Practical Info about Banat

Group transport in the Banat

Transportation for small or larger groups of tourists from one village to another or to Băile Herculane or to the Nera River Canyon can be arranged by Petr "Sedlar" Hruza, No. 87 (tel.: +40729285659) from Svatá Helena. For example, you could arrange transport with him to the village of Sasca Montana and then walk the entirety of Nera Gorge to Rovensko. Similarly, you could arrange transport to the Czech village of Eibenthal and then walk back to Svatá Helena along the red trail.

How to get to Banat

You can find transportation options to Banat from the Czech Republic for individuals and groups on the Transportation to Banat page.

Many families make wonderful marmalades, herbal teas, cheeses, honey, cherry liquor or mead to sell to visitors. Want a taste? You can find a list of vendors on the pages relating to particular villages.

Hose breeding in Banat is currently on the decline. However, if you are looking for a horse ride, your wish will be fulfilled by:

• Mr. Pek, no. 35, orange corner. House at the crossroads, tel.: +40 720 311 486
• Mr. Švejda, No. 3, left on the main street to the Danube
• Mr Kopřiva, No. 193 - in the side street to the Danube, tel.: +40 731 261 021

If you would like to arrange a horse-drawn carriage, Mr. Josef "Zelí" Mašek, tel.: +40 727 495 763.

All Czech villages in Banat are in the middle of rugged hills and are largely untouched by industrialization. Some of the villages lie on limestone bedrock, a material that abounds in karst landscape (in the sinkholes and caves). Some of the villages are surrounded by dense and extensive beech forests. The scenery here has an unbeatable charm and will be etched in your heart forever.

All the Czech villages are currently connected by hiking trails marked with the Czech KČT hiking trail. Due to the poor accessibility from the local mountains, it is therefore best for a Czech tourist to explore the surrounding villages with you along the marked trails. This way, you can experience the majestic beauty, as well as appreciate the small differences between villages, be it their dialects or their particular customs.

Around the villages, you will find marked recreational routes. Follow them! They will take you through all the tourist attractions around the village. They are marked with colored circle.All marked routes can be found on the maps.cz on the tourist map. We recommend downloading the app on your mobile phone so that it works in the mountains even without a signal.

You can find all marked routes on the mapy.cz portal on the tourist map. We recommend downloading the application to your mobile so that it works even without a signal in the mountains.

The paths between the villages lead past shepherd's huts, so you may come across sheepdogs, some of which are feral. If necessary, the best defense against them is to throw small stones at them to scare them away. If you don't have any stones handy, it's a good idea to imitate that you are picking up a small stone from the ground and plan to throw it. It might also be a good idea to carry around a stick.

Check out our tips for hiking and trekking

Although the official currency in Romania is the leu, you can usually pay in Czech crowns in the villages. There are no currency exchange offices or ATMs in the villages, however they can be found in nearby towns such as Orșova or Moldoua Nouă. Krajan pubs usually also accept crowns, but sometimes at a disadvantageous exchange rate.

There is good mobile phone signal and data coverage in all the Krajan villages. However, near the Serbian border, it is necessary to manually switch your operator search to a Romanian operator. It often happens that the mobile phone automatically switches to the Serbian operator, whose tariffs are many times higher and the surprise when you return to the Czech Republic is not pleasant.

The Czech villages are connected to each through roads, some better than others. It may be possible to drive on some of them, but some may be more suitable for mountain bikes. Marked hiking trails connecting the villages can be used for bike trips. Sometimes, however, for less skilled mountain bikers, it is advisable to go down to the Danube and take the road that is also used by cars. For the needs of cyclists, a yellow tourist path has been marked between Bígr and Eibentál, which leads through more gentle terrain. In some Czech villages you can already rent a bike.

Every Czech village has a small, village shop, which also often serves as a pub. They sell a basic range of food and other goods. A bigger selection of products can be found in the towns of Orșova, Moldoua Nouă or Bozovici (Bozovice in Czech).

