Meet and greet the group in Oradea, transfer to Cluj-Napoca, former capital of Transylvania, today one of Romania’s most vibrant and dinamic cities.
Cluj-Napoca city tour with the visit of St Michael’s Gothic church, the Benedictine Monastery, the Museum Square, the Union Square.
The capital of Transylvania in the medieval times, Cluj-Napoca is today a vibrant city, sharing both traditional and progressive events; definitely worth visiting for its excellent cultural activities, wonderful historical legacy, fine dining, and great atmosphere.
Welcome dinner and accommodation Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca - Sighisoara - Brasov/Poiana Brasov
Transfer to Sighisoara, small fortified city in the heart of Transylvania, visit of the well preserved fortified site: the Stag House, the Clock Tower, the Church on the Hill, the Venetian House, the Covered Stairs.
Sighisoara (Schässburg in German) is one of the most visited cities in Transylvania, and offers an outstanding testimony ofthe local Saxons culture. The best preserved medieval citadel in Romania, Sighisoara offers a genuine feeling of a medieval fortress, one of its main features being that it was permanently inhabited.
En route to Brasov, Transylvania; short city tour with the visit of the City Council Square, the Black Church (Brasov's landmark, over 500 years old, the largest Gothic church in SE Europe, hosts one of the greatest pipe organs in Europe), Ecaterina's gate, a fairy-looking medieval tower, part of the last preserved original city gates.
Dinner with traditional menu and accommodation in Brasov/Poiana Brasov
Brasov - Sinaia - Bran - Brasov
Transfer to Sinaia mountain resort, the ”Pearl of the Carpathians”, visit of Peles Castle, former residence of Romania's Kings. Built by King Carol I of Romania, as his summer residence, Peles castle shelters an important collection of works of art, rare furnitures and valuable paintings.
Lunch and wine tasting (sparkling wines produced using the traditional method) in the "Rhein Azuga" wine cellars, the former supplier of the Romanian Royal Court.
In the afternoon - visit of the Bran Castle, known as the Vlad Dracul/Dracula’s Castle. The medieval stronghold perched on rocks high above the valley was built in the XIVth century, in order to protect the peasants and landowners at the border between the two historical provinces: Walachia and Transylvania.
Traditional dinner and accommodation in Brasov/Poiana Brasov
Brasov - Tulcea - Danube Delta
Transfer from Brasov into the Dobruja region (situated between the Danube river and the Black Sea) to Tulcea, an important and ancient harbour, with Byzantine, Genovese, and Ottoman influences, considered to be the entry gate in the Danube Delta.
Leaving Tulcea you will be guided to the selected hotel (by bus/car/boat) in the Danube Delta.
Danube Delta, a World Cultural and Natural Heritage site, a UNESCO protected area is one of Romania’s leading tourism attractions and offers a completely different experience, compared with other European regions, for its travelers.
The accommodations in the Danube Delta comprise hotels, floating hotels, ships, rural pensions, villas, bungalows, hostels, holiday villages, camping sites, youth camps.
Each traveler will have the opportunity to enjoy the tours in the Danube Delta: fishing expeditions, birdwatching, itinerant tourism, discovery tourism, specialized trips, scientific trips, youth programs tourism, rural tourism, ecotourism, rest & relax tourism, kayak tours.
Dinner and acommodation
* Optional, en route short stop in Ploiesti (in the mid XIXth century the Ploiești region was one of the world's leading oil extraction and refinery sites), and visit of the Clock Museum, sheltering valuable exhibits from the XVIth century till nowadays.
One full day dedicated to the Danube Delta, includes a 3-4 hours boating on the waterways and lakes.
The Danube Delta, a sanctuary for birds, fish, and animals, is the third largest biodiversity in the world (over 5,500 flora & fauna species) spreading over 5,050 km2 of marshes, canals, reed islets and lakes.
This special place, Europe’s best preserved delta is considered to be the largest and most compact reed bed area in the world, sheltering the richest ornithological fauna.
The tourists / wildlife enthusiasts will enjoy the charm of this wonderful region.
Dinner and accommodation
Danube Delta - Bucharest
Transfer to Bucharest.
Known in the past as "The Little Paris", Bucharest has suffered a decline in the communist period, followed by a "revival in its own way", in the last 20 years.
Nowadays the city displays an interesting mix of old and new: modern steel-and-glass buildings mixed with ancient monuments with long and rich history; palaces and museums scattered in the Old Town, sophisticated cafes and restaurants providing unique feelings along with grey marks from the communist era, altogether representing the reborn charm of Romania's modern and interesting capital, with its cultivated sensibility.
Short city tour of Bucharest, with the visit of the Old Town (attractions in the Lipscani/Historical Centre: Manuc's Inn, the ruins of the Old Court), Victoriei Boulevard with the Romanian Athenaeum - the capital's cultural landmark, the former Royal Palace, the Cantacuzino Palace, Kretzulescu church.
Dinner and accommodation in Bucharest
Bucharest - Ramnicu Valcea - Horezu - Olt Valley - Sibiu, former European Capital of Culture
Leaving Bucharest for Ramnicu Valcea - Horezu. Following a picturesque winding route, the "Black Hill" - descending in the SubCarpathians and stopping in Horezu village.
Visit of the Horezu monastery, founded in the XVIIth century by the ruler Constantin Brancoveanu - a masterpiece of the original Romanian Brancovenesc style. The monastery belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage sites.
On the way, visit of Cozia monastery, one of the oldest historical art monument in Romania, beautifully located on the Olt riverbanks, built in the XIVth century by the Romanian ruler Mircea the Elder.
Dinner and accommodation in Sibiu
Sibiu & surroundings
Along with Luxembourg, Sibiu was designated European Capital of Culture in 2007, primarily due to the multiculturalism that defines it. Tour of the medieval centre of Sibiu, one of Romania’s most charming cities: the Large Square with Brukenthal Palace, Haller House, the Catholic Church and the Council Tower - landmark of the city; the Small Square with Luxembourg House, the Liar's Bridge, the House of Arts; Huet Square with the Evangelical Church; the Fortress street, the Orthodox Cathedral.
Visit of Cisnadie (Heltau in German, 10 km far from Sibiu), with the Saxon fortified church St Walpurga (XIIIth century), and then Cisnadioara (Michelsberg in German), with the Romanesque Church, representative monument for the Romanesque architecture in Transylvania, the oldest in Romania (1260).
In the afernoon, get acquainted with the traditional folk architecture and popular techniques exposed in the picturesque open air "ASTRA" Museum, located in the forest of Dumbrava Sibiu.
Dinner and accommodation in Sibiu
Sibiu - Hunedoara - Arad
From Sibiu en route to Hunedoara, a town famous for two main attractions: it once contained Romania's largest steel work factories, and the Corvin (Hunyad) Castle was nearby.
Visit Hunyad Castle (Corvin Castle), the most important Gothic style secular building in Transylvania. Even though the castle is built in Gothic style, it has also Baroque and Renaissance influences, and was the place where Vlad Dracul (commonly known as Dracula, courtesy of Bram Stoker's novel) was held prisoner for seven years.
The Corvin Castle, a legacy of the Transylvanian Hunyadi dynasty, was included in the "10 most fascinating castles and palaces" list.
In the afternoon, visit of the centre of Arad: the Orthodox Cathedral, the Administrative Palace, the National Theatre, Cenad Palace. Part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the end of World War I, Arad is a charming city, set on the Mures riverbanks, preserving a majestic atmosphere through its imposing architectural monuments.
Farewell dinner and accommodation in Arad
Transfer to Nadlac, Romanian-Hungarian border.