BEST OF TRANSYLVANIA AND BUCOVINA TOUR

No of days: 8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS

Price: 995 EUR / person

Departures: may 3rd, jun 7th, jul 5th, aug 2nd, sept 6th, sept 27th

MEDIEVAL CITIES, FORTIFIED CHURCHES AND PAINTED MONASTERIES

DAY 1 Transfer to Bucharest

Arrival at Otopeni airport and transfer to the hotel in Bucharest. Meet your English speaking guide in the airport and on the way to the hotel he will present you the tour and he will give all the practical information about exchange rates, Romanian food and restaurants. Overnight in a hotel centrally located.

DAY 2 Bucharest – Sibiu

In in the morning, after breakfast, leave the hotel for a sightseeing tour and the visit of one of the most impressive buildings in the world, The Parliament’s Palace, also known as The People’s House, the second largest building in the world. During the tour you will see also The Revolution Square, The Opera Square, Victoria Ave and the Triumphal Arch. Leave Bucharest and drive to Sibiu. On the way, stop at Cozia Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in Walachia, built by the prince Mircea the Old in 1386. In the evening, arrival in Sibiu and accommodation in a hotel centrally located.

DAY 3 Sibiu – Biertan – Sighisoara

In the morning we visit the center of the medieval Sibiu, founded by the Saxon settlers and known also as Hermanstadt. The walking tour will bring you to the Small Square, the Liar’s Bridge, the Big Square and to the Lutheran Cathedral. Visit also the Paintings Museum Brukenthal, located in the Big Square. In the afternoon, departure for Sighisoara, with a stop in the Saxon village of Biertan for the visit of the most beautiful fortified church in Transylvania and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Leave Biertan and drive 20 miles further to reach Sighisoara, the best preserved medieval town in Romania. During the walking tour, we visit the Church on the Hill, the Clock Tower and Vlad Dracul’s House, the place where in 1431, the famous prince Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) was born. Accommodation in a hotel in the fortress.

DAY 4 Sighisoara – Targu Mures – Borgo Pass – Radauti

After the breakfast, leave Sighisoara and drive to Targu Mures, a town with a lovely center, where you can admire buildings designed in Hungarian Art Nouveau style – The Palace of the Culture and The City Hall. Short walking tour on the Roses ave. Later on, reach Bistrita, a town mentioned by the Irish writer Bram Stoker in his novel Dracula, as the place where Jonathan Harker had spent the night before going to the count’s castle, in the Golden Crown Hotel. Remake Harker’s road to the castle and arrive on Borgo Pass, the place where the imaginary Dracula’s castle was mentioned. After the Borgo Pass you are already in Bucovina, where we visit a first painted monastery, Moldovita, built at the begining of the XVIth century by Steven the Great's son, Petru Rares. The museum of Moldovita Monastery keeps the award given by UNESCO in 1975, the Golden Apple. In the evening, we arrive in Radauti where we stay over the night.

DAY 5 Painted Monasteries / Byzantine Style

Today we improve our knowledge about the Byzantine style, with the best Byzantine style monasteries from Romania. These monasteries are completely covered by frescos, inside and outside as well. We start the day with the largest and the newest one, Sucevita, then we continue with Voronet, considered the best of all, the Sisteen Chapel of the East. We complete our knowledge about the painted monasteries with Humor, the last monastery of the day. All the painted monasteries in Bucovina are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. On the way to Piatra Neamt, we have a last visit, Agapia Monastery, painted by the greatest Romanian painter, Nicolae Grigorescu; visit also the museum and the carpets workshop of the monastery. Overnight in Piatra Neamt.

DAY 6 Piatra Neamt – Bicaz Gorges - Brasov

In the morning, short orientation tour in Piatra Neamt, then departure for Bicaz gorges where we stop for a short walk and eventually shopping. After the gorges, we are back in Transylvania, in a region with a large Hungarian community. Optional stop at the Red Lake for a typical lunch in a restaurant known for the trout dishes. In the afternoon arrive in Prejmer for the visit of an impressive fortified church with a defensive wall of 30 metters thick. We arrive in the evening in Brasov and we are accommodated in a hotel in the old town.

DAY 7 Brasov – Bran – Sinaia

Visit in the morning the old town of Brasov, including the biggest gothic cathedral from the south east of Europe, the Black Church and the amazing museum of the First Romanian School from Schei. Departure for Bran, where you visit the medieval castle known as Dracula’s Castle, one of the highlights of this trip. Free time for shopping and departure for Sinaia. Make sure to be there before the closure hour of Peles Castle, the former summer residence of the first royal couple, Peles Castle, one of the most beautiful palaces in Europe. After this visit, get accommodation in Sinaia. Free time and farewell dinner.

DAY 8 Sinaia - airport

Depending on the hour of your flight, make sure you leave Sinaia at least 1 ½ hour before the arrival time in the airport. If you don’t have an early flight, you can also visit Snagov Monastery, the burial place of the price Vlad the Impaler and find a good place for lunch. Arrive in the airport / end of our services.

OR YOU CAN BOOK OUR BULGARIA EXTENSION OR DANUBE DELTA EXTENSION

Our services include:

- 7 nights accommodation in 3*** or 4**** star hotels

- 7 breakfasts

- 1 farewell dinner

- The entrance fees for all the sites mentioned in the program

- Transportation for the entire tour (car, mini van or van – depending on the size of the group)

- Transfers from the airport and back

- English speaking guide for the entire tour

Not included:

- Other meals than mentioned

- Photo fees

- Tips

Price:

995 EUR / person, based on double room occupancy, for 3*** star hotels

1095 EUR / person, based on double room occupancy, for 4**** star hotels

Single room supplement: 190 EUR / person for 3*** star hotels

225 EUR / person for 4**** star hotels

This price is valid and the departure is guaranteed for a group of minimum 2 persons!

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