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Transylvania
Accommodations & Meals
How to get Here
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Historic Remains

Introducing Transylvania

The village of Miklósvár is surrounded by rolling pastures, deciduous and coniferous forests, wild flower meadows, and deep valleys through which flows the River Olt and its tributaries. This Transylvanian region is also known as Erdővidék (which means ‘forest region’ in Hungarian). So rich in natural value, the area surrounding Miklósvár is currently a candidate for EU Natura 2000 designation. Some places near Miklósvár are already designated as nature reservations, including a wetland exhibiting important flora and fauna. Wildlife includes black stork, lesser spotted eagle, bee eaters, brown bear, wolf, and lynx to name but a few of the species present.

The landscape of Transylvania is reminiscent of pre-Industrial western Europe. This is due in part to the traditional non-intensive farming methods that continue to be practiced in this region. Approximately 500 people live in the village, the majority of which are involved in subsistence farming. Horses are found working the fields and the elegant scythe remains a key farming tool. This makes the countryside very wildlife-friendly; for example, bird species that are suffering a decline in western Europe continue to thrive in Transylvania. More visibly, the wealth of wild flower meadows that seem to coat the entire landscape in ever-changing colours in the spring and summer. Orchids also thrive here. Where flowers abound, so does insect life; in particular, butterflies. Armed with a field guide, a person can spend a whole day spotting rarities that are still considered common here!

Transylvania, as its name implies, is also a land of forests. Beautiful beech and hornbeam forests can be found near Miklósvár, changing to fir and spruce at the higher altitudes. During the spring, forests and ponds provide a home to yellow-bellied toads and fire salamanders. As autumn approaches, the forests change from vivid green to yellow and red, while a plethora of fungi and mushroom life coats the forest floor. Upland pastures, where the grazing of sheep takes place, resembles parkland with magnificant oaks and beeches interminging with wild pear trees. Romanian shepherds and their formidable dogs can still be found here, safeguarding their flocks from predators.

The forests are also the preserve of the European brown bear and wolf, which have become predominantly nocturnal in their habits to avoid contact with humans. During the day, bears seek refuge in dense cover, such as young tree plantations, only venturing out to feed at dusk. The wolf is even more elusive. Wild boar, red deer and roe deer can often be spotted darting between trees. Tracks and signs of these animals can be found in the forests. Transylvanian winter is a particularly good time for snow tracking. During this period, thousands of bats can also be found roosting in caves.

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Weather

The climate in Miklosvar is that of continental Europe, with an altitude of between 500 to 800 metres. The summers are generally hot; however, the temperature can drop during the night

In spring and early summer the ground is scattered with wild flowers. Summer is warm and dry. During late September and October the area is full of color with the changing leaves. Winter comes early, in mid-November, and lasts until March - idea for sleigh rides and skiing.

Temperature averages are: April 11°C; May 16°C; June 19°C; July 21°C; August 21°C; September 18°C; October 13°C. It may be about 5 degrees hotter at midday and 5 degrees colder at nightfall. Showers are possible at any time. The sun will be warm and bright in the clear mountain air - we are at 600m (2,000 feet) and many rides and walks reach 1,300m (4,000 feet).

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Food and drink

Food in rural Romania is often organic and, to the Western visitor, surprisingly full of flavor. Food has not tasted this good in the West for many years. Produce is usually locally grown. At our home, meals include produce grown on our land, fertilized and ploughed by our horses.

Breakfast can include eggs, cheese, cold meat, bread, toast, butter, jam, choice of milk (which is often straight from the cow!), tea or coffee. On riding trips, lunch is generally a picnic with sandwiches, biscuits, fruit and mineral water to drink. Dinner usually includes soup, (a strong point of Romanian cooking), a main course (which will sometimes include regional specialities such as peppers stuffed with meat or vegetables, seasoned minced meat wrapped in cabbage or vine leaves, spicy meatballs), followed by cold pudding or fruit.

Vegetarian cookery is good, not surprisingly given that many Romanians observe the various religious fast periods when meat, eggs, fish, etc are not eaten.

Drinks include the locally-distilled plum brandy (tuica, also called palinka), which is traditionally strong. Good beer is also brewed in the region, and there are pleasant local red and white wines.

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Our Horses

The horses are bred locally, in the mountains, and are tough and strong. They include pure and part-breed Hutzul, Lipizzaner, Arabian and Semigreu horses. There are usually foals around too. Most of our horses are mares and geldings, though we do keep a pair of black stallions for draught work and breeding.

The Hutzul (also called Hucul, Huzul, in Romanian Hutul with an accent under the middle “t”, and in Poland Konik) is a historic breed unique to the Carpathian mountains, robust and active. It is a very rare breed, with only a few thousand examples worldwide, and ours is one of the few riding centre in Europe where visitors can ride pure-bred Hutzuls. Our horses come from the historic Lucina stud, which was breeding horses for the Moldavian prince Stephen the Great ("Stefan cel Mare") back in the 15th century - making it one of the oldest continuously functioning horse breeding centres in the world. Romanian Hutzuls are acknowledged as having the best temperaments and purest breeding of all European Hutzul horses. The Hutzul is the nearest living relative to the Tarpan, a predecessor of the modern horse, and frequently exhibits dark dorsal and lateral stripes, sometimes banded legs too. They stand around 14 hands (1,40m), not tall but strong for their size and well suited to the terrain. The Romanian army still uses Hutzuls in the mountains, both ridden and for hauling artillery. We have Hutzuls representing all the existing bloodlines - Goral, Hroby, Ousor, Pietrosu and Prislop.

