Romania's craft traditions did not survive by accident. Pottery in Horezu has been thrown on the same wheel, glazed in the same cobalt blue, for at least three hundred years — and UNESCO recognised it as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012. In Maramureș, wood carvers still cut the same gateway motifs that medieval craftsmen left on churches. In the Saxon villages of Transylvania, women weave on broadlooms that have not changed in design since the 17th century. This tour puts your hands in the clay, on the mallet, at the loom. You work alongside the masters, not beside a demonstration. You leave with something made — not just observed.
Arrival in Sibiu — the old Saxon capital of southern Transylvania. Orientation walk through the upper town: the Council Tower, the Big Square, the bridge of lies. Evening briefing on craft traditions and regional context. Welcome dinner in a Saxon cellar restaurant.
Drive south to Horezu in Vâlcea County — the home of Horezu ceramics, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Morning in the workshop of a master potter: throwing on the wheel, shaping, and the traditional cobalt-and-white decoration using a fine reed pen. Afternoon firing and glaze session. Each participant leaves with a finished piece. Overnight in Horezu.
Long drive north through the Carpathians to Maramureș — the most intact rural region in Romania. Afternoon arrival in the Izei valley. Workshop with a wood carver whose family has made the traditional gate pillars and church elements for generations. Learn the basic chisel techniques used on the great gateway carvings. Visit the UNESCO-listed wooden church at Ieud. Overnight in a farmhouse guesthouse.
Drive south through the Transylvanian plateau to the Saxon village of Biertan. Morning workshop in a textile cooperative that has maintained traditional Saxon broadloom weaving — geometric patterns, natural wool, plant-based dyes. Participants work a section of a genuine piece on the loom. Afternoon visit to the Biertan fortified church (UNESCO World Heritage). Return to Sibiu for farewell dinner. Overnight in Sibiu.
Morning at leisure in Sibiu. Visit to the ASTRA open-air ethnographic museum — the largest in Romania, with over 120 historic buildings and workshops from every region. Transfer to Sibiu airport or train station. End of programme.
4 nights in guesthouses & farmhousesAll breakfasts + 2 dinnersAll craft workshop feesOne crafted piece per personSpecialist craft guidePrivate transportInternational flightsTravel insurance