Why choose Transylvania?

Transylvania (meaning ‘land beyond the forest’) has a lot to offer the discerning traveler – fascinating history, authentic local culture and cuisine, jaw-dropping medieval castles pitched precariously on rocky hilltops, and magnificent citadels and fortified churches.  It harbors some of the Europe’s last truly pristine landscapes, many well-preserved medieval villages, fairy-tale castles, dark, disturbing stories of Dracula, and the real life horrors of the Ceausescu regime.  

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Traveling through Transylvania really feels like stepping back in time. Horse-drawn carts along dirt roads, shepherds with their gigantic dogs and many sheep dot pristine green fields, villagers using scythes to prepare hay, old ladies in shawls and head scarves, are all signs that the traditional way of life is still alive and well. Transylvania’s multi-ethnic heritage (including Saxon and Hungarian) is an integral part of its history, and, along with its hard-fought past, produced magnificent fortified cities and churches in an effort to ward off invaders from the south.

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Why choose a rural village?

Romania’s true charm lies in the countryside.  It is still quite rural and no trip to Romania would be complete without a village stay.  A multi-day visit to the countryside offers a glimpse into the unspoiled beauty of Romania and her century-old traditions of small-scale farming.  Everything - from making hay for livestock, to collecting eggs from the hens, to milking cows, to preparing fruit preserves, to making bread, to crushing grapes for wine - is still done by hand. And each season offers different opportunities to actively participate in village life.  

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Lunca Muresului (Szekelykocsard in Hungarian) is a quintessential rural farming village with historical significance and is known as the original paprika capital of Transylvania.   When you stay in a village, not only your host, but the whole community, welcomes you. 

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How do I get to Harvest House Transylvania?

The easiest way to Harvest House Transylvania is to enter our name - Harvest House Transylvania - onto Google Maps.  Our street address is Str. Garii 310, Lunca Muresului in Alba county.  Another way is to enter the village name onto Google Maps - Lunca Muresului - and when entering the village, you'll see tall white and pink Orthodox church steeples.  Head there and we're 1/2 a block away to the West on a large cross street.  You may also ask anyone in town where the pizzeria is (or where the American is) and they will point you in the right direction (we're the next building over to the East from the pizzeria (and no, unfortunately the pizzeria does not serve food anymore). 

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Is this a children friendly place?

Absolutely!  Children are warmly welcomed and will be enthralled by the farm.  All of our activities can accommodate children, and their enthusiasm and wonder is contagious!  There are also lots of games and toys for children (an adults!) to play with in our centrally located grass area.  In addition, our Wildflower Room can accommodate an additional bed and for families of 4-5 members, the Wildflower Room and Meadow Room can combine into a family suite.

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Is the water safe to drink?

Yes, you’ll be delighted to hear that the village aquifer is filled with sweet, clean drinking water, so all water coming from any faucet is very safe to drink.  Nothing to worry about as you shower, brush your teeth, wash your face or grab a drink.  We also provide cold filtered water, as well as either still or mineral bottled water.

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Is the village safe?

Romania has very little crime, mostly in the large metropolitan city of Bucharest and there is potential for pick pockets in the tourist areas of Cluj-Napoca.  Lunca Muresului is very safe, day and night.  If you decide to take a stroll by yourself, many villagers will be very curious about you, will smile and say “Halo”, and, will look you up and down, taking in all the differences in how you dress and carry yourself.  

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Is there air conditioning?

The walls of the guesthouse are 2 feet thick, and this keeps the room temperatures very comfortable during the heat of the summer.  The one upstairs guest room has more sun exposure and will be warmer.  There are plenty of windows for cross breezes that help keep that room’s temperature comfortable.

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Is there shopping in Lunca Muresului?

Shopping is limited to 5 small family owned well-stocked grocery stores.  You will find toiletries, snacks and food at any of these shops.  Some include basic clothing and shoes.  There is one bar in town, and no restaurants.  

 

Harvest House Transylvania does display various local and Transylvanian handcrafted items, as well as on premises produced jams, preserves, paprika and honey for sale.  Feel free to look through our inventory to select the pattern you like best.

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What about ATMs and credit cards?

There is one ATM in town for quick cash, although on occasion it runs out of money.  It is easier to get local currency through your bank card than to cash dollars and euros.  In addition, try to bring cards with no foreign transaction fees.  Helpful hint:  decline the conversion option as your bank will have better conversion rates then the local bank.  Harvest House Transylvania can help in this regard.  Please ask Emese for assistance.

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All towns have banks with ATMs and getting cash is very easy.  There are also ATMs at the Cluj-Napoca and Tirgu Mures airports for cash as soon as you arrive into Romania.

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As for credit cards, MasterCard and Visa are the cards of choice here,  I haven't seen anyone taking American Express or Discover Card.  As mentioned above, try to bring cards with no foreign fee charges.  It's surprising how quickly those fees can add up.

