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Silence Table - one of the Brancusi masterpieces

This itinerary introduces you to Oltenia, the homeland of Constantin Brancusi - the great Romanian sculptor - a wild region of the country with interesting topography that influenced much of his work. You will learn about the ‘Horezu Rooster’ pottery tradition with its incredibly lively colors and shapes, many of which were the inspirational source of his later masterpieces. Incidentally, you can still visit the potters today. Their homes are also their workshops and are open to visitors. Everything to do with their art is a family secret, from the choice of clay to the final glazing. The finished earthenware products are not only beautiful to look at, they would also make a great gift.

There is also an in important Christian Orthodox element in the region that might fascinate visitors, such as the monasteries of Tismana, Hurezi and, especially Curtea de Arges, a beautiful building that has spun the legend of Master Manole. According to legend Master Manole entombed his wife inside the walls of this monastery to fulfill the promise, foretold in a dream, which would make this the most beautiful monastery in the country.

Another exciting part of this trip that will bring even more legends to life is a boat cruise on the Danube to experience the dramatic sight of the ‘Iron Gates’, a gorge that separates the Carpathian and Balkan mountains. This is the place where Ulysses heard the song of the sirens but successfully avoided to come under their spell. And no visit to this ‘land of heroes’ would be complete without taking a look at the marks the Hydra’s body left in the local limestone after it was slain by Hercules, right here in the Cerna Valley.

Daily schedule:

Day 1 Bucharest (10 km):
Arriving on “Henri Coanda” - Otopeni international airport. Transfer to a 3* hotel in Bucuresti. Accommodation and dinner.

Day 2 Bucharest - Drobeta Turnu Severin (350 km):
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Oltenia, a region where we will pass through centuries of history, from Emperor Traian’s antique bridge over the Danube up to the modern symbol of Brancusi’s “Infinite Column”. On the way, short stop in the centre of Craiova municipality, an old medieval town, the centre of Oltenia. Accommodation at Continental Hotel 3* in Turnu-Severin. In the afternoon, walking on the Danube’s cliff, with visit at the vestiges of Drobeta Roman caster, of Traian’s Bridge over Danube (2nd Century BC) and of Severin medieval fortress. Dinner in the hotel.

The Infinite Column

Day 3 Drobeta Turnu Severin - Iron Gates - Herculane Spa (60 km + ship cruise):
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to the Danube’s Gorge at “Cazane”. Short stop at “The Iron Gates” dam, with visit at the local museum, where you will find out the details of the making of the dam and of the accumulation lake where we will set sail. Short stop at Vodita Monastery (to see the vestiges of the first orthodox monastery from Vallachia, built in the 14th cent. in Byzantine style by the monk Nicodim).
From Orsova we embark on the motorboat for a Danube cruise, on the accumulation dam lake and the “Cazane” area – the Danube’s spectacular gorge, cut in the limestone of the Carpathians, through which the ships hardly passed in the past. Today here is a National Park which protects the Mediterranean flora and fauna, as well as the limestone relief. In the narrowest part of the gorge, you can see on the Serbian shore the tracks of the Roman antique road; on the Romanian shore, you will see the big sculpture of Decebal, the Dacian king that fought against the roman invasion in 2nd century BC. Return to Orsova.
Visit to St. Ana Monastery, from where you can admire the Danube panorama. Departure to Baile Herculane. Accommodation and dinner at Ferdinand Hotel 4* in Baile Herculane spa.

Day 4 Herculane Spa - Cerna Valley - Herculane Spa (100 km):
Breakfast at the hotel. Short sight-seeing tour of the spa (you can admire the neoclassical architecture, specific to the period in which Baile Herculane was ruled by Austro-Hungarians). Minibus/bus trip on the valley of Cerna, which reveals magnificent landscapes; visit the Corcoaia Gorges and Valea lui Iovan Lake. Picnic lunch in the nature. In the evening, getting back into the spa and experiment a relaxing massage at the roman thermal baths (2nd century BC – functional even today). Dinner back at Ferdinand Hotel.

Day 5 Herculane Spa - Tismana Monastery - Targu Jiu (- Horezu Monastery) (120 km):
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure towards the north of Oltenia, passing the range of Mehedinti Mountains. Stop at Tismana, for a visit to Tismana Monastery (14’th cent, one of the first romanian monasteries, valuable by its history and its medieval art treasures). Visit the Brancusi memorial house in Hobita village, a patriarchal place where the habits has been kept unchanged throughout the centuries.
Sightseeing tour of Targu Jiu, with visit to Brancusi’s monumental sculptural assembly (including the well-known “Infinite Column”). Accommodation and lunch at Gorj Hotel 2*, located in the city centre. In the afternoon, a delightful visit to the Ethnographical Museum of Gorj region at Curtisoara, a few km away from Targu Jiu, to see the specific of the traditional local architecture in an open-air exhibition with old households, churches, outbuildings. In the evening, coming back for dinner at the hotel.
* for groups smaller than 20 pax, we recommend you to spend a beautiful night in the monks accommodations at Horezu monastery.

Day 6 Targu Jiu - Muierii cave - Horezu Monastery - Baile Olanesti (140 km):
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure towards Baia de Fier, where the first stop is to Muierii Cave, a spectacular cave with hundreds of limestone formations such as The Dome, The Altar, Santa Clause, the Bloody rock and many more (640 meters length).
In the small city of Horezu, well-known centre of traditional pottery, we make a visit to a pottery workshop, to see the potters at work and to buy some specific souvenirs.
The most important visit of the day is at Hurezi Monastery (17’th century), architectural monument representative for the “Brancovenesc” Romanian style, one of the UNESCO’s heritage monuments.
Another famous monastery in the area is the One-Tree monastery, entirely made from the wood of one single centenary oak tree. In the evening, arriving in Baile Olanesti spa, situated in the Capatanii Mountains, in a beautiful natural landscape; accommodation and dinner at Suprem Hotel 3*.

Day 7 Baile Olanesti - Curtea de Arges - Bucharest (290 km):
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure towards Bucuresti. After the town of Ramnicu Valcea, we pass over the Olt river, leaving behind “The Little Vallachia” and we are heading to Curtea de Arges, the first capital of the Vallachian Principality; Visit to Arges’s Monastery (1517), a “jewel” of religious architecture in the Balkans, bound to the legend of a human sacrifice made for its foundation. Heading north to the impressive gorges of the Arges river and Vidraru dam for admiring the beautiful landscapes of Fagaras Mountains. In the late afternoon, arriving to Bucuresti; accommodation at 3* hotel and festive farewell dinner.

Maramures. Gate.

Day 8 Bucharest (30 km):
Breakfast at the hotel. According to your flight schedule, free time at leisure (for shopping) in the Capital. Transfer to the international airport for the departure flight.

Total distance: ~ 1100 km

Included services:

• Transport by air-conditioned minivan/ minibus/ coach (depending on the number of participants)
• Accommodation at 3* and 4* hotels as indicated
• Meals on HB basis (breakfasts- and dinner)
• Danube cruise by motor boat
• Lunch on board during the Danube cruise
• Picnic lunch in Cerna Valley
• Assistance of a professional guide throughout the program
• Entrance fees to attractions
• 1 free seat for each 20 participants

Note: the tour can be organized for less than 10 persons, but due to the very high costs of the cruise on the Danube we recommend to make the cruise an optional component for groups of less than 10 passengers.