Itinerary

Day 1

ROUTING: BUDAPEST
- Upon arrival your private driver will transfer you to your hotel
- Check in hotel
- 08:00PM: Folklore show on a boat. Tonight enjoy an evening cruise with a
3-course-dinner, welcome drink, wine, music and 90-minute-folklore show on the
River Danube. The spotted city and the special atmosphere will make this night
unforgettable.
- Return in the evening
- Overnight in Budapest
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Hotel Palazzo Zichy****
Option B: Promenade City Hotel***
D

Day 2

ROUTING: BUDAPEST
- Breakfast in the hotel.
- 11:00AM: 3-hour-long city tour and Parliament visit. Erzsebet Square, Opera
House, Heroes Square/Millenium Memorial (photostop), downtown, Erzsebet Bridge,
panorama view to the banks of the River Danube with famous public buildings,
panorama view from Gellert Hill (photostop), walk in the Castle district,
Matthias Church (outside), Fishermen Bastion, panorama view to the city, Margit
Bridge.
- Visit the House of Parliament: first outside then inside the impressive
building with its magnificent neogothic chambers and staircases, the home of the
Hungarian Holy Crown. The program ends in front of the House of Parliament.
(Note: this tour maybe changed to a city tour by boat, inquire for details)
- Rest of the day at your leisure
- Overnight in Budapest
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Hotel Palazzo Zichy****
Option B: Promenade City Hotel***
B

Day 3

ROUTING: BUDAPEST - EGER - BUDAPEST
- Breakfast in the hotel.
- 09:00: Eger - Wine-region (9 hours approx). Starting from Erzsebet square this
is an excursion to Eger that is famous for its historical wine region, the land
of the Egri Bikaver (Bulls Blood Wine). Visit the baroque monuments of the town,
the Basilica and the huge castle. Then 3-course-lunch and wine-tasting in one of
the most wonderful wine cellars in the Szepasszony volgy (Beautiful Lady)
valley. The tour ends in Budapest city centre.
- Rest of the day at your leisure
- Overnight in Budapest
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Hotel Palazzo Zichy****
Option B: Promenade City Hotel***
B

Day 4

ROUTING: BUDAPEST - LAKE BALATON - BUDAPEST
- Breakfast in the hotel.
- 09:00AM: Lake Balaton - Herend. Starting from Erzsebet square this is an
excursion to the Herend porcelain art that is famous throughout Europe. After a
guided tour in the world largest porcelain manufactory (founded in 1826),
coffee-break in the Porcelanium. Shopping, then drive to Lake Balaton and enjoy
the beautiful nature of Tihany Peninsula. Visit the Abbey that was founded in
1051. 3-course-lunch with wine in a csarda. Drive to Balatonfured, walk round
the nice spa-centre. The tour ends in Budapest city centre.
- Rest of the day at your leisure
- Overnight in Budapest
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Hotel Palazzo Zichy****
Option B: Promenade City Hotel***
B

Day 5

ROUTING: BUDAPEST - PUSZTA - BUDAPEST
- Breakfast in the hotel.
- 09:00AM: The romantic Hungarian Plain/Puszta horse-show (8 hours approx.).
Starting from Erzsebet square this is an excursion to the Hungarian Puszta. The
program starts with a short walk in Kecskemet, in the so-called Famous Town.
Then journey to a farm in the Puszta. Stud-farm visit, horse-show and carriage
drive. Typical Hungarian 3-course-lunch with wine and gipsy music in a Csarda.
The tour ends in Budapest city centre
- Rest of the day at your leisure
- Overnight in Budapest
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Hotel Palazzo Zichy****
Option B: Promenade City Hotel***
B

Day 6

ROUTING: BUDAPEST - ESZTERGOM - VISEGRAD - SZENTENDRE - BUDAPEST
- Breakfast in the hotel.
- 09:00AM: Danube Bend tour: Esztergom-Visegrad-Szentendre (9 - 10 hours
approx.). Starting from Erzsebet square visit three towns of archbishops, kings
and artists. Esztergom: the oldest Hungarian Royal Residence and ecclesiastic
centre. Visit the Basilica. Visegrad: unique panorama view from the Citadel and
3-course-lunch with wine in a nice restaurant. Szentendre: walk round the
Mediterranean-like town then visit the Caprice Hungarian jewellery museum
including multimedia presentation, factory visit and jewellery exhibition. The
tour ends in Budapest city centre.
- Rest of the day at your leisure
- Overnight in Budapest
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Hotel Palazzo Zichy****
Option B: Promenade City Hotel***
B

