THE ROMANIAN RHAPSODY TOUR 2009

Day 1,  Bucharest
  Arrival at Bucharest Coanda International Airport (13 miles to Bucharest). Meet your English speaking guide and transfer to your downtown hotel. In the evening enjoy and included  Romanian Welcome Folklore dinner show with dances at Pescarus restaurant on the shore of Herastrau lake.
D Transfer  Accommodation at Lido Hotel **** 
 
  Day 2,    Bucharest - Cozia - Sibiu, Transylvania
  Hot and cold buffet breakfast at hotel. Take a morning city tour of Bucharest including the Revolution Square, the Palace of the Parliament - the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon. Then take a stroll in the Village Museum - one of the world's most interesting open air museums with century old original peasant households from different  parts of Romania. Afternoon departure for Sibiu. On route short visit to the 14th century Cozia monastery built by  Prince Mircea the Old, the grandfather of Vlad Dracula. Drive along the Olt river Canyon, one of the most picturesque roads in the entire country. Cross the mountains into Transylvania and observe the change of the village architecture. Reach Sibiu. Orientation tour including the guilds' towers and walls.  Overnight in Sibiu's famous Romans' Emperor hotel, first built at the end of the 18th century. Optional Transylvanian Dinner.
B  Accommodation in Sibiu at Imparatul Romanilor Hotel ****
 
  Day 3,  Sibiu - Alba Iulia - Cluj Napoca
  Hot and cold buffet breakfast at hotel. Start your day with a walking tour of Sibiu, the chief city of the Transylvanian Germans. Visit the old surrounding defense walls and the remaining towers each belonging to a certain guild. One of the landmarks of Sibiu is Bruckenthal Museum assembled by baron Bruckenthal, governor of Transylvania at the beginning of the 19th century. The Evangelical Cathedral was completed in its actual shape in 1520, but inside, there is a exquisite fresco of the Crucifixion on the north wall of the choir dating from 1445. View  the Passage of Stairs linking the Upper town to the Lower town, the 1859 Liar's Bridge and the Byzantine style Orthodox Cathedral. At about 11 am departure to Huniady Castle -- one of the well preserved Gothic structures in Central Europe (see picture). Late afternoon arrival to Cluj Napoca, the former capital of Transylvania. Orientation tour. Hotel! check in.
B Accommodation in Cluj at Hotel Fullton *** (or similar) 
 
  Day 4,  Cluj Napoca - Baia Mare - Maramures Region
  Hot and cold buffet breakfast at hotel. Morning walking  tour of the old center of Cluj including the visit to St. Michael's Cathedral and the house where the Hungarian king Matthias Corvine was born. Drive north towards Baia Mare and reach the splendid region of Maramures (northern Transylvania). Maramures is famous for keeping its tradition, culture, fashion and lifestyle unspoiled for centuries. Stop in the villages of Giulesti and Mara.  In the afternoon reach the village of Vadu Izei on Iza Valley. Accommodation in a private house in the village. Dinner and an exclusively organized folklore show are included so that people get deeper into the local culture.
B D Accommodation in a local house with all modern facilities (two nights)
 
  Day 5,  Maramures Vadu Izei - Sighetul Marmatiei - Sapinta Village
  After breakfast visit the village of Vadu Izei including a icon-on-glass workshop, a plum brandy distillery and a typical whirlpool.  Witness a church being painted in fresco. Drive to Sighet for a visit of the Anti Communist Memorial - formerly a political prison. Optional visit to the house of Nobel Prize winner, Elie Wiesel. Continue west along Tisa River (very close to the Ukrainian border) and reach the village of Sapinta world famous for its 'Merry Cemetery' . Here each wooden cross carries a funny epitaph about the person's life. Late in the afternoon return to Vadu Izei for dinner with our hosts and accommodation. 
B D Accommodation in Vadu Izei
 
