Unesco Romania Tour

Arrival in the airport and transfer to the hotel. Meeting your guide and Hello Romania! Panoramic city tour of Bucharest called the "Little Paris of the Balkans": Victoria Square, Romana Square, University Square, Revolution Square, Unirii Square. In the evening walk in the historical center to see the Stavropoleos Church, the Manuc Inn, the famous street Lipscani, the CEC Palace etc Welcome dinner in a traditional restaurant in Bucharest. Overnight hotel Bucharest.

In the morning departure to Curtea de Arges, former capital of Wallachia. Visit of the monastery Curtea de Arges, considered the most beautiful monastery of Eastern Europe, built in the early sixteenth century by Prince Neagoe Basarab and the well-known Master Manole whose legend lives on through the ages. We continue with the visit of the Cozia monastery one of the most important examples of medieval art in Romania built in 1387 on the banks of the Olt river by Prince of Wallachia Mircea the Elder (Mircea cel Batran), which also relies for eternity in the church. In the afternoon arrival in Sibiu, one of the most beautiful medieval cities in Romania. Typical Sibian dinner and overnight hotel in Sibiu.

In the morning visit of Sibiu, magical city steeped in an atmosphere of other times, which was in 2007 the European Capital of Culture. During the city tour we will pass through the old streets and admire the main monuments, such as the Bruckenthal Palace, built in Baroque style in the late 18th century, the infamous Lies Bridge, built over a road that connects the upper city with the lower city, the Saxon Cathedral erected at the beginning of the sixteenth century that retains besides a precious fresco of the Crucifixion from 1445, the Catholic Cathedral built in German Baroque style at the beginning of the 18th century, the beautiful squares of the city and the Christian Orthodox Cathedral, headquarter of the Metropolis from Transylvania. We continue with Hunedoara, where you will find one of the most impressive castles in Romania, in Gothic style. The Hunedoara castle was built by Iancu of Hunedoara in the early fifteenth century. In the courtyard of the castle there is a well 15 meters deep hiding its legend. Arrival in the evening in Alba Iulia the historical and spiritual capital of Romania. Diner and overnight in Alba Iulia hotel.

After breakfast visit of the Turda salt mine, the most impressive mine in Romania, since the Roman times where the salt layer has a thickness of 1200 meters or have an excursion in The Gorges of Turda, Medium-intensity hike, in the middle of the nature - the canyon is declared a natural protected area of the Apuseni Mountains, 2.9 kilometers long with rocky walls, almost vertical and smooth that can exceed 300 m in height. In the afternoon we arrive in Maramures, the area in the north-west of Romania among the dark forests of the Carpathians. A region that preserves ancient traditions in a pastoral and tranquil atmosphere, where farmers still work with old instruments and are always ready for local festivals, an area famous for its splendid "spontaneous" architecture with wooden porches of the houses and churches with pointed roofs. A world outside of time. Visit of the Happy Cemetery of Sapanta, one of the most interesting cemeteries in the world. Traditional dinner and overnight in a typical guesthouse in Maramures.

Today we continue our journey in this fairy tale land through the valleys of Iza and Mara, true outdoor museums of rural art. We visit the wooden churches of Barsana, Botiza or Rozavlea, Bogdan Voda and Ieud (UNESCO monuments) with their ancient frescoes and icons on wood and with their typical slender towers. From these, Ieud is the oldest church in Maramures, from 1364 and Barsana with its complex is a true paradise. In the evening we arrival in Bukovina, a region called the land of 2000 monasteries. The monasteries Voronet, Sucevita, Moldovita and Humor with their inside and outside frescoes, each with its own dominant color, were painted between the 15th and 16th century and are considered masterpieces of Byzantine art, unique in Europe, that’s why they are part of UNESCO heritage. Homemade dinner and overnight in a typical guesthouse in Bukovina.