Day 7

ROUTING: BUDAPEST - CLUJ-NAPOCA
- Breakfast
- Take a train to Cluj, train times are below...
Budapest-Keleti pu. 08:43 - Cluj-Napoca 16:40 (Duration 6:57)
Budapest-Keleti pu. 13:43 - Cluj-Napoca 21:33 (Duration 6:50)
Budapest-Keleti pu. 17:43 - Cluj-Napoca 01:38 (Duration 6:55)
- Upon arrival to Cluj your English-speaking driver/guide will pick you up from
the train station
- Depending of your arrival time we can make a city tour of Cluj. Main
attractions: Unirii Square, St. Michael's Cathedral, Opera and National Theater,
Matei Corvin birthplace, "Cetatuia" neighborhood
- Overnight in Cluj
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Agape Hotel****
Option B: Onix Hotel***
B

Day 8

ROUTING: CLUJ-NAPOCA - BAIA MARE - DESESTI - SIGHET - VISEU
-Breakfast.
- Depart from Cluj to the north to visit Maramures County, the land of
traditions and wooden churches.
- First stop at Desesti in order to visit the local wodden church (UNESCO). Than
go to Sapanta and visit the famous Merry Cemetery, truly one of the most unique
sites in Europe. It is famous for its colourful tombstones with native paintings
describing, in an original and poetic manner, the persons that are buried there
as well as scenes from their lives. The Merry Cemetery became an open-air museum
and a national tourist attraction.
- Next we are to The Birsana church , built in 1720 , listed on UNESCO Heritage
List , with the florid paintings , the best in Maramures and the Barsana
Monastery (UNESCO ) a large monastic complex comprising of several wooden
buildings, all constructed in the local style , including the wooden church .
The Gate Tower is the higher wooden building from Europe.
- At Ieud we can visit the oldest wodden church made in to the 14-een century
(UNESCO). Don't miss the The Maramures's Woman Museum from Dragomiresti, where
you can learn about maramuresean traditions and way of live.
- Overnight in Sighet or Vadu Izai
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: CASA IURCA DE CALINESTI****
Option B: Borlean Guesthouse***
B

Day 9

ROUTING: VISEU/BORSA - MOLDOVITA - HUMOR - VORONET / GURA HUMORULUI
- Breakfast
- Today we'll visit some of the World famous Painted Monasteries
- Sucevita : the last and the most magnificent monastic achievement among the
painted monasteries in Bucovina , looks as a real fortress, with towers,
buttresses and watch roads. Built in 1581, by one bishop, it was dedicated to
the Assumption in 1584. Paintings of the Sucevita monastery were best preserved
both on the outside and on the inside( Ladder of Virtue, the last Judgment, the
tree of Jesse,)
- Moldovita (UNESCO): dates back from 1532 and is due to the ruling prince Petru
Rares
It has the aspect of a fortress, with imposing towers and high, thick walls. The
church has a three-cusped plan, as well as an open porch. It Is decorated with
scenes from the 16th c Moldavian life. You can see here the best preserved
frescoes, with fresh and vivid colors
- Humor (UNESCO) : dates from 1530, this monastery was among the first churches
to be painted , the frescoes were painted in 1535. Humor is painted in reddish
brown ( from oriental madder pigment), colors are brilliant and truthful to
nature
- Overnight in Gura Humorului or Vornet
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Hilde's Residence****
Option B: Doina Guesthouse***
B

Day 10

ROUTING: VORONET/GURA HUMORULUI - TARGU NEAMT - BRASOV
- Breakfast.
- Starting the day with a visit at Voronet Monastery and than depart to Brasov
stoping on the route for visits at Neamt Monastery and Neamt Citadel.
- Voronet Monastery (UNESCO) : founded in 1488 by Stephen the Great . It is the
most accomplished sample of artistic achievement in Moldavian architecture and
painting . The doors of the porch have a Renaissance framing, whereas the stone
carvings of the broken arches at the doors and windows belong to the Gothic
style. Voronet Monastery had been dubbed the oriental Sistine Chapel , whereas
Voronet Blue , a color obtained from lapis lazuli, entered in the lexicon of art
alongside Titian red and Veronese green, and to this day has yet to be
reproduced by natural means.
- Neamt Monastery, one of the oldest and most important of its kind in Romania.
It was built in 14th century, and it is an example of medieval Moldavian
architecture.
- Arrive in Brasov in the evening.
- Overnight in Brasov
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Casa Wagner***
Option B: Flamingo Guesthouse***
B

