Classic Romania Tour - small group in 8 days: Transylvania and Maramures

r a city tour of Bucharest, the place where the cultures of Western and Eastern Europe merge beautifully. Beyond this exotic mix, one can undoubtedly feel the inescapable influence of the communist regime. Your day tour of Bucharest begins with the most distinctive building in the city, dating back to the communist period, the Palace of the Parliament – Please be informed that at the moment Palace of the Parliament cannot be visited, as they are closed until June. The attraction will be replaced with Spring Palace. Also known as the House of the People, the impressive edifice entered the Guinness World Records as the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon. As you step through imposing marble rooms, your travel guide will share with you the grim details that enabled its construction. Your tour in Bucharest continues with a sightseeing tour of Bucharest's Old Town, which shelters several architectural gems and representative buildings. This is Bucharest's hotspot for nightlife, and its beautiful chaos will help you really feel the vibe of the city. Your Bucharest tour comes to an end, and we will head to the hotel. Overnight in Bucharest.

On the second day, we will leave for the beautiful region of Transylvania from Bucharest. But first, we will stop at an important religious landmark, Curtea de Arges Monastery, a stunning religious edifice located at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains. Afterward, we will take a road trip through the Olt Valley, and admire some of the stunning untouched landscapes of the region before reaching Cozia Monastery, a religious house that reflects the national medieval art and architecture. *In the summertime (Mid June to Early November), the trip to Cozia Monastery will be replaced with a road trip on Trasnfăgărășan. Our next stop is at Sibiu, a city that was named the European Capital of Culture in 2007, where we will take a walking tour of a city that triumphantly blends history and multicultural elements. In your city tour, you will explore the Main Square of Sibiu, where you will admire the building of the Brukenthal Museum and the Roman Catholic Cathedral before visiting the Huet Square with its Evangelical Church. Afterward, you will go through the passage of stairs and cross the famous Bridge of Lies. Overnight in Sibiu.

Your tour of Romania will continue with a rural replica of Sibiu – Sibiel – a quaint Transylvanian village appraised as one of the most authentic and well-preserved rural areas in Europe. After a short walk in the village, the tour continues with a short trip to Alba Iulia, where we will visit the largest fortress in Romania, surrounded by 12 km of walls and built in the shape of a star. The Alba Carolina Fortress was successively a Roman fort, a fortress during the Middle Ages and later a Vauban type citadel provided with bastions. Our next destination is the Turda Salt Mine, a huge subterranean cave carved in salt, where you will take that amazing photo that will amaze everyone! Hundreds of meters of galleries open into halls, one of them 118 meters tall, with a lake at the bottom. The sights inside the mine are otherworldly, attracting artists in search of spectacular views. The journey continues with the largest city in Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca, proclaimed the city of arts. Overnight in Cluj-Napoca.

The first hours of the day will be devoted to a city tour of Cluj-Napoca. The St Michael’s Gothic Cathedral overlooking the city’s central square comes first on our list of attractions for the day, followed by the Banffy Palace, the former mayor’s hall, and the Mirror Street. From Cluj, you will be heading to the northwestern part of Romania, Maramureș, a region resembling a fascinating open-air museum. Lacking rights and privileges for hundreds of years, the dwellers of these places have managed to overcome hardship by following two simple rules: live your life to the full and cherish, above all, the richness of the soul. Maramureș people are considered to be the most hospitable Romanians and their traditional wooden houses are a living part of their history. You will visit Breb, one of the best preserved traditional villages in Maramures and explore the local's way of living by coming in contact with them and visiting an authentic house. For lunch, you will enjoy fresh products and delicious fruity liqueurs. Not far from Sighet is our final destination of the day, Săpînţa, the world’s only community with a merry cemetery. The wood carved crosses painted in bright colors display witty, humorous quatrains inspired by the lives of those who are no longer with us. Romanian traditional dinner and folkloric show. Overnight in Sighetu Marmatiei.

In the fifth day of your Romania tour, you will visit two ancient wooden churches that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Poienile Izei (Iza Meadows) and Barsana, the latter being one of the largest Orthodox architectural ensembles in Romania. Perfected across generations, the art of woodcarving remains the chief craft of the local community, as you will see in the workshop of a local artisan. After his presentation, you’ll be able to buy unique hand-made souvenirs. Today you will have the opportunity to taste the local products in one of the most picturesque and well-preserved regions of Romania. The locals still use their own harvest from their garden to make delicious dishes. In the evening we will reach Targu Mures, a city recognized for its ethnic and cultural diversity. Overnight in Targu Mures.

We will reach Biertan, the largest fortified church in Transylvania, built by the Saxons in the sixteenth century and nowadays listed as UNESCO monument. An important highlight of the Classic Romania Tour is Sighișoara, the only inhabited medieval fortress included in UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Walking up the winding cobblestone streets lined with historic buildings, we reach the Clock Tower, a symbol of the city, from where you can admire the breathtaking views. The Tower shelters a museum of medieval weapons and a torture chamber. After visiting the tower we’ll climb the three hundred wooden steps up to the Church-on-the-Hill, built in the XIV century. Fascinated by life in the countryside and the peaceful atmosphere of this Transylvanian village, His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, restored one of the traditional houses, making it the place where he returns every year in May. Besides admiring the specific architecture of Viscri houses, we’ll enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride through the village, which will provide you the opportunity to enjoy the calm, rural scenery, and we will stop to visit the locals and enjoy some home-made cake. Then, we will reach Brasov, a city founded by the Teutonic Knights, located at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Overnight in Brasov.

In Brașov, we will take a walking tour of the city where we'll explore one of the narrowest streets in the world, visit the beautiful Council Square, and finally admire the building of a famous Gothic cathedral called the Black Church. Now it's time to visit the famous Bran Castle on a tour from Brașov. Here, you will discover the legend of Dracula in a full Bran Castle tour. Bran is one of the world's spookiest medieval castles and is more commonly known as Dracula's Castle. It was built in the 13th century, set strategically atop a 60-meter cliff, towering over the most important access route into the medieval Transylvania. We’ll reach this small but eye-catching mountain resort rose to fame mostly thanks to the royal family who chose Sinaia as their royal residence in the 20th century. Our first stop will be the Orthodox Monastery in Sinaia, continuing with the Peles Castle, the splendid Gothic style castle built by the first king of Romania, Carol the first of Hohenzollern. Here, you will take a castle tour and discover some of the life of the Romanian royal family. In the evening we will reach Bucharest. Overnight in Bucharest.

The airport transfer will take place according to schedule and your Classic Romania Tour will end.