Internationale groepsreis Cycle Romania

Cycle Romania

In summary, I found the trip excellent.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

There were many inspirational moments from climbing my last hill - my legs insisted I start there - to the complete effort by Raluca & Radu to show us 'their Romania' and trying to help us understand the complex 1000 year history of Transylvania and the effects of Communism on the whole of the country from 1947 to 1990.

What did you think of your group leader?

Radu was our principal leader in that he was 'on the ground' day by day. He was very professional but with a twinkle in his eye, very knowledgeable about the area and his English is very good. Raluca as one of the principle architects of the Cycle Romania experience, was along on this first trip to make certain all the logistics were covered. Her passion for her country, her historical comment & her never shying away from tough questions were most appreciated. For some of our fellow travellers her inability to create - magically - wifi where none existed or a hair dryer - a must it seemed for some - might have been a problem but for me these were non issues. She did a great job.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

You will be travelling in rural villages in beautiful countryside. Roll with the punches and look for the positives. You'll be back to the 'necessities' of your world soon.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Romania and the efforts put in by all both in Romania & the United Kingdom to make this happen. I thought the process of having the leader lead from the back, thereby allowing those who travelled faster to go on ahead and then having a meeting point so that the group could reconvene an excellent idea. I found the bikes good and the fact that they could be adjusted - in my case both the handle bars and the angle of the seat - more than satisfactory. The accommodation was interesting and good and the pace worked for me.

Cycle Romania MVF

Don’t hesitate to visit Romania and explore Transylvania by bicycle. At the moment there is little tourism there and Transylvania remains bucolic, tranquil and unspoilt, as it has done for centuries. I was impressed by the abundance of growth everywhere, the wild flowers by the roadside, nesting storks on village roofs and soaring eagles overhead, gypsies in traditional dress, the horses and carts and well cared for domestic animals. It really is like something out of “Lark Rise to Candleford” – truly idyllic farming country out of a picture book, where here and there time appears to have stood still. Go before it changes, and visit the ancient, medieval citadels and Saxon Lutheran fortified churches. And cycling is a good way to meet Romanians, eat their delicious home-cooked food and see behind the doors of the brightly painted cottages, which front each village’s main street.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Visiting the UNESCO world heritage sites of Sighisoara and Viscri - not the cycling, which I saw as the least intrusive way to explore Transylvania. Sighisoara is a well-preserved and still inhabited medieval citadel. Definitely visit the unpretentious museum within the ancient clocktower (it looks like something out of Disney’s “Cinderella”), ascend to the top and enjoy the view of the town over the profusion of roof tiles…. and stay for the old clock to sound the hour. Our hotel was charming and right on the central square. Our night in the village of Viscri was such fun. The road through Viscri was not paved, there were horses and carts everywhere and a horse and cart took us to the beautifully preserved Saxon church and also to see how they make (by hand) the bricks and tiles used to restore the village. Then in the evening after enjoying a sociable beer or two at the local store which doubled up as the pub, we enjoyed dinner in the garden of the cottage where we were staying and witnessed the procession of cows returning to their homes to be milked, only to leave for the pastures at dawn.

What did you think of your group leader?

Raluca Teodor was an angel. It was she who had planned the trip – we even squeezed in a delicious water mill lunch and a tour of a water powered woollen blanket business - and she looked after 8 of us on her own. Raluca has her own adventure travel business and is passionate about her country. Most nights we had a Romanian history lesson, but night by night the history became more and more confusing, especially as Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia only united to form Romania in 1881 under King Carol 1. She was considerate and sociable, could repair bikes and had planned well, but not for the terrible rain storm on our first full day! But we landed up at a great little hotel in the middle of nowhere, welcomed at the door by Mirella, who seemed to do everything except cook. There was a lady cook though, who was fantastic and the breakfast was the best of many good breakfasts on the holiday.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Some may miss WIFI – it wasn’t always available. So what! If you are particularly concerned about the quality of the accommodation, be sure to read Trip Notes. We stayed in guest houses, most of which were charming. We spent our last night in Bucharest in the beautiful “fin de siècle” Capitol Hotel. Probably not a holiday for very keen cyclists, but personally I would visit Transylvania ASAP before the Idyll is destroyed by “Progress”.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

This is not for publication! The Review was sent to my husband. Please could you send the reviews to me in future and under the name of Amanda Hubbard.And please note that the above was posted by Amanda Hubbard.

