ROMANIA TRANSYLVANIA 10 DAYS

In the morning you we will start exploring our the first city of the trip. Founded as Hermannstadt by German settlers, Sibiu is still the center of the “Transylvanian Saxons”, that’s why its architecture reminds us of old German towns. Even signs and tourist information are labeled both in Romanian and German, although most German residents long ago left the city and moved to Germany. While walking through the city center you get the impression of the European Capital of Culture in 2007. During a city tour you can see the large and the small city ring, the Liar’s Bridge, the Protestant cathedral and ‘lower city’ with its famous city wall. In the afternoon you still have some free time so not to miss anything in this city. You can just stroll through the narrow streets and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. We recommend you to visit the Brukenthal Museum with a considerable collection of works, related to the main European artistic schools from the 15th to the 18th century. Afterwards, we invite you to a farming family. For the traveler, it is a wonderful opportunity to make a time leap and to experience local customs that close, taste traditional cuisine and learn about everyday life of ordinary Romanian people.

Then we keep driving through the Transylvania, also known as Siebenbürgen region. The name is self-explanatory and is translated as “the land behind the woods”. The German name “Siebenbürgen” goes back to the first Saxon residents. They settled here in the 12th century and erected a bastion with seven fortified towns against the Ottomans.  On the way you will see gorgeous mountains with forests and rich wildlife, fabled castles, allegedly full of werewolves and vampires, ancient Roman, Scythian and Dacian settlements, modern villages with spooky traditions. At noon we arrive in Brasov/Kronstadt. A vibrant, rising city, thanks to its eventful history, managed to keep many treasures to offer a tourist. Now the largest Transylvanian city, Kronstadt was founded as the southeastern most bastion of Transylvania. The well-preserved historical center is surrounded by hills and makes up an immaculate medieval cityscape. The Baroque Town Hall, rebuilt after the fire in 1698, is situated on the triangular square. We also admire the main symbol of Brasov, Black Church of 14-15th century, the largest Gothic church in south-eastern Europe.

In the morning you will visit the world renowned massive Bran Castle. It is commonly known as “Dracula’s Castle”, the very place where leader of vampires is said to have done his wild rampages. It is still a controversial question though, whether the Dracula prototype, Prince Vlad Tepes, has ever visited the castle. Anyway, perched on a rocky cliff above a peaceful valley, the castle presents a rather creepy, but somehow also a beautiful spectacle. Then we drive towards the Romanian capital. Our path leads through Prahova Valley Sinaia – “Pearl of the Carpathians”. In Sinaia we visit Peles Castle – a mixture of styles with Gothic and Renaissance elements, considered by many as the most beautiful castle in Romania. Until 1914 it was the summer residence of King Karol the First and his favorite castle. Its walls and orioles are reminiscent of the Imperial and Royal style of Austro-Hungarian Empire, alike Hohenzollern castle, the birth house of the Romanian King. Next to it is situated a beautiful monastery of the Monks of the Sinai Peninsula (17 c.), after whom the town Sinaia got its name. In the afternoon we make our way to Sighisoara. We stay for dinner and spend the night in one of the best preserved medieval towns of Eastern Europe.

During the city tour in Sighişoara, we will be enchanted by the medieval castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The clock tower of this castle is especially well known. Here is also located the house in which allegedly the Wallachian prince Vlad Dracul was born, also known as Vlad Tepes and Vlad the Impaler. He served as a historical example for Bram Stoker’s main character in horror novel ”Dracula”. From the late Gothic church we have a breathtaking view over the city. On the way to Sighisoara we visit Targu-Mures – the multi-ethnic city and cultural center, as well as the “Hungarian” center of Romania. Numerous places in the city serve as an evidence of its multinationality – buildings since epoch of mayor György Bernady, the administrative district in Art Nouveau style, Palace of Culture in the modernist style, typical of the late Austrian times, and the Baroque building of the Teleki-Bolyai Library. After the tour we say goodbye to Transylvania and drive to Romanian region of Moldova. On our way we still have some interesting things to see while guide shares his knowledge about these regions with you. By the evening we arrive in Campulung Moldovenesc where we relax after the long journey.

