In the footsteps of UNESCO treasures in Romania

Flight to Bucharest. Meeting with the English speaking guide and transfer to the city. Panoramic tour with stop at the Revolution Square to admire the diversity of the architecture, followed by a stop in front of the Parliament Palace, the 2nd largest building in the world. Visit to the Church of the Orthodox Patriarchy. Dinner and overnight in the town centre at a 4* hotel.

Morning departure to Curtea de Argeş and visit to the monastery built by Neagoe Basarab between 1512 and1517, and the architecture reflects a powerful Oriental style. Lunch at ‘Posada’ Restaurant. Noon departure to Sibiu, known in a different time as Hermanstadt, one of the seven fortified medieval cities built by Saxon colonies. Visit on the way Cozia Monastery, built in the 14th century in a Byzantine style. Arrival at Sibiu. Walk through the historic centre to see the Small and Large Square, the battlements, the churches and the Bridge of Lies. Dinner and a rest at a 3* hotel in the centre of the town.

Part with Sibiu, continue across the Transylvanian landscape. Stop to visit the Lutheran Fortified Church of Biertan, UNESCO heritage site, the only fortification with three defence walls. A few kilometres away, visit Sighişoara, old Saxon city surrounded by an enclosure wall over 900 m with its defence towers, the Clock Tower and its figurines which announced the time over centuries. Lunch at Count Dracula’s birth place, today being a restaurant. Noon departure to Targu Mureş, ancient faire of Central Transylvania, which became at the end of the century an important economic and cultural centre in the country. Check-in at a 3* hotel. Walk through the town centre to admire the buildings in the Secession style of the Palace of Roses and the citadel built in the 15th century. Dinner and overnight.

Departure to Cluj Napoca, historic capital of Transylvania. Visit to the Grande Church ‘St. Michael’ and the Opera Square, dominated by the National Theatre and the orthodox cathedral. Afterwards, stop to visit the Museum of National Art in Transylvania installed in a beautiful palace from the 13th century, Banffy Palace. Lunch in the town. Afternoon route across the lovely region of Sighetu Marmaţiei and visit to the Wooden Church Surdeşti, the highest wooden church in the world (72 m), part of the UNESCO Heritage Site. At the end of the afternoon, arrival to Săpânța to discover the unique ‘Joyful Cemetery’ with painted crosses with images and verses of the life of the past ones. Dinner and night at a B&B at Vadu Izei, in comfortable houses.

Morning dedicated to discover Maramures, the ‘Wooden Country’ in order to admire typical traditional houses, wooden churches and sculptured gates. First stop to Rozavlea, wooden church with magnificent interior paintings (1717). Second stop at Dragomirești to visit the Maramures Peasant Museum, home to objects produced by women from the region. Lunch on the way.
Afternoon departure to the country of 16th century painted monasteries, Bucovina. Stop on the way in a typical Moldavian village, Ciocăneşti, famous for its houses covered with traditional paintings. At the end of the afternoon, visit Voroneţ Monastery, UNESCO heritage site, where the church built in 1488 is considered to be the ‘Sistine Chapel of the Orient’. It is well known for its ‘Judgement Day’ scene but also for its colour blue seen in its paintings. Dinner and a rest at Suceava in a 3* hotel.

Morning visit to the ruins of Suceava citadel dating from the 15th century, and the Episcopalian Church ‘Saint John the New’. Afterwards, route to Marginea, typical village in the north of the country to visit the black ceramics workshops. Continue to Suceviţa, fortified monastery built in 1585, covered with magnificent frescoes classified as an UNESCO Heritage Site. Lunch picnic in the forest at ‘‘Popas Bucovina’’. Visit in the afternoon the last painted Monastery of Moldoviţa, built in 1532 by the founder of the school for painters from Suceava, the reigning Prince Petru Rares, equally classified as an UNESCO Heritage Site. Return to Suceava. Dinner and a rest at a 3* hotel.

Continue to Iaşi, ancient capital of Moldavia, important cultural and university centre in the country. Visit on foot the historic centre dominated by the Culture Palace. Lunch in the town and after visit the Golia Monastery. Route to Piatra Neamț, main-city of a region which the Ottomans named the ‘Athos of Moldavia’ because of the hundreds of monasteries found here. Visit Agapia Monastery where over 200 nuns live. At the end of the afternoon, arrival to Piatra Neamt. Dinner and overnight at a 3* hotel.

Morning route through the impressive Bicaz Gorges, protected area and declared ‘Natural Reserve’. Discover the gorges and the climatic resort of the Red Lake. Lunch with traditional Hungarian food at Miercurea Ciuc. Afternoon route to Braşov, city built by the Saxon colonies in the 13th century, the biggest religious construction which still conserves its medieval aspect. Visit the Black Church, dating from the 14th century, the biggest religious building between Vienna and Istanbul. Afterwards, visit the Schei quarter, one of the oldest in the city. Dinner and overnight at a 3* hotel.

Route to Bran and visit the Castle of Dracula, one of the most beautiful castles in the world. Built in 1377 to defend the commercial routes to the Orient, it became in 1922 the summer residence of Queen Mary of Romania. Across the Carpathians and visit Sinaia and the famous Peles Castle, ancient summer residence of the kings of Romania which has a rich collection of tapestries, furniture, arms and armours. Lunch with game in the ‘‘Vanatorul’’ Restaurant. Continue in the afternoon to Bucharest. Visit the Village Museum, the biggest ethnographic museum in open air from Europe. Check-in at a 3* hotel. Farewell dinner in a typical restaurant with a 19th century ambiance.

Breakfast at the hotel. According to flight times, free time. Transfer to the airport. Return flight.