Timeless Romania – Bucharest & Transylvania

Itinerary

• Day 1
  Fly to Bucharest - Start your Romanian adventure with a flight to the country’s historic capital, Bucharest, where you’ll be greeted at the airport by your friendly local tour manager. You’ll then head to your centrally located hotel for check in before enjoying the rest of the day at leisure. 
• Day 2
  Included Bucharest tour and travel to Sibiu via Cozia Monastery - Once you’ve had breakfast this morning, head further into the Romanian capital for a morning’s sightseeing. Often referred to as ‘Little Paris’, the city is known for its elegant Belle Epoque architecture, and you’ll be introduced to its distinctive character along the way. The tour will start at the spectacular Palace of the Parliament, the world’s largest administrative building, and your guide will outline the country’s modern history as you explore its marbled halls.   Next, head to Bucharest’s old town and take in trendy Strada Lipscani, a warren of cobblestone streets and Art Nouveau buildings, which has been a centre point of the city since the 15th century. You’ll also see the National Bank of Romania and Old Princely Court, a palace first established by Vlad the Impaler, before taking in the St. Nicholas Russian Church, with its characteristic onion domes. Finish this morning’s sightseeing at the Curtea Veche Church, Bucharest’s oldest religious building, and enjoy a few hours at leisure to explore more of the Old Town.  This afternoon, board a coach for your onward journey to Transylvania, visiting Cozia Monastery, one of Romania’s oldest and most significant religious sites, on the way. Afterwards, continue to your Sibiu-based hotel for check in, where you’ll be served a three-course dinner. 
• Day 3
  Included walking tour of Sibiu and optional ASTRA National Museum excursion - Get ready for the day with breakfast at the hotel and join your tour manager for an insightful walking tour of Sibiu’s historic centre. Numbering amongst Romania’s most elegant medieval towns, this former European Capital of Culture is a sprawl of Saxon architecture, decorative bridges, and vast communal squares.    Start the day in the city’s central point, Grand Square, a baroque plaza surrounded by museums and pavement-side restaurants. From here, you’ll walk to the neighbouring Small Square, where you’ll be introduced to the city’s origins with views of its traditional Saxon architecture. This open-air hub is nestled on the edge of Sibiu’s upper town and offers scenic views of the lower town from its famous Bridge of Lies. While here, take a moment to admire the colourful merchant houses, some of which are more than 900 years old, with their distinctive ‘eye-shaped’ roofs. Finish the morning’s visit with a stop at Sibiu’s Lutheran Evangelical Cathedral, one of Transylvania’s best-known and most impressive Gothic structures.   This afternoon, you’ll be free to find lunch and explore further under your own steam. Alternatively, you can enjoy an optional excursion to the ASTRA National Museum Complex for an introduction to the traditional practices, architecture and crafts of rural Transylvanian communities. Nestled in the nearby Dumbrava Forest, this 96-hectare site is Europe’s largest ethnographic museum and is home to a collection of over 400 thatched cottages, windmills and monuments.   This evening, return to the hotel and find dinner locally.
• Day 4
  Included Hamba visit and walking tour of Sighișoara - After breakfast, board your coach for the next leg of your journey through the Transylvanian countryside, soaking up unobstructed views of hilltop villages and fortified estates as you go. This morning, you’ll visit the farming town of Hamba, where you’ll have the chance to tour a traditional apiary. Accompanied by a local beekeeper, learn about the farm’s bees and taste a number of local honey varieties produced in the surrounding countryside. Next, head to Biertan, a charming village that’s home to a UNESCO-listed fortified church. Built in the 15th century, this magnificent hilltop building is one of the most impressive Gothic bastions in the country and is one of the Transylvania’s great churches.   Your final stop today will be Sighișoara, the birthplace of the infamous Vlad Țepeş, and your tour manager will lead you on a walking tour of the city’s UNESCO-listed medieval citadel. Entering through the famously well-preserved city walls, you’ll see the town’s vast Clock Tower, which has protected the town from invasion for more than 800 years. Inside the citadel, you’ll find a colourful collection of cobbled streets and authentic medieval buildings leading to your second great church of the day, Biserica din Deal (the Church on the Hill). Occupying its hilltop position, this vast Gothic building is visible from almost anywhere in the city, and you’ll have the chance to explore its cloisters and gardens. The church is also home to Transylvania’s only ancient crypt, and you can learn about the region’s nobility on your visit.   This evening, you’ll check into your hotel, where you can enjoy a three-course dinner and the rest of the night at leisure. 