Some villages have piped water, while others have wells. However, the local water is not chlorinated. Therefore, visitors are advised to drink only boiled water in the form of tea, especially in summer. Or to buy bottled water.

Of course, you can go to Banat on your own and t's easy to book accommodation and prepare a programme for a few days. You can also use the services of a well-established tour operators, such as:

CK Kudrna has been organizing tours in Banat since the 1990s. The travel agency was present at the birth of tourism in the region. Learn more at:
kudrna.cz

The travel agency KM, s.r.o is run by Karel Mašek. Mašek is a native of Gernika, and an expert on Banat. Learn more at:
dovolenavrumunsku.cz

You can also visit CK Holiday in Banat for stays for schools and individual tourists by visiting:
dovolena-banat.cz

The Czech villages in the south of Romanian Banat still preserve remnants of traditional Czech culture. In some cases, the inhabitants still maintain some traditional customs and practices that have long since disappeared in the motherland. Take advantage of a unique opportunity to look into our past...

Weddings

The most important event --not just for the families involved but for the entire neighborhood -- is a wedding. A number of old Czech ceremonial and customary traditions are associated with weddings. In all Czech villages, the wedding ritual is very similar, with slight variations.

Deviation from traditional Czech weddings has recently manifested itself in the form of wed-ding dresses, as some brides have set aside traditional folk dress for more modern clothing. The party usually occurs at the brides’ house.

Until recently, isolated Czech villages are no longer endogamous, and there are more and more marriages between the inhabitants of Czech settlements, as well as mixed-ethnic marriages, especially in Eibenthal and Bígr, not to mention in more urban settlements.

Catholic holidays

Certain rituals of the customary year based on the (Catholic) church calendar still survive - generally at Easter: such as caroling with Czech ceremonial songs and hymns, as well as washing in the brook on Good Friday and the dressing up of girls on Easter Monday.

There is also the Feast of the Epiphany (in Gerník and Rovensko, this is accompanied with dancing entertainment from Saturday evening until Tuesday morning) and Christmas and Christmas Eve, among other things, people decorate trees and have a day-long fast, as well as a ban on all work. Finally, there is caroling on St. Stephen's Day.

However, some ceremonial festivities and customs have already disappeared (the three-carol Christmas carol, the harvest festival, and pre-Christmas rounds for Barbara, Nicholas and Lucia), while others are undergoing a great decline. New annual customs include the celebra-tion of Miners' Day in Eibenthal and the general New Year's Eve. A celebration specific to Eibenthal is the celebration at the beginning of May, accompanied with dancing on Whitsun Monday, with notable toasts on the part of the host.

Dates of the feast

Svata Helena (18 August)
Gerník, Eibentál, Šumice - on St. Havel (16 October)
Bígr - one week after St. Havel
Rovensko - on St. Martin's Day (11 November)
Zlatice, Oršava (Czech communities) - on St. Catherine's Day (24 November)

If the feast of the saint in question falls on a Monday, a Tuesday, or a Wednesday, then the feast is celebrated on the Sunday and Monday preceding that Wednesday. If it falls on a Thursday or Friday, it shall be celebrated on the following Sunday and Monday.

Harvest Festival

The Harvest Festival has a fixed date only in Svata Helena. It is celebrated on her pilgrimage, i.e. on the Sunday nearest to 18 August (the feast of St Helena). In other villages, the Har-vest Festival is a movable feast and is announced by the parish priest on the date of the end of the harvest work.

The largest museum is the one in Gerník, which was created on the initiative of the NGO People in Need. The museum exhibits and documents everyday life in Gerník and the eco-nomic activities of local farmers. We can find it here: (House-Museum in Gârnic (Muzeum))

The museum is open from May to September and by appointment on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 5 to 7 pm. Josef Merhaut, the librarian, is also the administrator and his telephone number is +40785347556. He would be happy to show you around the museum and tell you the gems of the life of Gernika.

You will find a smaller museum in Rovensko next to the pub. It documents the everyday life of the Rovensky people and their farming methods. Visiting is possible only by telephone. Please call either the administrator, Mr. Josef Pinkava, at +40762548328 or Mrs. Marjánka Pražáková, at +40767128787 and make an appointment.

