Transylvania September 2023

DAY 01 15 SEP 2023 Bucharest (D)
Arrival at the International Airport Otopeni where you will be greeted by your throughout English speaking guide and further head to Bucharest, Romania’s capital city founded in 1459 by ruler Vlad the Impaler on the banks of the Dambovita river. Depending on arrival time, possibility for a stroll in the old center and welcome dinner at one of the oldest restaurants in the city. Overnight.
Accommodation: Mercure City Centre Bucharest 4* (2 Nights)

DAY 02 16 SEP 2023 Bucharest (B)
Discover Bucharest, known in the past as the “Little Paris of the East”. During the tour you will see among others
the Victoria Square were the Ronanian government has its seat, the Victoria Boulevard with its Belle Epoque
buildings and the Revolution Square place where the Romanian Dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was toppled during
the Romanian Revolution in 1989. Here you will have a brief walk seeing the former Royal Palace which now
houses the National Art Museum and the Romanian Athenaeum. Continue visiting the Parliament Palace,
formerly known as “The House of the People”, which is the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon with a stunning size of 65.000 m². It has over 1000 rooms, 2 underground parking garages and supposedly also a nuclear bunker. For its construction an amazing 1 million cubic meters of marble, over 700.000 tons of steel and bronze and 3500 tons of crystal have been used. Evening you will explore the Village Museum, one of the first open air museums in Europe, where you can see over 70 farms & churches from all corners of Romania, which had been used and built by the villagers in the 18th and 19th centuries. Visit the Bellu Cemetery, largest and one of the oldest cemeteries in the city. Overnight.

DAY 03 17 SEP 2023 Bucharest – Sinaia – Bran – Brasov (220 km) (B)
After breakfast head North along the Prahova valley and through the mountains reaching Sinaia, also known
as the “Pearl of the Carpathians”, which is Romania's most popular and famous mountain resort. Here you
will visit the Peles Castle, which is without a doubt the most magnificent castle in country. It was the
former summer residence of King Carol the 1st of Hohenzollern – Sigmaringen, erected in the late 19th
century. It is built of wood, stone, marble and brick in the German Renaissance style combined with the
Italian and the English Renaissance, the German Baroque, the Rococo, the Hispano -Moorish and the Turkish
styles etc. Next head to Busteni where you can enjoy wine tasting at one of the local cellars. Crossing into
Transylvania you will reach Bran, to visit the castle made famous by Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula”, as the
residence of the vampire count. Evening arrive in Brasov, city founded 1221 by the Teutonic Knights
Accommodation: ARO Palace Hotel Brasov 5* (1 Night)

DAY 04 18 SEP 2023 Brasov – Biertan – Sighisoara (180 km) (B)
Morning stroll in Brasov through the narrow streets of the old centre seeing the Black Church which is the largest gothic style religious edifice in Eastern Europe and the old city-hall and see the First Romanian School. Head further into the heart of Transylvania and stop in Biertan to visit the local fortified church which is one of
Romania's most important historical and architectural monuments, being included in the UNESCO list of World
Heritage. It was built in the place of an old basilica at the end of the 15th century with architectural elements from the late-Gothic and Renaissance style while from 1572 to 1867 was the seat of the Lutheran Evangelical Bishop. Next you will reach Sighisoara and visit the still inhabited medieval fortress which is today part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Sighisoara was first certified in the year 1280 under the name “Castrum Sex” and is located on a hill guarded by 14 watch-towers, of which the most impressive and famous is the 64m high Clock-Tower. In this medieval city you will see the Church on the Hill, the Covered Stairs, the Venetian House and the “House with the Deer” and “Casa Vlad Dracul” where the famous Prince Vlad Tepes was born. At Teo’s Cellar you can taste local homemade brandy and jam. The remainder of the day will be at leisure.
Accommodation: Doubletree by Hilton Sighisoara 4* (1 Night)

DAY 05 19 SEP 2023 Sighisoara – Targu Mures – Turda – Cluj Napoca (180 km) (B)
Head North reaching Targu Mures, city where you will be seeing among others the Palace of Culture, the
citadel and its Reformed Church erected during the first half of the 17th century and the Orthodox Cathedral,
built between 1925 and 1934 after the unification the Transylvania with Romania. Next stop in Turda, to
visit the local salt-mine. The salt deposits from this area have been known and exploited by ancient times,
but it was put into systematic operation during the Roman conquest in Dacia. The mine opened in the year
1992 for tourists and it consists, among others, of the 917 m long “Franz Joseph” Gallery; the 13 floors
deep “Rudolph” Mine and the “Theresa” Mine. Evening you will reach Cluj, city of which origins date back
to Dacian and Roman times. In the centre you will admire the Orthodox Church, the National Opera House,
the St Michael’s church and the Banffy Palace which is the most representative baroque style edifice in
Transylvania.
Accommodation: Golden Tulip Ana Dome Cluj 4* (1 Night)

DAY 06 20 SEP 2023 Cluj Napoca – Hoia – Alba Iulia – Sibiu (220 km) (B,D)
After breakfast you will head to the Hoia Forest, which legends have it, is haunted. Next stop in Alba Iulia,
city chosen as the place where the proclamation of the union between Transylvania and the Kingdom of
Romania was announced. The upper town's fortress with seven bastions in a stellar shape has been built in
a “Vauban” style and is the most modern baroque fortress of the work of Nicolaus Doxat de Demorat. Here
you can see the Roman Catholic Cathedral, the Roman Catholic bishop's palace, the Orthodox Cathedral and
Princely Palace. Earlier evening reach Sibiu, which was the former capital of culture in 2007. The original
town was built in the 13th century and was protected by walls and brick towers, the buildings were joined
by tunnels and narrow passageways, with heavily grated windows to cover the stairways and corners where
intruders might be ambushed. Everywhere you look, there is evidence of Sibiu's historical past. Enjoy a
walking tour during which you will see the baroque style Roman Catholic Cathedral, the Evangelical
Cathedral, the Liar’s bridge and the Old Squares. This evening we drive to the village of Sibiel where you
will enjoy dinner at one of the local farmhouses, after which you will return to Sibiu for overnight
Accommodation: Golden Tulip Ana Tower Sibiu 4* (1 Night)

DAY 07 21 SEP 2023 Sibiu – Cozia – Bucharest (280 km) (B,D)
Leave Transylvania South, again crossing the Carpathians, into the historical region of Wallachia and you
will stop in Cozia to visit one of the earliest Medieval edifices of great importance in Romania. Some original
frescoes are still very well preserved and inside the church you find the tomb of the ruler who built the
monastery in the year 1388, Mircea cel Batran. Longer transfer to Bucharest with free time and possibility
to visit the Bellu Cemetery, largest and one of the oldest cemeteries in the city. Farewell dinner.
Accommodation: Mercure City Centre Bucharest 4* (1 Night)

DAY 08 22 SEP 2023 Bucharest – Snagov – Otopeni Airport (80 km) (B)
At the pre-determined time you will be met and transferred to the International Airport Henri Coanda Otopeni
for your flight back home

Depart your hotel and transfer to the Bucharest airport for your return flight home.