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Do you have farm animals?

No, we are an organic farm growing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables for our guest’s enjoyment. There are years where we do have egg laying hens, but not every year.  On our village tour (please let us know in advance if you're interested in this), we do visit a traditional peasant house which has many farm animals including pigs, geese, chickens and more!

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Are you open year round?

No, we concentrate on the growing and harvesting seasons, generally open mid May, and closing around mid October. Rooms are in short supply so be sure to book your room(s) early.

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What are some of the characteristics of an ideal visitor?

That’s a great question.  Harvest House Transylvania is located in Lunca Muresului (Szekelykocsard in Hungarian), a small rural farming village of 2,200 people. We have great water, fast internet, and are connected to the village utilities.  Our guesthouse has many modern comforts and and our desire is to make this a memorable and enjoyable visit for you.  That being said, this village does not have all the features and perks of a large city.  Here are some personal characteristics that will make your stay that much more enjoyable:

• Interested in, and open to, new cultures, customs and traditions

• Flexible and a little adventurous

• Unpretentious and experiential

• Friendly and respectful to people and nature

• Looking for a meaningful and connected experience

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When is the best time to visit Transylvania?

April through May is vibrant, with flowering fruit trees, newly planted fields, mountains still dusted with snow, migrating birds, tulips and daffodils everywhere, as well as Easter preparations.  The land is bursting.  Temperatures are comfortable during the day (60's-low 70's), and a little cooler at night (40's-50's).  For us here at Harvest House Transylvania, we don't open until mid May as the fields can be quite muddy with the frequent rains, and our main planting doesn't happen until early to mid May.

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June, July and August are bustling with field work, the undulating colors and textures of sunflowers, corn, cabbage, sugar beets, and more are stunning, highlighting the red tile roofs and white church steeples of countryside villages.   Temperatures are warm (80's - 90's) during the day, and t-shirt and shorts comfortable in the evenings.  

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August, September and October are harvest times, clearing and burning the fields, preparing preserves, picking grapes for eating and making wines, birds are migrating, communities are cleaning cemeteries for the Day of the Dead (November 1st).  Mid September brings a little rain and lower night temperatures (40's). but dries and warms up again for October (day 70's, night 40'-50's).

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Is there wireless internet at Harvest House Transylvania?

Yes, we have very strong wifi with fast internet service that reaches every room, and even to the far edges of our property.  A password will be given to you upon arrival and you can stay conntected with family and friends throughout your stay, as well as download and view anything you’d like. In addition, I would recommend downloading “Whatsapp” onto your phone so you can call anywhere in the world for free as long as you are connected to the internet and the receiving party also has Whatsapp on their phone.

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Can I rent a car at Cluj-Napoca or Tirgu Mures airports?

Yes, both airports have multiple car rental agencies at your disposal.  Expedia/Orbitz, etc are all sites that can help with your reservation. PLEASE NOTE:  You will need a valid international drivers license and a credit card (not debit card) to rent any kind of car in Romania.   You must get your international drivers license from AAA (rental agencies do not accept any other company's international drivers license).  Be sure to get the actual booklet, not a computer print out  (printouts are not accepted).

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Do I need a visa to travel to Romania?

All US citizens with valid passport can enter and stay in Romania for up to 90 days without a special visa.  Romania has just been accepted as a Schengen country, so all Schengen country residents can stay as long as they like.

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What are the main international airports in Romania?

There are 2 large international airports in Romania and a few smaller ones.   Bucharest is the largest and best option if you are planning on arriving in the southern part of the country.  Please note that there is about a 4 hour drive through rather boring countryside to get to Transylvania from this airport.  Brasov is the key destination for those coming into Transylvania from this direction.  

 

Cluj-Napoca is the largest in the Transylvanian area of Romania and should be used if you plan on spending most of your time in Transylvania or the Maramures area of Romania. For those traveling with Wiizzair (a low cost airline in Europe), some city connections (i.e, Budapest), fly into Tirgu Mures airport, a small regional airport.  Both the Cluj and Tirgu Mures airports are within 45 minute drive of Harvest House Transylvania.

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Is there private transportation from Cluj-Napoca or Tirgu Mures airports to Harvest House Transylvania?

We can arrange for to/from transport to Harvest House for an extra fee.  Please send an email to hello@harvesthousetransylvania.com to make arrangements.  Most taxis at the airport can drive you to Lunca Muresului for about 100 Euros.

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Is there public transportation to Harvest House Transylvania?

There are trains on set schedules that get you close to Harvest House.  From both the Cluj and Tirgu Mures airports, you’ll need to take a taxi to the main train stations in town and ask for tickets to either Razboieni or Grindeni stops.  Grindeni stops in Lunca Muresului, and Razboieni is 10 minutes away.  Please send an email to hello@harvesthousetransylvania.com or call 541-674-8722 (U.S.) or +40770901602 to make pickup arrangements.

