Freddie Hopkinson has won The Telegraph’s weekly Just Back travel writing competition with an account of a trip in Transylvania, a region in Romania.

After a 45-minute drive from Sighișoara (pictured), a town in Mureș county, he and his brother walked to Mălâncrav, a Saxon village which hosts a fortified church, similar to many such villages in the region. Before embarking on the walk, the two were warned of the presence of dogs and bears in the nearby woods.

Mălâncrav also hosts a refurbished historical manor, where tourists can find accommodation and an orchard documented since centuries ago.

The account goes into the history of the Saxon settlements in the area and details a meeting with one of the locals.

The story can be read here.

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(Photo: Pixabay.com)

editor@romania-insider.com