Cultural Capital of Transylvania: Cluj is a dynamic blend of Gothic architecture, buzzing student life, and modern creativity. Landmarks like St.Michael's Church, Matthias Corvinus Statue anchor the city's rich history.

Festival Fever: Home to the Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF) and Untold, Electric Castle, Cluj pulses with music, film, and art all summer long.

Café & Nightlife Scene: From rooftop bars to cozy pubs in the Old Town, the city’s youthful energy makes it perfect for late-night wanderings.

Nature in the City: Central Park and Cetățuia Hill offer green escapes and panoramic views.

Gateway to Transylvania: Cluj is the perfect launchpad for exploring the mystical heart of Romania.

There’s a captivating magic in the Apuseni Mountains where nature’s contrast plays its finest symphony—sharp white limestone formations rise defiantly from the earth. Nestled around these stone giants, pine forests wrap the landscape in a green cloak, their scent rich with moss, resin, and quiet wilderness. 

It’s a scene of elemental harmony: the rugged, timeless purity of the rock, and the soft, ever-renewing life of the trees - a visual serenity that feels untouched by time, and infused with something almost otherworldly.

What to see in Apuseni?

Breathtaking Landscapes: Think wildflower-covered plateaus, deep gorges, and karst formations. The Padiș Plateau in spring is a purple carpet of crocuses.

Cave Wonderland: The Apuseni Mountains are a subterranean treasure trove, with over 1,500 caves carved into limestone over millennia. Here are some of the most iconic and awe-inspiring ones: 

• the Scărișoara Ice Cave guards one of Europe’s oldest underground glaciers, its frozen cathedral silently preserving millennia of climatic history.
• Bear's Cave (Peștera Urșilor) – Chiscău - Famous for its prehistoric cave bear skeletons, including a complete one!
• Vârtop Glacier Cave – near Arieșeni - Combines ice and limestone, with Neanderthal footprints preserved inside
• Rădeasa Fortress Cave (Cetatea Rădeasa) – Padiș - A dramatic cave with a 15-meter-high entrance and a single tunnel-like gallery, often included in hiking circuits around Padiș.

Authentic Villages: Rimetea and Arieșeni preserve centuries-old traditions, architecture and crafts. Rimetea even won the Europa Nostra Award for cultural preservation. Due to the towering cliffs of Piatra Secuiului, the sun first rises over the horizon, then disappears behind the massif, only to rise again a short while later for the village below. It’s a magical moment that locals cherish and visitors remember.

Hiking heaven: The Padiș Plateau in the Apuseni Mountains is a hiker’s dream—an enchanting mix of alpine meadows, mysterious forests, and dramatic karst formations. Thinking about hitting the trails by feet too? Just let us know, happy to share tips, we have plenty of routes and favorite spots to recommend!

Panoramic Highlights: Apuseni Mountains offers panoramic views that rival any postcard! Bihor Peak (Cucurbăta Mare) offers 360° panoramic views over the Apuseni Natural Park, including valleys, ridges, and distant peaks like Vlădeasa and Muntele Mare.

Traditional Dishes of Apuseni: In the heart of the Apuseni Mountains, food is more than sustenance—it’s a celebration of heritage, seasonality, and soul. The cuisine here is rustic yet refined, shaped by the rhythms of mountain life and the generosity of the land. 

• The mămăligă (cornmeal porridge) accompany most meals—served soft with cheese and sour cream or grilled beside smoked meats and fish, mainly trout.
• Sarmale, cabbage rolls filled with pork and rice, are beloved at festive tables, especially during winter.
• Dairy plays a central role: tangy brânză de burduf (sheep’s cheese) and homemade sour cream enrich dishes like bulz (cheese-stuffed baked polenta) and balmoș, a creamy, buttery cornmeal specialty.
• For dessert, papanasi—fried doughnuts topped with sour cream and jam—are a guesthouse favorit
• Add to that foraged mushrooms, berries, and herbal teas, and you've got a cuisine that’s rustic, seasonal, and deeply rooted in the region’s natural bounty.

Where to taste all this? Many accommodation hosts cook with ingredients from their own gardens or neighbors. Mountain chalets and roadside inns often serve traditional rustic meals, you can find places with panoramic views also.