Day 11

ROUTING: BRASOV - SINAIA - BRAN - RASNOV - BRASOV
-Breakfast.
- Today we will explore the region of castles and citadels.
- First stop at Sinaia and visit the Peles Castle, former summer residence of
the kings of Romania, the Peles Castle is 44 kilometres far from Brasov, in
Sinaia, a well-known mountain resort as well. Nowadays the Castle is one of the
most important museums in Transylvania where one can admire furniture and
ornamental objects, carpets, tapestry, sculptures, paintings, collections of
weapons from the 15th up to the19th centuries.
- Continuing the journey to Bran and visit the famous Bran Castle. Also called
Dracula`s Castle, it is situated not far from Brasov (25 kilometres) at the
entrance in the Bran - Rucar passage. The castle got its fame from Dracula`s
legend written in 1897 by Bram Stoker and later on made into a film by Francis
Ford Coppola.. The first documents about the Bran Castle appeared in 1377. Along
the history, the Castle had a strategic mission being the border between
Transylvania and Wallachia. First it was under the rule of the King of Hungary
Sigismund of Luxemburg, of the Romanian voievodes Mircea cel Batran and Vlad
Tepes and later on it came under the jurisdiction of the City of Brasov. In the
XX century the castle was donated to the royal family and becamed a royal
residence. The museum preserve the furniture and objects from that period.
- Last stop at Rasnov Fortress. Built in 1331, the Fortress had a defence role
and it was a shelter for the inhabitants of Rasnov in case of enemy attacks.
In the middle of the courtyard there is a well 146 metres deep and the ruins of
an 11th - 12th century - Orthodox church were discovered here. Nowadays the
Fortress houses an interesting museum
- Return to hotel
- Overnight in Brasov
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Casa Wagner***
Option B: Flamingo Guesthouse***
B

Day 12

ROUTING: BRASOV - PREJMER - SIGHISOARA - SIBIU
- Breakfast
- Begin our day with a short tour of the magic medieval center of Brasov (2
hours) - Concil Square, Black Church, White and Black Towers, Weaver's Bastion
and Ecaterina's Gate.
- Then we go to Preajmer a village near Brasov for a visit at the Prejmer
fortified church - the biggest fortress of its kind from East Europe built in
the 14th century. The fortress has double walls and dungeons. Inside its walls
there is a church, but the interesting thing here is the honeycomb like inner
wall. Every family had one small room for sheltering in case the village was
attacked.
- Then onto Sighisoara (UNESCO), also caled "The Pearl of Transylvania" a
wonderful medieval city where you can stil enjoy the medieval atmosphere. Short
walking in Sighisoara and visits at Clock Tower and History Museum, Birthplace
of Vlad the Impaler, Covered Stairs, Church on the Hill, etc..
- End the day in Sibiu
- Overnight ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Hotel Ramada Sibiu ****
Option B: Zorba Pension ****
B

Day 13

ROUTING: SIBIU - COZIA - HOREZU - BUCHAREST
- Breakfast.
- In the morning visit the Old Center of Sibiu. Sibiu was the European Capital
of Culture in 2007. The Big Square, the Small Square, the Ursuline Church, The
Franciscan Church, The staircase Tower, the Tanners Tower, the Lier's Bridge ,
the House of the Butcher's Guild and Bruckenthal Museum are the most important
sights.
- Leaving Sibiu we'll cross Carpathians Mountains through the beautiful Olt
River Valley. One can admire the amazing landscapes of the mountains.
- In our way a stop for a visit at Cozia Monastery, which is set in one of the
most picturesque of the many carpathian landscapes which are the pride of
Oltenia, this immense repository of such monuments.
- Than after a short detour to visit the Monastery of Horezu was founded in 1690
by Prince Constantin Brancoveanu in the town of Horezu, Wallachia, Romania. It
is considered to be a masterpiece of "Brancovean" style, known for its
architectural purity and balance, the richness of its sculpted detail, its
treatment of religious compositions, its votive portraits, and its painted
decorative works. The town of Horezu is well known for its people who make
pottery and present it at an annual fair. There are special traditions which
have been well preserved .
- End the day in Bucharest.
- Overnight
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Crystal Palace ****
Option B: Venezia Hotel***
B

Day 14

ROUTING: BUCHAREST
- Breakfast in Hotel
- Today we will explore Bucharest the capital of Romania. Highlights: Village
Museum, Peasant Museum, Parliament Palace : the second largest building from the
world, Royal Palace, Revolutin Square, Historical center.
- Evening at your leisure
- Overnight in Bucharest
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Crystal Palace ****
Option B: Venezia Hotel***
B

Day 15

ROUTING: BUCHAREST - GIURGIU (BULGARIAN BORDER) - VELIKO TURNOVO
- Breakfast in Hotel
- Then transfer to Bulgarian Border where you will meet the Bulgarian Driver
(For this time on the driver is not a guide and can not enter the monuments with
you, but is very knowledgeable about the area and will give you commentary while
driving)
- The final good-bye from your Romanian Guide
- Pick up at Giurgiu : Romanian side of the border approx. at 1 p.m.
- Cross the border to Bulgaria
- Drive to the Rock monasteries by Ivanovo, included in the UNESCO World
Heritage List
- Check-in hotel
- Overnight.
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Bolyarski hotel****
Option B: Hotel***
B

