Moldova's Monasteries

Day 1: One of the best Romania tours starts in the old historical center and continues with the former residential palace of Ceausescu, The House of the People, the second largest building in the world.

Day 2: We leave Bucharest and go up north, into the heart of Romania. Our first stop is legendary Curtea de Arges monastery, at the foot of the Carpathians. Afterwards we visit the pottery processing center in Horezu; here we’ll admire the vividly-painted pottery adorned with beautiful motifs. Nearby is Hurezi Monastery, built in the seventeenth century and part of the UNESCO heritage.

Day 3: Your vacation in Romania continues in Transylvania, whose fame will always be associated to Count Dracula’s legend. The first stop is Sibiu. We’ll continue by exploring one of the largest outdoor museums in Europe, the Astra Museum, hosting the largest ethnographic exhibit in the country.

Day 4: Today, we’ll reach the Corvin Castle: built in the fifteenth century in the Gothic style, it is connected to the destiny of the prince who went down in history as Dracula. We then head to Alba Carolina Fortress located in the center of Romania, an impressive star-shaped fortress surrounded by 12 km of walls.

Day 5: We visit two important monuments under UNESCO protection: the largest fortified church in Transylvania in Biertan, followed by Sighisoara whose medieval fortress has been constantly inhabited since the XIII century.

Day 6: From Sighisoara we set off to Targu Mures, a city recognized for its ethnic and cultural diversity. On our way to Turda salt mine with its spectacular galleries carved in salt, we’ll cross several rural areas in Transylvania. Our last destination is Cluj-Napoca.

Day 7: The next two days are devoted to Maramures, one of the most famously beautiful and unspoilt regions of rural Romania, inhabited by genuine, good-natured people. We’ll reminisce a heartrending moment in Romania’s history at the Memorial of the Victims of Communism, set up in a former prison. On a different note, the Merry Cemetery in Sapanta is one of the must-see places in this part of the country and certainly the most interesting cemetery in the world.

Day 8: Early in the morning we’ll take off on a trip with the mocanita, through fairy-tale like landscape of Maramures. On the way back we’ll visit two of the best preserved churches in Maramures, under the UNESCO World Heritage Site: the church of Ieud and Poienile Izei church.

Day 9: The journey continues with the Bukovina region, revealed after going across the incredible scenery of the Carpathians. We’ll visit Moldovita monastery.

Day 10: Sucevita welcomes us with its towering walls; in the past it used to be the summer residence of the royal Moldovan family. The most famous among Bukovina’ monasteries is Voroneţ, impressive with its unique shade of blue on the outer frescoes. Then, we will visit Neamţ fortress – an important military and historical objective that survived the siege of Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople.

Day 11: We return to Transylvania passing through amazing places; the Bicaz Gorge, a spectacular defile carved in stone and Lacu Rosu (the Red Lake), the largest alpine lake in Romania. We will visit the picturesque village of Viscri, a small community whose inhabitants are proud to be neighbors with the Prince of Wales.

Day 12: Today we’ll take a look at Brasov and its charming surroundings. Among the tourist attractions we’ll visit there’s Bran Castle.

Day 13: Saving the best for last, as the saying goes, towards the end of our holiday we’ll visit two gems of neoclassical architecture: the Peleş Castle and the Pelisor Castle. Both served as summer residence of the Romanian royal family in the late 19th early 20th century.

Day 1: Arrival in Cluj

Day 2: Today you are going to discover the beautiful region of Maramureş, rich in terms of traditions and cultural life. A narrow road leads us to Breb, a village lost among the hills, with traditional wooden houses lined along the river. Next, we are heading to the Memorial of the Victims of Communism, where we will get acquainted to the dark side of the Romanian communist regime. Our next stop is one of the most famous cemeteries in the world, the Merry Cemetery from Sapanta.

Day 3: You'll start the day at Viseu de Sus on a delightful ride with a small steam train called mocanita. During the afternoon we will visit Romania’s most well-known churches in Maramures, under Unesco protection: the Small Church from Ieud and the church from Poienile Izei.

Day 4: Our journey around northern Romania continues with the neighboring region, Bukovina. Today’s itinerary includes two of the highlights: Moldovita and Sucevita monasteries.

Day 5: Not far from Sucevita is the only place in Europe and the second worldwide where black pottery is produced. The local craftsmen will reveal a few secrets of this art. The day continues with a visit to Romania’s most renowned monastery: Voronet.

Day 6: We leave the spectacular landscapes of Bukovina behind, cross the mountains and head for the airport.