There are over a hundred manor houses and
\ncastles of various periods in the history of Mures county, in northern Romania.
\nYet whenever we say Mures county, what first comes to mind is a wide range of
\npossibilities to spend leisure time, as the county boasts all categories of
\nrelief, save for the seaside. Our guide today is communication and mass media
\ncouncilor with Mures County Council Sanda Vitelar:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I suggest a virtual tour of
\nthe area. If you’re driving on the E60 European road, from Bucharest to Brasov,
\nthe first stopovers should be in Saschiz
\nand Sighisoara, two Transylvanian citadels that have preserved the special
\ncharm of the days of yore. From the Saschiz village centre you can admire the
\nruins of the peasant citadel. The walk on the ridge is a bit difficult, but the
\nscenery opening up before you once you get there is well worth the effort. Then
\nyou can also stop in Sighisoara, an inhabited citadel, with narrow streets and fairytale-like
\nhouses. The citadel also plays host to
\ntwo of the most popular events in the country: the Medieval Sighisoara Festival and the
\nProEtnica festival. The latter is the country’s only event bringing together
\nrepresentatives of all national minorities that live in the country. 13
\nkilometers from Sighisoara there lies a typically Saxon dwelling, the village
\nof Cris, which is home to the Bethlen castle, representative for the style of Transylvanian
\nrenaissance, built between the 16th and the 18th
\ncenturies. From there, one can head towards Sovata, where one of the main
\nattractions is the Ursu lake, unique in Europe, and also the continent’s largest
\nsalty and heliothermal lakes with a surface area of over 40 thousand square
\nmeters and a circumference of more than 1,100 meters.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If you like fishing, you can stop in Campu
\nCetatii, near Sovata. Here you can have a taste of the fresh fish you’ve caught
\nyourself. The only hot air balloon parade in the country is also held here at
\nCampu Cetatii. With details on that, here is Sanda Vitelar: <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Another destination point in
\nour journey is the county seat of Targu Mures, where we invite you to stop for
\na while in the city center. Here,
\nhistorical buildings speak about the multicultural past of the city of roses.
\nYou can see two of the most representative buildings that at national level are
\nrepresentative for the Art Nouveau style: the palace of Culture and the Administrative
\npalace, from the early days of the Secession trend in Transylvania. Also in
\nTargu Mures there lies the Cornesti Plateau, an area in the middle of nature
\nhosting the local Zoo, which is the second largest in Romania. In summer one
\ncan also enjoy sunbaths and go swimming in the Mures Sporting Compound, which
\nhas one indoor and three outdoor swimming pools as well as an artificial lake
\nfor boat rides.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
From
\nTargu Mures one can go directly to Reghin, famous for its violin production
\ncentre, or to the Calimani Mountain Reserve. Here is Sanda Vitelar , a
\ncouncilor with the Mures County Council, with more about that:<\/p>\n
Besides the breathtaking landscapes, in this reserve one can also see over 100
\ncaves of various dimensions or you travel down the Gurghiu Valley to the
\npicturesque hunting lodge of Lapusana. Another place worth seeing on the Mures
\nValley is the Kemany Castle in Brancovenesti, close to the motorway linking
\nReghin to Toplita. The Mures County is renowned for its old castles and
\nmansions. Most of them are currently undergoing refurbishment works but they
\nstill offer other entertainment facilities.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
And
\nif you are into fairy-tale castles you should definitely see the castle of the
\nAustria-Hungary ambassador to Russia, currently on a list of historic
\nmonuments. Let’s find out more from Sanda Vitelar:<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
In the plain area towards Cluj Napoca there lies a wild peony reserve and the
\nUgron Castle, also known as the Calendar Castle for its 365 windows, 4 towers,
\n52 rooms, 7 terraces and 12 corridors. Here you can learn about the unrequited
\nlove story between the castle owner and a Russian princess.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Outstanding
\ntraditions and crafts stand proof of the multiculturalism of the Mures County.
\nHere is Sanda Vitelar, communication and mass-media councilor with the Mures
\nCounty Council, at the microphone again:<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
We have many areas with their own specificity. If you go to Sovata or
\nMiercurea Nirajului you can see Szekler artisans working in wood and ceramics.
\nRomanian crafts and trades are also represented on the Mures Valley, and I have
\nalready mentioned the violin-making facilities
\nin Reghin. The gifted luthiers working in the two factories here have
\nachieved international fame. But the best way to see these artisans at work is
\nto visit one of the three fairs we stage yearly on the three valleys of the
\nMures County, the Gurghiu Valley, the Niraj Valley and Mures Valley, which are
\nexclusively devoted to traditions and trades in the respective areas.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Also
\nworth visiting in Targu Mures is the County Center for Traditional Culture,
\nwhich boasts a data base with all the artisans in the Mures County including
\nthose who are running open workshops sharing some of the secrets of their
\nancient trades. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Mure County, a destination for all<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":149420,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43423],"tags":[44163,39487,44164,33906,43432],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-149130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travellers-guide","tag-mures-county","tag-reghin","tag-sanda-vitelar","tag-sighisoara","tag-targu-mures"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n