9 days / 8 nights

Romania Grand Tour

Tour ID: I 1025

Day 1
Bucharest
On the first day of your Romania Grand Tour, our tour guide will pick you up at 09:00 AM from your place for a city tour of Bucharest.
We invite you for a sightseeing tour of the Romania’s capital - the city of Bucharest. You will pass along the main central streets of the city, with stops at the Revolution Square in front of the Royal Palace and the Philharmonic Hall, at the Constitution Square in front of the Parliament Palace - the largest administrative building in Europe and at University Square, from where, together with a guide, you will walk around the Lipscany quarter, where the city was born and climb the hill to the residence of the Romanian Orthodox Church. In the first part of your day you will also visit the museum of the Romanian village.

Lunch: included
Your day tour of Bucharest will continue with the visiting of the most distinctive building in the city, dating back to the communist period, the Palace of the Parliament. 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 tour guide will share with you the grim details that enabled its construction.
Dinner: Romanian traditional dinner and folkloric show
Return to the hotel.
Day 1 in brief
Distance traveled: about 20 km
Approx. travel time: 50-60 minutes (normal traffic, without stops)
Sights/ Activities: Palace of the Parliament, museum of romanian village, Bucharest landmarks / city-life.
Meals included: traditional romanian dinner with folkloric show.

Day 2
Targoviste – Curtea de Arges – Vidraru lake.
Breakfast. Check-out. Departure to the city of Targovishte, where you shall visit the Princely Courtyard, where the Valachian princes ruled for centuries. You will admire the neo-Byzantine frescoes of the Assumption Church, look into the palace cellars and climb the Sunset Tower. Moving towards the Carpathians. At the Curtea de Arges Monastery, your attention will be drawn to the original exterior decoration of the main church, while your guide will tell you an interesting legend about the stonemason master Manoil.

Lunch: included, in one of the city's restaurants
At the foot of the Carpathians, you will make a photo-stop in front of Poienari Castle, which is mentioned in the legends about Prince Dracula and then a pause at Lake Vidraru, where you will get a boost of energy while admiring the enchanting views. Afterward, you will take a road trip through the Olt Valley, and admire some of the stunning untouched landscapes of the region.
*In the summertime (July to mid-October), the trip through the Olt Valley will be replaced with a trip on Transfagaras alpine road - the most spectacular in the country, with photo-stops at glacial Balea Lake (2045 m above see level) and Capra Waterfall.
Arrival in the city of Sibiu, accommodation at the hotel 4*.
Dinner: at your expense
Day 2 in brief
Distance traveled: 310 km
Approx. travel time: 5 hours and 45 minutes (normal traffic, without stops)
Sights/ Activities: historical buildings, Byzantine monastery, medieval architecture,
rural Walachia (southern Romania), Carpathian Mts. vistas.
Meals included: breakfast and lunch

Day 3
Sibiu – Corvin castle – Alba Iulia fortress
Breakfast. Check-out. We start this day with a Sibiu sightseeing tour, where you’ll discover interesting and significant buildings of the city and its three central squares (Big, Small and Huet), with entering to to the Cathedral of St. Virgin Mary where you will admire the luxurious stained-glass windows; we continue finding out why one of the city's bridges is called of Liars and where worked the founder of Homeopathy - Friedrich Hahnemann. In the town of Hunedoara you’ll visit the Corvin Castle, the most powerful and beautiful Gothic building in Romania, where you will hear numerous legends, including those about Dracula.

Lunch: included
And at the end of this day, we will look into the fortress of Alba Iulia and find out what interesting buildings are hidden behind its powerful bastions. Accommodation in a hotel 4* in the city of Alba Iulia.
Dinner: at your expense
Day 3 in brief
Distance traveled: 240 km
Approx. travel time: 3 hours and 30 minutes  (normal traffic, without stops)
Sights/ Activities: historical buildings, medieval/ Saxon towns, rural Transylvania (central Romania).
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4   
Turda salt mine – Cluj Napoca - Baia Mare
Breakfast. Check out. After a short ride, you will go down into the Turda salt mine, one of the deepest and perhaps the oldest in Romania, where you will walk through the Maria Theresa and Rudolf salt galleries, while the guide will tell you about the methods of extracting salt from time immemorial. Then, after you will be arriving in the city of Cluj, the former capital of Transylvania, accompanied by the guide and his stories, you’ll see interesting and significant city buildings and enter to the Cathedral of St. Archangel Michael to inspect the frescoes from XV century. You will admire the buildings of the National theater and the Orthodox cathedral, find out details about the monument of king Matthias Corvinus and other interesting things.