A large amount of original village architecture has been preserved in the villages of our countryside, documenting the building skills and experiences of our ancestors. The NGO People in Need initiated a building survey in the villages. The results of which can be found on the website dedicated to architecture in Banat.

Take a look at the architecture in Banat.

Ve slovníku můžete přejít pomocí abecedy na požadované písmeno nebo vyhledávejte pomocí klávesové zkratky CTRL+F.

A | B | C | Č | D | F | G | H | CH | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | Š | T | U | V | Z

speciální výrazy: makar

A

adeverinca - potvrzení
akčident - nehoda, úraz, neštěstí
asigurare - pojištění
aša - tak
autogára - autobusové nádraží

B

bagrin, bagram - akát (strom)
bek - žárovka
bidón - plastikový kanystr
bilet - jízdenka, vstupenka
blok - panelový činžovní dům
bludž - džínové kalhoty
borkán - sklenice na zavařování
bujeři - statkáři
bulvány - kmeny, klády
být zlý - rozzlobit se

C

cihlička - žehlička
cívka - roura
cuk - průvan
cuk - vlak
cujka - slivovice

Č

čekat na okázii - čekat na stopa (okázie – příležitost)
čelular - mobilní telefon
čerere - žádost
černidlo - saze

D

desen - kreslení (vyučovací předmět), animovaný film
dispensar - zdravotní středisko
dočista - úplně, zcela
dolík - označení krasového závrtu
dolník - horník (v dolech)
družba - motorová pila
duba - autobus (vyrobený z nákl. auta), skříňový přepravník osob, viz. též heslo „skimb“
dubica - dodávka upravená pro přepravu osob
dublu - zdvojený, dvojitý
duše - osoba (bylo tam sedm duší)

F

farmáčie - lékárna
ferhanky - záclony
forhaus - průjezd

G

gára - nádraží
gáta! - hotovo!
gazda - hospodář
gréva - stávka (dělnická)

H

hajdá! - jdeme!, honem (rychle)
hapatyka - lékárna
harant - dítě
harošit - šustit
heklovat - háčkovat
hory - doly (kde se těží)
housplac - zahrada u stavení
hůra - půda (pod střechou, helenský dialekt)
hutvajda - obecní pastvina, často se švestkovými sady

CH

chcát - močit

J

jinováč - jinovatka

K

kamera - duše (v pneumatice)
kamín - kulturní dům
kanta - kbelík
karnet - řidičský průkaz
kasetofon - kazetový magnetofon
kašket - čepice s kšiltem
kaučuk - pneumatika
kazan - destilační přístroj
klapačka - dřevěné kladívko připevněné na destičce - používají ji děti obcházející v průvodu vesnici na Velký pátek, též se používá bumbačka (dřevěná bedýnka s kličkou) a řehtačka (otáčí se kolem rukojeti)
kofetérie - cukrárna
komanda - příkaz
končed - dovolená
kondukta - roura (vodovodní)
konk - předsíň, chodba
kontábil, kontábilka - účetní
korekt - správně
korn, kornut - rohlík
kort - stan
kořalka - jednou pálená slivovice
kořalka vařená - jednou pálená slivovice svařená s kořením a cukrem
koterice - koš
kovrig - preclík
krčák - džbán na vodu (s dutým uchem)
křiv, nejsem křiv - nejsem vinen
kulma - vrcholek (kopce)
kula, kulička - (rum. mamaliga), kukuřičná kaše
kurent - elektřina
kuť, v kuti - doma

L

láma - žiletka
laudat se - chlubit se
leoštean - libeček
liber - náhradní volno
loučky - třísky (na zátop)
lóza - vinná réva

M

mašina malá - osobní automobil
mašina velká - nákladní automobil
mašinka na pucování - holící strojek
minér - horník
mišánek, mišátko - prasátko, sele
mít nouzi - potřebovat (věc)
mluvit spolu - namlouvat se (chodit spolu)
motorína - nafta
muštár - hořčice

