The Romanian countryside, particularly Viscri Village in Transylvania, has been a magnet for travelers. The commitment to maintaining traditions and age-old practices has always been its allure. This dedication has proved fruitful, and there’s optimism that it will continue.
Viscri Village, which even caught the attention of Prince Charles, stands as a testament to this. Its scenic vistas, traditional farming, baking, and cooking methods, combined with profound respect for nature and deep spirituality, encapsulate the essence of the Transylvanian countryside.
A closer look into the history of this Transylvanian jewel: Viscri Village
Viscri village this real-life emblem of the Transylvanian countryside is situated in the heart of the country- a little sideways of the main road that connects Brasov to Sighisoara.
Initially inhabited by Szecklers and later on colonized by Saxons of Transylvania, it long remained untouched and slightly forgotten. One of the most emblematic edifices in the village of Viscri is the Evanghelic Fortified Church, or, also called the Romanic Hall-Chruch, dating back to the 13th century.
It is extremely important to mention that this fortified church is one of the best-preserved ones. The Viscri Fortified Church and Fortress is a part of UNESCO World Heritage since 1999 and it is the most visited spot in Viscri. When here, it is imperative for you not to miss the most iconic parts of the fortified church:
- The Holy Font: is the main attraction of the church and it was built on an old column section.
- The Church Museum: you can here learn all about the customs of the Saxon people; alongside a large variety of tools and artifacts, furniture pieces, and clothing.
- The Tower: and the amazing view of the village. Enjoy a breathtaking panorama of color.
Viscri Fortified Church and Fortress
- Address: Viscri 507039, Brasov, Romania
- Visiting Hours: daily from 10 AM to 1 PM, and 2 PM to 6 PM
What else is there to see in Viscri?
There is a special something about small communities, isn’t it? Viscri is the best example to sustain this claim. It may not be a big place, but it certainly has everything it needs for a full battery recharge. Here is what you should add on your Not to Miss list, besides Viscri Fortified Church above mentioned:
- The landscapes
- The Felt makers
- A walk through the village
- Staying in an old Saxon house
- Eating traditional food
- An off-road bike experience
Viscri has always been about the feeling, and we know that too well. At TravelMaker we always try to make your experience as exquisite as it can get. We orchestrate Custom-Made Tours of Viscri and we have thought and re-written it until it reached perfection.
Our Custom-made tours of Viscri implicates a few other emblematic Saxon villages and towns in the area such as Sashiz, Mesendorf, Sighisoara, or Sibiu. You will have lots of unusual activities such as pottery workshops, farm activities, traditional lunch at a guest house, cart ride and a more usual one would be walking through the forests. We have plenty of those!
For information regarding the custom made tour contact us!
In case you are interested in getting to know Transylvania like the back of your hand, our Transylvania Break Tour promises a lot and delivers even more than that. You will have the chance to see all the UNESCO Heritage Sites in Transylvania, Viscri Village, and the medieval citadel of Sighisoara included.
Prince Charles of Wales and his special bond with the Transylvanian countryside
It’s the timelessness of it which is so remarkable, almost out of some of those stories one used to read as a child. It’s quite remarkable. People are yearning for that sense of belonging and identity and meaning.
His Royal Highness, Prince Charles of Wales about Transylvania
Prince Charles has declared his love for the Transylvanian countryside and Viscri decades ago. He has since started to invest a lot of time and money to restore and protect the area. HRH has been the Chairman of Mihai Eminescu Trust for 13 years, from 2000 to 2013, and continues to stay involved in everything this amazing team does for preserving the Romanian village heritage. The Mihai Eminescu Trust has managed to develop over 1.000 projects in both villages and towns. Some of these projects involved training locals in traditional construction techniques, agro-tourism, English learning as well as offering over 100 jobs through the projects developed, and over 120 extra during the season.
Prince Charles and the former King of Romania, Michael I are related, through Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 3rd cousins. That being said, it is quite easy to understand Prince Charles’ interest in Romania, and more specifically and with an emotional attachment, Transylvania and the countryside of the area. More interesting facts about Prince Charles can be read in this article.
Before his initial visit, Prince Charles championed Romanian heritage. He worked to deter communists from demolishing historical structures, urging the Communist Party to value their legacy. In part, he prevailed. After the regime fell, he promptly visited, and that visit made a lasting impact.
Just one visit to completely and irrevocably fall in love with the Transylvanian countryside. As many people may already know, Prince Charles even bought a property in Viscri, one that today serves as a guest house.
It is open for anybody who wants to spend the night imagining they sleep in a place His Royal Highness chose himself. Below you can watch a video in which he explains what Viscri Village and Transylvanian countryside means to him:
Where do you eat when in Viscri village or surrounding areas?
