Itinerary
- Day 1
Budapest to Oradea
Your guide picks you up from your hotel in Budapest at 10 AM for the 4-hour drive to Oradea. After lunch, you'll check in and spend the afternoon walking through the city's Vienna Secession architecture, including the Black Eagle Palace, Moon Church, Episcopal Palace, Moskovits Buildings, and the star-shaped Oradea Fortress. Later in the evening, there's a walking tour through the city center and public gardens.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- City tour of Oradea including Black Eagle Palace, Moon Church, Episcopal Palace, Moskovits Buildings, and Oradea Fortress
- Walking tour through city center and public gardens
Landmarks/POIs Black Eagle Palace Moon Church Episcopal Palace Moskovits Buildings Oradea Fortress - Day 2
Oradea to Cluj-Napoca
Following breakfast, you'll head to Cluj-Napoca in Transylvania with a stop at the Turda Salt Mine, which has been transformed into an underground theme park with boat rides, mini golf, and tennis. Lunch happens in Rimetea, a well-preserved traditional village. Once in Cluj, the afternoon covers Saint Michael's Church from the 15th century, Banffy Palace, the Opera House, and Mirror Street during your city tour.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Local lunch in Rimetea, a traditional village)
Included Activities
- Entrance to Turda Salt Mine with activities access
- City tour of Cluj-Napoca including Saint Michael's Church, Banffy Palace, Opera House, and Mirror Street
Optional Activities
- Boat ride on salt mine lake
- Mini golf in salt mine
- Tennis in salt mine
Landmarks/POIs Turda Salt Mine Rimetea Saint Michael's Church Banffy Palace Cluj Opera House Mirror Street - Day 3
Cluj-Napoca to Bukovina
You start in Gherla, the only city in Romania built in Baroque style by Armenian colonists in the 18th century. From there, you'll continue to Bistrita, founded by Saxon colonists, for a city tour and local pies. After passing through the Carpathian Mountains with a stop at Pasul Tihuța for the views, you'll have lunch at a traditional restaurant in Bukovina serving fresh trout. The day finishes at Voroneț Monastery, which features UNESCO-listed painted walls and a distinctive blue color.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional lunch with fresh trout at a local restaurant in Bukovina)
Included Activities
- City tour of Gherla
- City tour of Bistrița
- Entrance to Voroneț Monastery
- Food tasting session with local pies in Bistrița
Landmarks/POIs Gherla Bistrița Pasul Tihuța Voroneț Monastery - Day 4
Bukovina to Piatra Neamț
You'll visit Sucevita Monastery, another UNESCO Painted Monastery and the largest and most complete of the group. The 'Ladder of Virtues' mural here shows thirty values representing redemption and decay. Lunch is at a local restaurant with views of green fields and traditional wooden houses. After that, the Nicolae Popa Museum lets you see a private collection of traditional clothes and objects, and you can wear traditional Romanian outfits for photos. You'll check into your hotel in Piatra Neamț by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Local lunch with fresh products and traditional flavors at a local restaurant with beautiful surrounding views)
Included Activities
- Entrance to Sucevița Monastery
- Visit to Nicolae Popa Museum
- Traditional outfit photo experience at Nicolae Popa Museum
Landmarks/POIs Sucevița Monastery Nicolae Popa Museum - Day 5
Piatra Neamț to Sighișoara
Leaving Piatra Neamț, you'll pass through the Carpathian Mountains into the Bicaz Gorges on one of Romania's most dramatic roads. Upon arriving in Sighișoara, a UNESCO-listed medieval city and Europe's last inhabited fortress, you can climb the 14th-century Clock Tower for views over the city. The Hill Church is reached by climbing 175 wooden Pupils' Stairs and has preserved 15th-century frescoes. You'll stay overnight in this atmospheric medieval city with its street performers.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Entrance to Sighișoara fortress
- Access to Clock Tower and views
- Entrance to Hill Church of Sighișoara
Landmarks/POIs Sighișoara Fortress Clock Tower Hill Church of Sighișoara Bicaz Gorges - Day 6
Sighișoara to Brașov
You'll travel to Viscri, one of Romania's authentically traditional villages, for a horse-drawn carriage ride and time talking with locals about their way of life. Next comes Bran Castle, built in the 14th century by the Teutonic Knights and later a summer home for Queen Marie of Romania, with its famous Dracula connection. In Brașov, you'll see the Black Church, the largest Gothic church between Istanbul and Vienna, then take a walking tour of the Old Town and Council Square. If timing works out, there's an organ recital at the Black Church.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Horse-drawn carriage ride in Viscri
- Entrance to Bran Castle
- Entrance to Black Church
- Walking tour of Brașov Old Town including Council Square
Optional Activities
- Organ recital at Black Church (subject to arrival time)
Landmarks/POIs Viscri Bran Castle Black Church Council Square - Day 7
Brașov to Bucharest
Starting in Sinaia, you'll tour Peleș Castle, one of Europe's beautiful castles and a former summer residence of the Romanian royal family. Then you'll drive about 2 hours to Bucharest, called 'Little Paris.' After lunch at a local restaurant, the afternoon covers the People's Palace, built during Ceaușescu's communist regime. You'll finish with a walking tour of Bucharest's Old Town, known for its active nightlife and historic character.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Entrance to Peleș Castle and guided tour
- Entrance to People's Palace (standard tour)
- Walking tour of Bucharest's Old Town
Landmarks/POIs Peleș Castle Palace of the Parliament Herestrău Park - Day 8
Bucharest
On your final day, you have options depending on what interests you. You can book an optional day trip around Bucharest or to Bulgaria if you'd like, or simply stay in the city. Your airport transfer gets arranged based on your flight schedule.
Optional Activities
- Day trip around Bucharest
- Day trip to Bulgaria
