Unveiling Romania

UNVEILING ROMANIA  
Day 1: Bucharest

Arrive and meet with the guide & driver. Transfer to Hotel.
D Accommodation at Hotel **** in Bucharest
Day 2: Bucharest - > Cozia - > Sibiu                                         Breakfast at hotel. City tour of Bucharest with the Athenaeum, the Royal Palace, the Revolution Square, the Parliament House - the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon, the Church of the Patriarchy, the Village Museum – an ethnographical museum - a quintessence of the Romanian village of 17th – 19th centuries architecture. Afternoon departure to Sibiu. On route short visit to Cozia monastery built by Vlad Dracula’s grandfather Mircea the Old in 1388. Drive along the river Olt following the Valley, which parts the mountains of Fagaras, the most spectacular of the mountains of Romania and those of Capatanii and Cindrelului. Cross into Transylvania. Reach Sibiu, the old Hermanstadt where Saxon settlers established their community at the beginning of the 13th century in the former roman municipality of Cibinium. Overnight in Sibiu.                                                         B D Accommodation in Hotel *** in Sibiu

Day 3: Sibiu - > Corvin Castle - > Cluj Napoca
Start your day with a walking tour of Sibiu, the Hermanstadt of the Transylvanian Germans. One can see the defense wall towers of the city. Visit Bruckenthal Museum founded by baron Bruckenthal, governor of Transylvania at the end of the 18th century. The Evangelical Cathedral 1520, with the fresco of the Crucifixion dating from 1445. Visit the Passage of Stairs linking the Upper town to the Lower town, the 1859 Liar's Bridge and the Byzantine style Orthodox Cathedral, a replica of St. Sophia in Constantinople, and the Pharmacy Museum.  Depart for Hunedoara for a visit of Corvin Castle – “so fantastic and theatrical that at a first glance it looks totally unreal” Patrick Leighfermor – travel writer.  Arrive in Cluj Napoca.
B D Accommodation in Cluj at Hotel ***
 Day 4: Cluj Napoca - > Baia Mare - > Maramures Country
Start your day with a walking tour of the old center of Cluj. Visit St. Michael's Cathedral and the house where Hungarian king Matthias Corvin was born. Drive north towards Baia Mare and enter the country of Maramures (northern Transylvania) with their beautiful hills and mountains covered with forests and the elegant silhouettes of the wooden churches (UNESCO Sites). In the afternoon reach the village of Botiza. Accommodation in a private house in the village.

