Gheorgheni cheese workshop: aged cheeses of the Giurgeu basin

A cheese workshop on the Milk Trail

Gheorgheni (Hungarian: Gyergyószentmiklós) is the main town of the Giurgeu (Gyergyó) basin in the north of Harghita County, between the Harghita Mountains and the Hășmaș massif. It is a land of pastures, hay meadows and dairy farming, where cows are still kept in almost every village. The town is home to Vidékfejlesztés Gyergyószentmiklós (“Rural Development Gheorgheni”), the successor of the Agro-Caritas Transsylvania foundation set up in 1993 by Bálint Lajos, Archbishop of Alba Iulia. For more than three decades the association has trained and advised farmers and shown in practice how to farm sustainably and keep Székely traditions alive.

In 2017 it opened a demonstration cheese workshop with a visitor centre, part of the tourist route known as The Milk Trail. Here cheeses are made from the raw milk of local cows and matured for a long time: some wheels ripen for four, six or even more than twelve months, the longest for several years. A cheesemaker tends the cheeses in the cellar.

Why go

The visit is laid out as a short journey from meadow to cheese. The first room shows the herb-rich grasses of the Giurgeu basin, different kinds of hay – meadow hay, mountain hay, lucerne – and the region’s typical spice plants. The second explains how cheese is born and how the “good bacteria” give it flavour. The third room is the cellar, where the cheesemaker looks after the maturing wheels. Through the “herbal door” guests reach the fourth room and the tasting.

The visitor centre has interactive displays, so it works for adults and children alike. Visits are tailored to individuals and groups; for groups, talks on local spices, medicinal herbs and beekeeping can be arranged on request. A visit takes about an hour on average. The workshop holds up to 50 people at a time. It is a good stop on the way between the Bicaz Gorge and the Ciuc basin: you can come as a small family or as a school class or tour group – just let them know in advance.

What to taste and buy

• Aged raw-milk cheeses – hard cheeses matured in the cellar from several months to several years.
• Natural yoghurt made on site.
• The tasting – cheese and yoghurt served with pogácsa scones and dry white wine.
• Cheese to take home – products can be bought after the visit.

Practical information

Address: Strada Varga Katalin 3, 535500 Gheorgheni, Harghita County. About 60 km north of Miercurea Ciuc. From Ukraine the easiest route is via the Porubne–Siret border crossing, then Suceava, Piatra Neamț and the Bicaz Gorge – about 240 km in total.

Visits: by prior booking only. According to the Harghita County tourism portal, admission is 25 lei for children and 35–50 lei for adults depending on the programme; confirm the price when booking.

Contact: +40 735 735 155, +40 730 015 195, [email protected]. Opening hours are not published – phone before you travel.

Nearby

• Hășmașul Mare – the highest peak of the Hășmaș massif above the Red Lake.
• The Red Lake (Lacul Roșu) and the Bicaz Gorge – 25–30 km east of Gheorgheni.
• Csíki Sör brewery in Sânsimion – Harghita craft beer, about 75 km south.
• Corund pottery bazaar – Székely ceramics, about 70 km via Praid.

Official website: videkfejlesztes.ro

Photos: Vidékfejlesztés Gyergyószentmiklós (photo: Lovász Árpád), official website.