Budapests - Oradea

Debrecen - Debrecen, Hungary’s second-largest city, is often referred to as the Capital of the Great Hungarian Plain. Although it might seem a bit distant from Budapest, the journey is worthwhile to experience a different facet of Hungary.

The city is also known as the Calvinist Rome due to its strong ties with this religious denomination. While you may not find as many English speakers as in the capital, the warmth and openness of the Debreceni people will surely make you feel welcome.

Oradea - Just 8 miles from the Hungarian border, Oradea spans both banks of the Crisu Repede River and serves as an excellent starting point for exploring Romania. First mentioned in 1113 under the Latin name Varadinum, the city has been governed by the Principality of Transylvania, the Ottoman Empire, and the Habsburg Monarchy at different times. In 1598, the Oradea fortress was besieged, and on August 27, 1660, it fell to Ottoman raids, only to be captured by the Austrians in 1692.

Before the construction of flood-banks along the Crisu Repede River, Oradea was frequently threatened by floods. In 1836, a significant portion of the town was destroyed by fire. The picturesque town of modern-day Oradea was rebuilt in the 18th century according to the plans of Viennese engineer Franz Anton Hillebrandt, following the Austrian architectural style called Secession, characterized by richly decorated facades in pale pink, blue, green, and white. In addition to its many Baroque buildings, Oradea boasts a particularly rich collection of Art Nouveau architecture.

Oradea - Cluj Napoca

Oradea Fortress - The Oradea Fortress is the most renowned building in Oradea, with a history dating back nearly a millennium to the reign of Hungarian King Ladislaus I (1077-1095). The fortress is a symbol of the city and a historical masterpiece.

The Oradea Fortress is unique in Eastern Europe for its complex architectural blend of old Italian and military-style fortified bastions, which have been relatively well-preserved.

Over time, the city was an important Renaissance religious and secular military center and has a tumultuous history, having been besieged by the Tatars, Turks, the rebellious Transylvanian Principality, and Austrian armies.

In addition to its defensive function, the fortress was also a venue for fairs, such as the Fair of St. Mary, where people exchanged goods from the East and West.

Today, the Oradea Fortress hosts various fairs, the most popular and anticipated being the Christmas Fair.

Cluj-Napoca - This city in western Transylvania traces its origins to the Dacian settlement of Napuca in the 2nd century A.D. After the Roman conquest of Dacia, it was renamed Napoca and received the rank of “municipium” in 124 A.D. The city quickly advanced socially and economically, and during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, Napoca was granted the title of “colonia,” the highest urban status in the Roman Empire.

With a vibrant economy and a population of around 330,000, Cluj is now a lively cultural and educational hub. The city is home to six state universities and several private ones, making Cluj Napoca the city with the highest percentage of students in Romania.

Cluj Napoca - Sighișoara

Salina Turda - Salina Turda is a salt mine located in the Durgău-Valea Sărată area of Turda, the second-largest city in Cluj County, northwest Romania. Opened to tourists in 1992, Salina Turda attracted about 618,000 visitors, both Romanian and foreign, in 2017.

In 2013, Business Insider ranked Salina Turda among the “25 hidden gems around the world that are worth the trek.”

Targu Mures - Named for its market on the Mures River and known as the city of roses, Targu Mures (Marosvásárhely in Hungarian ~ Neumarkt am Mieresch in German) enjoys the best of both Romanian and Hungarian cultures. Numerous vestiges attest to the presence of Neolithic cultures and those of the Bronze and Metal Ages in this area. Archaeological excavations have uncovered Roman relics in the surrounding towns.

Targu Mures became a modern town in the latter half of the 19th century, coinciding with the expansion of the railway line. Today, its centrally located Piata Trandafirilor (Roses Square) is lined with modern cafes, restaurants, churches, and monuments. The city’s top attraction, the Culture Palace (Palatul Culturii), is located at the south end of the square. This flamboyant early 20th-century city hall features an outstanding stained-glass hall and houses several main local museums.

Centrul Istoric Sighisoara - The origins of Sighisoara date back to Roman times. In the First Century AD, the Dacians, the ancient inhabitants of modern Romania, built a fortification called Sandava. Under Roman rule, it was known as Castrum Stenarum. In the 12th century, the Transylvanian Saxons built a new citadel named Schäßburg.