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Can you accommodate pets?

Sorry, no.  We have allergy concerns, as well as the property is not fully secure for animals and we'd hate to have your pet disappear.

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Are there handicapped accessible rooms?

Sorry, not at this time. However, 4 of our 5 rooms are on the ground floor and most of our public spaces are also on level ground. Unfortunately, our pathways and access to fields are not wheelchair friendly.

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Is smoking allowed at Harvest House Transylvania?

No smoking is allowed inside the house, in any of our rooms, our kitchen, or on our dining terrace.  The property is quite large and there are areas that we can accommodate smoking as long as the smoker is conscientious of the direction of the wind, and the smoke doesn’t affect fellow guests.  As an FYI, Romania is a major smoking country without many of the non-smoking areas we’re used to in the States.

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Where can I park my car?

Harvest House Transylvania has a gated parking area to keep your car safe.  We will be asking if you are coming by car and confirm a space for you.

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Will I have to share a bathroom?

No, all of our bathrooms are en suite.  We do have a common bathroom in our kitchen house that’s available for guests to use while away from their room.

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Will my room have a TV?

This answer comes with a caveat:  we actually hope that you don’t watch TV!  We’d like to take you away from what’s familiar and excite you in other ways. That being said, yes, all rooms are equipped with SMART TVs with access to cable stations, and easily programmed to use your Netflix, Hulu, Disney accounts.  We also have a common room with a larger TV for shared viewing.  In addition to cable channels, there’s a hard drive attached to that TV with over 700 movies, TV shows and children’s programs.

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What about tipping?

Tipping is always very much appreciated if you feel we’ve exceeded your expectations.  Salaries in Romania are low and any extra income our employees receive in graciously accepted.  We pool tips together at the end of the week and disperse it between the multitude of people who help make Harvest House Transylvania the special place it is. Thank you for considering it.  

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Do I have to interact with other guests?

Harvest House Transylvania is geared toward interaction, knowledge sharing and experiences.  You will be hard pressed not to interact on some level with others.  That being said, the property is large, there are several areas to relax in, and you may join in as many or as few activities as you like.  Meals are family style, but we can make accommodations for private dining. Please note that we discourage meals in guest rooms as the furnishings, embroideries and artwork are very special.

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What are check in and check out times for Harvest House Transylvania?

Check in time is any time between 3:00 and 10;00 p.m.  We encourage you to arrive mid afternoon so we can get you settled and familiar with the property.   Our dinner is served family style at 7:30 p.m..  Breakfast is usually ready around 8 a.m. with check out time at 11:00 a.m..  Sometimes our daily activity, which starts around 9;30 a.m., runs a little long, so you may stay through lunch if you wish.     

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Can I stay shorter/longer than min/max stay requirements?

We highly encourage guests to spend at least 2 nights at Harvest House Transylvania.  The purpose of the guesthouse is to have an immersive experience to get to know the culture and history of the area.  Almost every time a guest stays for 1 night, they wish they had scheduled a longer stay.

 

As for longer than 14 days, please contact Harvest House Transylvania via email at hello@harvesthousetransylvania.com, or call Emese at 541-674-8722 (U.S.) or +40770901602 to discuss your plans.

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Can I rent out the whole house?

Yes, this is possible, but as this is a working farm, daily farm chores and upkeep are necessary.  In addition, the owner lives on premises and would be there the whole time.  Feel free to contact Harvest House Transylvania to discuss your plans.

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What is your cancellation policy?

We understand that your plans may suddenly change and you are no longer able to stay with us.  We will refund your room stay, however, if meals were arranged and food purchase already made in anticipation of your stay, we will need to discuss compensation, if cancellation is 3 or less days in advance of your scheduled first day of stay.

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What are the distances from Harvest House Transylvania to major points of interest in Transylvania?

Below is a listing of distances in kilometers/miles in alphabetical order.  PLEASE NOTE:  drive times are tricky because of the small country roads, construction and traffic.  New sections of Autostradas are opening up all the time, so it's best to check Google Maps or Wayz.

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Aiud 26km/15.5mi

Alba Iulia 55km/33mi

Arad 309km/185mi

Biertan  100km/60mi

Black Sea (Constanta)  642km/385mi

Bran Castle   218km/131mi

Brasov  226km/135mi

Bucharest  408km/245mi

Budapest  508km/348mi

Campia Turzii   21km/12mi

Cluj-Napoca  61km/36mi

Corund 133km/80mi

Debrecen  271km/162mi

Denube Delta  624km/374mi

Deva 125km/75mi

Hunedoara  133km/80mi

Ludus  20km/12mi

Medias 77km/46mi

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