The Grand Tour

A 10 DAYS EXCITING TRIP FROM BUCOVINA TO THE DANUBE.

With a little bit of everything in the countries around (and not only, if we are to also consider Germany, Russia and Turkey), Romania is so heterogeneous that one can come back over and over again to discover new places and meet new faces. Therefore take this tour as a teaser, as a taste of the country as a whole and then come back to explore in more detail. Start in Bucharest, head up through Transylvania to Bukovina, then follow the Northern tip to the Maramures and come down to Bucharest via the Siebenburgen and the impressive Olt Gorges.

DAY 1

BUCHAREST – SINAIA – BRASOV
Arrive in Bucharest and head straight for the mountains for a breath of fresh air and a view of one great castle, that of Peles. Because, you see, the area was so beautiful that it made the king set his summer residence here. End the day in Brasov, with a walk through the beautiful
Council Square.
– Arrival at Bucharest Airport
– Visit to Peles Castle
– Walk in downtown Brasov
– Accommodation in Brasov / Bella Muzica or Casa Wagner Hotel

DAY 2

BRASOV – BRAN – PREJMER FORTIFIED CHURCH – THE RED LAKE
Start the day with a visit to the world-famous Bran Castle, set high on a cliff overlooking the couloir making the connection between Wallachia and Transylvania. Go on with a visit to the fortified church at Prejmer and then take the Olt Valley up its scenic way via Tusnad, reaching in the late afternoon the Red Lake and its sad story.
– Visit to Bran Castle
– Visit to Prejmer Fortified Church
– Optional (time allowing): side trip to St. Ana Lake, hosted by a volcano crater
– Walk by the Red Lake
– Accommodation by the Red Lake / Veresko Villa or a guesthouse

DAY 3

THE RED LAKE – IZVORUL MUNTELUI LAKE – BISTRITA VALLEY – TRANSRARAU ROAD – CAMPULUNG
Change the scenery for the dramatic. Allow this day for fine mountain views and easy, short
walks. Start with the impressive Bicaz Gorges, then drive around the large Izvorul Muntelui Lake at the foothills of the legendary Ceahlau. Go up Bistrita Valley and cross the Rarau by the striking Pietrele Doamnei raising off the fir tree forest like fangs.
– Drive along Bicaz Gorges and by the Izvorul Muntelui Lake
– Crossing of the Rarau by the Pietrele Doamnei
– Accommodation in Campulung / Casa Poveste

DAY 4

CAMPULUNG – MOLDOVITA MONASTERY – SUCEVITA MONASTERY – MARGINEA POTTERY WORKSHOP – HUMOR AND VORONET MONASTERIES – CAMPULUNG
Take a day to discover the most famous monasteries in Bukovina and to get a good introduction to the area. You will have the chance to see the fine frescoes of Voronet, to enjoy the great natural setting of Sucevita, to experience the local crafts at Marginea black pottery workshop,
respectively to stand in wonder in front of the quiet Arbore Monastery.
– Tour of the four UNESCO-listed painted monasteries with Arbore as a possible addition (time allowing it)
– Visit to Marginea pottery workshop
– Optional: traditional egg painting can be experienced in Vama (allow at least one more hour)
– Accommodation in Campulung / Casa Poveste

DAY 5

CAMPULUNG – PRISLOP PASS – ROZAVLEA AND IEUD WOODEN CHURCHES – BARSANA MONASTERY – SIGHETU MARMATIEI
Another day, another way. This time across the mountains into Maramures, the land of the timber. While you may not see that many forests in the Maramures (compared to, say, Bukovina), it is because people living there are so skilled at the art of wood carving, making their houses, work tools, churches and monasteries almost solely of that: wood. Take your time for visit a couple of such wonderful settlements.
– Visit to Ieud and Rozavlea wooden churches
– Optional (time allowing): visit to Poienile Izei Wooden Church
– Visit to Barsana Wooden Monastery
– Visit to Master Barsan carved wood workshop
– Evening walk in Sighetu Marmatiei
– Accommodation in Sighetu Marmatiei / Casa Iurca de Calinesti

DAY 6

SIGHETU MARMATIEI – SAPANTA MERRY CEMETERY AND MONASTERY – BUDESTI WOODEN CHURCH – SURDESTI WOODEN CHURCH – SIGHETU MARMATIEI
Explore on across this beautiful rural land and let us start with the Merry Cemetery. Well, some see death as the end to them all. The local people however see it as a stage, as a mere step onwards. So therefore, they argue, why be sad about it? A cheer on your face, let us go on with
some fine samples of local architecture before a legendary Maramures dinner.
– Visit to the Merry Cemetery of Sapanta
– Visit to Sapanta Monastery
– Visit to the wooden churches of Budesti and Surdesti
– Accommodation in Sighetu Marmatiei / Casa Iurca de Calinesti

DAY 7

SIGHETU MARMATIEI – TARGU MURES – SIGHISOARA
It is back in Transylvania for a more lengthy exploration of the region. We shall take it more or less from North to South this time, starting with the Hungarian-inhabited area around Targu Mures and its outstanding Secession architecture and then going down in the Saxon-settled region of the Seven Towns, the Siebenburgen.
– Tour of Targu Mures including the Culture Palace and the Jewish Temple
– Walking tour of Sighisoara
– Accommodation in Sighisoara / Casa Wagner or Sighisoara Hotel

DAY 8

SIGHISOARA – BIERTAN FORTIFIED CHURCH – SIBIU
Saxon heritage, beautiful countryside, old villages gravitating around an impressive fortified church where inhabitants used to find shelter at the time of a Turkish invasion. That, and the 2007 Cultural Capital of Europe, possibly the finest medieval town in Transylvania. Enjoy your day in the Siebenburgen!
– Optional: morning walk up the Clock Tower and the Wooden Stairway to the Church on the Hill
– Visit to Biertan Fortified Church
– Drive up the backroads via Richis to Sibiu
– Walk through the three main squares in the old town, including the Evangelic Church, the City Hall, the Bruckenthal Palace
– Accommodation in Sibiu / Casa Luxemburg or Am Ring Hotel

DAY 9

SIBIU – OLT GORGES – COZIA MONASTERY – BUCHAREST
It is farther Southwards. Down River Olt, following its impressive gorges cutting through the Meridional Carpathians to the monastery at Cozia and then on, hopping over the Black Hill all the way to Bucharest. Have a walk in the Old Town, have a driver around the Palace of the Parliament and consider adding a day more for some of the excellent museums hosted by the
Royal or Romanit palaces, not to mention the handful of palaces and monasteries around the city.
– Drive through the Olt Gorges
– Visit to Cozia Monastery
– Panoramic tour of Bucharest by car
– Walking tour of the Old Town in Bucharest
– Accommodation in Bucharest / Venezia Hotel or Berthelot Hotel

DAY 10

BUCHAREST
Well, we hope you have liked it. And we hope that memories will last. Until we see you again for more exploring of the diverse land Romania is about. Have a nice trip farther on!
– Transfer to Bucharest Airport