Encircled by the ramparts of the Carpathian mountains, the mythical region of Transylvania is a dreamscape. Saxon culture predominates in the south, both in its old cities like Brasov, Sibiu and Sighisoara, and in its quaint villages. To the east, the splendid landscape is a walkers' paradise, unified by its Szekler folk culture. To the west lie Roman and Dacian sites and the Moti region on the slopes of the Apuseni mountains. The large university town of Cluj-Napoca is a good base from which to explore.