Day 4: July 28, Wednesday: Plovdiv – Kazanluk – Shipka Pass- Veliko Turnovo
This morning we travel north through the world-famous Valley of Roses (fields in full blossom May 25-June 20) and Valley of the Thracian Kings (in UNESCO’s World Heritage list since 1979). After visiting one of the richest and best-preserved Thracian Tombs in the area and the exquisite gold-domed Shipka Memorial Church, we will cross the Balkan range through the scenic Shipka Pass and stop again at Etur. A beautifully set open-air live Village Museum depicting authentic housing and crafts traditions from the past centuries. Meet local craftsmen. Lunch en route. Afternoon arrival in Veliko Turnovo, built on the steep cliffs of the meandering Yantra river gorge. We’ll walk aroundremains of fortress walls, palaces and churches on the emblematic Tsarevets Hill, visit the famous Samovodska Street, where in the beautifully lined-up little shops, we will meet pastry cooks, master goldsmiths, potters and wood carvers willing to talk and sell their articles! Today Veliko Turnovo is a fusion of romantic scenery, its distinctive historical ambience and vibrant student life. (B, L). Overnight at family-owned Gurko Boutique Hotel.Day 4 – Plovdiv – Shipka Pass – Veliko Turnovo

Arrival in Bucharest. Meet our guide at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Check-in. Welcome dinner at the hotel. Overnight at 4* hotel/Bucharest 

Romanian dancers greet you!

BUCHAREST

Breakfast at the hotel. Half day sightseeing tour of Bucharest is a perfect way to familiarize yourself with the five-century-old capital of Romania. Stopover in the Revolution Square and in the Constitution Square, in front of the Palace of Parliament, Ceausescu’s huge dream, now reality due to the enormous sacrifices of the Romanian people, the second largest building in the world, being surpassed only by the Pentagon building in Washington. The tour includes visits to the Metropolitan Church (Patriarchal Church), to the Synagogue/Coral Temple, to the Village and Folk Art Museum – the largest in Europe, containing over 110 houses and old wooden churches and 11,000 objects of folk art, transported from all over the country. Drive by the Romanian Athenaeum, the former Royal Palace, the Town Hall, the Opera House, the Cotroceni Palace, the Military Academy, the University Square and the Arch of Triumph, which gives the city a taste of Paris. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Afternoon meeting with Romanian folk choreographer and a pair of dancers. Dinner at a traditional restaurant. Overnight in Bucharest at the same 4* hotel.

Ceaușescu Palace in Bucharest

Day 10: August 3, Tuesday: BUCHAREST – CURTEA DE ARGES – SIBIU 
Breakfast at the hotel.  Morning departure to Curtea de Arges, Wallachia’s former capital city, for a visit to Curtea de Arges Monastery, built between 1512-1515.  Master Manole’s Church is one of the outstanding churches in Romania, famous for its architecture, where, according to the legend, Master Manole, the builder, entombed his wife in the stone walls. A short drive from here will take you to the Vidraru Dam, an impressive construction on the Arges River. Pass by Poienari Castle, the real castle of Vlad Tepes, built around the 13th century, a real challenge for the visitors, being situated on a cliff of a canyon. In order to reach the castle and enjoy the amazing scenery, the visitors need to climb about 1480 steps. Lunch en route. Travel north through the beautiful Olt River Valley into Transylvania, translated from Latin as the “Land across the forest” with stop over for visiting Cozia Monastery, the oldest one in Romania, being built at the end of the 14^th century. Late afternoon arrival in Sibiu, European Cultural Capital in 2007. Folk dancing, dinner and accommodation in Sibiu at a 4* hotel.

