Why is the festival so special?
We call it a book festival, but it isn’t like any other literary festival you might have visited before. There are no white tents, crowds, or bland conference rooms: most of the talks and performances take place in the village hall, or in or around historic buildings. It is more like a symposium in the true sense of the word – a series of animated conversations in a convivial atmosphere, the kind that continue enjoyably after dinner and into the night. Great friendships are made.
The festival presents a carefully considered programme of writers, poets and musicians who through their work explore the richness of Romanian culture and, more specifically, the extraordinary cultural melting pot that is Transylvania. We are based in the villages and landscape that informed much of the writing and music, and the programme includes visits with expert guides (writers, art historians and musicians) to the surrounding countryside, delicious meals served in a variety of beautiful historic settings and performances given by local choirs and gypsy bands, as well as musicians of international repute.
Everyone agrees that the Transylvania Book Festival has a unique charm, thanks to its intimacy and the nostalgic beauty of its setting in the fairy-tale landscape of Transylvania. Kept deliberately small, it has a relaxed atmosphere and a tradition of everyone eating together – writers, musicians, international audiences, and local guests alike – very often outside in the golden September sunshine.