Transylvania - the name alone conjures up images of craggy mountains, gothic castles, horse-drawn carts and forests filled with hibernating bears. The reality is not that far off. Crisp winters add an extra dimension to this small corner of Europe as snow blankets the pastures, farmsteads and woodlands. Spend a week exploring this region, hiking or snowshoeing to small villages, into gorges, through valleys and up mountains as we also take time to visit a local bear sanctuary and of course one of the most famous castles in the world, Bran Castle, the fictional home of the infamous Dracula.



From our comfortable guesthouse in the small village of Magura, we head out to uncover the region’s treasures on foot. Snow conditions will dictate whether we hike or snowshoe but, either way, we get into the wilderness. Along the way we meet locals who still live a traditional lifestyle, learn about the region’s rich folklore and history, enjoy the mountain scenery and, with a bit of luck, see traces of the local wildlife including wolf or bear paw prints in the snow.

We spend seven nights in Villa Hermani, a private guesthouse in the remote village of Magura. It’s ideally situated for our adventure, sitting at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains and within Piatra Craiului National Park. 



The property has twin and single rooms in a range of sizes and styles, almost all of which have private facilities (there are two rooms that share one bathroom). There is also wifi at the guesthouse; however, due to the weak internet lines in this remote location and the need to go via satellite, the hosts kindly request guests pay €5 for 750MB, which should be enough for a week of checking emails. Or you may prefer to just disconnect and enjoy the mountainous scenery from the garden or balconies.



Our friendly hosts, German couple Hermann and Katharina Kurmes, possess a wealth of knowledge on Transylvania, wildlife conservation and serve delicious homemade food.