Transylvania, whose name derives from the Latin Transilvana (which literally means 'the country beyond the forests'); is also known as Siebenbürgen (from the main seven medieval towns founded there by the Saxon settlers); Erdélyi, in the Hungarian language.

Transylvania lies in the centre of Romania, being surrounded with the Carpathian Mountains on its western, southern and eastern sides. It is divided into 10 counties, namely Brasov, Sibiu, Alba, Hunedoara, Cluj, Salaj, Bistrita-Nasaud, Mures, Harghita, Covasna. Transylvania stretches over 96,837 sqkm and has 4,354,593 inhabitants (1995).

You can visit here well known Medieval Towns dating from the 14th century as Brasov, Sighisoara and Sibiu.

Other interesting Transylvanian cities are Alba-Iulia, Oradea, Timisoara, Arad, Cluj-Napoca, Targu-Mures. Transylvania has famous castles citadels and fortified churches. The Fortified Churches were included in UNESCO patrimony. Near Transylvanian Alps can be visited Dracula Castle situated in the town of Bran.

Sighisoara is renowned by its architecture dating from 14 century. You have to walk up from the city to the medieval citadel and enter through the 60-meter-tall clock tower (built in 1360).

The ocher-colored house named "Casa Vlad Dracula", where the father of Vlad Impaler, better known as Dracula, once lived, now is a cozy restaurant. You can find inside Gothic-style furniture and serve good soups and traditional Romanian dishes.

If you came in Romania in August don't miss the "Medieval Art and Theatre Festival" that take place one week every year in the "Pearl of Transylvania" (Sighisoara). Actors wearing medieval clothes play drama in the citadel and music bands play on an installed stage in the center of the city. Beer and "mici" (traditional prepared meat) are provided by all the brand name beer factories from Romania during the festival.