People of Viscri have always tried to keep traditions and this applies to food as well as everything else. The slow food movement is not new at all, although it might seem so to younger generations; and people of Viscri village have been cooking slow food for as long as they can remember, passing their recipes from generation to generation and simply saying “no” to anything fast. And slow food means one thing: health.
You will be surprised to see, just by walking the main street of Viscri how many specialties you can buy: from pickles to mouth-watering jams, all homemade, of course. The Transylvanian countryside has amazing food in general, and although recipes might seem similar, each place has something different, a trademark if you will.
So if you are a foodie and want to try as much traditional food as possible this tour promises amazing food from amazing UNESCO Heritage sites around Transylvania. In case you want to stick to Viscri Village you should try:
1. Viscri 32
White Barn and Blue House have a beautiful orchard where you can relax while enjoying authentic or reinvented Transylvanian recipes using farm-to-table ingredients from small producers. Reservations are mandatory prior to dining here.
- Address: Viscri, 32
- Contact: +40755 084 084
- Website: www.viscri32.com
2. Viscri 38
All the recipes are traditional according to the Viscri area and the ingredients are mostly from their own garden. They prepare each meal just before serving it.
- Address: Viscri, 38
- Contact: panait.m1972@yahoo.com
- Website: www.viscri38.ro/en/
Where do you sleep in Viscri village?
There are so many incredible places to sleep in Viscri, that it would be impossible to name them! However, we have tried a few and we would love to give a few recommendations. Remember how we insisted on the fact that there is something truly special about Viscri?
You might get a little bit confused to see that all guesthouses have peculiar names i.e. the name of the village Viscri and a number similar to a street number, for example, Viscri 125.
1. Viscri 125
Speaking of, Viscri 125 is one place that caught our attention, and we loved the time spent here. They choose to present their guest house by saying “Our rooms are all decorated with traditional furniture, hand-woven carpets, and natural materials to help you unwind and relive the peacefulness of yesterday”.
Besides the authenticity of the rooms, Viscri 125 also offers a nice breakfast, a great place for the kids to play, and a spa. Not too shabby for a village!
- Address: Viscri, 125
- Contact: +40748053147 or contact@viscri125.ro
- Website: www.viscri125.ro
2. Viscri 129
This is another place, especially if you want a house all by yourself would be this one, and here is how you can get in touch with them:
- Address: Viscri, 129
- Contact: +40 724 000 349
- Website: www.experiencetransylvania.ro
A tremendous amount of activities left to do in Transylvanian countryside
We have said it before and you may have heard it somewhere else, the Transylvanian countryside has a lot to do with Saxon heritage. If you are interested in learning more about the villages and fortified churches of Transylvania we think you will enjoy reading this article.
Viscri Village is just one beautiful example, and His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Wales has helped Viscri gain a lot of recognition throughout the years. Our point? There are a lot of nearby villages surrounding Viscri; actually, every village from Sighisoara to Rupea seems like a piece of a history book.
There is one event taking place once a year that celebrates Saxon heritage and it’s called Haferland Week or Saptamana Haferland, in Romanian. Harferland means “Oat Land” in the German language and the region got this name due to the climate which assured impressive harvests of oat. What happens during this week? Haferland Week is a festival meant to promote cultural heritage and revitalize local traditions.
If you are lucky enough to be in the area during this week of celebration, you can drive around the entire region i.e. all the Saxon villages that form the Oat Land: Crit, Viscri, Mesendorf, Cloasterf, Roades, Saschiz, and Fiser. If you fall in love with the Romanian countryside and want to explore more of the rural areas, you can read here and find this of great help when planning your rural trip.
Other activities in Transylvania Area
Transylvanian people have always considered themselves hospitable, kind, patient, and creative, and the projects that we are about to present prove them right.
If in one of your Transylvanian journeys you find yourself in Odorheiu Secuiesc (and even if you don’t, we highly recommend you to make your way and visit) you will find The Mini Transylvania Park or Parcul Mini Transilvania (in Romanian). The purpose of this park of miniatures was to impulsion tourism by recreating the historical monuments of the region. The creators of Mini Transylvania Park also published maps, CDs, coloring books, and different games for children about old Szecklers’ legends. Their webpage is quite an inspiration.
If you still have time on your hands, you will be happy to know that not too far away from the Mini Transylvania Park, in Covasna County to be more specific you will be able to visit The Museum of Transylvanian Life– a heritage initiative project, hosted by Kálnoky Castel, in Miclosoara. You can read all about it here – Muzeulvietiitransilvanene.ro.
If you are interested in top things to do and see in Transylvania read more about it in this article.
Contact us for more information and for any other inquiries that might be crossing your mind.