This is a complete tour of Romania. You will visit the most important sites from cultural and landscape point of view, in the best timing possible – at Easter time and during the Easter week. Also you have the chance to participate at one of the most important medieval events in Romania, the Junii Brasovului Feast. Not to mention that you will have a short visit in the neighboring country, Republic of Moldavia, a small country but having its things to be visited. You will be in contact with local people, priests, monks, set at table with them , have Easter dinner with them, understanding their way of living, their way of seeing things, enjoy Easter traditions, etc. Easter is the most important moment in the Orthodox Church. Therefore it is highly celebrated in every big or small community. You will have the chance to take part at the Easter celebration at one of the most important monasteries in Romania - Golia monastery, in the capital of Moldavia, Iasi. In one of the days you will make a one day trip to Republic of Moldavia, former Bessarabia region, and visit the biggest wine cellars in the world, registered in Guinness Book, and enjoy the good and famous Moldavian wine on first Sunday after the Orthodox Easter.
You will also enjoy a Festival in Brasov. Schei is one of the oldest district of Brasov city, situated outside of city wall. Here you will find important old houses and narrow streets. When it is spring in Brasov, a natural thing to do is asking when the traditional holiday called ”Junii Brasovului” - a spring festival of Brasov’s unmarried young men takes place. Every year, Brasov’s Schei District celebrates this holiday. It includes a parade of the local costumes and a suite of old dances and music; the costumes of each team differ through color and badges. The leader of ceremonies wears a shirt adorned with 40000 colorful spangles, weighing 20 lbs. Although its origins have been lost, the Juni, the inhabitants of Schei, still live according to well-established traditional rules. They ride their horses and march down the streets of the city.

Day 1 Friday 17th April. Arriving in Iasi.

Transfer to our 4* Hotel centrally located. Welcome cocktail and dinner.

Day 2 Saturday 18th April.

In the morning we will visit the city, the Metropolitan church, 3 Hierarchs church, Golia monastery, visit the Copou Park. Free lunch and free afternoon to prepare ourselves for the Easter ceremony at the Golia monastery, where we will take part during the Easter evening and night.

Day 3 Sunday 19th April.

Free day for those who want to rest, or day trip to Chisinau, the capital of Republic of Moldavia. On the way we will visit the cave churches from Orhei, in a spectacular site, lunch and wine tasting in Milestii Mici, the biggest wine cellar in the world, and afternoon city tour of Chisinau. Late afternoon return back to Iasi, just in time for a special dinner in the Golia Monastery where we also hear a vocal choir singing byzantine music.

Day 4 Monday 20th April.

Departure to Bucovina. On the way we will visit Agapia monastery, the biggest nunnery in Europe with more than 500 sisters, and continue towards Bucovina and start visiting the famous outside painted monasteries, starting with Voronet and Humor during this day. Lunch on the way. Accommodation will be in Gura Humorului to a 4* Hotel and dinner with a local family.

Day 5 Tuesday 21th April.

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 6 Tuesday 21th April.

After breakfast we depart to another interesting zone, Maramures. The drive will take us all day but we will also see and visit many sites. First we see the village of Ciocanesti with their interesting painted houses, than we go over Prislop pass (1400m) to Maramures and enjoy the wooden culture they have. First we will visit Bogdana church, a wooden church dated from 1710, Birsana Monastery, having a local cake and drink (instead of five o’clock tea we will have three a clock tuica – the national drink, a plum brandy) and finally we arrive in a place called Bella Doina, a piece of Paradise, not only from the landscape point of view, but also from the services, food, and entertainment. Traditional dinner and local music and dances where you will be invited to take part.

Day 7 Wednesday 22th April.

Today we will enjoy the silence and normal 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 again at Doina’s house, and afternoon 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.

Day 8 Wednesday 23th April. Saint George Day!!!

More than 15% of the Romanian population carries this name in different flavors (Gheorghe – the Greek flavor, George – the west European one, Georgiana – for girls, Ghita – the nickname, etc) so be prepared to drink with every 10th person you meet. After breakfast we depart to Sighisoara over Cluj (290 km - apr. 5 hours only driving) Driving further to Cluj Napoca - the city of culture and science. Lunch on the way. The Fortress of Cluj built in 18th century 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\'ll notice the statue of Avram Iancu, the leader of the Romanian Revolution of Transylvania from 1948. Arrival in Sighisoara, dinner and accommodation in the city of Dracula.

Day 9 Thursday 24th April.

After breakfast we visit the city, and around 11.30 we depart towards Brasov On the way to Brasov, we will stop for a lunch break in a typical Saxon village, have a chat with the locals and enjoy lunch in a family (we can be may be even the guests of the mayor!!). Also we will visit the Saxon fortified church of the village and look at a living proof of the saying: “If there is a will there’s a way” Afternoon arriving in Brasov, our destination for the next 4 days (3 nights). Free dinner.

Day 10 Friday 25th April. Brasov and its surroundings

We will go and visit the Dracula Castle from Bran and the Peles Castle, the former summer residence of the kings in Romania. Lunch will be in a special place of 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 11 Saturday 26th April.

For those who doesn’t want to stay in Brasov to take part at different events preparing the big holiday from Sunday, they can do a one day trip to Sibiu , the former cultural capital of Europe in 2007, a highly interesting city and trip itself. This will cost an extra of 75Eur/person including lunch. The others will have the chance to see and learn more about the youth rituals that represent the passage of young men to maturity. “The bailiff burying” is an interesting ritual, where a bailiff is bound to a ladder and carried on the Schei streets by four young people to a huge pit. He must promise a large number of wine bottles in order to escape from “the real burying”. On your way to the pit you will enjoy the sight of old-styled houses and buildings. Late at night, the young people return to their homes, tired, whispering the saying: “Go whatever your eyes see, and never turn back”. Dinner at Cerbul Carpatin, with local food, wine tasting, and a very good folk show. After a short party, another ritual takes place as a passage to maturity. The ritual consists of 10 young people that throw the boys in the air in a counterpane. The young man must be thrown 3 times. In the past it was a big shame for the young man who could not resist being thrown 3 times. Nowadays, they enjoy the event. You will also be surprised by the magical influences of the rituals resembling a primitive dance. So, don’t miss it! Accommodation in a 3* Hotel. Free lunch and free dinner.

Day 12 Sunday 27th April.

Sunday is the most important day of the festival when all the seven youth groups take part in the manifestation, so you will see different costumes. The atmosphere is festive: traditional costumes, adorned horses, music. This custom is considered to be an initiation ritual, and the boys are supposed to pass tests of maturity and bravery such as throwing the mace. The feast ends with a rustic party with the participation of the inhabitants of the city, at “Solomon’s Rocks”. Free lunch and farewell dinner in a local Restaurant in Brasov.

Day 13 Monday 28th April.

Departure back to Bucharest – airport Otopeni for catching the flight home.