Discover Romania tour

Itinerary: Bucharest - Curtea de Arges - Sibiu - Sighisoara - Bistrita - Borgo Pass - Bucovina - Piatra Neamt - Bicaz Gorges - Red Lake - Brasov - Bran - Sinaia - Bucharest

8 days / 7 nights, 2008 tour
Departures on Thursdays and Saturdays

Day 1 - Bucharest

Arrival in Bucharest at Henri Coanda airport.
On the way to the hotel you will have a brief sightseeing of Bucharest, including main boulevards, University, Romanian Athenaeum, Royal Palace, the Palace of Parliament.

• Arrival at Otopeni airport. Meet our representative and short sightseeing tour of Bucharest
• Overnight in Bucharest at 3* hotel (Central or similar)

Day 2 - Bucharest, Old and Nowadays city

Have you ever been in Paris? Yes? Then it won't be difficult for you to realize why Bucharest was known in Europe, between the two world wars as "le Petit Paris" (Little Paris).
The tour takes you along the boulevards, which were mainly cut in the 19th century.
The palaces and houses of the Romanian high society were built in about the same period. It was very fashionable for the high-class people to employ French architects like Paul Gottereau, Albert Galleron, A. Ballu, to design their house or at least, Romanian architects who studied mainly in France. From Ceausescu's residence to the Palace of Parliament, Bucharest reveals to the visitors its treasury: the palaces, the houses and its people.
The city tour of Bucharest starts with the visit to the Old Court, a princely residence in the historic center.
Next, you will visit the Palace of the Parliament, the second largest building in the world. Then walk along Calea Victoriei, the former cosmopolitan avenue of Bucharest, to the historical down town. Visit Stavropoleos Church, Manuc's Inn and the Lime Tree Inn.
Continue to Curtea de Arges. Here you'll see Master Manole's church where, according to legend, he entombed his wife in the stone walls.
Travel North across the Olt pass into Transylvania in Sibiu.

• Visit Old Court and Palace of the Parliament
• Sightseeing tour of the historical area including Stavropoleos Church, Manuc's Inn and the Lime Tree Inn
• Drive to Curtea de Arges, visit the Arges Monastery and listen to Manole the Mason's legend
• Accommodation in 3* hotel in Curtea de Arges (Posada).

Day 3 - Sibiu and Sighisoara

This morning we shall drive to Sibiu via scenic Olt river Valley.
First we will have time for lunch in Sibiu and then tour the mediaeval part of the city - the most romantic of Romania.
We shall end the day in Sighisoara, ancient cradle of Romanians, which is located in Transylvania, in a landscape of peculiar beauty in the Tirnave Plateau.

• Drive to Sibiu on scenic Olt river Valley
• Sightseeing tour of Sibiu: Main Square, Catholic Cathedral, the Council Tower, the Liars Bridge, the Evangelical church, the Orthodox Cathedral
• Leave Sibiu for Sighisoara and visit of the best preserved town of 15th century in Europe
• Overnight in a 3* star hotel in the citadel (Sighisoara or similar).

Day 4 - From Transylvania to Bucovina

Visit the citadel of Sighisoara this morning. On the present 'Hill of the Citadel', the upper town, was erected a stronghold in the 2nd half of the 12th century, used by the population as a shelter in hard times.
Here lived, between 1431-1435, Vlad Dracul. He was Vlad the Impaler's father known as Dracula (the son of the Devil), born most probably here in Sighisoara, on 1431. The actual 15th century house where Prince Vlad Dracul was born has been turned into a restaurant and museum full of interesting flavors and artifacts.
In the afternoon we shall drive through Borgo Pass to Bucovina - home to the painted monasteries.

• Visit the medieval citadel of Sighisoara: Clock Tower, The City Walls, the native house of Prince Vlad, Wooden covered staircase
• Drive to Bucovina via Targu Mures, Bistrita, Borgo Pass
• Overnight in Gura Humorului in 3*+ hotel (Elena House villas or similar).

Day 5 - A Bible in frescoes

Situated in the North of Moldavia, Bucovina is home to the treasure of Moldavian art - the painted monasteries, which has been preserved for almost 5 centuries.
Visit 4 of the 5 UNESCO protected convents: Voronet, Moldovita, Sucevita and Humor monasteries.
Daylight gives the colors and especially the famous "Voronet blue" an unique transparence. Often called 'the Sistine Chapel of the Orient', Voronet frescoes are painted primarily in a unique shade of blue known to painters throughout the world as Voronet Blue.
We end the day at the foot of Ceahlau Mountain, in Piatra Neamt

• Visit of the monasteries: Voronet, Moldovita, Sucevita and Humor
• Overnight in Piatra Neamt in a 3* hotel (Ceahlau or similar))

Day 6 - Scenic Romania

Back on the road again, heading towards the most impressive natural rock formations in central Romania, the Bicaz Gorges.
These ancient cliffs, carved by millennia or raging waters, rise like walls on either side of the winding roads leading to the town of Lacu Rosu, The Red Lake. The crimson waters of this natural phenomenon are stained by a rich concentration of minerals and algae. Southward we'll visit the fortress of Prejmer (UNESCO) before reaching the city of Brasov.

• Cross from Bucovina back in Transylvania through the spectacular Bicaz Gorges and Red Lake
• Visit Prejmer fortress
• Overnight in Brasov in 3* hotel (Wagner House or similar).

Day 7 - Brasov and the Carpathians castles

After breakfast, sightseeing tour of Brasov. A main stop will be the Black Church that houses a priceless collection of Oriental rugs as well as a 4,000 pipe organ. Winding your way Southward, stop at the Bran Castle, also known as Dracula's Castle. From Bran continue South to Sinaia. Set amidst sculpture gardens and fountains, Peles Castle was the summer residence to many of Romania's king. Inside you'll see valuable collections of mediaeval weaponry, stained glass, silk rugs and furniture.
Leave the Summer residence of former Romanian royal family for Bucharest.

• Sightseeing tour of Brasov: Black Church, Old City Hall Square, Schei District (St. Nicholas Church, Museum of the first Romanian School)
• Visit Bran Castle
• Drive to Sinaia, visit Peles Castle
• Overnight in 3*+ hotel in Bucharest (Opera or similar).

Day 8 - Good bye Romania !

• Transfer to Henri Coanda airport.

Price/person: 1,050 Euro (for minimum 2 paying people)
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• 7 nights accommodation on breakfast basis
• transportation by air conditioned car/minibus/bus with driver
• arrival/departure transfers
• entrance fees to museums included in the program
• English speaking guide assistance.

• Single room supplement : 210 Euro

• arrival/departure flights
• health insurance (FREE TRAVEL INSURANCE QUOTES)
• personal expenses of any kind, hotel services like phone calls, laundry, mini bar, room service
• soft and alcoholic drinks with the main meals unless otherwise specified.