Domnești sits in the hills just south of Bistrița, the old Saxon town in northeastern Transylvania, and like several places in this region it marks a point on the Roman frontier of Dacia, where watchtowers once looked out from the ridgetops over the province's edge. Nothing dramatic remains here, but the location is perfect for exploring a corner of Romania that mixes Roman, Saxon, Hungarian and Romanian history in a single valley.
Bistrița, about eleven kilometres away, was founded by German settlers in the twelfth century, the Transylvanian Saxons, who built fortified towns and churches across the region. The town's Evangelical church, with its tall Gothic tower, dominates the central square, and the arcaded merchants' houses of the Sugalete are a reminder of the town's medieval prosperity. Bram Stoker sent Jonathan Harker through Bistrița on his way to Count Dracula's castle, and the Borgo Pass, the Tihuța, which crosses the mountains to the east towards Bucovina, has become famous through the novel.
The riding around here is excellent. The Tihuța pass road climbs through forests and meadows to a high pass, with good curves and views, and continues into the Bârgău mountains and on to Vatra Dornei. Shorter rides through the hills around Domnești, Mărișelu and Budacu de Jos take you along quiet country roads with farms, orchards and wooden churches. Surfaces vary, with some smooth stretches and some potholed ones, so stay alert. Stray dogs and slow trucks are the usual hazards.
Domnești and the nearby villages have small shops, but for fuel and a proper meal head into Bistrița, which has everything you need. Transylvanian food is hearty: try sarmale, cabbage rolls filled with meat and rice, mămăligă, polenta often served with cheese and sour cream, and the local plum brandy, țuică or pălincă, which is offered generously and should be treated with respect, especially if you are riding. Autumn is a beautiful time to visit, when the forests turn gold and red, and the harvest brings markets and festivals to the villages.