Pastoral scene in Sibiel

Day 11: August 4, Wednesday: SIBIU – SIBIEL – SIBIU 
Breakfast at the otel. Morning walking tour of the old part of Sibiu (mediaeval Sibiu), with its narrow streets; pass across Liars bridge, visit the Evangelic Cathedral, the Council Tower and the Catholic Church, beautiful art monuments and discover this citadel built by Saxons, where history, art and folklore blend to tourists’ delight. A visit in Sibiu will not be complete without a glimpse at least of the Open-Air ASTRA Museum of Folkloric Traditional Civilization situated in the Dumbrava Forest; marvel at the unique old houses with genuine furniture and handmade rugs, clothes wooden craft objects in exquisite colors made by skilled artisans. A short drive from here will take you to Sibiel village for visiting the Museum of icons painted on glass; in this area, enjoy the flavors of the area’s traditional cuisine at lunch. After lunch return to Sibiu for enjoying the dance lesson with a few members of one of the top ensembles in Romania (2 h). Dinner and overnight at the same 4* hotel in Sibiu. 

Breakfast at the hotel. Morning walking tour of Sighisoara, the most beautiful and best preserved, still inhabited, medieval citadel in the central and South-Eastern Europe, listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a peek to the the most sought place here, Vlad Dracul House, the very place where prince Vlad Tepes, the Impaler, was born; it has been turned into a museum-like restaurant full of old flavors and artifacts.  Stop in front of the Clock Tower in the small square where artisans and painters usually present their work, climb the covered wooden staircase to the Church on the Hill, wander through the town’s narrow streets with beautiful original architecture, pass by the Antler House, the Venetian House, original towers and secluded squares; you will feel that, due to the quiet, peaceful atmosphere, time seems to stand still here, trapped in the Middle Ages. Lunch in the area. Afternoon departure to Brasov travelling though Transylvania. Lunch en route. Dinner. Overnight at a  3* hotel in Brasov – Poiana Brasov area. 

Timisoara: Dancers from Romania in traditional costume, present at the international folk festival, “International Festival of hearts” organized by the City Hall.

Day 13: August 6, Friday: BRASOV, BRAN CASTLE (Dracula’s Castle) 
9:00 AM – This morning, after breakfast at the hotel, you will find out that the main city of the area, Brasov, nested in the Central Carpathians, is situated at the meeting point of the three Romanian regions: Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania. Enjoy a walking tour of the old part of this beautiful medieval town, with attractive Saxon architecture, including the Council Square, the famous Black Church, the largest Gothic Church between Vienna and Istanbul and the extremely pleasant, cobbled streets and alleys packed with boutiques, cafes, shops, cafeterias and feel the special romantic medieval atmosphere harmoniously blend with modern life.  Lunch en route. About 1 h drive, will bring you to Bran Castle, widely known as Dracula’s Castle, after Bram Stoker’s famous novel inspired by these places and our harsh ruler, Vlad the Impaler. It was built at the beginning of the 13th century by Knight Dietrich of the Teutonic Order, having a strategic mission being at the border between Transylvania and Wallachia. In the XX century, the Castle became a royal residence. Now it is open for visitors eager to broaden their history knowledge and thirsty of fabulous legends. Enjoy a traditional meal, with a tasty Romanian menu, at a native restaurant. Overnight at a 3* hotel in Brasov – Poiana Brasov area. 

Bran Castle where Dracula Dwells

Day 14: August 7, Saturday: BRASOV – SINAIA – BUCHAREST 
Breakfast at the hotel. Drive south, crossing the beautiful Southern Carpathian Mountains, through Prahova Valley, and stop-over in Sinaia mountain resort, well-known as the “Pearl of the Carpathians”. Situated on the outskirts of this resort city, amidst lovely sculpture gardens and fountains, surrounded by mountains, Peles Royal Castle is an exquisitely detailed landmark, a masterpiece of German New-Renaissance architecture. Rivaling the castle itself is the beautiful natural setting in which it stands. Once the summer residence of Romania’s kings, this spectacular castle, built at the end of the 19th century, is now one of Romania’s most beautiful museums, displaying priceless collections of weaponry, hand woven silk rugs and furniture, ceramics, and sculptures. Lunch en route. A couple of hours drive will have you back to Bucharest just in time for a few hours on your own. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at a 4* hotel in Bucharest,

Romanian Folk Dancers say goodbye

Day 15, August 8, Sunday
Breakfast at hotel, then departure to the airport for the flight back home.

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