Day 16

ROUTING: VELIKO TURNOVO
- Breakfast
- After breakfast : sightseeing of Veliko Turnovo - the ancient capital of the
Second Bulgarian Kingdom (12th -14th C.), picturesquely situated on the hills at
the banks of the meandering river Jantra. Visit of the medieval fortress of
Tsarevets hill and of Samovodska charshiya - handy craft street. (Entrance fee 2
Euros per person; local guide in English 10 Euros total)
- Sightseeing of Arbanassi : 17th C. fortified village with entrance to
Konstanzaliev's house (17th C.) and Jesus Christ's Nativity Church which
interior is covered in frescos depicting 2000 scenes.
- Overnight
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Bolyarski hotel****
Option B: Hotel***
B

Day 17

ROUTING: VELIKO TURNOVO - SHIPKA - PLOVDIV
- Breakfast
- Drive to Plovdiv via Shipka Pass.
- Visit to the Shipka Memorial church with golden domes.
- Visit to the Thracian tomb in Kazanlak, UNESCO World Heritage monument
- Arrival in Plovdiv in the afternoon. Walking in the old part of the town with
beautiful old houses from the Bulgarian Revival period (18th : 19th C.).
- Entrance to the St. Konstantin and Elena church and to the Roman Theatre.
- Overnight at 3-star hotel in Plovdiv.
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Hotel****
Option B: Hotel***
B

Day 18

ROUTING: PLOVDIV - RILA - SOFIA
- Breakfast
- Departure to Rila Monastery across the magnificent nature of the Rila and
Rhodope Mountains.
- Stop at winter resort Borovets.
- Visit of the largest and one of the oldest Bulgarian monasteries (10th C.),
included in the UNESCO World Heritage List with medieval defense tower from the
14th C. and fine frescoes.
- Departure to the capital Sofia.
- Overnight in Sofia
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Hotel****
Option B: Hotel***
B

Day 19

ROUTING: SOFIA
- Breakfast
- Sightseeing of Sofia - entrance to Boyana Church (UNESCO site) and National
History museum or trip to Vitosha Mountain.
- Overnight in Sofia
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Hotel****
Option B: Hotel***
B

Day 20

ROUTING: SOFIA
- Breakfast
- Transfer to the Airport and the final good-bye from your Bulgarian Driver
B

Extra Information

Inclusions -

English-Speaking driver and local guide for the duration of your tour in Bulgaria

Exclusions -

Airfare - Alcoholic drinks - Lunches and Dinners - Gratuities - Extra charges of hotel, eg. Laundry, telephone or fax charges, room service, etc.. - Entrance fees and photo charges to the monuments in Hungary and Romania (to be paid directly) - Insurance

Extras -

On this guided tour we will explore the UNESCO Monuments of Hungary, Romania
and Bulgaria. In each location a local driver guide will introduce you to their
homeland and take you to the countries most important sights and cities.

While in Budapest you will spend the majority of the time in the city with
excursions to the surrounding area. The first day will be to get acquainted with
the city on a half day sightseeing tour, visiting the Parliament Palace. Then
the next few days we will explore the area, going to such tourist regions as
Lake Balaton, Danube Bend, see the Puszta horse-show of the Hungarian Plain...
And you will get a chance to taste the Bull's Blood wine from the Tokaj region,
in the historic wine capital; Eger.

Then we will move onto Romania to discover this unique and diverse country.
Included on this portion will be the 3 main tourist regions; Maramures, Bucovina
and Transylvania. Each region has its own traditions and culture specific to
their areas. In Maramures the culture has changed very little in the past 100
years and the traditions are still practiced today. Explore the ancient wooden
churches, gates and historic villages that make Maramures so special. After we
continue to Bucovina to see the famous Painted Monasteries created by Stephen
the Great. Then onto Transylvania; land of amazing medieval towns, castles and
the legend of Dracula. And before moving onto to Bulgaria we will spend a night
in Bucharest.

In Bulgaria we continue to explore the UNESCO monuments of this corner of
Europe. The first stop is Veliko Tarnovo, which is the historic capital of
Bulgaria during the medieval ages. Here we will see the magnificent citadel on
Tsarevets Hill. Before reaching Sofia we will make stops in other important
sights, such as the Thracian tomb in Kazanlak, Plovdiv, Rila Monastery and more.

his tour is customizable and can be adjusted upon your request. For more details
please refer to the "Day by Day Itinerary".

Discover the UNESCO monuments of Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria!!!