The Transylvanian Highlands Ecotourism Destination

The Transylvanian Highlands represent the area of villages with fortified churches between Sibiu, Mediaș, Sighișoara, Rupea and Făgăraș. It is a certified ecotourism destination, covering an area of about 260,000 hectares, home to over 100,000 people who live in 44 communes and towns. The "Transylvanian Hills" brand was established in 2012 by several local partners, who recognised the ecotouristic value of the territory overlapping the protected areas of Sighișoara - Târnava Mare - Podișul Hârtibaciului.  Tourists are attracted here by wild nature, a biodiversity rarely found in Europe, UNESCO monuments (Sighișoara, Saschiz), fortified churches (Cloașterf, Archita, Apold), Renaissance castles (Bethlen Castle - Criș), but also by the traditions and customs of the local communities of Saxons, Romanians, Hungarians or Roma, who have lived here for centuries. The Transylvanian Highlands destination was certified as an ecotourism destination in November 2022, after more than 10 years of efforts to develop the area in a balanced way using its well-preserved natural and cultural values as the main attraction for tourists.