The Cozmesti village lies in the Iasi county in Moldavia (about 60km away) and has about 500 inhabitants. The region is famous for its wines, which gives you the opportunity to taste the special wines of Romania.
You will attend and celebrate with the gypsies one of their most important festivities. You will spend the day together with half a gypsy village and will see gypsies that work in order to gain money. The best example is this band from Cozmesti.
The gypsy community in this village, has about 150 members and was accepted by the Romanian community. Their basic lines of work are agriculture and music. Music is a very important part of their life. They attend all the important moments in the village life such as weddings, baptisms, funerals and all the other family or community celebrations.
The gypsies have never lost their identity like many others in Moldavia or in Romania.
The gypsy band from Cozmesti was founded by Iancu Bazbu in 1910. The musicians are men and their instruments have been passed on from father to son for generations. In 1961 the Band reached its peak point. In that year they were 100 musicians in the band and they took part in many national and international contests, in some of them they even took the first place. Nowadays the band has about 12-20 musicians depending on where they have to perform.
We can list some of the prizes they have won:
• First prize in the national contest “Cantarea Romanie” 1961
• Second prize at “Cantarea Romanie” in 1976, 1983-1985
• The first prize at the national Music Festival at Bicaz in 2003
• 2004 Biennale de la Danse de Lyon
• 2004 Rovereto, Italien
• 2004 Predazzo, Italien
DAY 1 The Holly Friday
Arrival in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. If time allows a short city tour can be organized. Welcome cocktail at around 18.00, dinner and accommodation in a 4* Hotel.
DAY 2 Saturday
Transfer to the Neamt Monastery, the most important monk monastery. Lunch on the way. You can celebrate the Easter service in the monastery’s church. Late in the evening you will enjoy the Easter dinner together with the monks.
DAY 3 Sunday
This day is a quiet and peaceful one. It is Easter and the Romanians are attending the church to get the communion. You will enjoy the specific Easter lunch and dinner. The afternoon is at leisure.
DAY 4 Monday
Small surroundings tour, by bus. We will visit Agapia Monastery (with over 500 nuns), Varetec Monastery and the monk monasteries from Sihastria, Secu, and if you want to have a walk, Sihla Monastery. Lunch at one of the monasteries. If time allows we may visit the wooden dolls museum from Tarpesti. Dinner and accommodation at the monastery.
DAY 5 Tuesday
Departure to Gura Humorului. On the way we visit the worldwide famous monasteries Voronet and Humor. Dinner and accommodation at a 4* Hotel in Gura Humorului.
DAY 6 Wednesday
We continue our visit to the Bucovina monasteries, and visit Moldovita and Sucevita. On the way, we can also stop at the black pottery center from Marginea. In the afternoon we leave for Iasi. Dinner and accommodation in a 4* Hotel.
DAY 7 The green Thursday the gipsy Easter
The entire day is dedicated to the celebration of the Green Thursday together with the gypsies. Throughout the day you will be accompanied by the merry music of the gypsies. The gypsies are Christian Orthodox and their music is played at all the Romanian feasts which means they work as musicians for Easter Feast (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday). That is why the gypsies celebrate their own Easter, the first Thursday after the Romanian Christian Orthodox Easter. Let your prejudices aside and come to celebrate this exclusive feast, because to celebrate is what the gypsies do best. We leave Iasi at about 8 a.m. and head for Cozmesti village – the journey takes about one hour. Before lunch we shall visit the village and get acquainted with the gypsy culture and way of life in the company of their band music. At lunch you will enjoy a typical gypsy meal alongside the inhabitants and their music. After lunch we continue to celebrate the Easter Feast and, as we are in a vineyard region we shall have a short tasting of the local wine. At about 5 pm we will return to Iasi. Dinner and accommodation in the same 4* hotel in Iasi.
DAY 8 Transfer to Bucharest
Transfer to Bucharest, a 500 km drive. Lunch break. Special farewell dinner and accommodation at a 4* Hotel.
DAY 9 Departure
Departure home
• 8 accommodations at 3* and 4* Hotels
• Transport with 4* bus
• Proffesional guide
• Half board
• Entrance fees to museums, monasteries and castles
1. The tour is subject to be changed as the customer wants or any other program changes.
2. For further information please contact: Cultural Romtour, office@culturalromtour.ro
