Nestled within the Carpathian basin you can find Transylvania, a land lush with mountain greenery and active wildlife. While riding the train across their exceptionally green landsape, you may hope to find a few of their famous storks or one of their many, many brown bears (I bought a shirt that literally translated to “Transylvania: Infested with Bears”). But a safer option that’s just as exciting can be found in their gothic, medieval architecture. With an abundance of awe-inspiring churches, including seven fortified churches recognized as UNESCO heritage sites, and almost 200 castles and fortresses, you’re never too far from an architectural marvel.

While attending my field school in Sânpetru, we were taken on four field days and afforded free weekends for additional exploring. Our first excursion started off with a shuttle ride to get familiar with Brașov, home to the Old Townhall Square and the Black Church in addition to many other historic churches. This is where I chose to spend most of my free weekends, as the Town Square always had something going on! This is where you’ll be able to catch live music, town festivals, drum circles, and art shows.

Our second trip included a visit to the Ruins of the Cistercian Abbey of Kerz Evangelical Church. The day was hot and sunny, but the greenery and architecture made the trip worth it. We also had the opportunity to have a seat and reflect in one of the oldest gothic churches still in use in Transylvania. The second half of the day we visited Fagaras Fortress, a picturesque trip with an extensive museum.

The third week we visited one of my favorite places, Sinaia, to explore Peleș Castle. Taking a bus ride then a long train ride through the beautiful Transylvania countryside, we finally arrived to a rainy Sinaia. Walking from the train station we made multiple stops to take in the architecture and history. But Peleș Castle was clearly the highlight of the day. Different from the nearby Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle), much of the original furniture and art is still in place. During the winter Sinaia becomes a ski town, covered in a layer of snow, making the already picturesque town even more enticing.

Our last field trip we wandered around Sighişoara, another UNESCO world heritage site. The Historic Centre of Sighişoara is known for its heavy influence of Saxon culture and architecture. While being a well preserved 16-th century fortified city with cobbled streets and historic churches, it’s also covered in bright, vibrant colors adding to its immensely welcoming atmosphere.

For those with strong wanderlust, Transylvania has a never-ending list of fairytale-like places to explore. There are beautiful hikes, like the 7 Ladders Canyon, accessible from Brașov square, salt mines, hot springs, museums, national parks, or places like the Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Zărnești, to see the iconic Transylvanian bears from a safe distance! Really, if you can find a train with air-conditioning, you can ride across Transylvania without ever hopping off and still see fortresses and ruins!