I have, in some ways, a bound with Via Transilvanica for 10 years already. This is, for sure, the only touristic place that Romania has to offer to everybody. Details are here, on the very well maintained website. In essence, for those who don’t know, Via Transilvanica is a main path that goes from North-East Romania, to the South-West. 1400 kilometers. With another ramification towards Brașov, maybe the most good looking town in Romania, of around 200 kilometers. It is something sublime, but not for everybody. In any case, maybe the most truthful way to discover the core of Romania, to the small amount of authentic kindness left in this territory.
First taste of the project: 2017
If you can’t experience the full trail, you can start like I did: Via Transilvanica Marathon. An event which reached its fifth edition in 2026, one week before the mighty UTMB. You can see on the way more than 30 of the 1600 unique boundary stones. Before getting into more details, let me circle back in the beginning of 2017, when I bought the book “27 steps”, written by Tibi Ușeriu. Him being the emblem of Tășuleasa Social, the organization behind Via Transilvanica. Of course, Alin, his brother is the brain of the project, but in the end, it was proved that it also needed a strong image. So Tibi became it.
Before Via Transilvanica, there was Via Maria Theresia
Before Via Transilvanica began, “Tășu” organized a smaller event—the Via Maria Theresia Marathon. A much tougher event comparing to the current marathon, but incomparable to the whole Via Transilvanica project. In 2018 and 2019 I’ve took part, near Piatra Fântânele, at the border between Suceava to Bistrița-Năsăud. After, the pandemic came, and in the end it proved 2019 was the last edition. Things changed in my life, I dream of going to the new event, Via Transilvanica Marathon, but kept the plan rolling from one year to another. In the end, 2026 was the lucky winner.
Vila Zenyt, best place to stay in Piatra Fântânele
Now, for those who don’t know, Piatra Fântânele is very hard to reach, from Bucharest. Once arriving there at Vila Zenyt – maybe the only place worth staying in the region – things get easier. From the accommodation there is a three kilometer walk to the kit pick-up, but you need to be careful as, like it usually happens in Romania, you can face loose dogs all over the side of the road. Apart from this, the sunset is fabulous, and the race prospects bring a kind of good vibe.
My plan for Via Transilvanica Marathon
With a start at 09:40, the day begins excellent, the only problem being the heat. The start & finish are a splendid place, a great starter pack for those who want to experience the core of Via Transilvanica. We set off, my objective is to finish between 4:30 and 5 hours. It should not be that hard, as the race is generally runnable. 39.5 kilometers. It starts rather flat, and also the uphill is normally manageable for experience runners. Unfortunately, the sun’s brightness removes my intent to run as much as possible when I see what looks more like gentle rolling hills.
Călimani Mountains, a piece of paradise
I prefer to stick to my classic plan: run as fast as possible on flat or almost flat, especially if it is asphalt. Unlike many trail runners – me not being a trail runner, in essence and spirit – I enjoy concrete a lot. But I enjoy even more the boundary stones, and their unique shape. No wonder at the end of the event I take a small one home, as a sweet souvenir. I am pushing, I enjoy the landscape, the Călimani Mountains region is perhaps one of the most beautiful from Romania. There cand be a better place for Tășuleasa Social to be located.
Upset because of a wrong turn and six seconds
There are a lot of hydration points, with lots of fruits and beverages. It is true, the liquids can’t hold their coolness in front of the almost abnormal heat, but the volunteers do whatever they can to keep them at an acceptable quality for us to drink. I need a lot of liquids during a trail run, and this is no exception. I am a bit upset when I learn that my finish time is 5 hours and 6 seconds. It is a really shitty situation, but can’t complain, in the end. Even if I have missed the final turn, because of poor marking. I could have been more intuitive, and for sure I would have won 10 seconds, maybe.
The spring that saved my huge thirst
I am a bit upset for the moment, but once I receive the medal, I am happy. I enjoy the local spring, carefully crafted to drink cool and clean water, and take in maybe 1.5 liters. My heel hurts, as always after such runs, but now I have the remedies to repair it as soon as possible. My wife awaits me, so the happiness is complete. I know we will get some free food, and we can buy a signature Amaretto burger, a local brand from Bistrița. For sure I will drink some beer, I thought, before knowing I will get one for free as well. “Călimani” draft was also added later on.
Via Maria Theresia, the real bridge to Via Transilvanica
After our finish we decided to taste the local vibe at its full. For those who are not aware also, there is a camping. We didn’t slept there, but we did enjoyed the shower, to freshen up, and to change in the competition’s shirt. A beautiful orange jersey. Then, a couple of hours, we remain connected at the event. A small portion of what Via Transilvanica is, a mild link between the big project and the initial bedrock of Via Maria Theresia, about I was talking previous. Another event I proudly witnessed beforehand, and I am even more proud to do so, since now it is gone forever. I think!
The authenticity behind the project
It ended sooner than we would like it to, and went back to the harsh reality. A reality about which I will talk in a separate post, because it is important. Now, it is not important. The only thing important here is Via Transilvanica. Truly one authentic and beautiful mega cultural project for Romania. And, for sure, the only one at this magnitude. It even has a great app, in which you can check a lot of things if you want to go on this path, if you chose to cross it, at least partially.
Core values
Maybe the project is beautiful, because the people behind are beautiful. But also the people integrated in the project are quietly beautiful. Most of them are modest & simple people, in the villages thru which the path goes. Candid and not altered by the “modern” Romanian society, guided by rudeness. So anyone who wants to experience the quality of Romanian culture should and must go on Via Transilvanica.
Who benefits the most from Via Transilvanica
“The rural areas benefit the most from this project”, Alin Ușeriu was mentioning in the post-race speech. It is true. These communities can earn exposure, and even money, ideally for investments. Also, the tourists can explore the core of Romanian primordial culture and identity. Those are the places where you can find sincere sentiments, sincere stories, and some of the most honest and spiritually clean people. You can’t find this in well known communities.
Being stuck in the 19th century can be an advantage even if this sounds strange
The modern ways wind perfectly into ancient traditions, from where Romania can be understood the best. I am talking about ancient not in a figurative way because, comparing to European expectations, for example, many of Romanian places are stuck in the 19th century from many perspectives. And I am talking from the perspective of a guy who visited more than 200 places in my own country, and I know very well the raw truth.
Via Transilvanica needs full support
However, paradoxically, this helps in preserving the authenticity. And maybe this is the main and core purpose of Via Transilvanica. Of course, the project is very hard to keep at shore, because having such a big surface, you need a lot of resources, and key would be a strong support from the national and local authorities, to facilitate access and safe passage, in the best way possible. However, Romania has in general a very poor infrastructure, and this is more utopic than expected.
The boundary stones, the key attraction for me
Then, in the end, we need to be grateful to what is already there: a beautiful project, and if you get a bit prepared for going through it, ideally keeping in mind the danger posed by bears, and dogs, then the adventure can be one to remember forever. I only tasted bits of it, but I tasted its core, right the heart, and enjoyed the boundary stones uniqueness, and some impressive stories from Via Transilvanica.
Via Transilvanica is a generational project
For now, what we need to acknowledge that this is a project more for future generations, or, in short, a generational project. Something that might reach full maturity somewhere in 20-30 years. But to do so, we need to support it, as much as everybody can, in present. It can’t be any beautiful future, fulfillment, if the present is not ignited by passion, curiosity and thirst to learn and interact with what Romania has best to offer.