Once upon a hot Sunday, two cars were headed to the Clay Castle in Fairies’ Valley. No, it’s not the start of a fairy tale but it is the start of a tale. A hot but short one.

I’ve heard about, seen photos, and talked about the Clay Castle (Ro: Castelul de Lut) near Sibiu, Romania. I even talked to a friend from Bucharest to meet halfway and plan the trip to visit it.

When we decided to spend a long weekend in Avrig (also near Sibiu), I had to find a way to get to see this interesting castle.

How to get to the Clay Castle

The castle is located in Porumbacu de Sus, about 40km from Sibiu. DN1 / E68 takes you there. At one point, there’s a sign pointing right to Porumbacu de Sus. That’s when you go on DJ105J (county road). It’s paved but not in great shape.
Once in Porumbacu de Sus, follow the signs to the Clay Castle. You should first see the crowds, then the castle.

When to visit the Clay Castle

We visited during a weekend because that’s when we had the time to do this. However, if I was to do it again, I’d choose any other day than Saturday or Sunday. The castle is open daily from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm.

Tickets for the Clay Castle

It costs 5 lei / 1.30 USD per person to visit the castle.

There’s also a parking lot. It costs 3 lei / 0.80 USD for an hour.

What to do at the Clay Castle

Well, not much. Although it was built with the purpose of being an accommodation, it still is not. There’s one room open to visit. And two towers to climb in.

All in all, you can “visit” the castle in 5 min flat. Then spend another 5 min taking photos and that’s it.
Hungry? There are quite a lot of options on the road leading to the castle and there’s a place to eat within the castle yard. But better yet, before you leave Sibiu, go by a store, grab some veggies, fruits, and whatever else you fancy, and then head into the forest for a picnic.

What is the Clay Castle after all?

The idea was to create an accommodation, built out of natural materials. The owner was inspired by the dwarves’ house from Snow White. Construction started in 2014. It’s still not a place to sleep in, but nonetheless, it’s a tourist attraction.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much other information online and there wasn’t any info on site either. You can check out their office website and Facebook page,though.

Do I recommend the Clay Castle?

I really wanted to see it because of the photos I kept seeing. But, once I got there, there was no magic. Too many cars and too many tourists, yes. But no magic.

If you have a day to spare when you visit Sibiu, you can combine a visit to The Clay Castle with visiting Brukenthal Palace in Avrig. The gardens are charming and there’s a restaurant where you can grab some food – if you are vegan, you have a lot of begging to do, though.

Or, better yet, hop on the car and drive to Poenari Fortress, accessible via the amazing Transfagarasn and climb de steps to the fortress for magestic views.