the T and C . I will confirm receipt within 24 hours. Further practical information will be sent out prior to the tour commencement.
I wrote a Postcard from Transylvania for Cabana magazine after producing a feature for them in 2002 and more recently had a travel piece Head for the Hills published in issue 126 of Selvedge magazine
“Kath’s passion, connections, knowledge and love for the people,textiles and heritage made for an unforgettable experience. Thank you Kath for showing us so much beauty” Giada, tour particpant 2023
This is one of the best trips I have ever done. I saw Transylvania in a different light, and it was very special to have such unique access to people’s homes and dowry rooms. I felt more connected on this trip to Romania than I have done before because I met such wonderful people and I learned a lot about the local skills and traditions. Kath and Cristian were brilliant and lovely, and their knowledge outstanding. Thank you for a truly amazing trip! Katie , 2025x
..A story perfectly produced by Kath Griffiths..who put together an ideal itinerary, mixing traditional houses and churches and finding a myriad of detail (think cross stitch panels, embroidered cushions, painted furniture and ceramics) in those rooms that are suspended in time Martina Mondadori, Editor in chief, Cabana Magazine 2022
Kath’s passion, connections, knowledge and love for the people,textiles and heritage made for an unforgettable experience. Thank you Kath for showing us so much beauty Giada, tour particpant 2023
Although I knew Kath had connections in the area, it was still a real blessing to be welcomed into the private homes, and further into the Dowry Rooms where the families most prized textiles are lovingly stored. (much fun playing at dress-up) I would quite happily do the tour again. Suzanne Mannolini, tour participant 2023 and 2024
It was the first time I decided to do a group tour for 1 week and it surpassed all my expectations. The organizer Kath and the guide Christian were just such great people to be around with : knowledgeable and transmitting their enthousiasm for the region we visited. The group was such nice people to spend time with so it made the whole week very special.
I very much enjoyed the variety of the program and the fact that we had many interaction with various locals. I really feel I was fully immersed in a another culture for one week . I enjoyed every minute of it and I feel privileged to have had such an experience that I could share with so many interesting people. Tour participant 2024
