9th-15th September 2026
Culinary Tour-fully booked
To join the waiting list or express interest in our 2027 tour, please email irina.r.georgescu@gmail.com
New: Danube Delta Culinary Tour Details Here.
Discover Transylvania from its Ancestors to Descendants
Enjoy its most exciting dishes and explore the rich culture and traditions of the Saxon villages.
Explore through food
There is no better way to learn about a culture than through eating local food and meeting local people. This is exactly what you will do: meet producers, stay at local guesthouses, eat traditional food and enjoy cookery demos and hands-on cookery classes.
The tour is focused on food and culinary traditions, but you won’t miss the local landmarks everyone needs to see.
The tour is adults-only. Language: English.
Culinary Tour Highlights
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A journey from the city to the countryside following the Saxon story.
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We will meet in one of the most beautiful Saxon cities, Sibiu.
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Visit a UNESCO Saxon town, Sighișoara.
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Stay in a Saxon house in the charming village of Alma Vii.
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Eat in family-run restaurants and local kitchens, which are kitchens in people’s homes authorised to cook for tourists.
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Enjoy hands-on cookery courses and demos.
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Visit: local farms, producers and artisans.
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Taste: local drinks, charcuterie and cheese.
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Enjoy: curated menus to make the culinary journey memorable.
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Private and comfortable transport with an experienced driver.
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Culinary guide: food writer and cookbook author Irina Georgescu.
- Logistic support: a second person will join Irina to look after the group.
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All meals and the drinks paired with these meals are included. Water and soft drinks during transfers.
- Group size: 12-14 people.
It was a truly beautiful experience. It is clear to me that there was so much thought and care, time and effort, put into the selections for the tour. The food was phenomenal. The drinks well suited. The people that we were introduced to were incredibly sincere and lovely. Our accommodations were very comfortable. The transportation and logistics were smooth. Each experience was unique and sits out vividly. Would I recommend folks to travel with you? I would tell them to run towards the opportunity!
Culinary Tour: Itinerary
A Day 1 Arrival in Sibiu
- There is an international airport in Sibiu*
- Hotel accommodation in the city’s historic Old Town.
- Welcome dinner and the first tasting of Transylvanian flavours.
Day 2 Transfer to the Saxon guesthouse in the countryside, Alma Vii village
- Breakfast at the hotel
- On the way, stop for a cookery demo and a light lunch
- Check-in at the Saxon guesthouse in Alma Vii
- Transylvanian Feast – welcome dinner
Day 3: Explore Saxon villages
- Breakfast
- Visit the beautiful fortified churches in Viscri. Find out about King Charles III involvement in restoring these sites
- Have lunch in a local kitchen in Meșendorf, including a hands-on cookery course
- Visit the local Fortified Church in Meșendorf
- Explore the local Old Orchard
- Return to Alma Vii to relax and have a light dinner
‘Irina is the most amazing host, and I met some fantastic people on the tour. She partnered with local bakers and cooks, and we were able to see demos, participate in making dishes, and honestly eat our weight in food every day. Lovely, soul-filling days.’
Culinary Tour: Itinerary
Day 4 Relax in Alma Vii
- Breakfast
- Visit Biertan UNESCO Fortified Church (15min drive)
- Return to Alma Vii for lunch and hands-on cookery course (optional) or cookery demo
- Relax, go for a walk in the village, visit Alma Vii Fortified Church
- Dinner outdoors at Alma Via
Day 5 Exploring Sighișoara
- Breakfast
- Visit a local dairy farm
- Cheese-making course
- Visit Sighisoara and free time for shopping
- Visit the nearby oak forest to see a 600-year-old Oak Tree.
- Dinner on our way back to Alma Vii.
Day 6 Return to Sibiu
- Breakfast and check-out from our guesthouse in the countryside
- Visit a local Gypsy coffee pot maker and have traditional coffee
- Return to Sibiu and check-in
- Farewell dinner
Day 7 Departure
Breakfast at the hotel.
Please note that some activities may change due to availability.
The Food
Travellers should be able to eat meat, fish, mushrooms, dairy and nuts.
Unfortunately, dietary requirements such as gluten- or dairy-free and allergy requirements can’t be accommodated, but please check with us first to see if we can adapt some of the dishes if needed.
Activity level
Although the walks will be short, travellers should feel comfortable walking on uneven ground, on cobbled streets, and up and down stairs.
The Price
The price includes:
- Private transport from the moment the tour starts.
- Accommodation in hotels and guesthouses with rooms with your own private bathroom
- All meals and the drinks paired with these meals are included
- All culinary experiences, cookery courses and demos, and tasting events
- Entry fees to all tourist attractions
The price doesn’t include:
- The flights or any transport to Sibiu, and the flights back to your home and any transport after you reach the airport for your departure.
- Travel insurance, which is compulsory.
- Transport from and to the airport in Sibiu.
Price: 2100 GBP per person in a double room (you can pay from anywhere in the world via bank transfer into a UK based account)
For travellers wishing to have single accommodations during the trip, an additional 200 GBP supplement will be due at the time of the final payment.
NB: The organiser will ask for a 600 GBP deposit to secure your booking, then the rest to be paid 3 months before the tour takes place.
Contact me for more details at irina.r.georgescu@gmail.com
or register your interest in future tours.
Thanks for fabulous trip! I am not sure how I will adjust to having to prepare and clean up after my own meals! We were spoiled.
‘I cannot express in words the depth of my gratitude for this amazing experience. You are both such extraordinary people—so kind, so organized, so thorough, and so determined to give all of us fellow travellers and foodies such a wonderful week. Thank you. This has been truly unforgettable. I’m so glad to have been a part of it.’
‘Thank you so very much for a wonderful time in Romania. I could not have asked for a more wonderful experience and I am so thankful to you both. All the attention to detail you both put in, and your consideration for our comfort, learning and entertainment was just perfect. It was a totally wonderful experience!’
“A rare glimpse into a rich and diverse baking culture, this beautiful book is packed full of fascinating stories and recipes I can’t wait to taste” – Felicity Cloake
‘What a transporting cookbook Tava is! Here are tempting recipes for Romanian cakes, pastries, biscuits and other treats made using delightful ingredients such as rose petals, chestnuts, walnuts, sour cherries and poppy seeds. Importantly – and evocatively – Irina Georgescu sets the rich tapestry of Romanian baking in a historic and social context, giving readers an insight into what has shaped and influenced Romanian cuisine. ‘ – Jenny Linford
‘I love Irina Georgescu’s writing. Carpathia was one of my favourite books of 2020 and Tava is equally exciting: a celebration of Romanian baking that is full of a sense of light and life. Matt Russell’s photography is gorgeous. The recipes set me dreaming of strudels and poppy seed crescents and I can’t wait to start baking from it’. – Bee Wilson
‘Like all the best cookbooks, Tava is as interested in history and culture of Romania, as it is in all things sweet and baked. Enlightening, evocative and irresistible.’ – Tom Parker Bowles
Latest News
Washington Post
There are certain flavours that never leave you. Sourness is one of mine. I grew up with the sharp, comforting taste of fermented ingredients always somewhere in the kitchen — barrels of pickles, borș bubbling away, cabbage souring slowly, jars lined up for winter. In...
On Saturday Kitchen Cooking Show, BBC One
Irina Georgescu, Romanian cookbook author, on BBC One Saturday Kitchen Show.
James Beard Award Winner
Irina Georgescu, Romanian food writer, James Beard Award winner, Tava book, Romanian cuisine, Eastern European recipes, Romanian culinary heritage.