“I can see you simply cannot stay much at one place” – our friends told us. Honestly, they are right. Once you get used to travelling, you soon start missing the feeling of being on the road. In the first week of July, we arrived in Hungary. A week later, we already watched travel destination videos on YouTube again.
Then we jumped into refurbishing our “base.” Still, one thought kept coming back: where do we go next, what do we do next, and what other adventures are waiting for us in the world? Four weeks after we arrived in Hungary, I realized my birthday is a perfect excuse to travel again.
How can a 40-year-old guy treat himself best if he loves travelling? Of course: with more travelling! I booked 10 days in Transylvania, Romania. It was a decision of the moment. As a Hungarian, I heard many good things about this part of Romania. At the same time, I also carried some negative opinions about Romanians, mostly based on stories I had heard. In Serbia, I promised myself I would give the next country a chance—and that next country would be Romania. So here I am now, in a sleepy village called Baita.
Booking mistake: the “wrong” Baita
In English, Baita means a “small mine.” There are five villages with this name in five counties in Romania—something I did not know when I booked. When I found the ideal property in Baita, I typed “Baita” into Google Maps. It showed a village only 600 km from us. I thought: great, a short trip.
Then, one day before departure, I accidentally found out the Baita we planned to visit is in a completely different county—800 km away. I felt a bit disappointed because I did not want to drive that long. Still, the excitement was bigger than the regret.
Border crossing + road fee (rovinieta)
We had a pleasant drive until we arrived at the Romanian border of Csengersima – Petea. There, we waited two hours to cross. Romania did not require a PCR test, Covid-ID, or quarantine for travellers arriving from “green” countries, including Hungary. However, many travellers from “yellow” or “red” countries needed documents, and that slowed down the process.
Note: if you drive by car to Romania, you need to pay a road-use fee. If I am correct, it is not only for motorways but for most roads. You can buy it here: https://www.roviniete.ro/en/. For us, a 30-day “vignette” cost 34.48 Lei, about 7 EUR.
First impressions: shock, then Transylvania
After crossing the border, we continued with another 300 km drive. First impressions hit hard: the road conditions, the state of villages, the poverty, and seeing gypsies shocked us. I did not even see this in Serbia, and I did not expect it in an EU member country. (Serbia is not a member, but Romania has been since 2007.)
In one village, cows walked home from the field and used the whole road. I tried to follow a local driver who filtered through the cows. Still, I lacked experience and confidence, so I got stuck between the large animals. In the rainy weather, I almost slid into a ditch next to the road. Then I accidentally touched a cow’s back leg, and it kicked back—returning my “jostling.” Luckily, it caused no damage to the car.
Next came a half-completed bridge. It was muddy, and we still had 250 km ahead! Then we finally reached Transylvania. It felt like a country inside a country. The road quality improved quickly, and villages started looking more traditional and well-kept. After a 15-hour drive, we arrived at our destination.
Our stay in Baita: the house, the village, and the quiet
Our host, Ioana, was kind and allowed self-check-in. The house has a garden with enough space to park. It is spacious too. As a couple, we used only one bedroom out of the three. The bed had a mattress topper, which felt super thoughtful. I had never seen that in any AirBnB before, and our backs appreciated it.
The bathroom is spacious and includes a washing machine. The kitchen-dining area is large as well, and it had everything we needed. We loved the traditional interior, plus the two balconies. Every day we watched the cows walking on the street. We also listened to the singing from the church opposite the house.
In a nearby town, Reghin, we shopped in Kaufland and Penny Market. We could buy everything we needed as vegans. I also had great yoga sessions in the garden, which helped me relax my mind and body. The house has a large office desk and a chair with a view of the garden. I worked from there easily. The internet was fast and reliable too.
Overall, we had everything for a comfortable stay. That made us happy about our decision to choose this place.
On Sunday morning, we woke up fresh after a good night sleep. We spent our first day in Baita chilling and reading in the garden. In the evening, we watched the cows walking home again. We also walked up the small hill behind the house.
The owner let us use their bicycle, and I rode around the village—just like in my childhood. Soon we forgot the long journey behind us and recovered fully. It felt like time travel. Residents sat outside on benches in traditional clothes, and the biggest traffic came from tractors, horse carriages, and cows. If you have enough of hectic life, you must try a place like this—exactly how I felt.
Kemeny Castle
During the first two days, we worked and studied. Renata recently purchased a complete course about house design and refurbishment. Between the two of us, she is the more passionate one about planning and designing. To be honest, I am more like: let’s finish the refurbishment and enjoy the result. So I am grateful she takes this task voluntarily and learns everything from A to Z.