Cycle Romania

Overall this was a very enjoyable trip and one I would highly recommend for people who want a more varied and challenging experience than would be typically offered by a "coach tour" style of holiday. The cycling was generally easy going with the odd hill and the scenery was always beautiful.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

The contrasts of the trip are incredible. From waking up in a guest house with chickens, cats and dogs running around in the yard, and cows wandering down the main street, to the luxury of a modern hotel in beautiful Bucharest all in one day makes you realise what an wonderful diverse country Romania is.

What did you think of your group leader?

Raluca was our excellent group leader. Always at the back of the group on her bike, carrying supplies and spares, making sure no one got lost or left behind. She was always there to help out and instruct us in our regular briefings and give us snacks at our regroupments. Her knowledge and passion for her country was infectious and I know everyone finished the trip with a greater understanding of the country and its friendly people. She really is a credit to her country.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Leave behind any preconceived ideas about the country and its people. This really is a beautiful place to visit with courteous and friendly people everywhere.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Do not be put off by the cycling element and whether you are fit enough. Our group had cyclists in their 70's who had no problems with the riding. The trip was conducted at a very relaxed pace which gives you more time to enjoy the scenery.

Cycling in Transylvania

This trip gives you the ability to time travel. Starting in modern Bucharest, which has architecture and a street plan that made it worthy of the nickname 'the little Paris', then blighted by a communist period but is now gradually recovering. But the time travel really begins as the cycle tour winds its way on quiet country roads through peaceful villages which have some modern conveniences but otherwise haven't changed much in a hundred years. At times it is hard to get used to the quiet, but then the silence is broken by a chorus of barking dogs in the distance and roosters crowing in the next farmyard. Much history is covered during this week, with daily sessions to explain the progression of the various peoples that have struggled over this strategically useful territory. We visited many Saxon fortified churches from the 14th century.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Everyone knows the expression 'until the cows come home', but we saw it first hand. Many village homes keep a few cows in their back yard sheds. A local shepherd takes all the cows from the village to nearby hillside fields to graze, and at the end of the day, as they return through the main street, the cows of their own accord leave the herd and return to their respective homes for the night. Remarkable!

What did you think of your group leader?

Our guide, Raluca, is warm, cheerful, competent and very knowledgeable. She has a genuine passion to relate her country's ancient and recent history to the group. For this trip, she was the sole support during the rides (carrying tools and snacks), although we rode independently with set re-groupment points and vehicle support was on-call.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Romania is well worth seeing. The scenery is beautiful, the food is wholesome and fresh and the trip is excellent value. Bucharest is hot in the summer but the weather in Transylvania is pleasant.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Sleeping in guest houses was more comfortable than I expected and allowed us to stay in smaller villages where hotels don't exist which helped us experience more aspects of rural life by interacting with the host couple.

Cycle Romania

Overall this was an excellent trip that was a perfect combination of great cycling and lots of cultural experiences and sites along the way.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

One of my favourite moments was our last 10 km or so of cycling. The cycling and roads seemed to get better and better each day throughout the week as we travelled to more remote areas. This particular road was not paved, but hardpacked gravel, so normally this wouldn’t be a favourite for me. But the lush, rolling countryside and the quiet road was so beautiful, it made up for it. Being our very last moments on the bikes, I didn’t want it to end. The most frequent traffic encountered on this road was horse drawn carts. Also, just as we always encounter with Exodus tours, our fellow travel mates were fun, interesting people that were a delight to travel with.

What did you think of your group leader?

Raluca was an excellent guide and was the key to making the trip not just a cycling holiday but an opportunity to learn about Romania, its history, its people and making it a fun adventure that we will never forget. Raluca has such passion and conviction for Romania and to life in general that she is very inspiring. She also put her heart and soul into doing everything possible for us.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

I would recommend this trip to anyone who enjoys cycling. I can’t imagine a better way to visit Romania/Transylvania than a cycling tour with an excellent guide like Raluca.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I thought this was truly a Level 3 (Moderate) cycling tour. There were plenty of flat or almost flat roads, but each day there were 2 or 3 hills to climb to make us feel like we accomplished something. Our riding was done at a nice, relaxed pace allowing us to enjoy the journey along the way.

