A Weekend Gathering In Transylvania
Notes on The Flâneurs Project 2025 Gathering.
Welcome to The Flâneurs Project. In this post, I'm sharing a few notes on the 2025 annual gathering. Since I aim to keep this in-person event intimate, with only a few spots available, this post is shared exclusively with friends, paid subscribers, and founding members.
“Nu mă întorc, doar ajung.” - Anca Iosif
"I am not returning; I’m just arriving.” This is the third time I’ve read Anca’s essay about her pilgrimage along Via Transilvanica, a 1,400 km trail through Romania, of which she walked 700 km. Her words flow, her experiences are vivid, and I feel a pull toward adventure—to rediscover my home country at my own pace again. I want to gather stories, myths, questions, and interviews and see where this journey in writing leads me—perhaps toward a field guide, a collection of interviews, or an anthology of essays.
Designing and planning trips and far-off journeys is an act of love—where we thoughtfully aim to establish a connection with the place, to see it beyond first impressions, to seek something from it, and hopefully to leave something good in return—a nourishing conversation, a genuine greeting, someone feeling less alone and more connected.
This year, for the first annual The Flâneurs Project gathering, we met in my home city, The Hague, Netherlands. We walked, talked, and shared meals over a weekend. Our group of six included three friends and readers from abroad (USA, Switzerland, Austria). We began with a welcome dinner at my place, followed by two days of exploring The Hague on foot, both in the city center and by the sea.
In 2025, I’m planning a weekend gathering in Cluj-Napoca, a charming city in the heart of Transylvania, Romania, where I lived during my studies. Although I left eight years ago, I still know the city well, and it continues to surprise me with each visit. Cluj is best explored on foot, with natural wonders just a short trip away, making it ideal for a weekend adventure.