The Bucovina horse is a part-bred Hutzul with infusion of draught horse blood. It is a slightly heavier animal, suitable for riding, draught work and logging, which retains the toughness, economy and tractability of the Hutzul. We have several Bucovina horses, whose roan colouring suggests a proportion of Ardennes blood - not a surprise since many Ardennes horses were brought to Romania to help regenerate horse stocks after the second world war. The pure-bred Bucovina, bred from stud animals as ours were, is even rarer than the Hutzul, although many informally-bred examples exist.

Lipizzaners have been bred in Romania for over 200 years, and most are black, bay or chestnut rather than the more familiar white. These Lipizzaners stand around 15 hands (1,50m), and are strong, reliable horses. We have both pure-bred and part-bred Lipizzaners, including a pure-bred Siglavy from Beclean-pe-Somes stud.

Our Arabian horse comes from the El-Sbaa line, a traditional type bred in Romania at Radauti stud. Like other Arabians, she is a tough, lively, intelligent horse. We also have part-bred Arabians.

The Semigreu is a complex cross incorporating the Trotter, Lipizzaner, Huzul, Ardennes and Hungarian Draught. Standing at 15 hands or a little taller, this is a good general purpose horse, and is suitable for heavier riders. The breed is exclusively Romanian, and varies appreciably in size and bulk according to the precise breeding. We have both lighter and heavier Semigreu horses.

The smaller Hutzuls – our smallest stands at 13 hands (1,30m) - are especially well suited to children.

Several of our horses are used both for riding and in draught. Normal draught work involves pulling a carriage or a cart, less frequently ploughing or hauling timber. They are highly versatile.

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Bram Stoker's Dracula

This is the land of the literary Count Dracula, anti-hero of Bram Stoker’s famous novel. Here are the places that inspired Bram Stoker’s imagination back in the late 19th century. So this is the authentic land of the Dracula novel, with all the mystery and romance, the quiet roads and deep forests, the horse-drawn vehicles, the peasant farmsteads, and the wolves howling at night.

It was some 20km south of our village that Bram Stoker set the castle of the vampire Count Dracula. The Borgo Pass is a real place, and the setting certainly appropriate for a remote and mysterious castle. The prototype for Dracula, Prince Vlad the Impaler, lived rather further south, although it seems that he did make it as far north as the Borgo Pass.

We can take you to the Borgo Pass by horse-drawn carriage, a three-hour trip along trackways through the silent Carpathian forests, across a well-preserved Roman road, and up onto the high plateau beyond. There is a castle-like hotel at the pass now, with comfortable rooms and a good bar and restaurant. So you can stay at the Borgo Pass – enjoying splendid views such as that shown in the picture.

For individuals and groups with more than a passing interest in Dracula, we can offer a programme of events in the area, with a chance to dip into local culture and traditions (for example, a visit to mountain shepherds, a trip to the village market, a performance by local musicians), visit the Borgo Pass, stay at the hotel, and of course enjoy the scenery. It is also possible to visit places in Romania associated with the historical Vlad, including his birthplace at Sighisoara, his castle at Poienari, his palace at Targoviste, and his tomb at Snagov.

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Getting here by air, rail or road

Most visitors fly to Bucuresti Otopeni airport, from where we arrange transfers to the riding centre. A variety of major international airlines fly to Bucuresti. Visitors from outside Europe may need a change of flight at a European hub. There are daily flights from London Heathrow and regional UK airports to Bucuresti Otopeni airport.
EU and US citizens no longer require visas to enter Romania. Other nationalities should check visa requirements well in advance of travel.

By train

Another option is to travel all the way by train. The nearest station is only a few miles from the riding centre. It is a 2.5 hr train ride from Bucharest to Brasov - book first class seats for a few extra dollars !

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Historic remains

Miklosvar
Archaeological digs exposed prehistoric dwellings and medieval stone foundations under the present building. In 2003, in the cellar we discovered silver coins dated early 1500s, which had presumably fallen out of our ancestors' pockets. Several building phases: Renaissance (16-17th century), Baroque (18th) and Classicism (19th).
Current restoration phase: Research and archaeology almost fully completed. Architectural planning. Restoration of the carved stonework, exposure and preservation of the outside wall decorations in fresco technique. Completed in 2002: Southern façade fresco decorations. Completed in 2003: Research and Archeology. Completed in 2004: Last digs, restoration of the first part of the roof. Completed in 2005: Restoration of the renaissance stone balcony and stone entrance door frame. Completed in 2006: Structural restoration of the original renaissance entrance loggia, last plannings.

VISCRI - The Prince of Wales Property
In 2006, The Prince of Wales acquired an 18th century farmhouse in Viscri (Deutschweisskirch).
The house had already partly collapsed in 2001, but was still lived in by old Sarah Fernolend, who died in 2003. It is thanks to her neighbour and village responsible Caroline Fernolend, that the building could be saved. The structural restoration of the house was carried out by the Mihai Eminescu Trust, under the patronage of The Prince of Wales. Restorer Colin Richards and architect Gabriel Lambescu supervised local craftsmen who gradually brought the house back to its former shape and character.
Three years after the old lady had died, His Royal Highness decided to buy the property and asked us to assist with the interiors and the courtyard. During the works, we have discovered many personal items, textiles, some furniture and many farming tools of the last inhabitant. We cleaned, washed, mended and ironed most of the wonderful original textiles, and managed to save most of them.
We used these original features to recall the atmosphere from times when the previous inhabitant was still alive, and arranged the courtyard in a similar way. We added little more furniture, some rugs, and three beds. We tried to make the house comfortable enough to be used as a guesthouse, yet keeping it in line with what it may have been like previously. We even repaired the old radio so that it is working again.
The house has now three double bedrooms, two bathrooms and a kitchen. There is also a terrace with benches and a long table.

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