This Overlooked Romanian Region Is Dubbed “Europe’s Yellowstone”

It's been 125 years since Bram Stoker penned Dracula, casting Transylvania as a dark, ominous land inhabited by bloodthirsty counts allergic to holy water. While Stoker's narrative may have skewed perceptions, he captured the region's wild essence. North of Bucharest, nestled in the heart of Romania, Transylvania boasts one of Europe’s last great wildernesses: a vast expanse of alpine meadows, rugged limestone ridges, and ancient forests that weave a dense tapestry of juniper, spruce, beech, and fir across the landscape.

These untamed mountains are home to some of the highest populations of large carnivores in Europe, including brown bears, wolves, and lynx. The nonprofit Foundation Conservation Carpathia (FCC) is spearheading the creation of a sprawling reserve to protect these ecosystems for future generations—a vision of a “European Yellowstone,” as FCC’s executive director Christoph Promberger describes it, covering nearly 618,000 wild acres across Romania’s Southern Carpathian Mountains.

The foundation has begun rewilding extensive areas of the Carpathians, acquiring land to prevent illegal logging and trophy hunting, and has replanted 3.65 million trees. The ultimate goal is to connect these protected zones and, within the next decade, establish a symbolic national park for the Romanian people.

Adventurous travelers can immerse themselves in this groundbreaking initiative by venturing into the wooded Dâmboviţa Valley, located deep within the Făgăraș Mountains in the southern part of the region. Guided hikes with Travel Carpathia, the ecotourism branch of the FCC, lead trekkers to secluded wooden hides perched on the upper slopes. Here, bears roam through clearings during the twilight hours, and you might even spot bison, a keystone species recently reintroduced to the Făgăraș after a 200-year absence.

On the opposite side of the mountains, the villages in the Târnava Mare region of southeastern Transylvania are beginning to embrace ecotourism and agrotourism to preserve their ancient customs. Founded by Saxons from Germany and the Lowlands in the 12th century, these hamlets feature historic homes—thick-walled with wooden shutters, painted in soft pastel hues—and many of their fortified churches hold UNESCO status. Visitors are now drawn by the opportunity to immerse themselves in local culture. In Viscri, where elderly women in headscarves guide flocks of geese down the main street, Saxon homes have opened as guesthouses, offering original furnishings and traditional food experiences (reservations can be made through tour company Experience Transylvania). In Criţ, travelers can taste honey produced by local beekeepers from seasonal hawthorn and acacia blossoms. Nearby in Saschiz, pottery workshops run by conservation NGO Fundaţia ADEPT use 1700s techniques to create plates and pots, while Pivniţa Bunicii sells jams made from fruits harvested in courtyard gardens, with rhubarb, rose hips, sour cherries, and green walnuts being local favorites.

The hills surrounding these villages are blanketed in some of Europe's most untouched grasslands, bursting with vibrant colors of pinks, creams, yellows, and blues during the summer wildflower bloom. The air is alive with the buzzing of insects, creating a palpable energy. You can explore the meadows on a horse-drawn cart or cycle through them along the Transylvania Bike Trails, a 62-mile network connecting Viscri, Saschiz, and several other Saxon villages.

This is the authentic Transylvania: wild, traditional, welcoming, and unspoiled. And not a vampire in sight.

Tips for organizing your journey

• How to reach your destination: Most international flights land in Bucharest, but you can also find airports in Transylvania's cities of Sibiu and Cluj-Napoca. The drive from Bucharest takes about two and a half hours.
• Ideal seasons for visiting: Spring or summer is best. Bears are active from May to November, and early in the season, you might catch a glimpse of young cubs. Wild boars and bison are also commonly seen throughout the region.
• Must-make reservation: The menu at Viscri 32, a restaurant and guesthouse in Viscri village, changes based on local farm harvests. Look forward to dishes like lucicoș, a hearty cabbage and smoked pork soup, and Saxon chicken with prunes and cinnamon.
• Extend your stay: The main cities of Transylvania—Brașov, Sighișoara, Sibiu, and Cluj-Napoca—are all worth exploring. Brașov and Sighișoara boast charming old towns with cobblestone streets, while Sibiu and Cluj are celebrated for their vibrant cultural scenes.