Lunch: included, in the city of Cluj Napoca
It is time to head towards Maramures region. Arrival in the city of Baia Mare, accommodation in a hotel 4*.
Dinner: at your expense
Day 4 in brief
Distance traveled: 250 km
Approx. travel time: 3 hours and 50 minutes  (normal traffic, without stops)
Sights/ Activities: salt mine, historical buildings, rural and hilly Transylvania, vistas.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5   
Desesti wooden church - Merry Cemetery - Barsana wooden monastery - Bistrita
Breakfast. Check-out. This day you will explore and get acquainted with the life and culture of the most northwestern region of Romania - Maramures as well as with the art of wood crafting. You will visit the wooden church of Desesti village, for discovering the well-preserved interior frescoes, executed in the style of “naive art”. We continue with an excursion of the Merry Cemetery, consisting of hundreds of blue wooden crosses, decorated with traceries and bas-reliefs.

Lunch: included, we take it in the city of Sighetu Marmatiei
We will pass through the picturesque villages of the Iza river valley and stop for a tour at the wonderful Barsana monastery, built in the wooden Gothic style typical for Maramures region. Arrival in the city of Bistrita, accommodation in a 4* hotel.
Dinner: at your expense 
Day 5 in brief
Distance traveled: 230 km
Approx. travel time: 4 hours and 30 minutes (normal traffic, without stops)
Sights/ Activities: wooden historical buildings, rural Maramures region, Carpathian Mts. vistas.
Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 6   
Borgo pass - Molodovita and Sucevita monasteries - Suceava castle - Piatra Neamt
Breakfast. Check out. Departure towards the romanian Bukovina. During the trip you will cross the Eastern Carpathians and stop at Borgo pass, the place where the main events developed according to the novel "Count Dracula". You will see the frescoes of the monasteries of Moldovitsa and Sucevitsa (UNESCO list) while the guide will share with you information worth remembering.

Lunch: included, in a restaurant not far from Sucevita monastery
At the end of the day, you will visit castle of Suceava, where you will hear many interesting stories and legends. Accommodation in the city of Piatra Neamts in a 4* hotel.
Dinner: at your expense
Day 6 in brief
Distance traveled: 330 km
Approx. travel time: 5 hour and 50 minutes  (normal traffic, without stops)
Sights/ Activities: historical buildings, medieval architecture, rural Transylvania (central Romania), Carpathian Mts. vistas.
Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch 

Day 7
Bicaz gorge - Biertan fortified church - Sighisoara - Brasov
Breakfast. Сheck out. We will cross the three mountain ranges of Eastern Carpathians and get a stop for a short walk in the astonishing Bicaz gorge. We return to Transylvania, where you will visit the impressive fortified church of Biertan (UNESCO list).

Lunch: included
We continue our excursion with a walk along the streets of the fortified city of Sighisoara (UNESCO list), where the guide will share interesting stories with you and show you in which house Vlad Dracula was born, but also many other buildings, worth seeing.
Accommodation in the city of Brasov in a 4* hotel.
Dinner: at your expense
Day 7 in brief
Distance traveled: 370 km
Approx. travel time: 6 hours and 30 minutes  (normal traffic, without stops)
Sights/ Activities: historical buildings, medieval architecture, rural Moldova and Transylvania, Carpathian Mts. vistas.
Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 8
Brașov - Bran castle - Peles castle - Bucharest
Breakfast: At the hotel
the eighth day of your Grand Romania Tour brings you in Council Square, the central square of Brasov, where you will take a walking tour of the city and explore one of the narrowest streets in the country – Rope Street. Admire the building of the famous Black Church or learn from the guide the impressive history of the Hirscher family.
We are leaving the city of Brasov, because it's time to visit the famous Bran Castle - one of the world's spookiest medieval castles, more commonly known as Dracula's Castle.

