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“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” Virginia Woolf
Today was exactly what we needed.
After several long, demanding days on the Via Transilvanica, we were rewarded with an easy stage. There was only one small climb, and compared to some of the mountain days we’ve had, it barely registered on my personal “suffering scale.”
Even better, we weren’t hiking alone.
We met three Romanian hikers along the trail: Paul, who has lived in Chicago for over 20 years, and Daniel and Gianina, who recently moved back to Romania after spending the last 23 years living in Italy and the UK.
One thing I’ve noticed over and over on this trip is how many Romanians are returning home after years abroad. Everyone has a different story, but there seems to be a common thread—a desire to reconnect with family, culture, and a slower pace of life. It’s been interesting hearing why they left and what eventually drew them back.
Of course, they also happened to walk much faster than we do.
What started as a casual hike quickly turned into a brisk march across the countryside. My leisurely “stop every five minutes to take photos” pace had to be put on hold if I wanted to keep up.
Apologies…so far I only have photos of them from the back. Keeping up was more important than stopping for portraits.
I even got to test out my new sandals when we had to wade through the water. Massimo was so excited for this…like a little kid at Christmas.
The water felt amazing, cool and refreshing, and they dried quickly. I never should have doubted Team Sandals. I don’t have many, if any, regrets in life but this might be it.
The upside?
We reached Sovata, our final destination for the day by 12:30 in the afternoon, which felt wonderfully early.
Sovata is one of the cutest towns we’ve visited so far. Unlike many of the small villages we’ve been passing through, this one feels like a true vacation destination, filled with cafés, hotels, families strolling around, and people enjoying the summer weather.
Just look at the inside of one of their local churches. Wow.
And then…
We found pizza…and gelato! 🍕🍨
I cannot adequately explain how exciting this was.
Romanian food has been delicious. It’s hearty, comforting, and perfect after walking 20 to 25 kilometers every day. But after nearly three weeks of eating some combination of soup, meat, and potatoes at almost every meal, I was ready for something, anything, different.
Today is Day 20 in Romania.
For twenty days we’ve basically eaten the same meals over and over. One day we were surprised with fish instead of meat, and today…glorious pizza and gelato! Hallelujah!
Even Massimo, the Italian and therefore the unofficial pizza quality inspector, gave it his approval.
He is a tough critic.
That may be the highest compliment a pizza can receive. Someone frame the menu.
The gelato was good—not Italy good, but after several store-bought, plastic-wrapped ice creams, it deserves a Michelin star. ⭐️
The portions were huge, so Massimo and I decided to share one.
Mistake.
We nearly went to blows choosing the flavors.
Nothing tests a friendship quite like sharing gelato after a long day of hiking.
The town is famous for its salt lakes, especially Lake Ursu, the largest heliothermal lake in Europe. The lake was formed in 1875 after the collapse of a salt mine, and over time it became a unique natural phenomenon. Because of the way
the fresh and salty water layer, the sun heats the deeper salty water and traps that warmth beneath the cooler surface, making it surprisingly warm for swimming. All of this I learned online because I never actually made it to the lake to swim.
It’s one of those places I had never heard of before (yesterday) coming to Romania, yet it’s exactly the kind of hidden gem that makes traveling here so rewarding.
Unfortunately, I haven’t been feeling my best lately, so after lunch I stayed back at the hotel to rest while Massimo and the others headed to the salt lake for a swim before going out for dinner together.
Sometimes that’s just part of long-distance hiking.
Your body lets you know when it needs a break, and learning to listen to it is just as important as pushing yourself on the trail.
Massimo sent me a photo of his dessert from dinner tonight. At this rate, I think he’s single-handedly eating the town out of their gelato supply.
Later this evening I talked with my dad.
He said, “You usually tell everyone what things cost when you travel. You haven’t mentioned that once.”
He’s right.
So here’s the financial update, Dad.
Overall, we’re spending about $50–60 USD per day per person here in Romania. That’s a little more expensive than the Camino de Santiago in Spain, but it’s still a bargain by most European standards.
Most nights, our accommodations, including dinner and breakfast, cost between 200 and 300 Romanian lei (roughly $43–65 USD) per person. During the day we’ll usually spend another 50–70 lei (about $10–15 USD) on snacks, drinks, or the occasional ice cream that somehow disappears about 90 seconds after buying it. So good but never enough.
Overall, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the accommodations. Most have been clean, comfortable, and run by incredibly welcoming hosts. A few haven’t quite lived up to expectations, despite costing about the same, but that’s understandable.
The Via Transilvanica is still a very young trail.
Many guesthouses were built specifically because of it, and owners are still figuring out pricing, services, and what hikers need. It’s exciting to watch a trail grow in real time.
The biggest challenge isn’t the accommodations.
It’s the food options.
One thing future hikers should know, though, is that many of the villages are so remote that you’ll almost certainly eat dinner and breakfast wherever you’re staying. There often aren’t restaurants or grocery stores nearby, so whatever your host prepares is what’s on the menu.
Which brings us back to…
Soup.
Meat.
Potatoes.
Repeat.
Repeat.
Repeat.
I’m not complaining, okay, maybe just a little, but by Day 20, a single slice of pizza and gelato feels like winning the lottery.
It’s funny how long-distance hiking changes your perspective.
Back home, pizza is just pizza.
Out here?
It’s an event worthy of celebrating. 🥳
Funny how walking 350 kilometers can completely reset your appreciation for the little things.
Much love & gratitude. Namaste 🙏
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A car from the communist era. It’s for sale and could be yours for only €3,000.
Paparazzi!
Paul snapped this photo of Massimo and me moments after we inhaled our gelato and declared a truce following our flavor dispute.
Our first bear sighting!! Rawr 🐻
We passed 350 km but missed the damn marker AGAIN! Here is 351.
