Via Transilvanica included in the Time's World Greatest Places 2024

Have you heard about the amazing Via Transilvanica in Romania? It's a picturesque path that travels diagonally cross-country from the north-east to the south-west, meant to be taken by foot or by bike, in order to discover the beautiful natural and cultural sights and meet the locals! 

It is called "The road that unites", because its target is to unite the traveler with the local communities and with the nature, and help each other along the way - it's one of the best examples of ecotourism! The 1400 km are easy and pleasurable to travel this way. 

Via Transilvanica, inaugurated in October 2022, has hiking, cycling, and horseback riding pathway and was founded by Romanian NGO "Tasuleasa Social" to revitalize more than 400 communities sidelined by depopulation and economic constraints. The project brings travelers through traditional villages living off the land, welcoming backpackers reveling in wild, Transylvanian charm. Visitors can book a room in a hotel or inn or seek lodging in locals’ houses, where home-cooked meals are served with produce from the homestead. In-depth Traveler’s and Biker’s Guides detail accommodation options for each route.

Unique rock milestones carved by artists mark each kilometer of the trail, making this one of the largest open-air sculpture exhibits in the world. Some bollards are found beside notable sites such as the Alba Carolina Citadel or fairytale Saxon villages like Biertan, where traditional guesthouses abound. Spanning seven ethnically diverse historical regions in 10 counties, not to mention 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Via Transilvanica has been hailed by Europa Nostra for its groundbreaking role in sustainable local development, even picking up two European Heritage Awards: one for Citizens’ Engagement and Awareness-Raising and the other a Public Choice Award.

The publication TIME has compiled a list of 100 destinations that are trully worth visiting - newcoming, undiscovered ones! TIME solicited nominations of places—including hotels, cruises, restaurants, attractions, museums, parks, and more—from its international network of correspondents and contributors, as well as through an application process, with an eye toward those offering new and exciting experiences. 

We are very happy that the amazing Romanian Via Transilvanica got to be on this list, because it's an impressive and complex path of many attractions and feelings!

Source: Via Transilvanica: World’s Greatest Places 2024 | TIME