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Poenari Stronghold

Day 1: Arrival at Bucharest Otopeni Airport Transfer to Bucharest. Accommodation at 3* hotel in the city centre of Bucharest. Dinner at Terasa Doamnei Restaurant.

Day 2: Bucharest. Departure to Targoviste. Visit Chindia Tower and the ruins of the former Princely Court of Wallachia. In Curtea de Arges a short break is necessary in order to visit the Monastery and to find out the Master Manole’s Legend. Drive on to the Poenari Stronghold, rebuilt by Vlad the Impaller as an “eagle nest” and return in Curtea de Arges. Lunch in Curtea de Arges.

Departure to Sibiu. On the way, visit the Cozia Monastery, built by one of the most important ruler princes of Wallachia, Mircea the Eldest. The Olt narrow pass is one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes in Romania. Accommodation at 3* hotel in Sibiu. Dinner in the “Old Wine-cellar” restaurant (Romanian cuisine).

Day 3: Sibiu. Early sightseeing tour of the mediaeval citadel by foot, including the Art Museum Bruckental, the historical center, the Liar’s Bridge and the Stairs Passage. Relaxing in Dumbrava Park, which shelter the Traditional Romanian Civilization Museum “Astra”.
Departure to Alba Iulia. City break including the Medieval Fortress, The National Union Museum, the Cathedral of the Reunion. Lunch in Alba Iulia.
Arrival in Cluj Napoca. Sightseeing tour of the city, including the medieval center, the Banffy Palace (the Art Museum) and the Ethnographical museum of Transylvania. Accommodation and dinner at 3* hotel, in Cluj.

Day 4: Cluj Napoca. Departure to Baia Mare. Visit the Stephen The Great’ tower, the Butcher’s Bastion, The Mineralogy Museum (with exhibits unique in the world).
Enter in a land unique for its people and for theirs accomplishments: all around the Historical Maramures you can admire one of the eldest European civilizations, with a lot of Dacians and pre-Christians traditions and customs; the area is famous for wooden-carved gates, handicrafts and woodcrafts.
The Merry Cemetery from Sapanta is unique in the world, well-known for its happy epitaphs written on the funeral monuments by local craftsman Stan Patras. Also available in Sapanta: The open-air Museum of Handicrafts.
Drive on to Sighetul Marmatiei, where visit The Ethnography and Folk Art Museum and the former prison in Communist System now called “Memorial to Arrested Thought”. On the way to Botiza, short breaks in Vadu Izei, Rozavlea and Ieud for seeing the famous wooden churches from Maramures. The wooden church from Barsana is the tallest wooden building in Europe (62 metters).
Accommodation in Botiza at 2* guest houses.

Alba Iulia: The Cathedral of Reunion

Day 5: Botiza. Departure to Viseu de Sus train station where an old steam-train, also called “mocanita” is waiting for us. We cross a wild region, the Vasser Valley (43 km) and we have lunch at Faina Chalet (picnic lunch) [Optionally programme, only for groups]. Returning at Viseu de Sus, we cross the mountains and arrive in Campulung Moldovenesc, via Moisei.
Accommodation and dinner at 3* villa in Sucevita.

Day 6: The Monasteries Tour. Visit, in a full-day trip, four of the most important outdoor frescoes monasteries, included in the UNESCO List of World Heritage: the monasteries of Sucevita, Moldovita, Voronet (the most important, well known for its blue frescoes, also called “the Sistine Chapel of the East”) and Humor.
In Campulung Moldovenesc a short break is necessary for lunch and for visiting the Museum of Woodcraft.
Back to Sucevita. Accommodation and dinner at 3* villa in Sucevita.

Day 7: Departure to Suceava. Visit the Throne Fortress of Moldavia and the “St. Ioan the Newest” Church. On the way to Transylvania, we follow the border of Izvorul Muntelui Lake and we cross through the most impressive gorges in Romania, the Bicaz Gorges. Short break in the Red Lake resort. Lunch in Lacu Rosu (natural lake, unique in Romania).
Departure to Corund, following one of the beautiful route through Carpathian Mountains, bordered by stately forests, covered by legends, like the one of Count Dracula. In Corund a permanent open-air pottery & handicraft exhibition is waiting for you.
Arrival in Sighisoara. Accommodation at 3* hotel, near Sighisoara.

