Old Romania and Republic of Moldova- 9 days tour

Day 1  Arrival in Bucharest (Day at leisure)

Welcome to Romania and to Bucharest!

You will be picked up by our driver and transferred to your hotel in Bucharest. On the way to your accommodation, you will enjoy a city tour around the main sights such as the Arch of Triumph, Victoria Square, Victoria Avenue. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.

Accommodation in Bucharest – Hotel centrally located.

Day 2 Bucharest – Peles Castle – Bran Castle – Brasov

Your first stop will be the Orthodox Monastery in Sinaia, continuing with Peles Castle, the splendid Gothic-style castle built by the first king of Romania, Carol I of Hohenzollern Sigmaringen.  Here, you will take a castle tour and discover some of the life of the Romanian royal family.

After we will be heading to Bran Castle, commonly known as “Dracula’s Crib” it is often referred to as the home of the title character in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Bran Castle is known outside Romania with the name of Dracula’s Castle due to the legend. This castle became known abroad owing to the Irish writer Dracula novel Bram Stoker. The name Dracula comes from the surnames of Vlad the Impaler’s father, the Dracu, he was the member of the Dragon Order. End your day with a visit to the Gothic Black Church which stands as the main Gothic style monument in the country as well as being the largest and one of the most important Lutheran (Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession in Romania) places of worship in the region. The tour will include a stop at the Council Square, Catherine`s gate and the Rope street.

Accommodation in Brasov – Hotel centrally located.

Day 3 Brasov – Biertan – Sighisoara

Early in the morning, in our way to Sighisoara, we will have a detour in Biertan, to visit the largest fortified church in Transylvania, built by the Saxons in the sixteenth century and nowadays listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Arrive Sighisoara in the afternoon and check into your traditional hotel, located within the medieval walled citadel. You will enjoy a walking tour, to see the Clock Tower Museum, Weapons Museum, the Torture Chamber, the Wooden Staircase and the Church on the Hill. Walk along the cobbled streets, explore the citadel at your leisure and perhaps dine in the house where Vlad the Impaler was born.

Accommodation in Sighisoara – Hotel centrally located.

Day 4 Sighisoara – Praid – Red Lake – Iasi

The first stop towards Iasi will be in Praid, a village located in the Harghita county, in central Romania, which offers one of the most famous salt mines in the country. The Praid Salt Mine has a microclimate, with an average temperature of around 16° C, rich in ozone.

The Praid Salt Mine is like a completely different underground world, 50 levels, around 120 meters, above the surface. All the tourists are being transported to the center of the mine with buses down a 1.2 km long tunnel.

We continue our trip passing by the spectacular Red Lake and arriving in Iasi where your tour guide will take you to a stroll across the key historical street of town: Stefan cel Mare, where you are going to see and find out info about the Vasile Alecsandri National Theatre. The building is an actual architectonic gem with a few of the most awesome theater halls in the world, beautifully decorated with a iron curtain painted by Al. Goltz, rococo crystal Venice chandelier with 109 bulbs and the ceiling depicts Edenic parables representing angles and nymphs. Next, we’ll see two of the most imposing religious symbols of Iasi: The Three Hierarchs Church and The Metropolitan Cathedral.

Next, you will be introduced to the most important area of town history, The Union Square, in which the 1859 Romanian Union was celebrated. From here the car will take you to a local restaurant, Bolta Rece, to get a traditional lunch (not included). Accommodation in Iasi – Hotel centrally located

 Day 5 Iasi – Suceava

You will start the day by visiting the famous Voronet Monastery, a monastery is renowned for its unique shade of blue. On its southern wall you will find the best-preserved fresco of the Last Judgement in Romania. Next, you will visit the Moldovita Monastery, a religious site built with an open porch, a hidden room located above the burial vault, and with Gothic-style windows and walls. Your tour of Bukovina’s monasteries will end at Sucevita, a monastery built in 1585 that combines the Gothic and Byzantine architectural styles. Our final destination for the day is Suceava, a city which served as the capital of Moldavia for nearly 200 years. A city tour will take you to some of its most important landmarks, such as The Princely Court and the Mirauti Church. Accommodation in Suceava – Hotel centrally located

Day 6 Suceava – Republic of Moldavia

Prepare yourself for a trip to Moldavia, a country famous for its wine cellars and one of the largest wine producers in the world.The first landmark of the day is the , it was one of the citadels that formed Moldavia’s defense system. The Citadel was built at the end of the 15th century, and it the only medieval monument in Moldova which was preserved just as it was designed. From Soroca you will head to Chisinau, the capital city of Moldavia. You will visit the most prominent tourist attractions of the city, such as the Triumphal arch and the Stephen the Great Park. Before calling it a day, you will visit the local flea market. Accommodationin Chisinau – Hotel centrally located

Day 7 Chisinau

Early in the morning, you will take a trip to the Tipova Cave Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in Moldova. It was carved in stone on the bank of the Nistru River and it is believed that the oldest of its cells dates back to the 11th century. Next up you will visit the Old Orhei historical and archeological complex. You will also visit the Orhei Fort, a Moldovan citadel placed alongside the Răut River. As you will head back to Chisinau, you will make a short stop at Cricova for a wine tasting session (included). Cricova Winery represents a real underground city, and it is so large that you need to drive through them. Once you arrive in Chisinau, you will head to one of its seven hills to catch a glimpse of the city’s skyline before going back to the hotel. Accommodation in Chisinau – Hotel centrally located

Day 8 Chisinau – Milestii Mici –   Iasi

In the morning you will leave from Chisinau and head to Milestii Mici, the largest underground wine cellar in the world (included). Its tunnels spread over an area of more than 200 kilometers, 55 of which are used for wine storage. Before heading to Iasi, you will make one final stop at Capriana Monastery, one of the oldest and most beautiful monuments in Moldova. Accommodation in Iasi – Hotel centrally located

Day 9 Iasi – Bucharest

After breakfast we depart towards Bucharest where our journey ends.