• VILLA CRINA • is the icing on the cake among our holiday homes with 200 sqm of living space and quality equipment for special demands. The villa is situated in the shepherd's village of Vale, directly at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains. On the one hand, far away from the pulse of time, on the other hand just around the corner from Sibiu, the European Capital of Culture 2007. A good choice for enthusiast of special places who want to add a pinch of Romanian serenity to their live experience.
The village is nestled between the wooded mountains overlooking the Transylvanian plain - in an absolutely peaceful spot with no through traffic. After a short walk you already find yourself in the oldest beech forest on the continent and will experience a unique flora and fauna on your way up to the mountain meadows. Alternatively, benefit from our central location in the heart of Romania and explore sights and trips in all directions.
We are no trained tourism experts. We live in Vale and have joined together in a small and family-type construction company, with which we worked on several holiday homes. Without hurry, but with attention to detail and respect towards the traditional style of the area, as well as with a view to modern building materials and contemporary housing needs. The result are two sophisticated villas, a shepherd's hut in the mountain meadows and two former farms that received a complete overhaul. Today we can offer you an encounter of different ages and cultures in seven oases of wellbeing, each of them with their own flair, distinctive and special in a place which – we hope – will be sidestepped by the world's hustle for a long time to come.
Our other cottages you can find also on Homeaway or briefly presented below.
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••• VILLA CRINA •••
… lies on a slope in the loosely built part of the village. We’ve built this cottage from scratch on the layout of an abandoned farm barn. Now it offers spacious, light-flooded rooms, and whoever enjoys details and a rustic ambience will feel comfortable here.
The 50 sqm large living room features oak parquet and is accessible from the courtyard or the garden side porch. It includes the kitchen, a wood burning fireplace and seating for 18 persons. Also located on the mezzanine floor is a sanitary room with washer, dryer and toilet.
The fully equipped kitchen makes cooking a breeze. It contains a great fridge combo, dishwasher, gas stove, coffee maker and espresso mashine, microwave, toaster, kettle, spices and more. If you want to take a break, we will cook traditional menus or provide you with farm products from the village.
There is an outside and an inside staircase leading up to the four bright rooms (15 -18 sqm) in the attic. They are furnished with a double bed, private bathroom, TV set (Astra satellite), WiFi Internet access and infrared panels. The outlook is reassuring: up to the village church and over the lush green of forested mountains. On arrival you'll find the beds freshly made. Hand and bath towels, shower gel and soap are also provided.
The living room opens out onto a spacious south-facing patio (30 sqm) with 20 seats. Stairs lead down from here to the enclosed garden bordered by a creek. We’ve laid out the garden in three terraces: on the top level, there is a stonewalled barbeque, in the middle a small lawn, and the bottom level accommodates up to two cars. The total garden area is grown with flowers, various fruit trees and wine.
The entire interior of the house was chosen with care and is fairly new, including kitchen and sanitation facilities, mattresses and linen. All furniture, windows, doors and stairs where consistently made to measure.
The Solar assisted central heating is backed up threefold. Either you fire up the water-bearing fireplace in the living room, which supplies all the radiators in the house, or an automatic control takes over the job and starts a gas heater and / or the electrical infrared panels.
• For up to 8 people
• 4 double rooms with WiFi and TV, 4 bathrooms
• Large living room with eat-in kitchen and fireplace
• Sanitary room with washer, dryer and WC
• South-facing porch
• Enclosed garden with barbecue and parking lot
• Minimum stay: 3 - 5 nights (seasonal)
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••• We offer more than just accommodation •••
• Transfer from the Sibiu airport or railway station is included, and a reliable rental car you can order directly with us.
• On request, our cook provides breakfast or swings the wooden spoon. She conjures traditional menus fresh to the table by appointment - each gram of meat a product of her own livestock farming. Vegetarian? No problem.
• Also available are farm products from the village, such as fresh milk, goat or sheep's cheese, forest honey and homemade jam, zakusca, pickled vegetables, wine and schnaps.
• On request: baby cot, high chair, rides in a donkey cart for children, grocery shopping prior to your arrival.
• Tip: Excursion in a horse-drawn cart to the mountains. The tour can take a few hours or an entire day. On the way, you stop at a creek and Nicu (our Carpathian specialist) prepares a shepherd goulash in the kettle on the camp fire.
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••• The village of Vale •••
… is out in the sticks, in the middle of nowhere. On the other hand, the freeway that brings all sights of Transylvania closer to you is only 5 km away. A tarmac road touches on the village, but in large parts, it’s cobblestone roads and dirt trails leading up into the wooded hills. Thus, traditional structures and straightforward hospitality still hold up in Vale. Horses, cows and goats are still part of the village landscape, and the farmers take up their scythes and plant corn, potatoes, and vegetables to provide for the winter.
There is a children's playground and a small grocery store at the village square. The town of Saliste 2 km away offers more shops, a farmer's market and an ATM cash machine. Whatever you miss here can be found in Sibiu 20 km away at the Cibin Market, in retail stores, or supermarkets such as Real, Carrefour and Lidl.
Some say that the Romanian countryside appears frozen in time. It is unique and mostly untouched and the breath of the past hides in every corner. Maybe you'll sense the charm of the extraordinary, perceiving what life was like before it was leveled by the advance of civilization.
Until then, take a good look around. Heists and highway robberies are tales from the long-gone years of turmoil following the political change in Romania, and Count Dracula obviously exists only in movies. Most people in these parts are open-minded and very friendly when met with respect.
Read more below for an overview of the sights in the area, plus a pinch of Transylvanian history.
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••• Our cottages •••
… offer a total of 15 bedrooms endowed with double beds, internet access via WiFi, TV (Astra satellite), and plants. Some properties feature a garden and living room with a fireplace, and all of them provide a kitchen fully equipped for self-catering, as well as 1-4 bathrooms, a washing machine, and at least one terrace. The central heating facilities (most of them solar-assisted) are powered by water-bearing fireplaces, tiled stoves or gas heaters. In addition, nearly all of the rooms are equipped with an infrared panel.
• VILLA CRINA • our jewel with 200 sqm of living space and terraced garden – 8 pers.
• CASA PELU • the former farmhouse with extended loft and roof terrace – 6 pers.
• CASA NICU • 120-year-old cottage with the appropriate historic flair – 2-3 pers.
• VILLA ZOLLO • 150 sqm holiday home with panoramic views and large garden – 6-8 pers.
• Studio ZOLLO II • well equipped apartment with a terrace, BBQ and garden – 2-3 pers.
• CASA LOPO • carefully refurbished traditional farm with courtyard, barn, garden – 6 pers.
• COZO FANTU • our shepherd’s hut in the mountain pastures – 4 pers.
We care for you as a team. In case of problems or questions you can always get in touch. Furthermore, we might have one or two tips at hand for you, but we also master the art of discreet retreat. We nurture a climate of openness and equality-based relationships.
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