Places

Step back in time and learn about the traditional cheese making in the wonderful world of the Gyimes/Ghimes Hills! Here we discover a typical traditional farm as our host guides us on his subsistence farm. We visit a Kaliba, which is a typical summer shelter up in the pasture and we try cheese making. In a walking tour we visit the ruins of the Rakoczi fortress, and with the help of our host, we can learn about the biodiversity of meadows, herbs and mushrooms. At the fortress we will recall the events from of the First and Second World Wars. Program duration: 4-5 hours

RideMore Center is a unique sports center in Romania specially designed to facilitate development in several sports disciplines.  The center covers an area of ​​1,600 square meters and includes a skate park, trampolines with ninja warrior area, climbing board, yoga room, crossfit room, as well as accommodation rooms.  The space is dedicated to the training of athletes, as well as those who want to initiate themselves in these sports or those who just want to exercise and have fun.

Challenge your inner explorer with a day trip to the Transylvanian countryside to an off-the-beaten-path location where you can meet talented craftsmen, visit locals in their homes, learn about the local lifestyle, then join a bear watching tour in the wild at dusk. Life in the dispersed mountainous village of Varsag is fascinating and harsh in the same time. People still live like 50 years ago, earning a living from subsistence agriculture and forestry. Many houses are scattered in the heart of nature kilometers away from any facility like a school, a shop or a church. Neighboring houses can be separated from each other by a forest or by a field or meadow. The landscape is breathtaking with numerous mineral spings, crystal clear streams rich in trouts, pastures covered by wild flowers, glimmering waterfalls and dense forests rich in game. Step back in time and experience the greatness and simplicity of the locals living in Varsag, then see wild brown bears in their natural habitat from the security of one of the many wildlife hides operating in the area. Highlights of the tour: Explore the dispersed mountainous village of Varsag (79 km from Sighisoara) Get acquainted with the old craft of shingle-roof making and other traditional crafts Ride on a horse-drawn cart to absorb the local atmosphere Visit the picturesque 7 m high Csurgoko waterfall 3-hour close encounter with native wildlife in their natural environment Spot brown bears and possibly other species like deer, wild boar, fox, badger or game birds Enjoy the Carpathian forests silence and the excitement of waiting for bears to come Informative, friendly and professional guide Small group ensures personal service Flexibility to customize your itinerary to your own preferences Meet your guide in Odorheiu Secuiesc (47 km from Sighisoara) and ride almost an hour to one of the most dispersed villages of the Eastern Carpathians, to Varsag, where 60% of the area is woody and the inhabitants live kilometers away from each other. Along the way you will ride through colorful Szekler villages by the Tarnava Mare River, pass by the picturesque Zetea dam lake, then wind through a narrow road leading among dense forests until you arrive to Varsag. Here a horse drawn cart will await you to start your discovery tour. Visit a local pub and spend some time interacting with the locals. This isolated community with its friendly and welcoming locals will fascinate you. Enjoy some snacks and local brandy while they tell you about their daily lives and amuse you with some funny stories. According to local legends, the village covers an area comparable in size to the territory of the Romanian capital with only 1500 inhabitants living there. Ride the cart and visit traditional craftsmen like the blacksmith, the shingle-roof maker and a wood carver, watch them at work and listen to their stories. Taste delicious local produce, visit a 100 year old still-functioning watermill, capture the 7 m high Csurgoko waterfall and climb up on a 3 m high look-out tower which offers panoramic views of the dispersed houses and farms and of the surrounding Carpathian Mountains in the distance. One-hour before dusk an experienced local ranger, will take you with his 4wd car deep into the forests of the Eastern Carpathians which have one of the largest population concentration of brown bears in Romania. Occupy your place in the hide, stay quiet, listen to the forest wildlife sounds and enjoy the excitement of waiting for bears to come. Usually we are successful in seeing bears, but as there are wild animals involved, nothing is guaranteed. If you are lucky, you may observe bears feeding themselves, playing together, courting and mating, and even other species like wild boars, roe deer and red deer, fox, badger and some game birds. After approximately 3 hours watching, head back to the car accompanied by your guide and ride back to Odorheiu Secuiesc. The entire trip takes 9 to 10 hours. Be prepared and wear hiking boots, weatherproof clothing and bring binoculars, camera, extra battery and memory card to record this unique experience.

