Starting this fall, a large part of the Via Transilvanica route is available in Street View panoramic images on Google Maps. Almost 900 kilometers of the road can be explored digitally by anyone in the world with an internet connection. Via Transilvanica is the project of the Tășuleasa Social Association and represents a long-distance route, a concept known and encountered throughout the world, whether it is pilgrimage roads, such as El Camino, or natural routes, such as the Appalachian Trail.
The Via Transilvanica route is over 1,400 km long and starts from Bucovina, from Putna, crosses Transylvania and ends at Drobeta Turnu Severin, on the banks of the Danube. Two-thirds of this route is photographed and accessible in Google Street View. A virtual traveler on the Via Transilvanica can stop at the Sucevița Monastery, a monument on the Unesco World Heritage Sites list, take a tour of the Teleki Castle from Posmusu or visit the ancient city of Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa. Nature is the main character of Via Transilvanica: you can walk through the dense forests of Bucovina or the meadows in the Viscri area, pass by a herd of sheep or stop to admire Râpa Roșie near Sebeș.
Via Transilvanica is the “road that unites”, the road that brings local communities together. With one click you reach the village of Inlăceni, where you can enjoy a moment of peace in the Unitarian church, pass through abandoned villages or explore traditional villages such as Poiana Negri or Obârsia Cloșani. Moreover, you can stop at one of the local businesses that offer hospitality services to travelers on the Via Transilvanica and that can be found on Google Maps along the route, such as this traditional Transylvanian house in Axente Sever commune.
“The foundation on which Via Transilvanica was built means a rural universe and an exceptional natural heritage, passing through 2000 years of history, culture and diversity. The partnership with Google is absolutely natural, because the presence on Street View and Google Maps gives this project an opening to all people connected to the Internet. Everyone can build their own visit on Via Transilvanica. No matter how much we make Via Transilvanica attractive, it will exist and thrive as long as it is visited and beaten by as many hikers as possible, from as many corners of the world as possible,” said Alin Useriu, founder and president of Tășuleasa Social.