On Tuesday, we visited a nearby castle. There are about five castles within a 30-minute drive, but most are in a very poor state. Kemeny Castle looked one of the most fascinating in the area, and it impressed us a lot.
Attila and Szilard, two university students, spent two weeks in the castle as tour guides for a summer assignment. They greeted us at the entrance. Usually, the owner acts as the tour guide, but we could not meet him this time.
There is a small gift shop where we bought some Albert Wass books, because he is from this region. Szilard guided us and shared the story of the owner, Nagy Kemény Géza. Géza recently got back the castle (after 70 years) from the Romanian government, along with a portion of his family’s land.
The castle previously served as an asylum and also as a prison. Now the owner plans to restore it to its original purpose. Communist nationalization (1949) and later robberies damaged it badly, so the interior still shows scars from that period. However, Géza tries to buy back furniture from village residents and fill the castle with items he finds at flea markets.
Szilard shared fascinating historical details about each room and the people who lived or stayed there. Behind the castle, a garden holds hundreds-of-years-old trees and the grave of Wass Albert, the world-famous writer. Starting in the late 19th century, the castle also hosted the Helikon academic society. Its members contributed greatly to education and culture for ordinary people. In the garden, you can see a memorial for Helikon.
This place is full of history. If you visit the neighborhood, I recommend it.
Teleki Castle & Targu Mures / Marosvásárhely
I paused writing this post because I wanted to wait until we visited Teleki Castle and Marosvásárhely (Târgu Mureș). I had Friday off work, so we used the day well.
On Wednesday, we originally planned to visit Teleki Castle, but it was closed due to filming. Since the castle sits on the way to Târgu Mureș, we started our Friday there instead.
Teleki Castle is fabulous, surrounded by green nature that used to be an English garden. Ticket price matched Kemeny Castle: 20 Lei per person. I think that is reasonable and it helps maintain these spectacular buildings.
We had a private tour with a young guide named Kincső. She is respectful, knowledgeable, and she shared many small details about the castle and the Teleki family. Of course, the story again started with “when in communism…”—the castle was looted for years and later served as a safe-house for children separated from families with TBC.
The Teleki family regained the castle in 2011, but only with six hectares of land. The castle stands on the site of an older fortress and follows a baroque style. Kincső clearly loves this place. Meeting tour guides like her and Szilard gives me hope. The young generation can protect our shared heritage. They are the living example.
We finished the tour in the garden. Standing next to a 400-year-old platan tree, walking past a few-hundred-year-old oak, and seeing an ancient ginkgo biloba felt special. I love nature. These trees “saw” history, survived storms and wars, and still grow taller each year.
Parking + vegan lunch in the center
Twenty minutes later, we arrived in Marosvásárhely (Târgu Mureș). We found a convenient, spacious car park in the center. It cost 25 Lei for the whole day. (Type “Targu Mures, Parcare pazita” into Google Maps to find it.)
Then we had lunch in one of the two vegan buffet restaurants. Only one was open: Elphin Bistro. Renata ordered a burger and a cake. I had a cream soup, pea stew, and a cake. With drinks, we paid 55 Lei, and we felt stuffed for the afternoon.
I felt grateful that even in the 16th largest town of Romania, a vegan-only place exists. We were the only guests inside, but they seemed busy with home delivery.
After lunch, we explored shops. One became our favorite: a book store called Kulcslyuk. It has a huge collection of self-development books, mostly written or translated into Hungarian.
Fortress, cathedrals, and the “vodka” misunderstanding
After shopping, we walked up a small hill to see the Fortress. It is in excellent condition—refurbished, and some parts even modernized. A huge church stands inside the medieval walls, although it appeared closed. We grabbed an espresso and lemonade at a bar on-site, then headed to the Cathedral.
This Orthodox cathedral is relatively new. Builders started it in 1925 and finished it in 1986. We recognized the style instantly after seeing many Orthodox churches in Serbia. The frescoes felt magical, and the amount of gold (or gold paint) looked stunning.
Opposite the cathedral, a long square hosted an artisan market while we were there. We bought an amazing labradorite crystal stone and jewelry pieces for Renata. Next, we walked toward the Palace of Culture and the Townhouse—both colorful, unique, and beautifully decorated. Unfortunately, the palace closed at 5:00 p.m., so we could not go inside. Still, it is open during the day for tourists.
Then we visited a second cathedral opposite the first one, which also appeared Orthodox. While walking back to the car, we discovered two shops we could not skip: the King Art and the Queen Art. If you like Asian culture and unique home décor, both are worth it.