Sighisoara (Schäßburg - Schassburg or Schäsbrich in German) remains one of the most beautiful and well-preserved medieval towns in Europe. Designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, this perfectly intact 16th-century gem, with nine towers, cobbled streets, burgher houses, and ornate churches, rivals the historic streets of Old Prague or Vienna for its atmospheric charm. It is also the birthplace of Vlad Dracula, also known as Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), ruler of Walachia from 1456 to 1462, who inspired Bram Stoker’s fictional creation, Count Dracula.

Sighișoara - Brasov

Peasant Citadel - Saschiz is renowned not only for its fine fortified church but also as a center for carpentry and wood-painting. It was here that Saschiz blue pottery originated in 1702.

The Evangelical Church of Saschiz, built between 1493 and 1496 by Saxon colonists, is impressive due to its size and the way its fortifying elements have been adapted to the shape of a church. From the outside, the church appears to be a bulwark, but its defensive role is complemented by the beauty of its gothic elements: huge arches, massive buttresses, and decorative stone and brick features. Due to the significant distance between the village center and the hill where a Saxon fortress was built in 1496, the fortified Evangelical church became the main refuge for Saschiz inhabitants during invasions.

Cetatea Rupea - One of the most imposing and best-preserved medieval sites in Transylvania, Rupea Fortress is a must-see during your travels across this unique destination. Located halfway between the medieval cities of Brasov and Sighisoara, the fortress of Rupea impresses with its imposing dimensions and centuries-old history.

Viscri Fortified Church - One of the most intriguing Saxon fortified churches is in the village of Viscri (Weisskirch in German). The name comes from the German Weisse Khirche, meaning white church.

Unlike other Transylvanian fortified churches, Viscri was built around 1100 by the Szekler population and taken over by Saxon colonists in 1185. This explains why this unique gothic church has a plain straight ceiling rather than a traditional vaulted one. In the 14th century, the eastern section was rebuilt, and around 1525, the first fortification walls with towers were added. In the 18th century, the church received a second defensive wall. Inside, you can admire a classic 19th-century altar featuring a Blessing of the Children centerpiece by painter J. Paukratz from Rupea. Major renovations were carried out on the fortified church during 1970-1971.

Brasov Historical Center - Nestled by the peaks of the Southern Carpathian Mountains and adorned with gothic, baroque, and renaissance architecture, Brasov is one of Romania’s most visited places. Founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1211 on an ancient Dacian site and settled by the Saxons as one of the seven walled citadels, Brasov exudes a distinct medieval ambiance and has been used as a backdrop in many recent period films.

The city’s location at the intersection of trade routes linking the Ottoman Empire and Western Europe, along with certain tax exemptions, allowed Saxon merchants to amass considerable wealth and exert strong political influence in the region. This is reflected in the city’s German name, Kronstadt, and its Latin name, Corona, meaning Crown City (hence the city’s coat of arms, a crown with oak roots). Fortifications were erected around the city and continually expanded, with several towers maintained by different craft guilds, according to medieval custom.

Brașov - Bucharest

Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle) - Surrounded by an aura of mystery and legend and perched high atop a 200-foot rock, Bran Castle owes its fame to its imposing towers and turrets and the myth surrounding Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Built on the site of a Teutonic Knights stronghold dating from 1212, Bran Castle was first documented in an act issued on November 19, 1377, granting the Saxons of Kronstadt (Brasov) the privilege to build the Citadel.

Peles Castle - Nestled at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains in the picturesque town of Sinaia, Peles Castle is a masterpiece of German new-Renaissance architecture and is considered one of the most stunning castles in Europe.

Commissioned by King Carol I in 1873 and completed in 1883, the castle served as the royal family’s summer residence until 1947. Its 160 rooms are adorned with the finest examples of European art, Murano crystal chandeliers, German stained-glass windows, and Cordoba leather-covered walls.

King Carol spared no expense. Peles Castle was the first European castle to have electricity and even had its own power plant. The castle features hot and cold running water, central heating, and a central vacuum system. The stained glass roof of the foyer opens mechanically, and there is a small elevator for the royal family. Each room is decorated in a different style or theme, including a Concert Hall, Music Room (India), Turkish Salon, Great Salon (Italy), and Council Room.

Snagov Monastery - Located on a small island outside Bucharest, Snagov Church is considered one of the most important religious monuments in Southern Romania. Originally part of a monastery, the church has enjoyed this status since medieval times when local princes endowed, strengthened, and enlarged it to support the Orthodox Church.

