4 days / 3 nights

Iasi and the Painted Monasteries in Bucovina,
a four-day trip to eastern Romania

Tour ID: P1033

Day 1:
Bucharest to Bucovina
(northeastern Romania)
Travel from Bucharest to Suceava (train, car or plane)
Transfer from Suceava airport/ train station
to the hotel of your choice in Suceava or Gura Humorului.
Overnight in Suceava or Gura Humorului.
Day 1 in brief:
Distance traveled: 450 km (285 miles) - shortest route (via Buzau - Focsani)
                                 510 km (320 miles) - more scenic route (via Brasov - Piatra Neamt)
Travel Time: 6 hours and 30 minutes to 8 hours (car)
                       6 hours and 30 minutes to 8 hours (express train)
                       one hour and 10 minutes (plane)

Day 2:
Discover Bucovina
 
Guided - or independent - tour of the Painted Monasteries, UNESCO World Heritage Sites
After breakfast, start your day-tour of the Painted Monasteries.
Visit Voronet, Moldovita and Sucevita monasteries.
Optional: on the way back from Sucevita to your hotel  
stop in village Marginea and visit the local pottery workshop/ see potters making clay objects.   
Overnight: Suceava or Gura Humorului
Day 2 in brief:
Distance traveled: 180 km (115 miles) if starting in Suceava
                                 145 km (90 miles) if starting in Gura Humorului] 
Approx. travel time:  2 hours and 55 minutes (normal traffic, without stops)   
Sights/ Activities:  Byzantine architecture / World Heritage Sites, rural Romania, Visits to local artisans

Did you know?
The small village Horodnic de Jos,
an easy 15-minutes drive (12 miles NE) of Monastery Sucevita,

is home to Romania's largest Museum of Vintage Motorcycles.
More than 4/5 of the 106 bikes on display
were made in countries “Beyond the Iron Courtain”, between 1940 and 1980.
Hours: 24 / 7 (guard will open the exhibit hall for you at anytime).
Admission is free.

Day 3:
Travel from Bucovina to Iasi to explore eastern Romania's largest city
or return to Bucharest
Travel back to Bucharest (train, car or plane)
or travel from Suceava/ Gura Humorului to Iasi
Sightseeing in Iasi
Iasi is one of Romania's leading cultural / academic centers
Overnight in Iasi    
Day 3 in brief: 
Distance traveled:  174 km (108 miles) Gura Humorului to Iasi  
Approx. travel time:  2 hours and 15 minutes (normal traffic, without stops) 
Sights/ Activities:  Rural Romania, Iasi landmarks/ architecture.

Day 4
After breakfast,
if time allows more sightseeing in Iasi,
travel from Iasi to Bucharest (train, car or plane)
Transfer from Bucharest airport/ train terminal to your hotel. 
Overnight in Bucharest 
Day 4 in brief: 
Distance traveled:  385 km (240 miles) 
Approx. travel time:  5 hours and 30 minutes (normal traffic, without stops) 
Sights/ Activities:  Bucharest landmarks/ architecture.

Paralela 45 Hotel Collection in eastern Romania include:

Suceava:
Villa Alice (four-star)
Balada (four-star)
Continental (three-star)

Gura Humorului:
Bucovina - Best Western
nice mid-scale hotel not at all similar to a typical Best Western in North America
Toaca Bellevue (four-star)
Casa Elena (four-star)
Simeria (three-star)

Sucevita:
Hotel Voievod (four-star)
Popas Bucovina (four-star)

Iasi:
Bellaria (boutique)
Traian (four-star)
Astoria (three-star)
Ramada City Centre (three-star)
Ramada hotels in Romania are nice mid-scale hotels
not at all similar to a typical Ramada in North America

Note:
Romania’s hotels and B&Bs are licensed - and inspected - by the Ministry of Tourism.
A system of one to five stars is employed to rate hotels, five stars being the highest rating.
The system relies heavily on the diversity of facilities offered, (i.e. room-service or pool).
However, the level of service and attention to detail
may or may not be reflected by the number of stars, assigned to a hotel. 
This means not all hotels rated four-star, for example, are comparable at all
and that some three-star hotels may offer a more enjoyable stay than a four-star one.

 

Availability: year-round

Price:  from 214 Euros/ person sharing a double room
            single room supplement: 78 Euros.

Inclusions: 
~ airport transfers,
~ domestic transportation
(your choice of train, private car, motor-coach or plane),
~ guided tour of the Painted Monasteries,
~ 3-nights accommodations in the hotel of your choice,
(breakfast and all taxes included).