In the morning we will visit the first two painted monasteries in Bukovina: Moldovita and Sucevita. Moldovita Monastery, built in 1532 by Petru Rares is painted both inside and outside with scenes as the "Victory of Constantinople," " The Prayer of the Holy Virgin "or" Tree of Jesse. " The dominant color of the Monastery of Moldovita is sunny yellow. This is the largest church built during the period of Moldavian style. Nearby we visit Suceavita fortified Monastery , the last building in the style of Stefan cel Mare, exterior frescoes date from 1596 and the color green predominates over all. In the afternoon visit of the Dragomirna Monastery , an atypical monastery that was built in the early seventeenth century by the Moldavian Mitropolit Anastasie Crimca. The church has an impressive stone decoration with more than 1000 different models that decorate the tower. Homemade dinner and overnight in the same guesthouse.

Today we will visit the last and the most beautiful monastery - Voronet Monastery, founded in 1488 by the ruler Stephen the Great. It is also named the „Eastern Sistine Chapel” and the dominant color is the famous „blue of Voronet”. We continue with Varatec Monastery or Agapia Monastery , the most famous in the area of Neamt. Alternatively, we can visit the Neamt monastery built by the Prince of Moldova Stefan cel Mare (Stephan the Great) in the years 1496 - 1497. The Church of Neamtu Monastery is the largest church in Moldova raised in the Middle Ages. From the beginning Neamtu Monastery was an important cultural center, its monks being the authors of books and manuscripts of great value, decorated with beautiful miniatures. Direction Bicaz with the Bicaz Canyon, unique in Romania. Stop here to buy souvenirs, see the Red Lake and have a walk through the canyon. Arrival in Sighisoara, the "city-fortress" one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe and unique as the inhabitants still live in the medieval houses renovated with all today comfort. Here you will see part of the towers surrounding the city among which stand out the Clock Tower where was the old seat of the municipality and the Tailors Tower who had and still have the role of the city gate, the Church of the Monastery, the house where Vlad the Impaler was born and the Church on the Hill which is the most important cultural monument of the city. Diner with medieval atmosphere and overnight hotel in Sighisoara.

After breakfast departure to Viscri, a charming Saxon village, hidden among the hills of Transylvania and protected by its fortified citadel, UNESCO monument, one of the 300 fortified churches built between the 14th and the 16th century in Transylvania. Here also has the house Prince Charles of England who feel in love with Transylvania years ago. Afterwards direction Brasov, a medieval city known as the "the crown city"( Kronstadt ), the city of merchants and craftsmen where in XVIth century were printed the first books in Romanian. Guided tour of the city of Brasov. Starting from the splendid Council Square we will make a tour of the historic center, enriched by particular civic and religious buildings, such as the Black Church, the largest Gothic church in Romania, the Council House a building from the XVth century, rebuilt after the great fire of 1689 in baroque style, the St. Nicolae Church that combines the Gothic style in the exterior to the Byzantine style in the interior and the Museum of the First Romanian School from Scheii Brasovului, that hides a great treasure of old books and manuscripts, the Ecaterina and Schei Gates. Dinner and overnight hotel in Brasov.

After breakfast departure to the Bran Castle ( known as Dracula's castle ), one of the most beautiful medieval castles in Romania. It was built between the years 1377 and 1382 by the inhabitants of the city Brasov to oversee the most important trade route that connected Wallachia and Transylvania and to defend the border between the two medieval Romanian countries. The most famous times in the history are connected to the Prince of Wallachia Mircea cel Batran (Mircea the Elder) that took the castle after 1395 and Vlad the Impaler who lived here briefly during his military campaign against the Saxons from Brasov in the year 1459. The castle is also connected to the Queen Mary, the most beloved queen in Romania. Then we go to Sinaia "the pearl of the Carpathians". Visit of the Peles Castle , which was erected in the late nineteenth century as the summer residence of the first King of Romania Carol Ist. The Peles Castle is very impressive both for its Neo Renaissance German architecture outside and for the inside variety, each room being decorated in a different style. In the late afternoon arrival in the airport and farewell Romania!