13 days for a Great Tour of Romania

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Itinerary:

Day 1. Arrive at the airport and transfer to the hotel in Bucharest, meeting with the guide and city tour based on flight schedule. Accommodation Hotel Capitol / Ambasador 4* -20km-

In the first day we visit the Arch of Triumph, the Victoriei Square, the historical center, the Stavropoleos Monastery, the church of St. Anthony, Hanul lui Manuc restaurant, the Orthodox National Cathedral, the Palace of Parliament (from the outside), the Revolution Square, the Romanian University, the Royal Palace, the Central Library and the former Central Communist Committee. Typical dinner at Hanul Manuc / Caru cu Bere restaurant with folklore show.

Day 2. Bucharest - Curtea de Arges - Cozia - Valea Oltului (river) - Sibiu - Sibiel. House Ana Ciortea 3* -280 km-

In the morning we travel to Curtea de Arges, famous for the monastery built by the Holy Prince Neagoe Basarab, between 1512 and 1517 and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, we continue the trip discovering the Olt River Valley (the fourth longest in the country) and the Cozia Monastery, erected by the grandfather of Vlad Tepes, Mircea the Elder. In the afternoon we arrive in Sibiu, a Transylvanian city designated a few years ago as the European cultural capital. Among the places of greatest tourist interest are the Bruckenthal Palace, the Bridge of Lies, the Orthodox Cathedral, the Catholic Cathedral and the Council Tower. We take the dinner and stay overnight in Sibiel, a fascinating preserved village. To sleep in Sibiu in 4* hotel, 15 EUR/person are charged.

Day 3. Sibiel - Alba Iulia - Turda – Cluj Napoca. Accommodation Hotel Capitolina 3* - 160 km -

After taking the breakfast, we visit the city of the Great Unification of Romanian Principalities of 1918, Alba Iulia. We also  see the ancient Catholic church where the famous Hungarian king, Mathias Corvin is buried, the ancient preserved fortress and the Orthodox Cathedral.In the afternoon we visit the fascinating Turda salt mine and after we go to the 'capital of Transylvania', Cluj Napoca. After visiting he city, we take the dinner and stay overnight.

Day 4. Cluj - Merry Cemetery of Sapanta - Monastery of Sapanta Peri - Sighet. Accommodation Gradina Morii or similar 3*/4* -150 km -

Located in the north of Romania, on the border with Ukraine, the Maramures region preserves intact its ancestral traditions, in a fairytale setting where time seems to stand still and where farmers still work with tools that have disappeared elsewhere. Today we visit the famous Merry Cemetery, a masterpiece created by the priest Stan Ioan Patras, famous for his fine humor. Then we arrive at the Monastery of Sapanta Peri with the tallest wooden church and in the late afternoon we stop at the Museum of the Memory of the Victims of Communism in Sighet, a former political prison in the communist era. We take a traditional dinner with local dishes and stay overnight.

Day 5. Sighet - Maramures wooden churches. Accommodation to Gradina Morii or similar 3*/4* in Maramures - 50 km-

Today we continue to visit the wooden churches of this region: Barsana (place of extraordinary beauty), Ieud (the oldest, dating back to 1364) and Rozavlea, which are UNESCO monuments. Later we see a "valtoarea", a wooden mechanism built in the river to wash clothes, still used by farmers.

Day 6. Maramures - Prislop Pass - Voronet - Gura Humorului (Bucovina). 3/4 * star accommodation - 150 km -

In the morning we go to visit a beautiful region, Bucovina, called the land of monasteries or the country of beech trees. Here are the typical frescoed churches of northern Moldova, today seven of them are UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Arbore, Humor, Moldovita, Rasca, Sucevita and Voronet. On this day we visit the Voronet Monastery, famous for its dominant blue color and for the fresco of the scene of the Last Judgment; we also visit the Dragomirna Monastery with the highest church in the region (42 meters).

Day 7. Moldovita - Sucevita –the Egg Museum - Marginea (Bucovina). 3/4 * star accommodation - 100 km -

On the seventh day we visit two of Bucovina's painted monasteries. The Moldovita Monastery was built by Prince Petru Rares, son of the Holy Prince Stephen the Great (Stefan cel Mare) in 1532 (painted in 1537 with the dominant yellow color). The fresco depicting the scene "The siege of Constantinople" is very well known. The Sucevita Monastery, however, was erected by the Movila brothers between 1582 and 1584. The church is the only one that conserves the external painting also in the north part, where there is the famous fresco "The Virtues Scale". The predominant color is green. Then,we will visit the International Museum of Painted Eggs and we will see a demonstration of manual ceramic works in Marginea (famous in the world).