Cycling in Romania

I have been on a number of Exodus cycling holidays but this was one of the best. The cycling was just right with a number of modest climbs but the countryside is so beautiful and unspoilt with so much to see. Mountains, wild flowers, wildlife, forests, herds of sheep and cattle. Also a lot to learn about the history of Romania which explains the fortified churches, the hilltop citadels, the extraordinary palaces, the legacy of the Soviet era. A brilliant holiday.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

I think the thing that inspired me most was the unexpected variety of each day. The visit to the flour mill on the first day (most were destroyed in soviet times) through to the sightseeing at the end in Bucharest and the unbelievable palace of Ceausescu in Bucharest. Every day was exciting but probably my favourite was staying in Viscri which has been beautifully restored with the help of the Prince Charles foundation. I've never seen bricks and tiles being made by hand before. Or woken up to cows going along the Main Street at 06:30 and people wheeling their milk home in the old fashioned milk churns!!

What did you think of your group leader?

Our group leader was brilliant. She was informative, friendly, took care of all our needs (lots of short stops and snacks). Her knowledge of the history was good and answered all our questions intelligently. She directed us to the best sights, great restaurants and was fun to be with.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Go. It is a great holiday.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Cycling good - it is a 3 moderate. Food so fresh and healthy - loved it. Country beautiful and interesting. Whole trip was better than my expectations.

Cycle Romania

This is an excellent, well-organized tour with a good balance of cycling and culture.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

It's hard to choose just one. It's impossible to master all of Romania's complex history in just a week, but at the end of the trip I felt as though I had really seen the country. In addition to beautiful scenery, we experienced life in the villages, visited a flour mill and a family-run wool factory, met Saxon priests, and even squeezed in some sightseeing in a couple of cities.

What did you think of your group leader?

Raluca is an outstanding guide. She is competent, attentive, organized, personable, and passionate and knowledgeable about her country. From the guesthouse stays to the daily history lessons, she did everything to ensure that we experienced the real Romania. The fact that she clearly has strong personal relationships with everyone we encountered testifies to her commitment to her job.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Cycle Romania

Don’t hesitate to visit Romania and explore Transylvania by bicycle. At the moment there is little tourism there and Transylvania remains bucolic, tranquil and unspoilt, as it has done for centuries. I was impressed by the abundance of growth everywhere, the wild flowers by the roadside, nesting storks on village roofs and soaring eagles overhead, gypsies in traditional dress, the horses and carts and well cared for domestic animals. It really is like something out of “Lark Rise to Candleford” – truly idyllic farming country out of a picture book, where here and there time appears to have stood still. Go before it changes, and visit the ancient, medieval citadels and Saxon Lutheran fortified churches. And cycling is a good way to meet Romanians, eat their delicious home-cooked food and see behind the doors of the brightly painted cottages, which front each village’s main street.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Visiting the UNESCO world heritage sites of Sighisoara and Viscri - not the cycling, which I saw as the least intrusive way to explore Transylvania. Sighisoara is a well-preserved and still inhabited medieval citadel. Definitely visit the unpretentious museum within the ancient clocktower (it looks like something out of Disney’s “Cinderella”), ascend to the top and enjoy the view of the town over the profusion of roof tiles…. and stay for the old clock to sound the hour. Our hotel was charming and right on the central square. Our night in the village of Viscri was such fun. The road through Viscri was not paved, there were horses and carts everywhere and a horse and cart took us to the beautifully preserved Saxon church and also to see how they make (by hand) the bricks and tiles used to restore the village. Then in the evening after enjoying a sociable beer or two at the local store which doubled up as the pub, we enjoyed dinner in the garden of the cottage where we were staying and witnessed the procession of cows returning to their homes to be milked, only to leave for the pastures at dawn.

What did you think of your group leader?

Raluca Teodor was an angel. It was she who had planned the trip – we even squeezed in a delicious water mill lunch and a tour of a water powered woollen blanket business - and she looked after 8 of us on her own. Raluca has her own adventure travel business and is passionate about her country. Most nights we had a Romanian history lesson, but night by night the history became more and more confusing, especially as Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia only united to form Romania in 1881 under King Carol 1. She was considerate and sociable, could repair bikes and had planned well, but not for the terrible rain storm on our first full day! But we landed up at a great little hotel in the middle of nowhere, welcomed at the door by Mirella, who seemed to do everything except cook. There was a lady cook though, who was fantastic and the breakfast was the best of many good breakfasts on the holiday.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Some may miss WIFI – it wasn’t always available. So what! If you are particularly concerned about the quality of the accommodation, be sure to read Trip Notes. We stayed in guest houses, most of which were charming. We spent our last night in Bucharest in the beautiful “fin de siècle” Capitol Hotel. Probably not a holiday for very keen cyclists, but personally I would visit Transylvania ASAP before the Idyll is destroyed by “Progress”.

Is there anything else you would like to add?