Transylvania – photography trip 2022
At the beginning of 2022, the four of us went on a photography trip to Transylvania. Our accommodation was in Zetelaka. An elderly lady hosted us and also cooked for us during the few days we stayed there. The place was nice, and the food was delicious. We were served pálinka with dinner. Fortunately, it wasn’t the awful, throat-burning kind but surprisingly smooth. So much so that I even brought home a bottle or two.
Our first destination was the Harghita Mountains. We went up for sunrise.
I had gotten unaccustomed to the amount of snow and cold here compared to Hungary. After a pleasant morning hike, we visited the Praid salt mine. I had never seen anything like it up close before. It’s an interesting place, but I didn’t go overboard with photography there.
After having lunch at one of the restaurants in the mine and exploring the area, we prepared for the next part of our trip. We set off for Madarasi Hargita to catch the sunset. In the morning, we hadn’t planned to go too high, nor did we have the time. But in the afternoon, our goal was to reach the mountain peak, also known as the Holy Mountain of the Székelys.
This was a more challenging hike, and at times, we trudged through knee-deep snow. The landscape was breathtaking. I can’t remember the last time I saw this much snow.
We barely made it to the spot with the carved wooden headstones and memorial columns before sunset. These pay tribute to the ancestors and Székely traditions. As far as I know, this is a very important pilgrimage site. Nature was kind to us, and we were rewarded with a stunning sunset.
The next day, we visited the Csorgókő Waterfall in Varság. There, we found huge icicles. After that, we hiked up to a lookout tower, but the view wasn’t particularly impressive.
On the last day, we visited Sighișoara to explore the historic old town. The Clock Tower:
The Scholar’s Staircase, a covered staircase with 172 steps, leads from the main square of the citadel up to the fortress hill.
The Holy Trinity Church, located on the banks of the Great Târnava River.
Városháza:
Roman catholic church:
I had never been to Transylvania before. Overall, I really liked it—we visited some beautiful places. What stood out the most on the way there and back was the stark contrast between different parts of Romania. In some areas, there was overwhelming poverty and deprivation visible across almost entire villages, with nearly every building in poor condition. Then, almost instantly, it felt like stepping into a different country, with clean, well-maintained buildings and organized settlements.
Apart from our host, we didn’t interact much with others, but she was exceptionally kind and helpful. I knew nothing about the salt mine beforehand and didn’t expect it to be so well-developed with various services. What I liked the most was the Harghita Mountains, with their snow-covered pine forests.