Campulung Moldovenesc is an ideal place for exploring nearby monasteries. Most of them were built in 15-16th c. by the Stefan the Great and reflect the splendor of the Moldovan culture. He promised to raise a monastery or church after every victory at the battlefield. As a successful commander, he founded more than 40 worshiping places, the most outstanding of which we will see today. Most monasteries are adorned with frescoes on the exterior walls. First of all, they are meant to enlighten people – to deliver scenes from the Bible to those who couldn’t write and read. Bright frescoes endured the challenge of time, and monasteries were declared as UNESCO Heritage Sites. Our first stop – Sucevita monastery. It impresses with its religious and fortified buildings, with its bright paintings, for example ‘St John’s the Ladder of divine ascent’. Unsurprisingly Sucevita is considered to be the perfect example of Moldavian sacred art. Our next stop will be female monastery Moldovita, where you can get to know closer with life in the monastery. The pearl in the crown of religious architecture will unconditionally be Voronet. All the western facade is painted with the scene of ‘Last Judgement’. Due to its unique frescoes Voronet is called ‘The symphony in blue’ or ‘Sistine chapel’ of Romania. In the evening we come to the region of Maramures and stay in a hotel near Borsa. At the dinner we share impressions of the day.

In the morning we are glad to offer you a very special activity – from Viseu de Sus we have a ride with ‘prehistoric’ wood-burning locomotive by one of the last narrow-gauge Carpathian railways. We are driving through bridges and tunnels alongside the river and wilderness of Carpathian ‘water valley’. Breathtaking views lead us through vast forests, where there are no roads and villages, and bears and wolves are the ones who reign. You will have a possibility to behold the beauty of the Vaser Valley from a scenic point. Second half of the day we will drive through Northern part of Romania, Maramures, – remote, woody and virgin terrain near Ukrainian border. Our way leads us above lone, curvy road through wonderfully high passes where now and then we marvel mountainous views. On the way we will visit some of authentic wooden churches, such as Borsa, Bogdan Voda, Rozavlea, Barsana and Leud. With their slender towers, built without a single nail, all of them are outstanding masterpieces of wooden architecture, typical of Northern Romania, as wood used to be the most important building material in this area. Inside they are decorated like Orthodox churches. Then we will have overnight in Sighetu Marmatiei.

In Sighet we visit memorial of the communism victims. Here, among 50 exhibition halls made from former jail cells., you will find thematic collection of documents, photos and items. A representative of museum will tell you in detail about Ceausescu regime and its consequences for the country. Next point of our program will be ‘Merry cemetery ’ near Sapanta, truly one-of-a-kind place. An ironic rhyme next to the portrait of the deceased as a tribute looks like a true carnival of death. After that we are heading to Cluj Napoca, where you still have some time to explore the city.

After the breakfast we drive towards Cluj Napoca, ‘capital’ of Transylvania region. Not far from the city we can see ruins of ancient Roman city Napoca. You will also visit the main landmark of the city – Catholic Cathedral of St Michael’s, built in Gothic style in 14th century. Municipal theater and Neo-Byzantine Orthodox Cathedral will complete  your impressions about the city. We also will have a possibility to visit a synagogue and get to know with a sad fate of Transylvanian and Romanian Jewish. In the afternoon through Tarnava Mare, famous wine valley, we are heading for wine tasting. In a wine cellar of local producer we flavour different sorts of Romanian wine. Closer to the evening we come to Medias, where we still have time to marvel medieval landscapes of this little town during evening promenade.

In the morning we leave the hotel towards Sibiu, but still have some time for a brief detour. After half an hour ’s drive we arrive to the charming village of Biertan to admire the imposing fortified church with three defensive walls, three gates and six towers. We hope you have discovered Romania, its culture, traditions and nature, and will keep this emotions for your lifetime. We are always happy to become your devoted companion for your future travels!