Sibiu (Hermannstadt in German) has the honor of co-chairing as the European Cultural Capital in 2007, alongside Luxembourg. With such an honor and the anticipation of tourists, the city is undergoing massive renovation and construction on every corner. Yet, in the old town, in Piata Mare, Piata Mica and Piata Huet you’ll find charming old buildings and churches as well as trendy boutiques, bookstores, and café terraces. There are plenty of cobblestone streets and alleyways to stroll that also provide great vantage points for people-watching – don’t be surprised if you smile, and the smile is returned to you! In such a friendly city, we decided to enjoy the evening on the terrace of La Piazzetta. We even heard the familiar sounds of motorcycles and saw the riders meet after completing their day’s ride.

With the lodging sticker-price shock ($100 plus) in Sibiu, we decided to head to Marginimea Sibiului and the village of Gura Riului. We called ahead for lodging based on a guidebook’s recommendation. The host had agreed to meet us in the town square. It was about 10 p.m. when we arrived and the town square was fairly quiet except for a few people wandering about and a few horse-drawn logging carts taking a break. Moreover, there were but a couple of street lights to scatter the darkness away. I was beginning to reconsider my rider’s idea of staying in a “quaint” villages. To which my spouse comfortingly said, “But the travel guide says it’s dreamy and there are buffaloes!” Our host, Dumitru Campean showed up in his car. He was a gregarious man who enjoyed a good laughter and who, clearly, never met a stranger. We followed him along the bumpy, gravel side-street to his residence. While his wife finished preparing our room, Dumitru insisted we taste his homemade visinata because it would “aid digestion and encourage sleep.” After a long day’s ride, we didn’t need any help with sleeping. With the clear night sky, brilliant stars and fresh mountain air, we certainly enjoyed another blissful evening in rural Romania.

While we did not see any buffaloes, we were awakened to the melodical sound of roosters and horse-drawn carts. A fresh breakfast of eggs, sausages, cheeses, bread, and tea greeted us under the gazebo sending us on our way to enjoy another day. The Campean house is a great place to spend a night, a weekend, or even a week if you’re in the Sibiu area.

As we headed out, towards Brasov, we passed through the towns of Orlat and Cristian, the latter possessing an impressive 14-century fortified church.

The road between Sibiu and Brasov is a pleasant ride, that parallels the impressive Fagaras Mountains. The asphalt is of good quality, and the road provides an enjoyable mix of fast sweepers, tight turns and some really great straight stretches. Of course, it helps paying attention to the police radar in these sections. Thankfully, Romanian police only use stationary radar, so generally you’ll receive advance notice from drivers coming at you and flashing their high beams—it’s a clear sign that there’s radar ahead. Aside from that, we were able to take in the scenery as the day was sunny and pleasant. Did we mention the asphalt was good? (he he he) Compared to some other places we’ve wandered, this was fantastic. But then again, if all roads were this way, Romania would not be the adventure it is! – BGR & HSR