Optional trips
BUCHAREST CITY TOUR
Half day 4 hours
Panoramic tour of the city with the Arch de Triumph, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Revolution Square, the old town with the ruins of the Royal Court the Patriarchy and visit the Parliament Palace, the second largest building world after the Pentagon in Washington. The building was built on a hill known as the Hill of the Spirits, Uranus Hill, or Arsenal Hill, which was largely razed to the ground to allow construction of the building, from 1984, about 700 architects have worked and more than 20,000 workers in shifts, 24 hours a day for 5 years. The building was originally known as the House of the Republic (Casa Republicii) and had to serve as general headquarters for most state institutions. At the time of change of power and execution of Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, the project was almost complete.
BUCHAREST CITY TOUR
Full day 8 hours
Panoramic tour of the city with the Arch de Triumph, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Revolution Square, the old town with the ruins of the Royal Court and the Patriarchy and visit the Parliament Palace, the second largest building world after the Pentagon in Washington. The building was built on a hill known as the Hill of the Spirits, Uranus Hill, or Arsenal Hill, which was largely razed to the ground to allow construction of the building, from 1984, about 700 architects have worked and more than 20,000 workers in shifts, 24 hours a day for 5 years. The building was originally known as the House of the Republic (Casa Republicii) and had to serve as a general headquarters for most state institutions. At the time of change of power and execution of Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, the project was almost complete. Lunch in restaurant. Visit the National Museum Cotroceni (hours: Monday-closed, Tues-Sun 9:00 to 16:00). The palace occupies the site of a monastery that had been built in 1679 by Serban Cantacuzino, a Greek fanariota of noble birth, which the Sultan commissioned to administer the country and especially to raise rates. In 1893 a palace was built according to a design by the French architect Paul Gottereau and requirements of King Charles I of Romania. Then the architect Grigore Cerkez added a few ornaments in traditional Romanian style. Ceausescu assigned him as a residence for guests on an official visit. Eight years later, the church of XVII century was demolished. Today the palace is half museum located half the Presidency of the State.
TRIP TO SINAIA
Full day
Departure from Bucharest to reach Sinaia. Stop at Snagov. Visit Snagov Monastery with its mysterious history. A popular legend has it that Vlad Tepes, the Impaler, known under the name of Dracula was buried in the monastery which is on an island of Lake Snagov, according to accounts monks following the will of the deceased. Romanian peasants burned the wooden bridge that connected the island to the shore and that was never rebuilt. Transformed into a prison and then looted the monastery and hides many mysteries surrounding the lake. Here is the tombstone that covers the tomb of the prince, but when it was open, the interior was empty. Subsequently, in a crypt next to the supposed relics belonging to the prince were found. Those were transported to Bucharest and mysteriously disappearing along the way. Arrival at Sinaia, named the Pearl of the Carpathians, the most famous mountain resort in Romania. Lunch in restaurant. Visit the Peles Castle (opening hours until 15.05.2014 and after 09.16.2014: Monday, Tuesday - Closed, Wednesday: 11:00 - 16:00, Thursday - Sunday: 09.00 - 16.00; opening hours between 16.05 and 09.15.2014: Monday - closed, Wednesday: 11:00 - 16:00, Tuesday and Thursday - Sunday: 09.00 - 16.00), former royal residence built in the late nineteenth century in the Gothic style typical of the castles of Bavaria. Inside, the Peles castle contains 160 rooms, arranged and decorated in every possible way, prevailing wooden decorations. At the end of the visits, return to Bucharest.
TRIP TO SINAIA AND BRASOV
Full day
After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Sinaia, named the Pearl of the Carpathians, the most famous mountain resort in Romania. Visit the Peles Castle (opening hours until 15.05.2014 and after 09.16.2014: Monday, Tuesday - Closed, Wednesday: 11:00 - 16:00, Thursday - Sunday: 09.00 - 16.00; opening hours between 16.05 and 09.15.2014: Monday - closed, Wednesday: 11:00 - 16:00, Tuesday and Thursday - Sunday: 09.00 - 16.00), former royal residence built in the late nineteenth century in the typical style of the castles of Bavaria. Inside, the Peles castle contains 160 rooms, arranged and decorated in every possible way, prevailing wooden decorations. Continue to Bran. Visit the Bran Castle (opening hours: Monday - 12:00 to 17:00, Tuesday - Sunday: 09:00 - 18:00), known under the name of Dracula's Castle, one of the most picturesque in Romania, built in the thirteenth century the Teutonic knight Dietrich and restored in later periods. As of 1920, Bran Castle became the residence of the Romanian Monarchy. Long vacationed Queen Mary Saxa-Coburg-Gotha, accompanied by her daughter Princess Ileana of Romania; the Queen made massive internal restructuring in the style of Romanian art and craft time. In 1948, when the Romanian royal family was expelled from the Communist forces of occupation, the castle was occupied. Lunch in restaurant. Arrival in Brasov and visit one of the most fascinating medieval towns of Romania, admiring the Schei Quarter with St Nicholas Church and the First Romanian School (XV century). Visit Black Church (Biserica Neagră opening hours, 01.05 - 31.10.2014: Monday - Closed: Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 - 19:00, Sunday: 12.00 - 19.00; opening hours, rest of the year: Monday - Closed: Tuesday - Saturday: 10.00 - 15.00, Sunday 12.00 - 15.00), the largest Gothic church in Romania style, the old fortifications of the city with the bastions of the craft guilds. At the end of the visits return to Bucharest.
