Cluj tour, a taste of the Transylvanian capital

For most Romanians and foreign tourists, visiting Transylvania is a must, and for centuries, the traditional centre of this historical part of Romania has been the city of Cluj. From its ancient Roman beginnings as Napoca, to the medieval and modern flourishing town of Kolozsvar in Hungarian and Austro-Hungarian times, up to the present-day as Cluj, this vibrant city has been a stage where multicultural Transylvania was shown at its best. Home to the oldest Transylvanian university and animated by a large academic community, the place boasts numerous charming buildings and an atmosphere much cherished by both natives and visitors. The towns of Turda, with a spectacular recently renovated salt-mine, and Targu-Mures, with its specific Szekler (Hungarian-related) flavour, are also highlights recommending this trip.

Next to picking up the tourists, we head for the North-West, through the beautiful landscape and the towns of Sighisoara, and Turda, with a stopover to visit the spectacular Turda Salt-mine, arriving in Cluj, the cultural, economic and university (at times, political, too) Transylvanian capital. The pedestrian tour insists on sights such as the gothic St. Michael Roman-Catholic Church and the Orthodox Cathedral, the baroque Banffy Palace, nowadays the Arts Museum, the Romanian and the Hungarian Theatres, the Babes-Bolyai University, the Tailors'Bastion and the Botanical Garden. Lunch can also be served in a location with local specificity. The town of Targu-Mures with its Fortress and Cultural Palace can add a pleasant brief stopover on our return to Brasov, according to traffic conditions.