Day 1 : Arrival in Sibiu
Meet your guide. Transfer to your Hotel. After accommodation at the 3* Hotel since 1789, “Roman Emperor”, located in the heart of the city, we will have short city walking tour ended with dinner. Before dinner the guide will held a short presentation of the journey and about Transylvania and its things to offer.
Day 2 : Sibiu and its surroundings
Today we will complete our visit in Sibiu – cultural capital of Europe in 2007- , than visit the biggest and well preserved village museum just outside from Sibiu, after we visit the basilica from Heltau where we will also have the chance for a Saxon lunch. Afternoon free time for shopping possibility and dinner outside Sibiu to a Romanian family, and again we will enjoy a local wine and tuica (the famous plum brandy).
Day 3 : Sibiu – Alba Iulia – Cluj – Vadu Izei (Bella Doina) .
After breakfast we depart to Maramures over Cluj (350 km). Driving further to Cluj Napoca - the city of culture and science. Lunch on the way. The Fortress of Cluj built in 18th century it is the oldest monument of baroque secular architecture in Transylvania. The Unirii Square is dominated by the Saint Mihail Cathedral, the most representative Monument of gothic architecture in Cluj. You will notice the statue of Avram Iancu, the leader of the Romanian Revolution of Transylvania from 1948. Arriving at Bella Doina Pension, a piece of heaven in this area . Dinner and accommodation.
Day 4: Penticostal Day in Maramuresh , and not only !!!!
Today is saint Constantin and his mother Elena name day !!!!
More than 15% of the Romanian population carries this name in different flavors (Constantin – the greek flavour, Elena – for girls, Costica – the nickname, Ileana, Ela, etc etc) so be prepared to drink with every 10th person you meet.
We will enjoy the normal and traditional life as it should be. We will visit in the morning some local artists, Drive through the villages to discover the traditional watermill, visit of a plum brandy maker and a hat maker. Lunch will be at Maria’s house and on the way, for those who want to see more interesting things we can go and visit the communist prison from Sighet, the Merry Cemetery from Sapinta. Dinner and accommodation again at Doina. Today 2 big feast will be celebrated in the same day, you will see hundreds of people going in traditional costumes to the church in the morning, nice and long services in the church, a real big … big event in the villages life.
Day 5: Driving through Maramures towards Bucovina
After breakfast we depart to another interesting zone, Bucovina. The drive will take us all day but we will also see and visit many sites. First we will visit Bogdana church, a wodden church dated from 1710, Birsana Monastery, a new but impressive wooden monastery . Stop for a quick lunch at Borsa, a local resort for winter sports. Later we see the village of Ciocanesti with their interesting painted houses and finally we arrive in a place called Gura Humorului where we will overnight for 2 days at 4* Hotel Roata. Free dinner and accommodation.
Day 6 : Day dedicated to the painted monasteries from Bucovina
Day dedicated to the famous painted monasteries. We will depart after breakfast and visit a local artist who paints the Easter eggs. She will demonstrate us the technique she uses and anyone can try its first steps in this art. We continue to Moldovita monastery, meet sister Tatiana who will present us the paintings, and after we will have lunch in the monastery. Afternoon we depart towards Sucevita monastery. Visit and stop at a local artist family famous for their black ceramics. We can enjoy a live demonstration, or drive further back to our Hotel. Free dinner so you have time to practice for the egg painting….
Day 7 : Bucovina – Bicaz Gorge – Miercurea Ciuc - Brasov
After breakfast we depart towards Brasov. We will pass over Bicaz Gorge, a unique landscape in Romania, stop for pictures, and for a lunch possibility at the Murder Lake. Afternoon we continue to Brasov through the Hungarian region, where we will see sometimes another style of wooden gates. Arriving in Brasov late in the afternoon, free dinner and accommodation at a 3*+ Hotel in the market place.
Day 8 : Brasov and sorroundings
We will go and visit the Dracula Castle from Bran, Peles Castle , the former summer residence of the kings in Romania. Lunch will be in a special place on Prahova valley where we can enjoy a champagne tasting (sparkling wine produced on a champagnoise technology – the best brand in Romania) . Return afternoon in Brasov and Special dinner with classical music at the citadel of Brasov
Day 9: Brasov – Viscri – Sighisoara - Sibiu
All day in the old saxon area !This day will be a long one. We drive directly to Viscri – Weisskirch – and we will have a special saxon type lunch. Here we will talk to the mayor who is a Saxon lady and her mother. You will enjoy their dialect and also be amazed of what people can do if they want to, and are well organized. Also you will see what Prince Charles Foundation is doing in this region top save this civilization Be prepared for an exceptional plum brandy and local wines.On the way back we will stop and visit Sighisoara, the only inhabited medieval citadel, the Rothenburg of Eastern Europe. Later we continue our way to Sibiu, accommodation in the same old Hotel, and farewell dinner
Day 10: Departure according to your flight details
Because we are the only Latin speaking people that is Orthodox and the only Orthodox people that is Latin speaking.
Because we chose this period you will have the chance to look and feel the Romanian traditions at “work” in the most conservative and traditional region of Romania, Maramures.