Day 8: Sighisoara. Visit the only medieval citadel in Europe that is still fully inhabited; mentioned in 1280 as “Castrum Sex”. Detalied tour of the citadel, including the Tower Museum, the Cover Stairs, the Church on the Hill. Feel the attractions of the Torture Room and visit the Mediaeval Weapons Collection. Lunch in the house where is supposing that Vlad “Dracula”, father of Vlad the Impaler was born (now a cozy restaurant). Arrival in Brasov. Free time at your disposal. Accommodation and dinner at 3* hotel in the city centre of Brasov.

Day 9: Brasov. Sightseeing tour of the city, including the Schei Gate and District (architectural reservation), the Black Church (the biggest gothic monument in Brasov), St. Nicholas Cathedral, The Old Town Council Square and building, Ecaterina’s Gate). Departure to Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle).
Arrival in Sinaia, visit Peles Castle (former summer residence of the King Carol I of Romania; built in neo-Renaissance style) and its surroundings, Pelisor Castle and Sinaia Monastery. Accommodation at 4* hotel. Festive dinner in Sinaia. Overnight.

Maramures. Gate.

Day 10: Transfer to Bucharest. Sightseeing tour of Bucharest, including the Palace of Parliament, also called the House of the People – second largest building in the world -, the Archbishop’s Church and Palace, Calea Victoriei (firstly called “Podul Mogosoaei”), Bd. Aviatorilor, the Old Princely Court and the Village Museum. Transfer to Otopeni airport for your flight home. End of services.

Full distance: ~ 2200 km

Distance by days: 50 km (Day 1); 400 km (Day 2); 175 km (Day 3); 300 km (Day 4); 200 km (Day 5); 250 km (Day 6); 350 km (Day 7); 200 km (Day 8); 100 km (Day 9); 175 km (Day 10).

Accommodation: Bucharest, Sibiu, Cluj Napoca, Botiza, Sucevita (2 nights), Sighisoara, Brasov, Sinaia.

Meals: Curtea de Arges, “The old wine-cellar” in Sibiu, “The citadel” Restaurant in Alba Iulia, Baia Mare, Faina chalet – picnic (optionally), Rustic Radauti, Sunshine Restaurant in Red Lake resort, ‘Vlad Dracula House’ in Sighisoara, Sinaia.

Paid objectives:
· Targoviste – Chindia Tower
· Curtea de Arges – the monastery and the Fountain of Master Manole
· Cozia – The monastery
· Sibiu – The Art Museum Bruckental
· Sibiu - The Steam Locomotives Museum
· Sibiu - The Museum of Traditional Civilization “Astra”
· Alba Iulia – The National Union Museum;
· Cluj Napoca – The Ethnographical museum of Transylvania; Banffy Palace (the Art Museum)
· Baia Mare – The Mineralogy Museum (unique in the world)
· Sapanta – the Merry Cemetery
· Sighetul Marmatiei – The Ethnography and Folk Art Museum, the former prison now called “Memorial to Arrested Thought”
· Campulung Moldovenesc – The woodcraft museum
· The Moldovita monastery (UNESCO monument)
· The Sucevita monastery (UNESCO monument)
· The Humor monastery (UNESCO monument)
· The Voronet monastery (UNESCO monument)
· Suceava – the ruins of the former Princely Court of Moldavia
· Sighisoara – The Clock Tower’ Museum; the Mediaeval Weapon Collection, the Torture Room
· Brasov – The Black Church; the St. Nicholas Cathedral; The Junii Brasovului museum
· Bran – Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle)
· Sinaia - Peles Castle, Pelisor Castle
· Bucharest: the Old Court, the Palace of Parliament, also called the House of the People (second largest building in the world), The Village Museum

No-fees objectives:
· Medieval fortresses from Sibiu, Sighisoara, Brasov, Alba Iulia
· Rozavlea, Ieud, Bogdan Voda, Moisei – wooden churches
· Valea Izei - the traditional wooden carved gates
· Moisei – The Heroes Monument
· Bicaz Gorges (the most impressive gorges in Romania)
· The Red Lake (unique in Romania)
· Corund – pottery & handicrafts open-air museum
· Bucharest – the rest of the objectives included in the sightseeing tour
· Baia Mare - the Stephen the Great’s Tower, the Butcher’s Bastion
· The “Izvorul Muntelui” Lake (Bicaz)
· Sinaia Monastery