ROMANIA – A CULTURAL TREASURE

Name: ROMANIA - A CULTURAL TREASURE
SKU: 4464
Price: 360 EUR
Availability: InStock

A journey of the most important sights in Romania

Tour details

8 DAYS FULLY ESCORTED TOUR

2 nights in Bucharest
1 night in Predeal
2 nights in Piatra Neamt
2 nights in Medias

Beyond Bucharest, the foothills of Walachia give way to the Carpathian Mountains and shelters tranquil Orthodox monasteries. The Transylvanian region includes medieval towns such as Sighisoara, Brasov and Sibiu, sites made by Saxon craftsmen and merchants who came in this area from the Luxembourg, Lorraine, Moselle, Rhine, and Wallonia regions of north-western Europe and established here powerful and rich citadels.

The Maramureş region – N Transylvania – is a living “outdoor museum” famous for its unchanged way of life and for its well-preserved wooden villages and churches. The wooden churches are remarkable examples of well-preserved religious architecture that arisen from the Orthodox traditions and Gothic style influences.

The Byzantine masterpiece of Bucovina’s Painted Monasteries contains exquisite wall frescoes who tell stories about saints, prophets, angels, demons, heaven, and hell. Nevertheless, the Carpathian Mountains are known for their natural beauty. The glacial fashioned ridges and high peaks are simply stunning in their magnificence. The mountains are covered by coniferous and deciduous woodlands, limestone gorges and valleys, including grassy alpine habitats which are used by traditional sheep farmers.

VISITS INCLUDED:

The Patriarchy – Bucharest
Village Museum – Bucharest
Bran Castle – Bran
Peles Castle – Sinaia
Monasteries of Voronet, Moldovita, Sucevita, Marginea
Sibiel Icon Museum – Sibiel
The Orthodox Cathedral – Sibiu

From

360 €

PER ADULT (16+)

Prices may vary upon availability.
While every effort is made to operate a tour as advertised, on occasion it may be necessary to make changes to the accommodation, the routing or order of the itinerary.

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Itinerary

DAY 1 | ARRIVAL IN BUCHAREST

Pick-up from the airport. Check-in and dinner in the hotel. Today it is all about the “little Paris”, as Bucharest was known between the 2 world wars. We begin our day with a visit of the Church of the Patriarchate, that is the Orthodox spiritual leader, lives and works. After that we will make a photo stop at the Palace of the Parliament, an impressive building, symbol of the fallen communism era. Lunch and afterwards visit to the Village museum, an open air museum, where we will admire the traditional Romanian architecture of the houses. We continue with the visit by foot of the Revolution Square, then, we switch the attention towards an icon of Bucharest, the Athenaeum, a place for chamber music concerts. Transfer to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

*The program is subjected to changes, depending on the flight schedule.

DAY 2 | BUCHAREST – SINAIA (PELES CASTLE) – BRAN CASTLE - PREDEAL

Today we will go to visit the Peles Castle located in Sinaia, “the pearl of the Carpathians”. Since 1873 it has been a royal destination. Lunch in Sinaia then off we go in search for the dark prince, Dracula, at Bran Castle, located up on a hill, overlooking the Bran Gorge. On our way back we will see up on a hill, another point of defence, the Rasnov citadel, part of the Transylvanian defence system against enemies. Festive dinner with folkloric program. Overnight in Predeal.

DAY 3 | PREDEAL – LACUL ROSU (RED LAKE) – PIATRA NEAMT

After Breakfast, we are going to cross the Carpathians Mountains, from the west to the east. We make a stop to the Red Lake, then we continue to Bucovina province, situated at the border with Ukraine, in the N of Romania. Bucovina’s name etymology can be translated into “the land of the beech trees”. Here everything is all about majestic nature, hardworking welcoming people, spiritual life and delicious food. Arrive in late afternoon in Piatra Neamt, important city known for the lumber trade on the Bistrita river, as well as for its position as capital of Moldavia province in medieval times. Check-in and dinner at the hotel.

DAY 4 | PIATRA NEAMT - MONASTERIES OF BUCOVINA – PIATRA NEAMT

Breakfast. Visit of the 3 most important orthodox monasteries of Bucovina: Voronet, Moldovita, Sucevita and Marginea. Part of UNESCO cultural heritage, they are famous for their monastic life why spread spirituality all over Moldavia province. We will be mesmerized by the deep, weather changing colour of Voronet monastery, called “The Sixtine Chapel of the Orient”. Lunch in a traditional local restaurant. After that visit of a black clay pottery house in Marginea. Back to the hotel and dinner.

DAY 5 | PIATRA NEAMT – BISTRITA – TARGU MURES-SIGHISOARA-MEDIAS

After Breakfast, we cross the Carpathian mountains to arrive back to Transylvania, in the medieval city of Bistrita, we reach the highest passing point, called the Tihuta pass, and we are going to take a break in the Dracula restaurant. Arrive in the city of Targu Mures, famous for the Secession architectural Style. We will admire the exterior tof the Culture palace and other buildings of the same style. Then we arrive to Sighisoara, We will have a stroll on the cobbled streets, admire the burgher houses and ornate churches which rivals with the historic streets of Old Prague or Vienna for atmospheric magic. Other attractions include: the Church on the Hill, the Church of the Dominican Monastery, the Scholars’ Stairs. Finally, in the evening we arrive in Medias. Dinner and overnight in Medias.

DAY 6 | MEDIAS- SIBIU - MEDIAS

After a quick panoramic visit of Medias, we head to Sibiu- a medieval city that was the largest and wealthiest of the seven walled citadels built in the 12th century by German settlers known as Transylvanian Saxons. Sibiu’s Old Town retains the grandeur of its earlier days when rich and powerful guilds dominated regional trade. Like Sighisoara and Brasov, it has a distinctly Germanic feeling. Sections of the medieval wall still guard the historic area, where narrow streets pass steep-roofed 17th century buildings with gable overhangs before opening into vast, church-dominated squares such as Great Square and Little Square. Here stand witnesses to the passing of the time buildings such as: Bruckental museum, the City Council, the Evangelical Cathedral, the Orthodox Cathedral, the Liars’ Bridge. Lunch in Sibiel, a small village close to Sibiu. After lunch, visit to the Museum of painted glass icons, admiring the naïve painting of the icons by the local people. Back to Medias, free time and dinner in the hotel.

DAY 7 | MEDIAS – COZIA – BUCHAREST

After breakfast. Departure for Bucharest with a stop and visit the Cozia monastery, Arrival in Bucharest at lunch time where we will taste Romanian typical food in a famous restaurant called The Beer Chariot. Located in the Old Princely Court, in the city center, after lunch we will spend the afternoon walking in the Old City, admiring the eclectic style and the ruins of the Old Princely Court, Free time and dinner in the hotel.