N

namučit se - nadřít se
napalovat - připalovat se
národ - lidé
nevěsta - snacha
ničemný - nemohoucí
numero - číslo domu (čp.)
nýčko - teď (pouze helenští říkají „teď“ a z ostatních vesničanů si utahují: "nýčko budem papat mlíčko")

O

odlivka - sklenička (na pití)
olingre, olingrata, oringle - náušnice
opásnej - nebezpečný

P

paket - balík
pálinka - dvakrát pálená slivovice
panimáma - tchýně
paratajzl, paradajz - rajské jablíčko
parizol, paraple - deštník
pasár - kravál
pašaport - cestovní pas
pázník - hlídač
pěkné kamení - minerály
pelcovat - očkovat (stromy)
perikolní - nebezpečné
piáca - trh, tržiště
piglovat - žehlit
pionéza - napínáček
písanka - sešit
plačinta - jablečný závin (štrůdl)
plavajz - tužka
popa - kněz
poslat řeč - vzkázat
poznatej - známý
práskač - past na myši (systém napnutého dřívka)
prézl - strouhanka
prim ažutor - první pomoc
prinčipální - hlavní
príza - elektrická zásuvka
prost - hloupý
přátel, přátelé - příbuzný, příbuzní
přivlažit - ohřát
pucovat se - holit se

R

radvanec - kolečko (gernický dialekt)
ráza - rentgen
rožníky - vinné hrozny
rychtář - starosta

S

servič - služba
simplu - prostý, jednoduchý
skapat (z rum.)
- být propuštěn (z vězení) (po dvou letech z harestu skapal)
- dostat se odněkud, vyváznout (dneska jsem skapala ze školy dřív)
- něco zmeškat, promeškat (skapal mně vlak)
- pustit, upustit (skapala mně sklenice z ruky)
- utéct (kočce skapala myš)
- zachránit (pes ho skapal od smrti)
sednice, seknice - světnice
skimb - pracovní směna (přeneseně také duba, která jezdí pro dělníky)
sklenice - láhev
skurkat (něco) - splést, poplést (něco)
smaženice - koblihy
stavínka - stavení
stolice - židle
suk - větev
syndikáty - odbory

Š

šenkruta - želva
šíf - loď
šišky - koblihy
šnajder, šnajderka - krejčí, švadlena
šnicle - řízky
šogor - švagr
šopa, šupa - průjezd domu, kolna
šporhet, šporhed - sporák
šrek - šikmo
šuba - kabát z beraní kůže

T

terakota - kachel, kachlová kamna
timbre - poštovní známka
tlučka - past na myši (systém krabice s dvířky)
toč - zapékaný bramborák
trén - vlak
trumplovat, truplovat - dusat hlínu mezi bednění při stavbě stěn (truplovaná stěna)
tumlovat se - spěchat

U

umučit - unavit
utírák - ručník

V

v polou - uprostřed
vajála - valcha
Valach - Rumun
vekla - veka
verštat - dílna
vnučky - neteře
vredí, to vredí - to má cenu, to stojí za to
vagace - prázdniny
vrednej - pracovitý (člověk)
vršení - výmlat, žně
vršit - mlátit
vydlužit - vypůjčit
vyrůst (někoho) - vychovat (někoho)

Z

zejčin - slunečnicový olej

Makar

A na závěr jednu banátskou specialitku, výraz Makar, slovo mnoha významů (převzato z řečtiny přes rumunštinu).

makar kam kamkoli
makar kdy kdykoli
makar co cokoli
makar vodkaj odkudkoli
makar kdo kdokoli

lze skloňovat:
makar čeho čehokoli
makar koho kohokoli
s makar kým s kýmkoli
o makar čem chceš o čemkoli chceš

Další použití:
makar jak všelijak
makar není dost suché přestože (i když) není dost suché
i když mi budeš bránit, makar jak to udělám a přesto (a zrovna) to udělám
je ještě malá, makar že je ve čvrté třídě přestože je ve čvrté třídě
dej mi makar kousek aspoň, alespoň kousek