Treasures of Transylvania

Fly from London to Bucharest and transfer to the 4-star Mercure City Center Hotel or 4-star Hotel Cismigiu for a two-night stay. (9th Jul - Novotel City Centre)

Enjoy a half-day introductory tour of the capital, where landmark sights include the 17th - century Metropolitan Church (aka the Patriarchal Cathedral); the Arcul de Triumf, commemorating WW1 with more than a nod to its Paris equivalent; and a visit to the enormous white edifice of the
Palace of the Parliament, as deep as it is tall, with eight of its twenty storeys underground.
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A walking tour this morning includes Revolution Square, focused on the modern Memorial of Rebirth, and lined with lavish monuments including the former Royal Palace, and the Romanian Athenaeum concert hall, with its Baroque cupola; and characterful Lipscani, the Old Town district, a
beguiling blend of beautiful churches and busy eateries; followed by lunch of local fare at the iconic Hanu lui Manuc Inn /restaurant. In the early evening, enjoy a stroll through lakeside Herastrau Park and the open-air Village Museum, recreating traditional rural life of centuries past, before
transferring to the airport for your flight to Suceava, for overnight at the 4-star Sonnenhof Hotel.
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A varied day begins with visits to two of the best of Bucovina’s Byzantine treasures, the UNESCO World Heritage ‘painted monasteries’. Boasting the most frescoes of the Moldova region’s churches, Sucevita is encircled by fortified walls and defensive towers; while impressive frescoes in the 16thcentury Moldovita Monastery include The Siege of Constantinople and The Tree of Jesse, representing Christ’s genealogy. From here, cross into the Transylvania region via the Tihuta Pass. At 1,100m above sea level, it is the factual road of Bram Stoker’s fictional ‘Borgo Pass’, the route to
Dracula’s realm. With stops enroute for a wine tasting and a late light lunch, continue to Targu Mures for an evening arrival and two-night stay at the 4-star Hotel Privo. 
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Drive to delightfully stroll-able Sighisoara is UNESCO listed as one of the best-preserved medieval towns of southeast Europe. Enjoy a half-day tour within the multi-towered city walls, where a walk through its cobbled lanes passes ornate churches and burgher houses; with some time at leisure for independent exploration before returning to Targu Mures.
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Drive to Biertan to visit the most imposing of the Saxon Fortified Churches. Crowning a hill, encircled by the village below, with its tiered ten-metre-high walls connected by towers, the Gothic/Renaissance style church was built in the 15th century, on the site of an earlier basilica. Continue by
road, stopping for an early lunch at the remote and rural village of Alma Vii, and arriving in historic Brasov in the afternoon, for an orientation walking tour of the city, and a three-night stay at the 4-star Aro Palace Hotel or 4-star Radisson Blu Aurum Hotel.
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A guided half-day tour of Brasov includes visits to the 16th-century St. Nicholas Church, the oldest Orthodox church in Transylvania, which dominates the historic district; and the nearby First Romanian School Museum, with 400 years of history and 4,000 antiquarian books. Afternoon free to
explore and enjoy the town.
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The final full day of your tour takes you back toward Bucharest, via picturesque Sinaia, ‘The Pearl of the Carpathians’, where we visit Peles Castle. The former summer residence of the first Romanian king, the palace is a fairy-tale confection of wood and marble, towers and spires, romance and ingenuity. After time to browse in the mountain town, continue to Otopeni, just north of the capital, for an overnight stay at the 4-star Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest Airport, just 350m from the departure terminal. (B)

Make your way to the terminal for your return flight to London.
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