A comprehensive tour of Romania

Arrival in Bucharest – airport transfer to the hotel. Your original insights into this fascinating world of fairytale land begins with a panoramic sightseeing tour of Bucharest, the five-century-old capital of Romania. Dinner and overnight in Bucharest.

A scenic drive through the Prahova Valley will take you to the Peles Royal Castle; situated in Sinaia mountain resort city, known as “the Pearl of the Carpathians”, it is a masterpiece of German New-Renaissance architecture. Former summer residence of the Royal Family, situated in the midst of a wonderful landscape, sculpted gardens and fountains, it is now one of Europe’s most beautiful museums, displaying priceless collections of weaponry, hand woven silk rugs and furniture, ceramics and sculptures. Sinaia takes its name from the 17th-century Sinaia Monastery, a copy of St. Catherine Monastery on Mount Sinai, in Egypt. An hour afternoon drive crossing the Meridional Carpathian Mountains will bring you to Brasov, a medieval trading center, nested in the Central Carpathians, situated at the meeting point of the three Romanian principalities: Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania. Wander through the old part of the city, the Council Square and nearby streets, with attractive Saxon architecture, boutiques and cozy restaurants and feel the special romantic medieval atmosphere harmoniously blend with modern life. Visit the Black Church, an impressive Gothic stylecathedral, the symbol of the city and St. Nicolas Church. Traditional dinner and overnight in Brasov area.

Morning departure to Bran Castle, widely known as Dracula’s Castle, built at the beginning of the 13th century by Knight Dietrich of the Teutonic Order. The Castle had a strategic mission being at the border between Transylvania and Wallachia. In the XX century, the Castle became a royal residence. Now it is open for visitors eager to broaden their history knowledge and thirsty of fabulous legends. Continue on to Sibiu, your today final destination with stopover in Sambata de Sus for visiting the beautiful Brancoveanu Monastery, a place of recovery, and a real spiritual balm for guests who halt or pray in this sacred dwelling. Afternoon arrival in Sibiu, Europe’s Cultural Capital in 2007. Walking tour of the old part of the city, with its narrow streets, wide squares; pass across Lies Bridge, visit the Evangelic Cathedral and the Catholic Church and find out many stories beyond the gratifying feeling of holding hands with old times. Overnight in Sibiu. 

Your today journey through Transylvania will start with a visit to the renowned Collection of icons painted on glass in Sibiel village. Pass by old Saxon villages and stop over at the famous Biertan fortified church, the settlement dating back from the 13th century, an UNESCO world heritage monument. A short drive will take you to Sighisoara, Europe’s best preserved still inhabited medieval town with German architectural influences visible throughout the city. Sighisoara was for several centuries a military and political stronghold. One of its most famous attractions is the Clock Tower (Council Tower), built in the 14th Century. Strolling through the old citadel, part of the UNESCO World Heritage, you will pass by the Guild Tower, the Venetian House (built in the 13th Century), the Antler House, the Wood Covered Staircase, the Hill Church, and, of course, the most sought place here, Dracula’s House where Prince Vlad Tepes (“the Impaler”), was born. The house has been turned into a restaurant, museum like, that preserves the Middle Age atmosphere. Wandering through the town’s cobbled alleys, steep stairways, secluded squares, is like stepping back in time. Overnight in Sighisoara.

This morning leave Transylvania for Bukovina, via the stunning Bicaz Gorges, crossing the Oriental Carpathians. Short stop in Lacu Rosu/Red Lake Resort to admire the landscape and listen to the story of the crimson waters. A scenic drive will bring you to Bukovina – the land of outdoor painted monasteries, situated in the north-eastern side of Romania, a realm where the Romanian history, art and tradition are mostly expressed. Be ready to listen to amazing historical facts, religious explanations of the paintings and legends of these realms with most monasteries included in UNESCO World Heritage. Traditional dinner with tasty local menu. Overnight in Bukovina area.

Bukovina, a territory blessed with luxurious landscapes, wrapped in a warm, diffuse light, presents itself like an art album with its frescoes painted on the monasteries and its colourful enchanting popular costumes. Here, you may say that history lies asleep in monasteries and citadels, in churches containing valuable treasures of old Romanian civilization, beliefs and traditions sprung from the rich Romanian spirituality. Visit Voronet Monastery – the jewel of Bukovina, surnamed “the Sistine Chapel of the East”. Next are the Moldovita Monastery, which received the Order „la Pomme d’Or”, awarded by the world’s journalists to the monasteries of Bukovina, Sucevita Monastery, „a Poem in Green and Light” and Humor Monastery with its tower overlooking the area. Lunch at a local traditional restaurant to taste the flavour of the exquisite Moldavian cuisine. On your way stop in Marginea village, a worldwide attraction for its unique black pottery.

Today, head south-east and cross the former principality of Moldavia on your way to Tulcea, your start point for the cruise in the Danube Delta. Begin with a visit of the picturesque Neamt Citdel, placed on the top of a hill, built in the 14th century. Also on your way, there is a beautiful nun monastery worth visiting, namely Agapia, painted in 1858 by our greatest painter, Nicolae Grigorescu, at the age of 20. Evening arrival in Tulcea for dinner and overnight.

Before leaving on your Danube Delta experience, visit the modern Danube Delta Ecotourism Museum Center. The Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve has the third largest biodiversity in the world exceeded only by the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Galapagos Archipelago in Ecuador. Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve is the Europe’s largest protected area (5,800 square km) within a mosaic of 30 types of ecosystems. About 10:00 AM embark, for about 5 hours, on your unspoiled Danube Delta adventure; a wildlife aquatic heaven. Some 300 species of birds make Danube’s Delta their home. There is also a abundant community of fish and animals, like wildcats, foxes and wolves, boar or deer. Altogether, 3,450 animal species can be seen here, as well as 1,700 plant species. This gifted area received the coveted Pomme D’Or Award. Fish menu lunch on board.

 Spend your day in Bucharest. Drive by the Romanian Athenaeum, the former Royal Palace, the Town Hall, the Opera House, the Cotroceni Palace, and the Military Academy. Visit the Palace of Parliament – the second largest edifice in the world after the Pentagon in Washington. Short stops at the Metropolitan Church, in the Revolution Square and the Constitution Square. Following Kiseleff Avenue and passing by the Arch of Triumph which gave the city the surname of „Little Paris” experience the real Romanian traditional life visiting the open-air Village and Folk Art Museum with houses brought here from all over the country, one of the largest of its kind in Europe. After early dinner departure airport transfer.