At the request of our guests, we organize cultural and artistic events. Dancers and musicians will present traditions from the local folklore, and the interested guests will have the opportunity to learn how to dance on folk music. Gyimesi Skanzen Guesthouse

The Şumuleu Ciuc/Csíksomlyó Pentecost pilgrimage began in 1567, a vow of pilgrimage of szeklers for the protection of their Catholic faith, which has become the most significant pilgrimage of Hungarians since 1990. According to the chronicles, the first pilgrimage to Şumuleu Ciuc/Csíksomlyó, with the leadership of priest István, was started from Joseni/Gyergyóalfalu more than 450 years ago. According to the records, Monarch János Zsigmond wanted to force the population of Csík County to change to the Unitarian religion and sent an army to capture the captain of the Csík castle. The priest from that time, István priest, gathered the people of Joseni/Gyergyóalfalu and its surroundings and went to Şumuleu Ciuc/Csíksomlyó to confront the ruler’s army, but eventually the battle did not take place, because the leaders of the army realized that the internecine war was meaningless. The peaceful retreat of the ruler’s army is considered as a miracle of Mary, thus priest István promised that he will lead the pilgrimage for the people of Joseni/Gyergyó to Şumuleu Ciuc /Csíksomlyó on Saturdays at every Pentecost. The significance of „pilgrimage branch” can be traced back to the same story, which is collected by the pilgrims of Şumuleu Ciuc/Csíksomlyó. When the army of the monarch retreated, they sent a messenger to the church in Gyergyóalfalu, where the woman, the children and the elders remained to pray. The messenger signaled with a white branch in his hand that the danger has passed. Cover photo: www.facebook.com/magasbolszekelyfold Photo: Iochom Zsolt

The pig is usually slaughtered on Christmas Eve or in the frosty days of January, this activity becoming the most popular traditional event. For the city folks, it is a tourist attraction and a possibility to cultivate folk traditions. The event consists in slaughtering the pig raised around the farmer's house, processing the meat, and attending the traditional dinner - where different types of sausages (caltaboși, sângerete, cârnați), stew and soup prepared with pickled cabbage are served. The pig slaughtering begins in the morning with a quick drink, then the fire is lit in the hearth and the water is boiled. The actual work starts with stabbing the pig, where the protagonist is the butcher, who has a special knife to commit the "murder." The aids try to hold the agitated animal. The blood is collected in a saucepan, since it will be the raw material for “sângerete”. Afterwards, the pig is placed in a tube, where the hair is removed by scalding. First, the pig is sprinkled with resin (this makes the hairs stick to each other). Then, the animal's hair is removed with a special tool, by rubbing the pig's skin. After the hair is removed, the pig is burned with straw bundles. After the pig's skin browned beautifully, it is washed and cleaned thoroughly. After another round of drinks and best wishes for the health of those present, the pig is lifted on a table to be cut into pieces. The butcher cuts the hams, removes the intestines, the guts, the pig's head and the lard. The ribs are cut with a hatchet in three equal parts, making sure that the meat is not completely removed, but holds the ribs together, which are then salted and smoked. The bacon is cut in desired sizes, salted and smoked. Processing the scapula is done in two ways: after removing the bone, it is either cut off as ham, or used to prepare the sausages. The ham will be smoked. The intestines are cleaned and readied for the sausage preparation (caltaboși, sângerete, cârnați). After cleaning the skin pieces, some of the skin goes to boil and will be the basic material for “sângerete” and ”tobă” (which is a kind of sausage made from swine’s entrails). The sausages will be made from square bacon pieces without rind, and small pieces of meat. Another part of the bacon will be cut into squares, from which, after melting, a white and tasty pig lard is obtained. Entrails - liver, heart, lungs, spleen, kidneys, tongue - are cooked in 95 ° C water. Boiled meat, cooked rice and the blood of the animal collected at slaughtering are added to the mix. Everything is chopped and stuffed in the intestines, to obtain the “sângerete” and “caltaboș”. Seasoning is done to the taste of each farmer. The unused bits of meat, along with gristle are boiled, to form the stuff for ”tobă”. The sausages are made from minced raw meat, seasoned with paprika, pepper and garlic. The sausages, the bacon, the ham, the ”caltaboși” and ”toba” are smoked. Thus, these products prepared by salting, brining, boiling and smoking are preserved for more than half a year, either in the pantry or in the attic of the house. For details regarding the cost and other details, please call the host of the program at the following phone numbers: Ivó/Izvoare – Botházi András: +40741232744 Tusnádfürdő/Băile Tușnad: +40749066008 Szentegyháza/Vlăhița: +40744680753 Borszék/Borsec: 0266337001 Csíkrákos/Racu: +40745180649 Gyergyócsomafalva/Ciumani: +40746337722

Szeretne találkozni a Csíkszentgyörgyi Székely Góbékkal? Megnézné egy előadásukat, és uzsonnázna is velük? Amennyiben a válasz igen, ez az ajánlat Önnek szól. A program tartalmaz egy előadással egybekötött uzsonnázást Csíkszentgyörgyön, egy rusztikusan berendezett vendéglőben. Az uzsonna tartalmazni fogja azokat a hagyományos ételeket, amelyeket a filmjeik során is fogyasztanak: szalonna, hagyma, túró, főtt pityóka, vaj és házikenyér egy kis pálinka kíséretében. A csomag ára: 74 lej/fő. Időtartam: 2–3 óra. A programon való részvétel előzetes egyeztetéshez kötött: +40 724 158 230.

