Bucharest Arrival

Bucharest - Upon arriving at Henri Coanda International Airport in Bucharest, a certified English-speaking tour guide will warmly welcome you. You will be transferred to a 4-star hotel in the city center, followed by a brief orientation tour. The remainder of the day is free for leisure activities.

Bucharest City Tour with Parliament Palace and Ceausescu Residence – Olt River Valley – Cozia Monastery – Sibiu

Palace of Parliament - After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, the Famous and Charming Romania tour begins with a visit to Romania’s capital. The day kicks off with a tour of the Palace of Parliament, the world’s largest, heaviest, and most expensive administrative building.

Ceausescu Mansion - Between visits to these communist landmarks, enjoy a panoramic city tour featuring Victory Square and Avenue, the Royal Palace, and Revolution Square, with a brief stop at the Romanian Athenaeum. Next, visit the former residence of the Ceausescu family, the last communist leader of the Socialist Republic of Romania.

Bucharest - In contrast to the Ceausescu residence, experience a journey back to the 1980s communist era, complete with authentic decor, furniture, working appliances, household accessories, local drinks, homemade snacks, and historical footage.

Sibiu - The tour proceeds with a short stop at the 14th-century Cozia Monastery, built by King Mircea the Elder, showcasing a stunning late 17th-century Last Judgment fresco. Travel along the Olt River Valley, crossing the mountains into Transylvania. Upon reaching Sibiu, enjoy a brief orientation tour en route to the hotel. Accommodation is in a 4-star hotel in central Sibiu. Dinner is at your discretion, with recommendations including Crama Sibiul Vechi, the town’s best cellar-restaurant, or La Taifas restaurant.

Sibiu Walking Tour – Corvin Castle – Alba Iulia Citadel – Cluj Napoca

Sibiu - After breakfast at the hotel, embark on a leisurely walking tour of Sibiu (Hermannstadt), the former chief city of the Transylvanian Saxons. The Great and Lesser Squares are Old Town landmarks, featuring many merchant houses with the distinctive Sibiu eyes. View the old defense walls and remaining towers of the merchant guilds. Next, visit the Evangelical Cathedral, completed in its current form in 1520.

Hunedoara - Before noon, depart for Hunedoara to visit Corvin Castle, one of Europe’s largest and best-preserved medieval castles, home to the powerful Corvin/Hunyadi royal family.

Alba Iulia - After exploring this Gothic-Renaissance castle, the next stop is Alba Iulia, renowned for its Vauban-style citadel. Alba Iulia’s citadel offers insights into Romanian history from ancient times to the present. The town holds great significance for Romanians, as it was here on December 1, 1918, that the document unifying Transylvania with the Kingdom of Romania was signed.

Cluj-Napoca - Arrive in Cluj Napoca city late in the afternoon, the capital of Transylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, now a prominent university center. Enjoy an orientation tour before checking into the hotel.

Cluj Napoca Walking Tour – Organic Smoked Bacon Tasting with Home-made Lunch – Wooden Churches – Home Hosted Dinner

Cluj-Napoca - Begin the day with breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, take a city tour of Cluj Napoca, highlighting landmarks such as the Hellmer & Fellner Opera House, the Gothic St. Michael’s Church, the City Hall, and the birthplace of Mathias Corvin.

Surdesti Wooden Church - After this stop, head to the beautiful and remote Maramures region (The Land of Wood). Due to its relative isolation, Maramures has developed a strong community with a unique personality, traditions, culture, and lifestyle preserved for centuries. Today, visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Church of Surdesti, dating back to 1766 and the tallest oldest wooden structure in Europe, and Budesti Wooden Church, completed in 1643 with a Gothic-style tower unique to Maramures architecture.

Sighetu Marmatiei - Now, learn about dowry traditions and admire the intricately carved wooden gates of Maramures. Accommodation is in a private house in a Maramures village. Dinner and traditional homemade plum brandy are included, offering a deeper immersion into local culture.