Day 8. Bucovina - Suceava - Iasi. Grand Hotel Traian 4* accommodation -157 km-

After taking the breakfast we go to the ancient Moldavian capital called Suceava with its excellent medieval fortress, built by the Holy Prince Stefan cel Mare. The, we continue the trip with Iaşi city, which is the capital of the homonymous district located in the north-eastern part of Romania. It stretches along the Bahlui river in a flat area covered by seven hills, like Rome, the eternal city. Iasi has always been considered the capital of the historical Moldova region, even before the territorial division. From the center of the city there are only about twenty kilometers to the border with the Republic of Moldova which was torn from the Romanian territory and to the Prut river which almost creates a natural border between these two countries. We can see the avenue Stefan cel Mare with the Mitropolitan Church, the Church of the Three Hierarchs with its splendid architecture, the wonderful Baroque Palace of Culture and the twentieth-century buildings of the city. 

Day 9. Iasi - Wine tasting in the Husi region (optional) - Braila. Accommodation Grand Hotel Orient or similar - 240 km-

In the morning we leave Iasi to go to Braila. An optional stop can be a visit at Romania's most famous wineries, Huși, where we can taste the Romanian wines. Arrival in Braila. The center of the city of Braila is full of Baroque buildings, skillfully adorned with stuccos and statues. The domed balconies and wrought iron railings that adorn the windows recall the ancient splendors of Braila, a rich free port of 1920. In the city of Braila the price of wheat was calculated on the European stock exchange (thanks to the largest port in the country) . Here we can see the largest Orthodox church in Southeast Europe and monuments that survived the times when the Ottomans were sovereign in the region.

Day 10. Braila - Early Christian Basilica of Niculitel - Celic Dere Monastery - Danube Delta - Murighiol. Accommodation Hotel Puflene Resort 4* or similar -133 km-

After taking the breakfast we cross the Danube by ferry, and then we pass through the Macin Mountains, the oldest in this country. The researchers are mainly interested in archaeological excavations, thanks to the large number of historical sites, but also in the scientific research of the immense natural treasure existing here. Then, we visit an archaeological site called the Paleochristian Church of Niculitel, one of the oldest settlements dedicated to the cult of the martyr saints discovered with intact relics. Then we arrive at the Monastery whose name means "the steel river" (celic dere, in Turkish) because ancient weapons were discovered in the water. Arrival in the Danube Delta in the afternoon. Free time, dinner and stay overnight.

Day 11. Danube Delta – Constanta. Accommodation Hotel 3*/4* -150 km -

The Danube Delta is a fascinating corner of Romania's paradise. The incredible vegetation of the island, where tourists can admire the sand dunes, wild beaches, reed areas, and more than 5,000 plants or creatures attracts tourists from all corners of the world every year like a magnet. In the morning, we make a boat trip, visit of the Mila 23 village, of the typical lakes and observe the fauna and vegetation. In the afternoon we go back to Murighiol and leave for Constanta, the most important port in Romania, located on the Black Sea coast. We can admire ancient buildings such as the Metropolitan Church, the Casino of Constance, the statue of Ovidiu, the famous Roman poet who died in Constance in 18 AD after a few years of forced exile.

Day 12. Constanta - Bucharest. Accommodation Hotel Capitol /Ambasador 4* -250 km-

We have free time in the morning and after we go back in Bucharest through the Baragan area, known as the former granary of Europe. In Bucharest we visit the Village Museum or have free time for shopping.

Day 13. Hotel - Free time - Transfer Otopeni Airport according to the flight

In the last day, depending on the departure time, we have the possibility to visit the Palace of Parliament and after, we transfer you to the airport in good time. Alternatively, if the weather permits, enjoy a visit to the Therme of Bucharest, located near Otopeni. 

See you next time!

Rates  in double room: 

For groups> 19 people via Travel Agencies, check the prices in the PDF format  catalog

For group 18 persons: approx 875 EUR/person

For 8 people: 1000 EUR / person

 For 6 people: EUR 1150 / person

 For 4 people: 1450 EUR / person 

For 2 people: 2000 EUR / person 

Single room supplement: 220 EUR / person 

The experience includes:

• Airport - Hotel / Hotel - Airport transfers, based on flights;
• Transportation by car / modern buses with air conditioning / heating climate, fuels and taxes included;
• Professional English Guide throughout the trip;
• Hotel pick-up & drop-off;
• Accommodation 12 nights in 3*/4* structures, as per program;
• Half board treatment (breakfast and dinner including at least one dinner with folklore show);
• Tourist taxes;
• Non-stop assistance Soca Tour Romania.

Which is extra:

• Entries to the museums; about 40 EUR / person; possibly tips;
• Other expenses and drinks. For full board, calculate 15 EUR / Lunch with 3 dishes and water included.

❖Bank Account at Banca Transilvania:  RO77BTRLEURCRT0327720601 (SWIFT Code: BTRLRO22)  Name: SOKA TOUR SRL-D