We finished the day in a Costa Coffee shop—very surprising to see in Eastern Europe! I ordered a latte with almond milk. Then I had a funny moment: I asked the barista for a glass of water, and she heard “vodka.” She started apologizing because they do not keep alcohol. I repeated “aqua,” and that cleared up the misunderstanding.
An amazing weekend with new friends
We had an amazing weekend in Transylvania before returning to Hungary! I looked forward to it a lot. My wife ordered a beautiful necklace from a famous artist who lives only 50 km from Baita. We planned to collect the personalized jewelry in person. Then they invited us to stay at their holiday home—how kind! This weekend, plus the necklace and bracelet, made my birthday memorable.
On Saturday morning, I had some work to finish. We arrived a bit late, after 3:00 p.m., at Zsuzsi and Szilard’s holiday home. At first, we hesitated about staying overnight. That hesitation disappeared quickly after both of us got a shot of palinka. (For drivers, Romania also has a zero-limit for alcohol consumption.)
Their house is a traditional Transylvanian home with real charm, in a small village where everyone speaks Hungarian. And yes—this village sits 300 km from the Hungarian border! This feels extraordinary. One hundred years ago, this part of Hungary was taken away, yet residents still speak fluent Hungarian. Remarkable.
We had a nice BBQ dinner, plus wine and a lot of conversation. One highlight came when #hajnal.boho handed over the jewelry she made using vegan “leather.” She is a talented artist, known by famous actors and musicians too. I feel proud to wear a necklace that is her work—one and only edition, made just for me. What a special birthday gift!
We stayed up late laughing and talking. When the night turned cold, we joined forces to keep a fire burning in the middle of the garden. Sitting around a fire under a clear sky feels ancient. The heat, the silence, and the simplicity do something to you.
Next morning, Reni and I woke up early and enjoyed the garden with coffee and a book. After breakfast, the elderly neighbor, “Arpi bácsi,” came over with a welcome drink: a mug of palinka. The smell alone suggested it was strong. He lives simply—driving a horse carriage, helping neighbors, and staying away from the noise of the world.
What I noticed most was his respect and kindness. I do not hear that tone often. He wished me a good life multiple times and invited us back. I wish Hungarians in Hungary would show this level of kindness more often too!
The main attraction of Sunday was the personal color analysis. “Colour analysis demonstrates how certain shades are capable of being flattering or, conversely, unflattering by observing the optical illusions that occur on the face when placing specific colours next to the individual. It is generally agreed that the wrong colours will draw attention to such flaws as wrinkles or uneven skin tone while harmonious colours will enhance the natural beauty of the individual making them appear healthy and fresh-faced.” -Wikipedia.
Reni and Zsuzsi had great fun doing the analysis, while Szilard and I talked about “men topics.” It felt good to have a meaningful conversation with a man who shares interests. Often, men compare themselves to other men. If they feel the other guy does something better, they turn into jerks. With Szilard, I felt no competition at all—no comparison, just brotherhood-talk. I had to come to Transylvania to experience this.
Once Reni’s result came in, we learned her colors are cold winter ones. Then I got my analysis too. The colors that suit me best are pastel, summer cool ones. Now we both know what suits us, which will help when we declutter our clothes. The result also reassured us: we mostly chose well already, but now we know consciously what to pick.
After photos and goodbyes, we drove back to our accommodation to prepare for the next day’s trip. For my 40th birthday, I got more than beautiful accessories. I got a weekend where I could be 100% myself, have fun, and not deny who I became in recent years.
Drive home: villages, motorway construction, and timing
Next morning, we drove south toward the border of Nadlac Border Crossing Point II near Arad. Romanian motorways are still under construction. Sometimes we drove 26 km, sometimes 80 km, then only 6 km on new motorway. The rest of the journey went through villages. Because of traffic and small town crossings, the first 150 km took four hours. After that, the journey became pleasant, mostly on the new motorway. We arrived home in 10 hours and rested in the evening.
Final impressions: price, people, and why I’ll return
Overall, Romania looked cheaper than Hungary—especially mobile phone and broadband services, based on what Szilard told us. Salaries in bigger towns (at least in some professions) can reach an EU-level average. Groceries cost about the same as in Serbia.
My favorite part is now Transylvania. It feels like a mini-Hungary within Romania, with the friendliest people I have met so far. We plan to return and spend more time there. I think two to three months will be the minimum. There is still so much to explore for anyone who seeks kindness, relaxation, beautiful nature, and peace.