The cheese workshop in Gheorgheni/Gyergyószentmiklós was opened in 2017 by Rural Development Gheorgheni/Gyergyószentmiklós. Its primary aim is to show visitors cheesemaking and the ingredients used to make healthy dairy products. They are showint their guests the cheese maturing process, the tools used to make cheese and the maturing cellar, where the cheeses are treated for up to 4 years. Visitors will be able to taste some of the best-known cheeses made from raw milk, matured for a long time and natural yoghurt. The program includes: • guided tour, • demonstration of cheese making, • milking, • product tasting (cheeses, yoghurt, scones, dry white wine), • possibility to buy products. The programme can be customized for individuals and groups and takes on average 1 hour. Groups are limited to 50 people at a time. On request, a presentation of the herbs and spices typical of the region can be organised. For programming a visit to the cheese workshop please feel free to call Réka Köllő, 0735 735 155 (reka77@gmail.com). Prices: • children 20 RON/person • adults 30 RON/person The visitor center offers meaningful pastimes for both adults and children. 

Visit the Krausz chocolate workshop, where you can learn how artisan chocolates are made, and how a little cacao bean makes its way into an elegant box. You will also taste different flavoured chocolates made with carefully selected and local ingredients. The small family business welcomes visitors to its workshop in Sântimbru/Csíkszentimre! The visit takes about 40-60 minutes. The manufactory can be visited daily, from 10 am to 7 pm, by reservation. Location: Sântimbru/Csíkszentimre, Malom str. 118 

Offer 30p | 25 Ron / person • presentation of the Csíki Csipsz factory • chips tasting (100 g) Offer for students (up to 10 years old) 30 p | Free of charge • we will show you how are we making chips • chips tasting (70 g) Booking: +40755 030 895, latogatokozpont@csikisor.hu IMPORTANT! Registration is considered a definite booking after confirmation by phone or e-mail.   We want your visit to be a lasting memory, so you have the opportunity to purchase souvenirs related to Csíki Beer and Csíki Chips in our gift shop. We offer also: • Visiting and tasting tour at a local brewery

We invite you to travel in time in the only European photography studio that works by only using natural light. Ancient cameras, backgrounds, decors and other antique accessories can be seen. You could look inside cameras that are a hundred years old; you could witness the magic of black-and-white film developing in dark rooms.  Visit the Kováts Photography in Odorheiu Secuiesc. Advance reservation: 0746665797

Learn the secrets of Miercurea Ciuc's beloved brew at this factory tour, 12km south of Miercurea Ciuc, through tastings and traditional Hungarian beer snacks. After a few sips, you too will be singing the praises of the Harghita Mountains' spring water and quality hops. Offer: 1 h | 45 Ron / person  • tour, explanation of the technology used • Csík Chips tasting (100 g) • unlimited beer consumption 2 h | 85 Ron / person  • tour, explanation of the technology used • local cuisine tasting • unlimited beer consumption 2 h | 99 Ron / person  • tour, explanation of the technology used  • oven-baked trotters in handmade bread with horseradish and garlic sauce • unlimited beer consumption Booking: +40755 030 895, latogatokozpont@csikisor.hu IMPORTANT! Registration is considered a definite booking after confirmation by phone or e-mail.   We want your visit to be a lasting memory, so you have the opportunity to purchase souvenirs related to Csíki Beer and Csíki Chips in our gift shop. We offer also: • Visiting and tasting tour at "Csíki Csipsz"

The day of the Thousand Szekler Girls, organized on the first Saturday of July in Miercurea Ciuc, is a celebration of music, dance and the popular Szekler clothes, which offers an opportunity to present, preserve and popularize the values of the Szekler folk art and garments. The first edition of the festival was organized in 1931. The tradition was revived in 1990, keeping its original goal of preserving folk traditions. The event begins with a parade of the traditional costumes. Girls and boys dressed in traditional clothes march to the city center, dancing on folk music. The program continues on the ridge that links the two hills of Şumuleu, where, after a religious service, the folk groups gathered from all the corners of the Szeklerland are introduced to the public. Immediately after that, starts a true feast of the folk clothes, dance and songs.

Route: Odorheiu Secuiesc/Székelyudvarhely (Kováts Photo Museum) - Inlăceni/Énlaka (Museum of Szekler Crafts) - Crișeni/Kőrispatak (Straw Hat Museum)   Program description: • City presentation in Odorheiu Secuiesc/Székelyudvarhely (historical center). • Visit to the Kováts Photo Museum and Laboratory. The museum was founded in 1876, and still operates today. It contains more than 80000 negatives and now processes black-and-white images manually. It is the only European photography studio that works by only using natural light. • Inlăceni/Énlaka is an isolated village, which charm lies in its uniqueness: in its preserved fine art values. The settlement is very popular among composers, painters, architects, all those who are looking for a quiet, peaceful place to create. This place is often visited by horticultural engineers, professionals, who specialize in rescuing old fruit species. The program includes a visit to the Museum of Szekler Crafts connected to the gastronomic experience.  Program location: Harghita county Micro-region: Odorheiu Secuiesc/Székelyudvarhely Program prices: The price of the programme is determined in agreement with the guide.