Lunch: included
Later, on the way towards the town of Sinaia, the guide will share interesting facts from the life of Carol I and other Romanian monarchs. At the end of this trip you will visit Peles Castle, the summer residence of the kings of Romania and look at samples of the finest wood carvings, many art collections, medieval weapons, furniture, tapestries and utensils. In the evening you will reach Bucharest and your tour will come to the end.
Accommodation in a 4* hotel.
Dinner: At your expense
Day 8 in brief
Distance traveled: 225 km
Approx. travel time: 3 hours and 20 minutes (normal traffic, without stops)
Sights/ Activities: historical buildings, rural Walachia (southern Romania), Carpathian Mts. vistas.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

Day 9
After breakfast, transfer to Bucharest / OTP airport
Meals included: Breakfast




Romania Grand Tour - Highlights
~ Private tour for a more personal and intimate experience
~ Funny, Friendly, Experienced Guide: Feel welcome, relaxed, and able to enjoy the tour to its fullest. Ask your burning questions and learn from your knowledgeable guide
~ Visit Peles Castle - one of the most beautiful castles in Europe
~ Visit the famous Bran Castle - known as Dracula Castle - in Transylvania
~ Explore and spend a night in the beautiful city of Brasov in Transylvania
~ Explore the medieval city of Sighisoara, UNESCO Heritage and the most well-preserved inhabited citadel in Europe
~ Enjoy a waking tour through the capital of Transylvania - the city of Cluj
~ Visit the impressive fortified churche of Biertan
~ Discover Sibiu - considered the most beautiful town in Romania
~ Visit in Turda city the ancient and deepest salt mine
~ Explore Maramures region, with his stunning landscape and well preserved wooden churches
~ Discover Bucovina with its painted monasteries, picturesque villages and extensive beech and fir forests

Know before you book
~ The tour includes accommodation in a 4-star hotel, a good standard within the Romanian hotel rating system. 
~ Peles Castle is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays from September to March. For the rest of the year, Peles Castle is closed only on Mondays. 
~ Please note that the visits' order during the trip can vary depending on the weather, traffic conditions, and the visiting program switch from summer to winter

Romania Grand Tour 

2023 Departure dates:
on set dates by mutual agreement 

Tour Cost : 
~ from 1220.00 Euros/ person sharing a double room, 
~ 1580.00 Euros/ person in single room (single room supplement: 360 Euros).
About price :
~ the price is calculated for minimum 10 pax
~ if there will be more than 10 people in the group, the price is recalculated downwards
~ if there will be less than 10 people in the group, the price is recalculated to increase

Reservation and Cancellation:
A 25% deposit is required to secure your hotel room.
Balance (75%) is due 31 days before tour departure.
Free cancellation: 30 days or more before tour departure.
Cancellations 29 -20 days before tour departure: 25% of tour cost.
Cancellations 19 -10 days before tour departure: 50% of tour cost.
Cancellations 9 days or less before tour departure: 100% of tour cost.

Inclusions:
~ airport transfers,
~ transportation with a modern vehicle (minibus or bus, it depends on the number of tourists),
~ proffesional english speaking guide,
~ eight-nights accommodation in four-star hotels,
~ breakfast every day,
~ lunches every day (except for the last day of transfer to the airport),
~ one folk show dinner in the first day in Bucharest,
~ attractions/ museums admission charge, included in the itinerary (Palace of the Parliament, Village Museum, Curtea de Arges monastery, Princely Courtyard from Targoviste, Corvin castle, Turda salt mine, Desesti wooden church, Merry Cemetery, Moldovita and Sucevita painted monasteries, Suceava castle, Biertan fortified church, Bran and Peles Castles
 
Not included:
~ Airline tickets
~ Travel insurance
~ Meals, other than mentioned in the itinerary and alcoholic beverages
~ Entrance fees to monuments/sights other than those mentioned in the itinerary
~ Photography Fees
~ Various expenses such as room service, beverages, personal calls, souvenirs etc.




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