Exclusive Walking Tour – Sighetu Marmatiei – Communism Memorial – Sapanta Merry Cemetery – Dinner with Folklore Show

Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance - After breakfast, enjoy an exclusive walking tour of the village, including an icon-glass workshop to learn about the technique, a local traditional plum brandy distillery, and a natural whirlpool still used by local women for washing carpets and blankets. Enhance cultural connections with a visit to the town’s colorful fruit and vegetable market. Next, visit the Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance, a former political prison during communist times. Alongside the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Battle of Normandy Memorial, it is one of Europe’s main memorial sites.

The Elie Wiesel Memorial House - The Museum of the Jewish Culture in Maramures - Visit the house of Nobel Prize Winner Elie Wiesel, born in this Romanian town.

Merry Cemetery - Continue west to the village of Sapanta, home to the world-famous Merry Cemetery, where each wooden cross features a humorous epitaph about the person’s life. Before returning to the village, view the Sapanta Peri monastery, currently the tallest wooden structure in the world. In the evening, enjoy a home-hosted dinner with an exclusive Maramures folklore show at the accommodation.

Barsana & Ieud Wooden Churches – Woman Museum – Borgo Pass – Egg Painting Workshop – Bucovina

Gura Humorului - After visiting the museum, cross the scenic Carpathian Mountains via the picturesque Borgo Pass or Prislop Pass into northern Moldavia, known as Bucovina. Later, visit an egg-painting artist to learn about this ancient Bucovina tradition and admire painted eggs from around the world. Upon arrival at the 4-star hotel in Gura Humorului, the evening is free for leisure.

Bucovina Painted Monasteries (UNESCO World Heritage Sites) & Traditional Lunch – Black Pottery Workshop

Manastirea Voronet - Begin with the Voronet Painted Monastery, the most famous of all, known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Orient” and featuring one of the best Last Judgment frescoes in the world. The Voronet Blue is considered unique globally, akin to Rubes red or Veronese green.

Moldovita Monastery - Next, visit Moldovita Painted Monastery, with towers on both corners of the facade and a powerful gate tower.

Sucevita Monastery - Enjoy a traditional Bucovina lunch in the picturesque village of Sucevita. Continue to the nearby Sucevita Painted Monastery, the largest of all, resembling a mighty fortress. Inside, the Virtues Ladder is one of Bucovina’s most impressive frescoes, notable for its scale and the contrast between angels and hell’s chaos.

Humor Monastery - Visit the black pottery workshop, where historians trace pottery origins back to 1500, using a technique called “oxygen reduction,” also used in Mexico. The final monastery is Humor Painted Monastery, the only one without a belfry tower. Accommodation is at the same hotel as the previous night.

Neamt Citadel – Bicaz Gorges & Red Lake – Exclusive Gypsy Home Visit – Sighisoara

Neamt Fortress - After breakfast, drive to Neamt Citadel for a guided tour of the Moldavian 12th-century medieval citadel.

Red Lake - After Neamt Citadel, reach Bicaz Gorges, traversed by the road linking Moldavia and Transylvania. Bicaz Gorges is one of Romania’s most breathtaking natural attractions, offering the option to explore on foot with a short hike. Next, visit the Red Lake, formed by a mountain slide in 1838, named for the color of its water.

Sighisoara - After the Red Lake, enjoy an exclusive visit to a Gypsy home, offering a unique opportunity to learn about this lesser-known yet controversial ethnic group, its culture, identity, and lifestyle.

Sighisoara - Arrive in Sighisoara in the afternoon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only still-inhabited medieval citadel in Europe. Accommodation is in the Upper Town.

Sighisoara Walking Tour – Saxon Village of Biertan & Saschiz & Viscri with the Fortified Churches and Traditional Dinner

Sighisoara - Start the day with breakfast at the hotel. Before the walking tour of old Sighisoara, the tour guide will discuss Vlad the Impaler - Dracula, separating fact from fiction. In Sighisoara, German settlers built the city in the late 12th century. The walking tour includes the Citadel’s two squares, the Scholars’ Staircase, the Tinsmiths’ Tower, the House with Antler, and the Tower with Clock. Sighisoara is where Vlad the Impaler’s father had a house.

