Bistrița is a Saxon town, founded by German settlers in the twelfth century, and its medieval centre still has a market square lined with arcaded houses and a tall Lutheran church with a green spire. The Transylvanian Saxons were invited by the Hungarian kings to settle and defend this frontier, and they built fortified towns and villages across the region, with their own laws and guilds. Bram Stoker placed the start of Jonathan Harker's journey in Dracula here, at the Golden Krone Hotel, which makes the town a small pilgrimage stop for the curious.
Budacu de Jos lies a short way south, a village in the hills above the Bistrița valley, and Dealul Cetății, Fortress Hill, is the name of its height. A hill with such a name is a sign of an old fortification, and the listing associates it with the Roman frontier of Dacia, added to the World Heritage roll in 2024. The Roman watchers could see up and down a stretch of the river and the roads that followed it.
The countryside is gently hilly, with orchards, meadows and woodland, and the riding is relaxed. The roads follow the valleys, with long, easy curves and few other vehicles, and the DN17 from Bistrița toward the Bârgău mountains and the Tihuța Pass, known as the Borgo Pass in the Dracula story, is one of the most popular rides in the region. Surfaces are variable, and the pass can be foggy and wet, with trucks on the climb.
Bistrița is a town of over eighty thousand, so fuel, hotels and restaurants are easy, and it is the best base for exploring. Try the local pastries, and the Transylvanian stews that go with strong country bread. Late spring and September, when the hills are green or gold, are the best times to ride.