In this trip you will mix the hiking opportunities with Moldavian traditions and you will have the opportunity to see the most beautiful cultural sites of Romania – the painted monasteries from Bucovina part of the world heritage and the UNESCO patrimony.
You will be accommodated at a local family and experience the local life at a 3*+ standard.
The best period to go on this trip is between the end of April and the end of September. At the end of these program you can find a listing of the most important traditions and their schedule. This might help you choose the perfect period to come so as to enjoy both the tour and the celebrations that take place in this area.
You will also have the opportunity to learn how to paint Easter eggs and maybe how to dance folk dances from Bucovina.
DAY 1
Arrival by plane or by bus to Cluj and meeting with your guide and driver. Depending on the group size you will have a car or a minibus. Dinner and accommodation in a 4* Hotel. If time permits we will take a walking city tour of the only baroc city in Romania, Cluj Napoca, the former capital of Transylvania. We shall visit St. Michael Cathedral, the Orthodox Cathedral, The Memorial House of Matei Corvin, where the most important Hungarian King, was born as well as other interesting places.
DAY 2
After breakfast, departure to Moldova, the heart of Romanian Orthodoxismm. We will pass through Maramures, one of the most traditional regions in Romania. We will have the chance to see different wooden churches (such as those from Surdesti, Birsana) and have a typical Maramures lunch in a local family’s house. In the afternoon, we will drive along the Bistrita river, and you will be able to see painted houses with geometric motives. Arrival at Vama (in the heart of Bucovina) the place where we will stay for the following days. We shall meet our host and take the first short sightseeing tour of the village.
DAY 3
We will depart by car (or minibus) to the Moldovita monastery where we will meet sister Tatiana who will explain all about the paintings of the orthodox world, specifically those from the Bucovina area. From here you will walk about 3 hours to the Sucevita monastery our next stop during this day. Lunch will be served near the monastery and in the afternoon we will visit the famous ceramic center from Marginea and return to our host. Specific Moldavian dinner together with the family.
DAY 4
Today we will visit a sheepfold by carriage. Here you will have a lunch that you will never forget. In the afternoon we will walk back and complete the last part of the trip by bus. The hiking part of the trip will take about 3 hours. A very light dinner will help us have a good night.
DAY 5
Today we will go for a walk in the Rarau Mountains, this means we will cover the first 20 km of the road by bus and then hike to the Rarau challet. Lunch at the challetWe return late in the afternoon to our host. The hiking part takes about 3 to 4 hours. In this evening we will learn how to paint Easter eggs. It will be a unique experience.
DAY 6
We will depart by bus to visit other monasteries such as: Dragomirna (where we will walk for one hour to the lake near by) and have a picnic there. In the afternoon we will visit the bishop church from Suceava, the former capital of Moldovia, and on the way home we will visit Voronet and Humor monasteries. Typical Moldavian lunch and if you wish we can have a small folk band sing and dance for you.
DAY 7
Departure to Cluj. We will take another route and drive through Borgo pass, the famous pass mentioned in Bram Stoker’s book “Dracula“, we will have lunch at Dracula Motel or “Coroana de Aur” in Bistrita, also mentioned in the book. Late afternoon arrival in Cluj and overnight in the same 4* Hotel as in the first day. Farewell dinner.
DAY 8
Departure home.
Romanian traditions in 2006
April:
16th of April Sunday Palm Sunday
23rd of April Sunday Orthdox Easter
May
14th of May (second Sunday in May) Tinjaua (Ploughman Festival) in Hoteni Maramures
June
1st of June Thursday Holly Ascension
18th of June (on the 8th Sunday after Orthodocs Easter) Rusalii - Whitsunday
July
20th of July Prophet Elias day
August
15th of August Assumption of the Virgin Mary
September
8th of September Nativity of the Virgin Mary
13th of September Trout celebration
• All transfers
• 7 nights accommodation at 4* hotel and 3*+ at private family ? clean, very good conditions, excellent location
• full board
• Special dinners according to the program
• Professional guide
• Transportation by car or minibus
• Entrance fees to museums, monasteries and castles
1. For further information please contact: Cultural Romtour, ofce@culturalromtour.ro