  Day 6,   Maramures - Iza Valley - Gura Humor (Bucovina)
  After breakfast continue exploring rural Maramures along Iza Valley. Stop in the village of Barsana for a visit of the workshop of a local master carver by the name of Toader Barsan. He participated in the 1999 Smithsonian World Festival in Washington DC. Visit Barsana Monastery, an excellent example of Maramures wooden  architecture. Drive thru Bogdan Voda and Dragomiresti villages. Cross the Carpathian Mountains into the northern part of Moldavia called Bucovina.  Hotel check in and time at leisure.
B Accommodation in Gura Humorului at Hotel Belvedere **** (two nights)
 
  Day 7,  Bucovina painted Monasteries (World Heritage Sites)
  A la carte breakfast at hotel. Bucovina monasteries are gems of medieval Moldavian architecture and artistry. Each of them has a predominant color. Start your day with Moldovita Monastery. Get  explanation of the outer frescoes. Continue to the fortified Sucevita Monastery. In the village of Marginea visit the black pottery workshop - they use a technique called 'oxigen' reduction' .  Drive to Voronet, the most famous out of all, known as the Sistine Chapel of the East. Voronet features the best 'Last Judgment" fresco. Return to hotel. 
B Accommodation at Hotel Belvedere****

  Day 8, Gura Humorului - Piatra Neamt - Bicaz Gorges - Sighisoara
  Hot and cold buffet breakfast at hotel. Drive south to Piatra Neamt for an orientation tour including a  visit of the only wooden synagogue in Romania (17 C). Reach Bicaz Gorges where the surroundings are dramatic. Stopover for pictures and souvenir shopping. Continue your trip through two of the counties where around 85% percent of the population is ethnic Hungarian (very interesting are the by-lingual road singes).  Once passing the Red Lake you are back to Transylvania. Afternoon arrival to Sighisoara - World Heritage Site and the only still inhabited medieval citadel in Europe. Accommodation in one of the three hotels in the Upper Town also known as the Citadel.
B Accommdation in Sighisoara  at Hotel Sighisoara*** (two nights)
 
  Day 9, Sighisoara
  Hot and cold buffet breakfast at hotel. Enjoy a leisurley morning walking tour of medieval Sighisoara including the Tower with Clock (climb up for a great view!), the Scholar's Stairway, the fortifications, the Weapon Museum and the Torture Chamber. Sighisoara is the place where the famous Vlad the Impaler Dracula was born in 1431 Birthplace, today a restaurant, is to be visited. The rest of the day is at leisure. Optional two hour trip to the of Biertan - the Seat of the Transylvanian Lutheran Bishops between 1524 and 1867.  Optional sausage and plum brandy tasting.
B Accommodation in Sighisoara 
 
  Day 10, Sighisoara - Brasov - Bran Castle - Sinaia
  Hot and cold buffet breakfast. Morning drive to Brasov for a city tour. View of the 14th century Black Church (usually closed on Mondays) with its 4,000 pipe organ, the old Romanian district and the narrowest street in the world. The attraction of the day is the well known Bran Castle also known as Dracula Castle. The castle was built in 1377 to safeguard the trading route between Transylvania and Wallachia and enlarged and restored a few times since then. Climb up to the tower.  Overnight in Sinaia mountain resort. Once the famous Orient Express train use to call here.
B Accommodation in Sinaia at Palace Hotel ****
 
  Day 11, Sinaia-Bucharest
  Hot and cold buffet breakfast. Early morning visit to the most important tourist attractions of Romania: Peles Castle in Sinaia, the  royal residence of King Charles I of Romania and  the most beautiful summer royal residence in Europe. This castle alone is worth your entire trip to Romania.  Drive to Otopeni International Airport (Bucharest) for your flight back home OR EXTEND YOUR TRIP TO BULGARIA.

Included features and cultural connections:
- 10 nights accommodation with hot buffet breakfast in  3 & 4 star hotels as per schedule;
- fully insured sedan/minivan with AC for the entire distance, fuel included;
- professional English speaking tour guide (driving);
- guide's expenses;
- festive folklore dinner with show in Bucharest;
- two dinners at the home stay in Maramures;- admissions to museums/sites/churches as per schedule;
- Bucharest city tour;
- airport transfers;
- porterage;
- VAT, hotel tax.
 
Not included:
- any other meals than stated;
- admissions to extra sites not included in the itinerary;
- photo fees at sites, museums;
- tips of any kind.