B D Home stay accommodation in a farmer’s house
 Day 5: Maramures:  Botiza - > Sighetul Marmatiei - > Sapinta VillageIn the morning drive to Sighet, on the way stop in Iza valley to see the plumb brandy distillery and the whirlpool. Arrive in Sighet for a visit of the Memorial Museum of the victims of the communist regime - a political prison in the Communist times. Reach the village of Sapinta (UNESCO Site) world famous for its "Merry Cemetery", the creation of the wood carver Stan Ion Patras. Here each wooden cross is adorned with a bas-relief presenting the deceased in the most defining attitude, with a brief humoristic poetical reference to his/her habits. Return to Botiza for dinner and accommodation. 
B D Home stay accommodation in a farmer’s house
 Day 6: Maramures: Botiza - > Campulung (Bucovina)
After breakfast drive along Iza Valley through the villages like Rozavlea to visit the wooden church from 1717, a UNESCO Site with its beautifully painted icons on canvas stuck on the wooden walls of the church. Visit the quintessence of the contemporary Maramures, the Barsana Monastery, the pride of wood carvers and church builders of Maramures. Drive up the Rodna Mountains and through the pass of Prislop 1416 m altitude. Stop at Prislop to admire the beautiful peaks of Pietrosu 2303 m and Ineu 2279 m, the highest in the Eastern Carpathians. Then follow the valley of Golden Bistrita river into Moldavia. Arrive in Gura Humorului in the evening.
B D Accommodation in Gura Humorului at Hotel***
 Day 7:  Bucovina painted Monasteries (UNESCO Sites)
The monasteries of Bucovina are painted both on the exterior and the interior with frescoes depicting scenes of the bible as acatists hymns dedicated to different martyrs or saints or theme iconographic scenes like: the Last Judgment, Jesse’s Tree, The Sin. Start with Voronet, the most famous of all, known as the Sistine Chapel of the East because of its Last Judgement scene covering the western wall. Voronet was founded in 1488 by Stephan the Great, the ruling price of Moldavia. The dominant color, the blue of Voronet became a reference color in paining worldwide. Moldovita Monastery holds the Pomme D’Or Prize awarded by UNESCO - FIJET in 1975. Built in 1532 and painted in 1547 Moldovita was made famous by its Virgin Mary acatist asapted to Moldavia’s historical needs represented by the siege of Constantinopol. The visit continues with Sucevita monastery, the largest and the last painted of all. The masterpiece of portraitists and with its Ladder of Virtues Sucevita is the quintessence of the century experience of Moldavian artists. In the village of Marginea pay a short visit to the black pottery workshop. End your day with Humor Monastery would make nice end of the day before dinning at the hotel.
B D Accommodation in Gura Humorului at Hotel***
 Day 8: Gura Humorului - > Piatra Neamt - > Bicaz Gorges - > Red Lake - >Sighisoara
The long day trip begins earlier in the morning with a drive through Targu Neamt and Humulesti to Piatra Neamt. The road crosses the eastern Carpathians to Transylvania through Bicaz Gorges where the vertical stonewalls of 3-400 m seem to meet above you. There follows the Red Lake resulted from a landslide in 1838, an attractive resort today above 1100 m altitude. After crossing Joseni, the coldest point of Romania drive towards Sighisoara the only still inhabited medieval citadel in Europe. Accommodation in either one of the three hotels in the Upper Town also known as the “Citadel”. Dinner in Vlad Dracula’s House.
B D Accommodation at Hotel ***
 Day 9: Sighisoara - > Biertan - > Sighisoara
After breakfast start your day with a walking tour of old Sighisoara. Sighisoara is best-preserved medieval town throughout Europe and continuously inhabited since Middle Ages. Walking tour includes the two squares of the Citadel (Upper Town), the Scholars’ Staircase, the Ducklings’ Square, the Tinsmiths’ Tower, and the House with Antler, the Clock Tower, the Torture Chamber and the Weapon Museum. Sighisoara is the birthplace of Vlad the Impeller Dracula. He was born in 1431. Dracula’s House is today a restaurant and one of the main tourist attractions.  Drive to the fortified church of Biertan, a UNESCO Site for a visit of the former Seat of the Lutheran Bishops (1516-1867).
B D Accommodation in Sighisoara at Hotel ***
 Day 10: Sighisoara - > Brasov - > Dracula’s Castle - > Sinaia
After breakfast, drive south, crossing the picturesque Transylvanian plateau. Once in Brasov have a sightseeing of the town. Visit the XVI century Black Church with its 4,000 pipe organ and over 500 Anatolian prayer rugs. Continue with a visit of St. Nicolas Church and the Museum of the first Romanian School. Drive to Bran to visit Bran Castle also known as Dracula Castle. The castle was built in 1377 to control the trade through Giuvalla pass between Transylvania and Wallachia. Late afternoon arrival to Sinaia mountain resort. Named after St. Catherine Monastery on Mount Sinai, Sinaia, the Pearl of the Carpathians, became the residence of the first king of Romania.
B D Accommodation in Sinaia in Hotel ****
 Day 11: Sinaia - > Bucharest
Start the day with breakfast in hotel then a morning visit to one of the most important tourist attractions of the country: Peles Castle in Sinaia, the royal residence of former King Carol I of Romania and known as one of the richest summer royal residences in Europe. Brief stop at Sinaia monastery founded in 1695. Return to Bucharest. 

Price per person (2 – 5 persons): 1558 EURO 
Price Includes:
10 nights accommodation in 3 or 4 star hotels with breakfast
Guide’s expenses
Transportation with modern air conditioned cars
Professional English speaking guide
Entrance fees included to all mentioned sites
VAT and local tax (where applicable).
 Price excludes:
Drinks and meals (except for breakfast)
Mini-bar consumption