Viscri village and the Viscri Cultural Tour – a jewel in Romania

Viscri Cultural Tour is an excursion that we propose to explore the village of Viscri in the heart of Romania. Why Viscri? Viscri (Deustchweisskirch) became known throughout Europe after Prince Charles bought a house here in 1996 and spoke in many interviews about the beauties of the Transylvanian village. Charles’ village, as Viscri is now known, is visited by over 15,000 tourists a year, most of them foreigners. Viscri has been put on the world map of traditional villages and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What do the locals of Viscri do?

In the Viscri Cultural Tour you will learn a lot about the life of the locals. They had to look for solutions to combat poverty. For example, in the autumn of 2012, the locals launched the Viscri jam which costs 365 euros a jar. It comes with a bag and a silver spoon. The big launch took place in Paris. The recipe is secret, but the locals have given some hints. „It’s a jam made from berries, and the presentation is one for luxury products. The jars are wrapped in silver fabric and come with silver spoons,” said Cristi Gherghiceanu, one of the Viscri villagers directly involved in the project.

The Village of socks

It all started one day when Aunt Leana from Viscri went with a pair of crocheted socks to her wealthy neighbours to ask for some items for the house. The neighbours were Harald Riese, a German music teacher and his wife, who had settled in the village a few years ago. This was the start of the ingenious Viscri Socks business more than 10 years ago.

The crocheted socks were initially given in exchange for the household items such as sugar, oil and flour. As the skilful hands worked hard, over time the barter turned into a small business in which 125 women from Viscri now participate. The women have formed an association from which thousands of pairs of socks, gloves, hats, sweaters, blankets and felt slippers are sent all over the world. More than 50,000 pairs of socks have made their way west since 1999.

A pair of wool socks sells in the West for 5-10 euros. The women do not earn a substantial income, but it is a help to families who would otherwise earn little from farming alone.

The Viscri Cultural Tour will unfold everything right before your eyes. Our professional guides will accompany you and help you understand the charm of this place.