Meet Rimetea – a hidden gem in the heart of Transylvania

What’s the best thing to do on a rainy Sunday if you live in the heart of Transylvania and want to grasp a breath of fresh air? We don’t know about you, but we hopped in our friends´ old Peugeout 105 and headed from Cluj-Napoca to Rimetea – a gem hidden in between rocky and hilly landscapes.

Suddenly our Sunday turned brighter than the weather. Everything is possible in the company of the right people. Right people are good people, travelers at heart, they can travel with you physically to close or far-off destinations, but also to far-off conversations. Places get a different meaning in their company. That’s why we cannot recommend it highly enough: connect while you travel. This time it happened that we explored a new site with good old friends.

Now let us first give you the context of why Rimetea has been under the spotlight for both Romanians and foreigners.

A few words about Rimetea

With around 130 idyllic white houses, Rimetea, also known as Torocko in Hungarian, stands out among the villages in Transylvania and all over the country. The surrounding unique land forms make the whole travel experience feel something out of bedtime stories.

Along the time, the village faced different phases: it was a medieval village, then in 13th century it was occupied by the Hungarians, followed by the German miners in the 14th century. It further saw both economical growth and unhappy circumstances, when industrialization put the end to manufacturing and traditional mining. However, in the last few years it has witnessed a touristic boom. How did this come to happen? In 1996, the locals signed  for a conservation project launched by Transylvania Trust Foundation. The project aimed at restoring their traditional houses built in the XVII-XIX centuries by highlighting the importance of their architectural heritage. The renovation took place without changing the façades of the old buildings (declared historical monuments), thus preserving the overall aesthetics of the village.

“138 owners signed the agreement and benefited from subventions, planning assistance, technical advice and some additional grants for maintenance and restoration work. Its success was proved by the fact that the investments the owners made from their own resources more than doubled the value of the funds available for the whole conservation plan.
The program also had economic and educational values. The conservation work offered many jobs for craftsmen in a village were unemployment was high, whilst teaching them traditional building techniques. Moreover the village became attractive for rural tourism, thus improving the infrastructure in general. Over fifteen houses were equipped with modern facilities and were listed by the state for use as tourist accommodation. Education of students was also an essential element of the program, and they received training in recording techniques and preservation methods whilst working in summer camps.”  (Source: http://www.gyoparpanzio.hu/eng/aloldal.php?link=rimetea)

In 1999, Rimetea was awarded the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage.

The highlight of the trip: lunch at Conacul Secuiesc in Coltesti (nearby Rimetea)

Here is where we ate the best goulash ever. People from around the region come to Conacul Secuiesc on weekends to lunch and spend the day…We’d probably do the same. The food is traditional and exceptional and the staff is more than nice. Besides, it feels as if you were visiting an authentic museum: the tables, chairs, closets painted in the traditional and colorful floral motifs just make you wonder how you can turn your house similar.

Keep in mind that the neighboring restaurants are equally worthy, as our friends advised.

And how could we forget? While you’re here, don’t leave without ordering a shot of “palinca”. 😉

Useful information

How to get ro Rimetea: It stays at 60 km away from Cluj-Napoca (1 h drive), and 38 km from Turda (30 min drive)

What else to see and do around Rimetea: visit the spectacular Turda salt mine and Cheile Valisoarei (natural reservation with 27 caves), rock climb Piatra Secuiului, do paragliding (yep, you got it), hike the mountains around, check in the ruins of the medieval fortress.

Where to find accommodation: At people’s houses -> check recommendations on TripAdvisor

Whom to contact if you’re travelling to Transylvania and looking for some good time: the locals in the pictures above -> ralucaigret@gmail.com