Bucharest Bicycle Tours 2024/2025

“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.”

“Very good trip. The rides were through a variety of terrain and landscapes. On the first few days there were views of groups of local people working in the fields with only the occasional item of usually soviet era farm machinery to help. There were visits to interesting sights including many fortified churches the like of which we had not seen before. In the context of local overnight stays with which we are very familiar on trips organized by the tour operator, those on this trip were all good. The only slight downside for some was the local high fat diet (sausages, salami, fatty pork and pickled cabbage featured prominently ) and hardly any fresh vegetables for nearly all meals. But that was the local diet and was therefore the authentic experience we expected. It was interesting to see the contrast between rural Romania with its horses and carts and modern Bucharest which we explored at the end of the trip. The trip lived up to our expectations of seeing a rural way of life which might have been similar to the UK several hundred years ago.”

“A great mixture of cycling and culture, with plenty of cows and castles along the way. Visiting rural Transylvania is like going back in time to the Middle Ages - farmers still use scythes, people get around in horses and carts, and cows wander the streets. There is a fascinating history to uncover and the locals are very friendly.”