• Day 5
  Included Transylvania excursion and walking tour of Brasov - Wake up in Sighișoara this morning and have breakfast at the hotel before driving deeper into Transylvania towards the alpine city of Brasov.  On the way, you’ll stop in charming Viscri, a quiet enclave of Transylvanian Saxons known for its traditional farmstead buildings, and it is also home to one of King Charles III’s international properties. It’s here that you’ll delve deeper into the region’s strong Saxon roots, and you can also take in the UNESCO-listed fortified church, a relic of the village’s early Saxon settlers, which crowns the surrounding skyline.  Drive further south into the Transylvanian Alps, soaking up some truly spectacular views of the Carpathian Mountains as you go. This afternoon, you’ll arrive in one of Romania’s most enchanting medieval cities, elegant Brașov, which further showcases the region’s fascinating Saxon heritage. After checking into your final hotel, join your tour manager for a walking tour of the city’s major attractions. You’ll start at the largest Gothic church in Eastern Europe, Brașov’s impressive Black Church, and you’ll have the chance to see its magnificent 4,000-pipe organ, the largest mechanical instrument in the country. From here, continue through the city’s delightful central plaza and café-lined streets to the First Romanian School Museum, a historic education centre which taught the national language, culture and religion for almost 300 years.   This evening, enjoy another three-course dinner at the hotel and return to the Black Church for an organ concert. 
• Day 6
  Included visits to Libearty Bear Sanctuary and Bran Castle - Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning before travelling to the Carpathian town of Zarnesti, the gateway to some of Romania’s most unspoilt landscapes, for a visit to the Libearty Bear Sanctuary. This ethical bear conservation centre is the largest of its kind in Europe and aims to provide a safe, natural habitat for brown bears rescued from captivity. Upon arrival, join an expert local guide for a tour of the sanctuary, and venture out onto its woodland paths for your chance to see the resident brown bears in the wild. Keep an eye on the trees, as these fascinating creatures are known to climb, and you might even spot some roaming the forest or swimming in its nearby pools.   After your tour, head to the town of Bran, where you’ll be greeted by views of its dramatic castle, which is said by some to have been the inspiration behind Bram Stoker’s iconic novel, Dracula. Though these claims are often disputed, the building is a marvel of medieval architecture, and you can soak up its centuries-long history by exploring its narrow corridors, spiral staircases and regal courtyards.   This afternoon, return to Brașov for the rest of the day at leisure and find dinner at leisure before turning in for the evening.
• Day 7
  Included excursion to Sinaia and transfer to Bucharest - It’s your final full day in Romania, and you’ll have the chance to visit Sinaia, the elegant ‘Pearl of the Carpathians’, after breakfast at the hotel. This elegant alpine resort is a hub for snow sports in the winter and boasts some of the finest mountain vistas in all of Romania. Sinaia is also known for its refined architecture, and you’ll have ample time in the town to soak up its alpine beauty.   While here, stop at the magnificent Peleș Castle, which is sure to be an unexpected highlight of your time in Transylvania. This exquisite neo-Renaissance building was built as a summer residence for King Carol I in the late 19th century and numbers amongst Romania’s newest castles. The building was converted to a museum in the 1950s, and you can explore its opulent interiors and striking facades before continuing to Sinaia Monastery. This spiritual hub, still inhabited by a cohort of monks, is one of Eastern Europe’s finest examples of traditional Byzantine architecture.   After some time to admire the two buildings, you’ll continue south to Bucharest, returning to your first hotel for a final evening leisure. If you have any stops left on your wish-list in the Romanian capital, this is the perfect opportunity to tick them off under your own steam.  
• Day 8
  Return to the UK - After a final breakfast at the hotel, you’ll bid farewell to your Romanian hosts and transfer to Bucharest’s airport for your return flight home.