Romania - The Land that Time Forgot

Itinerary

Day 1 - Bucharest
Arrive in Bucharest. Depending on arrival, you may have a chance to explore the city. Overnight Hotel Capitol or similar.

Day 2 - Brasov
Travel along the Prahova Valley to Brasov, with its incredibly picturesque Baroque old quarter. We explore the town before heading to Bran for the evening, where we spend the night in a local guesthouse. (BD)

Day 3 – Bran Castle – Sibiu
This morning we visit the stunning Bran Castle, tenuously linked to the legend of Dracula, and then head to Sibiu, one of the best preserved medieval cities in Romania and carefully restored in recent years. We have time to explore the old centre with its ramparts, churches and narrow alleys. We then head to the small village of Sibiel, a very traditional shepherd community whose inhabitants still practice age old customs. Overnight local house or guesthouse. (BD)

Day 4 – Biertan - Sighisoara

We head to the village of Biertan with its imposing fortified church, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After visiting the church we head to Sighisoara with its beautiful medieval citadel. We explore the fortress and also visit the house where Vlad the Impaler was born. Our hotel tonight is in the centre of the citadel. Overnight Hotel Sighisoara or similar. (B)

Day 5 – Cluj - Hoteni, Maramures
We leave Sighisoara behind and head to Cluj, one of the most important cities in Transylvania. After exploring the town we travel to the beautiful and isolated region of Maramures, one of Romania’s most traditional regions. We stay in the village of Hoteni, one of the best preserved villages in the area, and our accommodation tonight is in a traditional wooden house at the foot of the Gutai volcanic mountains. (BD)

Day 6 – Sapanta - Sighetu

Drive to Sapanta to visit the ‘Merry Cemetery’ known for its brightly painted gravestones and humorous epitaphs. We then visit Sighetu and its old Austrian prison, today home to a superb museum dedicated to the repression suffered during Communist times. Later we drive back to the Mara Valley and in the village of Harnicesti we take a short walk through orchards and gardens and along the shores of Mara river, before returning to Hoteni for the night. Overnight guesthouse. (BD)

Day 7 – Poienile Izei - Ieud

We visit the workshops of traditional craftsmen before continuing to Poienile Izei, a remote village home to a traditional wooden church, which contains impressive frescoes depicting visions of hell. We then travel to the village of Ieud, and our accommodation with the welcoming Ilea family. We visit the oldest wooden church in Romania, dating from 1364, and we also pay a visit to the local blacksmith of the village. Overnight local house. (BD)


Day 8 – Carpathian Mountains - Bucovina

We spend today walking in the stunning Carpathian Mountains, home to fascinating wildlife and isolated villages. Walking up to the Gargalau Saddle we are afforded superb views of the mountains as well as dramatic waterfalls. After meeting our transport we follow the shores of the Bistrita River and pass through the beautiful villages of Botos and Ciocanesti, surrounded by high mountains covered in thick black conifer forests. Later we arrive in Sucevita where our accommodation is in a traditional local house in the village. Depending on time we will visit the gloriously painted Sucevita Monastery. (BD)

Day 9 – Painted Monasteries of Bucovina

In the morning we visit Moldovita Monastery, a wonderful masterpiece of Moldavian Gothic architecture adorned with lively exterior frescoes dating back to the beginning of the 16th century. Later we visit Voronet monastery – the best known of the painted monasteries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site -– also named the Sistine Chapel of the East. In the evening we return to our hosts in Sucevita, the Trandafir family, who are waiting for us with a home-cooked dinner. (BD)

Day 10 – Tarpesti - Galati

This morning we visit a traditional pottery workshop before heading to the village of Tarpesti and the remarkable Popa Museum. At his home, Nicolae Popa has gathered an incredible collection of Romanian folk art and handicrafts, giving us a fantastic insight into the ancient traditions of this region. We visit the museum and have a home prepared lunch here, before continuing to our final destination for the evening, Galati, situated on ancient trade routes between the Black and Baltic Seas. Overnight tourist class hotel. (BL)

Day 11 – Danube Delta

Travel to Tulcea to meet our boat to take us into the Danube Delta. After reaching the village of Crisan we change boats to travel away from the main tourist thoroughfares deeper into the Delta’s backwaters and the village of Mila 23, a traditional fishing settlement of thatched cottages. We stay with a local family in their home and guesthouse and get to see how daily life is lived in this most idyllic and picturesque of settings. (BD)

Day 12 – Danube Delta

Spend the full day exploring the lesser visited channels of the delta by small boat, allowing us to reach some of its most beautiful parts. There are superb opportunities for spotting some of the region’s spectacular wildlife, as well as seeing some of the isolated communities deep within the backwaters, some of which still contain traditional houses built with reeds. In the afternoon we head back to our hosts who are waiting for us with a home cooked dinner. Overnight local house / guesthouse. (BLD)

Day 13 – Tulcea - Bucharest

We leave the Delta behind and travel by boat back to Tulcea, arriving at lunchtime. From there we head back to Bucharest for our final night. Overnight Hotel Capital or similar. (B)

Day 14 - Bucharest
Tour ends. (B)