Itinerary

Day 1

ROUTING: CLUJ-NAPOCA
- Breakfast
- Upon arrival your English-Speaking guide will transfer you to your hotel
- Rest of the day at your leisure
- Overnight in Cluj
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Rimini Hotel****
Option B: Onix Hotel***
B

Day 2

ROUTING: CLUJ-NAPOCA - DEJ - BAIA MARE - DESESTI - SIGHET/VADU IZAI
- Breakfast
- Visit the center of Cluj. St Michael's Cathedral, Opera and National Theater,
The Birth House of Matei Corvinus (the king of Hungary), admire the city from
the top of “Cetatuia Hill”.
- Then depart for the fascinating region of Maramures
- We then go on to the wooden Church at Desesti, a UNESCO protected site
- Overnight in Sighet or Vadu Izai
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: CASA IURCA DE CALINESTI****
Option B: Borlean Guesthouse***
B

Day 3

ROUTING: SIGHET/VADU IZAI - SAPANTA - BARSANA - IEUD - DRAGOMIRESTI - VISEU
- Breakfast
- Maramures : the land of traditions and wood churches.
- First stop at 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 people 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 off 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 highest wooden building in Europe.
- In Dragomiresti we will visit The Maramures's Woman Museum
- Then go to Ieud and visit the oldest wooden church, another UNESCO monument
- Overnight in Viseu
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Gabriela Hotel***
Option B: Hotel/Pension**
B

Day 4

ROUTING: VISEU - MOLDOVITA - HUMOR - GURA HUMORULUI/VORONET
- Breakfast in Hotel
- Today we visit some of the World famous Painted Monasteries
- Moldovita : 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
- 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,)
- Humor : 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 5

ROUTING: GURA HUMORULUI/VORONET - NEAMT MONASTERY - NEAMT CITADELL - BRASOV
- Breakfast in Hotel
- Voronet : 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
- Depart for the Neamt Monastery: it is the oldest monastery in Moldavia and is
the largest men's monastery in Romania with seventy monks. The new church dates
from 1497 and was built by Stephen the Great to celebrate a victory over the
Poles. This church became the prototype for Moldavian churches in the next
centuries
- Neamt Citadel, one of the main medieval citadels from Moldavia.
- Ending the day in Brasov
- Overnight in Brasov
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Casa Wagner***
Option B: Flamingo Guesthouse***
B

Day 6

ROUTING: BRASOV - PREJMER - SIGHISOARA (UNESCO) - SIBIU
- Breakfast in Hotel
- Early in the morning visit at the Prejmer fortified church, the biggest
fortress of its kind from Eastern Europe. The biggest fortified church in the
Southeastern 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.
- After to the Medieval Town of Sighisoara, on UNESCO's Word Heritage List and
makes the perfect introduction to Transylvania.. The Old Town or the Citadel is
the only one still inhabited in Europe - a lost world and still so at the
present!
- highlights include: The Clock Tower, the Church on the Hill, the Scholar's
Stairs, The Monastery Church, The Shoemakers Town, the Tailor's Tower, the
Tinsmiths Tower
- Return to Brasov
- Overnight in Brasov
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Casa Wagner***
Option B: Flamingo Guesthouse***
B

Day 7

ROUTING: BRASOV - BRAN - SINAIA - BRASOV
- Breakfast in Hotel
- Morning Tour of Brasov, which was one of the most important Saxon Cities in
all of Transylvania. Highlights include the Black Church , the Council Square,
the Hirsher House, the old Saxon houses from the old town, and the White and
Black Towers.
- Depart for Bran and a tour of the famous Bran Castle; with ominous ties to
Vlad Tepes, who laid siege to the Castle, and is now dubbed Dracula's Castle. We
will also visit the Village Museum and the Ancient Customs House Museum of Bran.
- Depart for Sinaia; rightfully nicknamed the "Pearl of the Carpathians"
- Tour of Peles Castle, home to Romania's first King, Little Pelisor, and Sinaia
Monestary
- Overnight in Brasov
ACCOMMODATION:
Option A: Casa Wagner***
Option B: Flamingo Guesthouse***
B

Day 8

ROUTING: BRASOV - BUCHAREST
- Breakfast in Hotel
- Transfer to Bucharest
- Drop off at airport, hotel or other location in Bucharest and final good-bye
from your local driver/guide (Approx 3pm)

Extra Information

Inclusions -

all local taxes

Exclusions -

Not Included: - Airfare - Alcoholic drinks - Gratuities - Entrance fees - Extra charges of hotel, eg. Laundry, telephone or fax charges, room service, etc.. - Insurance

Extras -

This tour starts in Cluj Napoca, where your English speaking driver/guide will meet you at your hotel, the train station or airport. Then we head to the beautiful Maramures region, and the world renown wooden churches. Continuing to visit the "Merry Cemetery" in Sapanta, famed for their enlightening engravings. In Maramures we will also see the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, describing in full detail the life of the areas locals. See more examples of the exquisite woodwork, as well as the famous Egg Painters of Romania.
Then on to Bucovina, and the UNESCO designated, and world famous Painted Monasteries. The most famous of the region; Voronet has been called the Sistine Chapel of the East, and once you see these magnificent Frescos, you will fully understand why. While here, on request, we can arrange a traditional dinner, and folklore show at the guesthouse.

After departing Bucovina, we will head deep into the legend of Dracula, and the Transylvania region. Our first stop, the vibrant city of Brasov, with Saxon routes and is the most visited city in Romania. From here we will see Bran Castle, home to the legend of Dracula is next, as well as a stop in the "Pearl of the Carpathians". Then Sighisoara, which is one of the best preserved medieval citadels in all of Europe; and also home to the birthplace of the real life Dracula; Vlad Tepes. On the way back to Bucharest we will stop in Sinaia to visit the famed Peles Castle, Romania's original Royal Palace.

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