Drive to Brasov city (also known as Kronstadt) – 2:30 hours. On the way, we’ll stop and visit Peles Castle, the former residence of the royal family. Built at the end of the 19th century, it is a masterpiece of German new-Renaissance architecture, considered by many one of the most stunning castles in Europe.

 In the afternoon, arrive to Brasov and enjoy a walking tour of the old town, one of the seven Saxon fortresses that formed Transylvania. Visit The Council Square, The Black church, Ekaterina’s gate, The rope street, the fortified walls still standing, the white tower. Accommodation in Brasov old town.

Explore the surroundings of Brasov County. This may include trips by bus to Bran Castle (also known as Dracula’s Castle), Prejmer fortified church (UNESCO), built by the Teutonic knights or a 3 hours easy hike between Pestera and Magura mountain villages in Piatra Craiului National Park (we will choose the best activity according to the group and weather conditions). 

Drive to Sighisoara (UNESCO) – 2 hours – On the way stop and visit Viscri Saxon village (UNESCO). Viscri is a remote village with a beautiful 12th century fortified church. Beside the one-room church and the traditional house architecture, we can still find treasures of many Saxon civilization families.  Viscri is the headquarters of Mihai Eminescu Trust (English trustee aims to preserve the village’s fabric, remedy their loss of income and revive their sense of community. The Trust helps the inhabitants to develop new sources of revenue and the restore their houses with sympathetic use of traditional materials).

 Sighisoara is considered to be the most beautiful and complete medieval architectural assemble of Romania and the most beautiful inhabited citadel throughout Europe. Sighisoara is also the birth place of Vlad the Impaler, connected according Bram Stoker’s novel with Count Dracula. The medieval citadel is perched on a hillock and is fortified with a 14th century wall.  Citadel walking tour. 

Malancrav is a delightful quiet and remote village, well away from the mail road and comprising a couple of streets of old houses dominated by a fortified church which is well worth a visit.  The church has preserved interior paintings.

Biertan has the biggest fortified church (UNESCO) in Transylvania and it was the headquarters of the evangelical church.  This region was also very famous for wine production and now, some local families are trying to bring back to life this activity.  The surroundings are bucolic, we can do short walks on the hills for panoramic views. Lunch and wine tasting at the locals in Richis village.  Stay in Sighisoara.

Drive to Cluj Napoca (2 hours), one of the biggest cities in Romania, once the capital of Transylvania.  Close to Cluj, we will visit one of Romania’s gems, Turda salt mine.  It’s considered to be one of the coolest underground places in the world. It’s arranged for tourists with elevators, that will take you deep under 100 m, where you’ll find an impressive underground world with theatre, fares wheel, mini golf, a lake and boats!

Drive to Maramures region, Breb village (3.30 hours). Not far away from Cluj, we will stop and visit the Hungarian village Sic (Szek).  Sic is a special ethnographic space, the majority of Hungarian community in this area still preserving ethnographic traditions.  In 2004, a Dutch citizen bought a so-called dance house on Csipkeszeg Street. He restored this house and organized a museum collection dedicated to traditional dances from Sic. The owner will tell us everything about these dance houses and the Hungarian dance movement…

We will spend the next days roaming in the beautiful countryside, visiting unique wooden churches – UNESCO monuments, the beautiful wooden carved Maramures gates, visit the Merry Cemetery from Sapanta, which is in top 10 most unique cemeteries in the world. Visit the local craftsmen, where they process wool, have distilleries, looms, whirlpools, all powered by water wheels. On Sunday, we have the opportunity to watch the locals dressed in colourful traditional costumes.  Accommodation for 3 nights in Maramures, Breb village, Maramu Pension, or similar.  Meals: Breakfast and Dinner. (fixed menu, cooked by the family with products from their farm).

Drive to Bucovina region – 3.30 hours on Prislop Mountain Pass.  Bucovina, among it’s beautiful landscape is especially famous for the Painted Church, UNESCO Monuments. The churches with external mural paintings of northern Moldavia, built from the late 15th century to the late 16th century to the late 16th, are masterpieces inspired by Byzantine art.  These eight churches of northern Moldavia are unique in Europe.  They are authentic and particularly well preserved. Far from being mere wall decorations, the paintings form a systematic covering on all the facades and represent complete cycles of religious themes. Their exceptional composition, the elegance of the characters, and the harmony of the colours blend perfectly with the surrounding countryside.

Here we will admire beautiful sights on different mountain passes, and we’ll see a completely different  architecture  (Moldavian).  Many locals here are called “Hutzuli” (old Ukranian ethnicity), they speak old Ukran, have different traditional costumes and most of the women make painted eggs with wax.  Many of them reached the level of amazing art. We will attend a workshop at the locals, where we can learn everything about this craft.  There are also a couple of Egg Museums, which have very impressive collections of decorations of decorated eggs from all over the world.

Accommodation for 2 nights in Bucovina, Vama town, Bucovina Lodge (or similar)

Meals: Breakfasts and Dinner (fixed menu, cooked by the locals).

 This itinerary is subject to change.

 Source:  The mind of Flavia