Romania, a latin pearl in the balkans…
Circuits > Romania, a latin pearl in the balkans…
1st day: BUCHAREST - SIBIU
Arrival at the airport in Bucharest, meeting with the guide who will be your host and departure by luxury coach. Have you ever been in Paris? Then in won’t be difficult for you to realize why Bucharest was known in Europe as The Little Paris . Along the way learn about Romania and its people, Bucharest and its architecture. Dinner in a typical restaurant. Accommodation for your first night at the "Golden Tulip" hotel**** in Bucharest.
2nd day: BUCHAREST - SIBIU
After breakfast in the hotel, leave Bucharest for Sibiu. Travel north across the Olt passing the mountains into Transylvania, visiting Cozia Monastery. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Arrive in the Ramada**** Hotel in Sibiu, where will be staying for two nights. Spend this afternoon relaxing at your hotel or looking around the town at leisure. Have dinner in the hotel’s restaurant.
3rd day: SIBIU
Late departure for a short walking tour of Sibiu, the European Culture Capital of 2007, which will include the Liar’s Bridge, Central Square and Evangelical Church, with its 6.000 pipes organ and intriguing history, the Brukenthal Palace which hosts the largest fine art collection in Romania. Just in time for lunch we are off to the little hidden village of Sibiel, where we shall descend upon the local farmers’ houses and enjoy another typical countryside meal. Return to Sibiu and our hotel late in the afternoon, sleep-off the midday booze and enjoy some shopping and individual sightseeing followed by dinner in the hotel.
4th day: SIBIU - SIGHISOARA - TARGU MURES
Awake late, breakfast in the hotel and depart by luxury coach to the mysterious Sighisoara the best preserved medieval town of Europe, built by the Saxons in the 13th century and birthplace of Vlad the Impaler. Take a leisurely stroll to the history museum in the Old Clock Tower, showing the most spectacular panoramic view of the whole town and admire the crazy detail of the scale town model there. Enjoy a lunch with a difference in the very house where the Prince was born, now functioning as a theme restaurant. Back on the road again to reach the town of Targu Mures, famous for its squares surrounded by remarkable buildings from the segregation period, of which the most outstanding are the Prefecture and the Culture Palace. Dinner and accommodation at Grand**** Hotel.
5th day: TARGU MURES - CLUJ NAPOCA - BAIA MARE
DAfter breakfast in the hotel, you will head to Cluj Napoca, historical capital of Transylvania, the ancient Klausenburg of the Saxon colonists where you can admire King Matei Corvin’s birthplace and the church of Saint Michael, the most important Gothic church, built between the XIV th and XV th centuries. Lunch on the way. Leave for Maramures - the sanctuary of Romania’s ethnography and folklore, represented by the original folk architecture, national costumes and authentic traditions. Dinner and accommodation at the Carpati**** Hotel in Baia Mare.
6th day: MARAMURES
Awake late, breakfast in the hotel and depart by luxury coach for a full day tour in Maramures, the land of wooden churches and carved wooden gates. In Sapanta village visit one of the most famous and yet unusual sites in all Romania- The “Merry Cemetery” a kind of mock Spoon River where in 1935 a famous humorous local artist chose to decorate the funerary monuments with a cartoon of the late person together with various ironical epitaphs referring to the good and bad habits of the deceased. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Your trip continues with a visit to the wooden church of Surdesti, the largest wooden structure in Europe and one of the most interesting wooden churches in Maramures, included in the Heritage List of UNESCO - a patrimony of mankind. Dinner and accommodation at the Carpati**** Hotel in Baia Mare.
7th day: BAIA MARE - GURA HUMORULUI
After breakfast in the hotel, departure to Gura Humorului up stream the Iza Valley, visiting the villages Rozavlea and Bogdan Voda with their wooden churches, exceptional examples of local architecture, a result of intermingling the Orthodox traditions with the Gothic influences. Lunch in a local restaurant in Borsa. In the afternoon, visit to the important monastery of Voronet, also called the Sistine Chapel of the East, dated 1488 and considered the Jewel of Bucovina thanks to its famous series of outside frescoes which decorate the church and of which the most praised is Doomsday. Dinner and accommodation at hotel Best Western Bucovina**** in Gura Humorului.
8th day: PAINTED MONASTERIES OF BUKOVINA
Enjoy a full day excursion to Bukovina, home to the treasure of the Moldavian art - the painted monasteries which have been preserved for almost five centuries. A visit to Moldovita which was dated back to 1532, surrounded by defense works and still preserving its external frescoes. It is followed by a visit to Sucevita monastery (1582-1584), famous both for the important biblical scene called the Steps of Virtue and for its imposing defense walls. Lunch in a lovely restaurant. Stop in Marginea, a village famous for the archeological discovery of black pottery dating from the Bronze Epoch and copied today as a craft in a local workshop. Visit of a typical Bucovina house. Dinner and accommodation at hotel Best Western Bucovina**** in Gura Humorului.
9th day: GURA HUMORULUI - POIANA BRASOV
After breakfast in the hotel, leave for Poiana Brasov through the Bicaz Gorges, the most famous “canon” of Romania - 10 km long and 300-400 m high walls of Mesozoic limestone. Stop for lunch in Lacul Rosu (the red lake). We continua this afternoon to the beautiful mountain resort of Poiana Brasov for a two night stay at the Alpin**** Hotel.
10th day: POIANA BRASOV - BRASOV - BRAN - POIANA BRASOV
After breakfast in the hotel, start exploring Brasov one of the major cities of Transylvania. Sightseeing includes walks to the “Black Church”, believed to be, still the largest place of worship in Eastern Europe. Continue to the ancient quarter of Schei and then on to the St. Nicholas Cathedral and the Museum of the first school in Romania. Lunch in a typical restaurant. We continue our journey to the famous Castle of Bran, gloomy edifice towering over a bed of stone, gruesome yet beautiful as a preserved fortress. The castle, built in 1377, is an important national monument and landmark of Transylvania, due not only to the majestic beauty of the castle and the uncanny landscape, but also to the legend of Count Dracula.
In the park area, there is a open-air country style bazaar where you will find the best selection of Dracula dolls, shirts, souvenirs & memorabilia in Transylvania. Typical Romanian dinner in the restaurant “Dacians Shed” (Sura Dacilor) housed in a layout of wooden structures resembling a getic stronghold, where the old, traditional customs have never been forgotten. A shot of boiling hot 'tsuica' - the traditional Romanian plum brandy - served by a camp fire and washing down a piece of smoked lamb shank may round up the unique experience. Accommodation at Alpin**** Hotel
11th day: POIANA BRASOV - SINAIA - BUCHAREST
After breakfast in the hotel departure by coach to Sinaia, also called the Pearl of the Carpathians. A visit to the astonishing summer residence of the former Romanian Royal Family: Peles Castle, built at the end of XIX th century. Return to Bucharest in time for lunch at the City Grill restaurant in the oldest part of town and follow that with a leisurely stroll to the ruins of Dracula’s court and seat of power. Rejoin your luxury coach for a short sight seeing tour of the Capital City and arrive at the Golden Tulip Hotel, late in the afternoon. You will have seen the Parliament building, second largest structure in the world, the City Centre and the Patriarch Orthodox church, the sit of the main religious belief in Romania. Farewell show, dinner and dance on the shore of a beautiful Bucharest lake in a typical tranquil restaurant. Accommodation in Golden Tulip Hotel**** or similar in Bucharest.
12th day: Bucharest-Departure
After breakfast in the hotel a visit to the popular opened air village and Folk Art Museum. Transfer to the airport. Departure. Have a safe journey home!.
