Real travel influences lives, whether it’s travelers or the local community. We dream of the authentic, but sometimes we just can’t seem to get there. We believe that the exchanges between the traveler and the community he visits must be natural and not according to the “ivory tower” model, much too promoted by traditional tourist packages.
I found in Cund a cultural heritage and a community that was not aware of how much it has to offer, through traditions and crafts, as well as through local expertise. At Valea Verde, we tried to bring the right people to the right place and let them explore and experiment, giving them much-needed comfort and guidance.
In this article, we will present some of the traditions and customs known in Transylvania. At Valea Verde, we opened the doors to an authentic experience of Transylvania: active, immersive, and responsible.
Carefully thought out and implemented, eco-tourism brings sustainability – and, we hope, destinations like Cund will remain intact and protected for us and future generations to enjoy.
Night of Sânziene (June 23 – 24)
Celebrated with great pomp, bouquets of flowers, and wreaths made of wildflowers, Sânziene Night is perhaps one of the most beautiful summer holidays in Transylvania and in the country. The legend says that on the Night of Sânziene, the heavens open, and communication with the animal world is facilitated.
Another custom is to surround the household with haystacks and various objects that make a loud noise in an attempt to ward off evil spirits from around the house.
In the Night of Sânziene, according to tradition, girls who want to find a teddy bear will throw bouquets of flowers on the window or over the threshold.
Run of the Lola
The Run of the Loles is a 17th-century object that involved handing over the guild chests to those who seek to rule the country. These crates were guarded by masked persons who were called in that work Lole or Urzeln.
Today this tradition is celebrated with a run through the city streets of masked people to keep evil spirits away.
Wedding traditions
In Transylvania, according to old traditions, which have remained, many of them, only in local history, weddings are organized according to certain stages.
The proposal may be made by the prospective bridegroom or, if he considers the girl uncertain about the prospect of marriage, by the suitors, who are friends and relatives of the bridegroom. On the day of the wedding, families organize a meal where the two young people must eat from the same plate.
On the day of the proposal, families will set the engagement date and later the wedding day. The parents will agree on the dowry that the bride and groom will receive and arrange the details of the wedding party.
The local community will receive the news of the wedding one month before the event or on the first Sunday after the engagement. The bride and groom, the groom and the friends of the young people go around the village and call people to the wedding.
Preparations for the party begin with sewing and decorating the flag, a stick decorated with colorful ribbons, ribbons, and tassels. On the wedding day, the standard-bearer leads the groom’s procession. A custom specific to Transylvania is the wedding tree, which the bride and groom prepare the night before the wedding. The decorated tree is carried by a girl and a boy who sprinkle the wedding couple with water and wheat as a symbol of prosperity.