Biertan Fortified Church - After the tour, visit the fortified church of Biertan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and former seat of the Lutheran Bishops of Transylvania. With three belts of fortification, it is the most impressive fortified church in Transylvania.

Saxon Church - Continue south to Brasov, stopping in Saschiz Village (UNESCO World Heritage Sites) with its imposing clock tower and fortified church, the village’s most important landmark. The Late-Gothic fortified church in Saschiz is one of Transylvania’s strongest constructions of this type, widely regarded as one of the region’s most beautiful medieval monuments, and the village’s main tourist attraction. En route, enjoy an exclusive tasting of organic Transylvanian jams “like Grandma used to make.”

Viscri - The final stop is in Viscri village, a traditional Saxon village and one of Transylvania’s oldest. It is renowned for the traditional houses purchased, restored, and converted into guesthouses by Prince Charles. Meet a traditional blacksmith in his workshop and learn about blacksmithing. Spend the night in a traditional homestay and enjoy a dinner prepared by your host using local ingredients.

Viscri Fortified Church – Prejmer Fortified Church – Bran Castle – Brasov Walking Tour

Peasant Fortified Church at Prejmer - After an organic breakfast, continue the journey with the Viscri Fortified Church, built around 1100 by the Szekler population and later taken over by Saxon colonists. Next, visit the last UNESCO World Heritage Site in Prejmer village, where you will explore Prejmer Fortified Church, the largest fortified church in South-Eastern Europe.

Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle) - Later, visit Bran Castle, also known as Dracula Castle. This medieval structure was built in 1377 to protect the trade route between Transylvania and Wallachia, later enlarged and restored to become a royal residence in the 1920s under Queen Marie of Romania. After the visit, enjoy time for souvenir shopping and an exclusive natural cheese sampling.

Brasov - Spend the rest of the day in Brasov, another important Saxon city with a rich heritage and one of Europe’s oldest, dating back to 1235. The tour reveals the Old Town with the magnificent Black Church, the largest Gothic-style church in South-Eastern Europe, featuring a collection of over one hundred Muslim prayer rugs, Council Square, Catherine’s Gate, the Guild Towers, Schei Quarter with the First School in the Romanian language, and the narrow Rope Street. Check into a hotel in the charming pedestrian area of the Old Town, with its many restaurants and outdoor cafes.

Peles Castle – Bucharest Airport

Peles Castle - After breakfast at the hotel, drive through Predeal, Romania’s highest town. Named after St. Catherine Monastery on Mount Sinai, Sinaia became the unofficial capital of the Kingdom of Romania towards the end of the 19th century. The orientation tour of the resort includes a view of the famous Casino building, inspired by the architecture of Monte Carlo. Then, take a guided tour of Peles Castle, the royal residence of King Carol I of Romania, known as one of Europe’s most beautiful summer royal residences. The famous Orient Express train used to regularly stop here and still does once a year on its journey from Paris to Constantinople.

Otopeni - After the visit, drive to Henri Coanda International Airport for your afternoon return flight.

• Private transportation
• Certified English-speaking guide knowledgeable in Romanian culture
• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
• Admission to all museums and sites as per itinerary
• Climatized vehicle for your comfort
• Refreshments provided: choice of still or sparkling water
• Exclusive Romanian folklore performance
• Unique experience with a Gypsy family
• Comprehensive guided tours at each location
• Detailed map of Romania provided

• Airplane tickets and health insurance
• Souvenirs
• Alcoholic beverages
• Hotel extras (telephone, mini bar, etc)
• Meals, other than those included in the itinerary
• Gratuities
• Photo/video fees at sites and museums

Embark on the Renowned and Enchanting Tour of Romania, traversing the key historical areas of Transylvania, Maramures, and Bucovina. This private 11-day tour sets off in Bucharest, leading you to notable attractions including the medieval cities and castles of Transylvania, the Old Painted and Wooden Churches of Bucovina and Maramures. You’ll start with an exploration of the lively city of Bucharest. Enjoy local culinary delights at the homes of residents and rest in unforgettable settings in the midst of medieval towns. Reserve your spot on this Renowned and Enchanting Romania Tour to elevate your vacation in Romania!

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.