Strongly connected to the era of Vlad the Impaler, who inspired the Dracula myth, Snagov Church was supposedly built on an ancient Dacian site. However, the religious monument was first mentioned in the second half of the 14th century when a local prince donated an entire village to the monastery. This practice was not unusual at the time, and more documents indicate further donations in the next century from medieval princes like Mircea the Old and Vlad Dracul.

Bucharest tour

Palace of Parliament - The Parliament Palace in Bucharest is one of the most significant communist-built monuments in the world. The gigantic and controversial concrete dream of one of the most feared communist dictators, Nicolae Ceausescu, the Parliament Palace is a World Record construction with over 1,000 rooms and a must-see for those interested in the history of communism, the regime that changed the course of world history.

Located on Arsenalului Hill, near the central Unirii Square, the Palace of the Parliament, or the House of the People, is a highlight of Ceausescu’s megalomaniac vision for transforming the capital. The devastating earthquake of 1977 gave him the perfect excuse to systematize the city, which involved destroying the Old Town, a vivid reminder of historical times.

Muzeul National al Satului “Dimitrie Gusti” - The Bucharest Village Museum is one of the few places that transport us back in time and inspire us to understand and appreciate the past. Spanning 14 hectares in one of the capital’s most beautiful and largest parks, Herastrau, the Village Museum is one of the world’s first open-air ethnographic museums.

This must-see museum recreates the past three centuries of the Romanian village, offering an almost surreal experience in urban Bucharest. The Village Museum currently displays 346 houses and more than 53,000 objects, including unique peasant homes and technical installations moved from their original locations and rebuilt using original techniques, such as watermills, oil presses, fountains, roadside crucifixes, and churches.

The houses are organized by historical region, providing a rare opportunity to compare the diversity of architectural styles from Romania’s provinces in just a few hours, reflecting their history and social development.

Ceausescu Mansion - To understand the double standards of the communist regime and the absurd cult of personality of one of its most ruthless dictators, there is no better place to visit in Romania than Ceausescu Mansion.

Opened to visitors in 2016, Ceausescu Mansion was one of the regime’s best-kept secrets during the dark and freezing communist days. Only the closest family members and highest-ranking party members had access to Ceausescu’s residence. Why all the secrecy if he was the ‘first son of the nation’ guiding Romania to the ‘Golden Age’? To make the most of your visit, it’s helpful to know a few things about Nicolae Ceausescu. Born in 1918 to a poor peasant family, young Ceausescu aspired to be a shoemaker and did not complete more than primary education. This lack of academic education was not a significant obstacle for his future career, as most communist party members also lacked formal education.

Muzeul Curtea Veche - The Old Court of Bucharest, also known as Dracula’s Court or the Old Court Museum, can be visited in the heart of Vlad the Impaler’s old court, in the middle of Bucharest’s Old City. It is located on French Street, near Manuc’s Inn, and was built in the mid-14th century.

Ateneul Roman - The exquisite Athenaeum is the majestic heart of Romania’s classical music tradition. Scenes from Romanian history are featured on the interior fresco inside the Big Hall on the first floor, and the dome is 41 meters high. A huge appeal dubbed ‘Give a Penny for the Athenaeum’ saved it from disaster after funds dried up in the late 19th century. Today, it is home to the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra and is usually only open during concerts, but you can often take a peek inside.

• Private transportation
• On-board WiFi
• In-vehicle air conditioning
• Professional English-speaking tour guide
• Flexible pace and customizable itinerary

• Accommodation
• Food
• Entrance tickets to the sights - 45€ per person

Ever dreamt of visiting Transylvania? Don’t forget your garlic and brace yourself for the trip of a lifetime!

Iconic works of literature like Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ and Jules Verne’s ‘The Castle in the Carpathians’ were stirred by the enigmatic allure of Romania’s majestic castles.

As Europe’s last truly medieval landscape, Transylvania captures a sense of journeying back in time, as if you’ve stepped a century back in history. It’s an ideal haven for seekers of tranquility and balance.

Most famously, Transylvania conjures up eerie tales of voracious vampires and spine-chilling howls of wolves. While these may be figments of folklore, Transylvania, nestled in the heart of Romania, is very real. And it’s quite exceptional too.

Transylvania, translating to ‘the land beyond the forest’, has an air of mystery that remains untapped, making it one of the most enchantingly rich regions in Eastern Europe.

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