Following the famous Dracula Legend

Following the famous Dracula Legend

Day 1: arrival in Romania - Cluj-Napoca                                                                                           

Arrival at Cluj-Napoca International Airport.

Welcome by your English speaking guide.

Transfer and check-in at your hotel in Cluj-Napoca.

Accommodation in Cluj-Napoca.

Day 2: Cluj-Napoca - Piatra Fantanele - breakfast, dinner

Breakfast.

Cluj-Napoca walking city tour: St. Michael Church, The University, Evangelical Church, Mathias Corvin Memorial House, National Theatre, Orthodox Cathedral.

Departure to Piatra Fantanele, in Borgo Pass, in the heart of Carpathian Mountains, the famous place described by Bram Stocker in his novel “Dracula”. This is our first “meeting” with Dracula Legend.

Dracula show followed by dinner in “Hotel Castel Dracula”.

Accommodation in Piatra Fantanele.

Day 3: Piatra Fantanele - Bistrita - Reghin - Sighisoara - breakfast, dinner

Breakfast.

If will be clear weather, we will enjoy the unique landscape over the mountains.

Departure to Reghin, Romania’s capital of violin industry

Short stop in Bistrita, one of the seven cities which founded in the Middle Age “Sieben Burgen”, an alliance between seven Saxon cities in Transylvania. Visit of Evangelical Church, the landmark of the city.

We continue to Reghin. Visit of ‘Gliga Violin Factory”.

You will be told how a violin is made and at the end, you can buy a violin.

Departure to Sighisoara, the second place in our itinerary, connected to “Dracula Legend”.

Arrival in Sighisoara.

Sighisoara is the only medieval citadel in Europe!

In this beautiful city, the famous Prince Vlad Tepes (called “Vlad the Impeller”) was born in 1431, in the house “Casa Vlad Dracul”. The name Dracul/Dracula comes from the medieval order of dragons which counted among its members, Prince Vlad the IInd Dracul, father of Vlad Tepes. The connection between Vlad Tepes, the Prince of Wallachia is, of course, just a fiction used by novelist(s) or film maker(s). Vlad Tepes was a strong defender of Christianity, defeating many times Otoman Empire.

Sighisoara is the only medieval citadel in Europe, entirely and continuously inhabited since its construction, also UNESCO Patrimony. Walking tour to see famous places and monuments: a few of 9 over 14 medieval towers of the medieval city; among these, Clock Tower is the most well preserved and held the City Museum. We will see famous houses: Vlad Dracul House (XVth century; in this house was born Vlad Tepes in 1431), Venetian House and Stag House. Staircase will help us to get to the top of the Citadel. We will visit also the Church of the Hill, the third largest catholic cathedral in Romania (after the Black Church in Brasov and saint Michael’s Cathedral in Cluj-Napoca)

Dinner with folklore show.

Accommodation in Sighisoara.

Day 4: Sighisoara - Biertan - Medias - Alba Iulia - Geoagiu Bai - breakfast, dinner

Breakfast.

Departure to Biertan, maybe the most famous Transylvanian Saxon village. It was the Religious Capital of Transylvanian Saxons. Visit of Biertan Fortified Church, the most prestigious on UNESCO Patrimony List, among the seven Fortified Transylvanian Saxon Churches. For almost 300 years, between 1572 and 1867, Biertan was the Headquarter of Saxonian Transylvanian Archbishop, an architectural jewel.

Departure to Medias, one of the seven „Sieben Burgen”: Medias/Mediasch, Brasov/Kronstadt, Sibiu/Hermannstadt, Cluj-Napoca/Klausenburg, Bistrita/Bistritz, Orastie/Grossau, Sighisoara/Schassburg (plus Reghin/Sachsisch Regen and Sebes/Mullbach)

Medias one hour walking tour: Cathedral, Stephan Ludwig Roth College, Covered Stairs, Castle Square, Maria’s Tower.

Departure to Alba Iulia, Romania’s Union Capital.

Alba Iulia city tour. We start with “Reunification Cathedral”, also called “Coronation Cathedral”, that was built between 1921 and 1922. This is the Cathedral, where on October 15th 1922, was crowned Ferdinand and Maria, as King and Queen of United Romania, called “Great Romania”. After that, we will visit the Catholic Cathedral of Alba Iulia, then we will admire Princiary Palace and Equestrian Statue of Mihai Viteazul/Michael the Brave. Michael the Brave was the first Prince in Romanian history, to achieve Unification of the three historical Romanian Provinces: Transylvania, Moldova and Tara Romaneasca (Wallachia), on November 01-st 1599. Nearby are the two buildings of Union Museum and many sculptures/bust of greatest Romanian figures to participate at Romanian Unification at 01-st December 1918. We will visit then „Alba Carolina” Vauban style medieval citadel, masterpiece of Vauban style. We will complete the tour of the three gates and, if we will have chance, maybe we’ll attend guard change. At the end of the tour, we will visit the cell where were imprisoned the heroes Horia, Closca and Crisan, the leaders of Horea, Closca and Crisan Revolt, in 1784.

