L T I P S V E R T

He usually goes to his place in Transylvania every spring but for the rest of the time, he throws it open to mere mortals like you and I.

The first thing I saw when I picked up the visitor book at No1 Zalanpatak is his early-season inscription. It is merely signed “Charles”, in his famous black spidery handwriting.

Unlike the other entries, which are full of enthusiasm about the beauty and peace of the place, he refrains from adding any comment, which is the correct etiquette for visitor books, apparently.

Transylvania is a semi-mythological rural province of Romania, a setting particularly prized by our heir to the throne.

Sitting down with the other multi-national guests at a long table for dinner under a portrait of HRH, one of my fellow diners described Charles as a “very powerful influencer”.

The man is from Bucharest, and confesses he’d never have thought of coming to this lovely corner of his own country if it hadn’t been for the prince. If ever

Zalanpatak is a patchwork of cottages in a bird-rich valley, quilted with vegetable patches and orchards and crowned with beechwoods.

For its 100-odd smallholders, being sustainable and organic comes with the territory. Their transport is horse and cart and their hay-making is with scythes.

The guesthouse itself is an immaculately-restored farmstead, with five guest rooms in various converted outhouses. They are not luxurious, but are traditionally

THE nearest airports are Sibiu and Targu Mures, served by Wizzair. You can also fly in to Bucharest, but it will take four hours to get to Zalanpatak by car.

AIRPORT transfers can be arranged and one way to Zalanpatak costs £71pp from Sibiu and £81 from Bucharest. See transylvaniancastle.com.

CAR rental is widely available but you need a calm head and good sense of direction. Prices start from £25 a day. See

autonom.com.