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Day 1: Bucharest
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You will be welcomed by your private driver and guide at Bucharest Interational Airport and transferred to your hotel in the city. Before check in at your hotel, your are offered a panoramic city tour of the Romanian capital with it's most important and impressive sights: the Newspaper House, the Arch of Triumph, the Peasant Museum, the Athenaeum, the Revolution Square, the Opera, the Peoples' Palace and many, many more. The rest of the day is at leisure. You may relax and get over your jet leg or make the last preparations for the trip ahead of you.
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Day 2: Bucharest - Curtea de Arges - Sibiu
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Today we start the actual round trip of medieval Romania. At the beginning we will visit the old quarter of Bucharest which was first mentioned in 1459 by the already famous Vlad the Impeller, also known as Dracula. Afterwards we will drive along the highway through the oil fields of Romania towards the city of Curtea de Arges, the first important capital of the Romanian historical province of Wallachia. Visiting the remains of the 14th century princerly court will offer you an image of it's importance during the medieval period. The Princerly Church offers a beautiful and unique collection of frescoes and is considered to be the oldest and most important one in Wallachia. Only a mile away, another church enchants the eye. It is said that the wife of the master architect is buried somewhere within the church walls, which is the only reason the constructions was finished. It's beautiful carvings and it's importance given also by the remains of St. Filofteia which are held here in a coffin, made the royal family of Romania decide this to be their burial ground. You might visit in the courtyard of the monastery the tombs of all queens and kings of Romania. We continue along the Olt River valley towards the Nun monastery of Ostrov and the monk Monastery of Cozia. Ostrov was the fist nunnery to be foundated in Wallachia in the mid 16th century, and Cozia is considered to be one of the eldest ones being build in 1377 by Mircea the Old, the Grandfather of Vlad the Impeller. Our journey continues trough the picturesque valley of the Olt river until Sibiu. We will be accommodated in the city center, at the oldest hotel in town, build in 1555.
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Day 3: Sibiu - Valea Viilor - Sighisoara
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Today we discover the beauty of the former medieval capital of Transilvania. The old city is very well preserved and one might think we enter a long forgotten world. The impressive churches and the three large central squares of the city, along with the strong fortification walls stand as proof for the importance of medieval Sibiu. Very interesting is also the Bruckental history museum which describes with vivid details the story of the city. Continuing the trip, we will first visit the fortification of Valea Viilor, one of the best preserved Saxon medieval fortifications located some miles away from the main road. Valea Viilor is listed as Unesco World Cultural Heritage. In the later afternoon we arrive in the city of Sighisoara and check in to our hotel within the old city walls.
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Day 4: Sighisoara - Biertan - Sighisoara
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Located on top of a hill, the whole old city of Sighisoara is considered a historical monument and an Unesco world cultural heritage site as it is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe. During the visit of the Clock Tower you will discover the old roots of the region and it's cultural, commercial and medicinal significance during the middle ages. And from it's top you have a beautiful view upon the surrounding valleys. Impressive houses guard the small central square of the city from which you can see the Catholic and the Lutheran church. Also impressive is the House with the Stag, patroned by Prince Charles of Great Britain. And only some steps away is the birth house of the famous Vlad the Impeller, so very well known under the name of Dracula.
Our next stop will be the village of Biertan where one of the finest medieval peasant fortifications opens the gates for us. Being the bishop residence for some centuries, the fortification has three rows of walls due to which it was never conquered. From the hill top where the church is located, one has a very nice view upon the valleys that join in this point and upon the small houses of the village.
The afternoon is at disposal to walk through the narrow cobbled streets of the city or to sit at a coffee shop in the lower city and admire the fortification upon.
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Day 5: Sighisoara - Targu Mures - Gura Humorului
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Today we'll drive from Sighisoara towards the north-eastern part of Romania, to the historical province of Moldova. Our first stop will be only some miles away from Sighisoara, in the city of Targu Mures which bares a lot of medieval history within. Continuing the journey we will pass the picturesque Carpathian mountains and arrive in the historical region of Moldova, the land of Orthodoxy and outside painted churches. Overnight in Gura Humorului at the Best Western hotel.
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Day 6: Gura Humorului - Humor - Voronet - Moldovita - Sucevita - Arbore - Gura Humorului
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Today we have the whole day at disposal to discover the beautiful and unique monasteries with exterior frescoes. Constructed in traditional Moldavian architectural style, each of them preserves a specific feature and a specific color which brought it's fame. Most of them constructed by the famous Moldavian ruler Stephen the Great in the late 15th century as thank to God for winning battles against the Turks, their exterior painting started only 1532. Interesting enough, this painting was not restored throughout time but can be clearly seen even today. They were included on Unesco's list of World Cultural Heritage.
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Day 7: Gura Humorului - Cetatea Neamt - Lacul Rosu - Brasov
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Today we depart Moldova Region and drive southwards to Piatra Neamt in order to cross again the mountains towards Transilvania. On route, we will make a short stop to the first important medieval Moldavian capital: the Neamt fortification. Located on a hill on the right side of the street, the ruin of the former castle which stood there against the Turks, the Polish and all other invaders. In order to pass the mountains we will have to drive trough the beautiful Bicaz cliffs. The 500 feet high vertical stone walls offer shade almost all day long, but the views are more than impressive. Along with it's sister-road Trans-Fagarasan over the Fagaras mountain, this street was designed and build by the communist regime in secrecy and had to serve as secret passage over the mountains in case of emergency. After this interesting views a short stop for lunch will probably be appreciated at the Red Lake reservation. The legends surrounding this lake with petrified trees from centuries ago are numerous and it would probably take days to hear them. We continue our journey westwards through the Hungarian region of Romania in order to get to the city of Brasov for our next accommodation.
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Day 8: Brasov - Prejmer - Harman - Bran - Brasov
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After the long drive from yesterday, we'll have time today to enjoy the beautiful city of Brasov and it's surroundings. First of all, we will head towards the villages of Harman and Prejmer to visit the local fortifications, the latter one being listed as Unesco site as it very well preserved from medieval times. The first one, due to it's heavy and strong walls, was never conquered until the revolution from 1848. Both stand proof for the intelligent building style of the Saxon peasant. We continue to the village of Bran in order to see the local castle which became famous in the mid 20th century as it was used by Bela Lugosi in the first Dracula movie. Since then it became the Dracula castle, although it has actually, historically nothing to do with him. The afternoon is at disposal to visit the city of Brasov, especially the old part with the Council Sqare and the imposing Black Church. A visit to the local history museum will offer you a lot of information on the medieval history, the military and economic importance of the city. The rest of the day will be at leisure.
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Day 9: Brasov - Sinaia - Bucharest
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For this last day of the round trip we saved maybe the most interesting sight of the tour. Located in the mountain resort of Sinaia, in the heart of a narrow valley, the Peles castle, the summer residence of the Romanian royal family is a very fine piece of german architecture. After having seen the early medieval peasant fortifications, this castle offers you the construction style of the late medieval period of western Europe. It is located just some minutes away from the Sinaia monastery which was build 1695, being the first construction in the whole region. If the time is right, one might take the cable car up to the mountain and admire the beautiful view of the whole valley which connects Transilvania to Walachia. Continuing our trip, we will pass the oil field and refineries of Ploiesti and head towards Bucharest, where our trip began.
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Day 10: Bucharest departure
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You have the day at leisure until your transfer to the airport for your return flight.
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