Departure to Geoagiu Bai.

Dinner.

Accommodation in Geoagiu Bai.

Day 5: Geoagiu Bai - Hunedoara - Sibiu - breakfast, dinner                          

Breakfast.

We depart Sfantu Gheorghe by speedboat and return to Murighiol.

We are in the historical region called Dobrogea, and from here we leave by bus to Urlati, in a famous winemaking area, located in Prahova County, in the region named Wallachia.

Here, we will visit Urlateanu Manor, a wine cellar built in 1922 and recently restored.
You will have the opportunity to visit the cellar, then after a short presentation on how the wine is made, we will finish, of course, with wine tasting.
You have here the chance to buy some quality Romanian wine for your collection.
We’ll enjoy a traditional lunch, at the property’s restaurant.
We continue to Sinaia.

In Sinaia we will visit Peles Castle, Romania’s most beautiful castle, former Romanian Royal Family summer residence. Today a very rich museum, architectural masterpiece built in German style, between 1875 and 1914.

Departure to Brasov, in the historical region of Transylvania.

Arrival in Brasov.

Dinner with traditional folk show and wine tasting at a local restaurant.

Transfer to the hotel.

Accommodation in Brasov.

Day 6: Sibiu - breakfast, dinner

Breakfast.

Walking tour visit of Sibiu: Grande Square, Little Square, Huet Square, Evangelical Church, Catholic Cathedral, The Lutheran Cathedral of Saint Mary, Orthodox Cathedral, Bridge of Lies, Craftsmen’s Square, Goldsmith Square, City Hall, City Hall Tower, Bruckenthal Museum (inside)

Free afternoon. Shopping time.

Dinner in a traditional Romanian restaurant in Sibiu.

Accommodation in Sibiu.

Day 7: Sibiu - Bran - Brasov - breakfast

Breakfast.

Departure to Bran.

Visit the Bran Castle, listed in Top 10 Most Famous Castles on Earth, connected to Dracula legend, one of Romania’s most prestigious tourist icon. Built at the end of XIVth century, Bran Castle had many owners, including Queen Maria. Today, the owner is Archduke Dominic of Habsburg. Among the most famous guest of the castle was Vlad Tepes in 1462, in his way to Visegrad (the place where he was incarcerated for 12 years). This is our fourth place we visit, connected to “Dracula Legend”.

Departure to Brasov.

Brasov walking city tour: City Hall Square, City Hall, the Cord Street (the narrowest street on Earth!), The Black Church, the icon monument of Brasov. This is the largest catholic church in Romania and the largest one between Vienna and Istanbul, gothic style architecture. Inside the church is one of the largest organs in Romania and also a beautiful collection of oriental carpets.

Brasov counts another attraction such as Saint Nicholas Church, Franciscan Monastery, Brasov Fortress.

Accommodation in Brasov

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Day 8: Brasov - Sinaia - Targoviste - Bucharest - breakfast

Breakfast.

Departure to Sinaia, “The Pearl of the Carpathians”.

Peles Castle visit, an architectural masterpiece former Romanian Royal Family residence, today one of the richest museums of Romania.

Departure to Targoviste, former Capital of Wallachia (Tara Romaneasca), between 1396 and 1714 (with several interruptions, due to Bucharest ascension, which finally remained Capital of Wallachia, of Romania Principality, of Romania Kingdom and today Romania’s Capital).

Targoviste and its Princiary Court, is the fifth place we visit, connected to “Dracula Legend”.

Visit of Targoviste Princiary Court.

Departure to Bucharest.

Accommodation in Bucharest.

Day 9: Bucharest - breakfast

Breakfast.

Bucharest is the sixth place connected to Dracula Legend, that we’ll visit in Romania.

Legend says Bucharest was founded by shepherd Bucur. Another Legend says Bucharest was founded by Mircea cel Batran, the ruling Prince of Wallachia at the end of fourteenth century. But officially, it was Vlad Tepes, Prince of Wallachia at that time, who signed the Act of Attestation of Bucharest, at September 21st 1459.

We will the Parliament Palace, the Second largest building on Earth, after the Pentagon, but first civilian building on Earth! Built under communist regime, now hosts Romanian Parliament and is Romania’s Capital one of the most important landmark.

Continue with panoramic city tour: Romanian Athenaeum, University Square, Revolution Square, Patriarchal Cathedral (only outside visit).

Free afternoon. Shopping time.

Accommodation in Bucharest.

Day 10: Bucharest - departure from Romania - breakfast

Breakfast.

Transfer to the airport, according with your flight schedule.

Departure from Bucharest International Airport.