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Day 1, aprox. 25km.: meeting Romania…
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Program:
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Arrival at Bucharest Otopeni international airport at ….o'clock. Transfer from airport to
the hotel in Bucharest. After dinner the group will have a get-to-know evening at the hotel
in order to get acquainted to one another and to be briefly informed about the program of the whole tour.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 1st and 2nd days in Bucharest
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Day 2, aprox. 25km.: Bucharest, little Paris
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Program:
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Sightseeing of Bucharest, the most interesting places worth to visit in the capital of Romania.
Lunch in a famous restaurant, local cuisine specialties.
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Day 3, approx. 200 km.: Introducing Transylvania…
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Itinerary:
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Bucharest - Târgoviste - Sinaia - Moeciu
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Program:
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First stop of the day is in Târgoviste where we will enjoy a visit to the remains of the old
court, the royal residence of Vlad the Impaler. Sinaia, one of the most famous mountain resorts
is also well-known for its Peles Castle, the private residence of Romanian kings, erected in
the time of King Carol I.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 3rd and 4th days in Moeciu, in a very stylish hotel, located at the
feet of the Bucegi Mountains, in a splendid picturesque area
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Day 4, approx. 100 km.: Castles and legends in the Carpathian bend
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Itinerary:
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Bran - Brasov - Sacele
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Program:
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Bran Castle is one of the most famous visited sites in Romania, mainly due to the myth of
Dracula connected to the castle. Râsnov is a Saxon peasant castle built for protecting
the villagers in case of sieges. The road will guide us across the Postavarul Mountains
to the most visited winter sport resort, Poiana Brasov where we will serve lunch in a famous
fancy restaurant, Sura Dacilor (The Dacians Shed).
After lunch the group will have a sightseeing tour and program at leisure in the beautiful
medieval city of Brasov, the biggest Saxon town and important Saxon cultural centre. One of
the highlights of the day will be the folkloric dancing show performed by a young Hungarian
Csángó ensemble in Sacele, near Brasov.
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Day 5, approx. 190 km.: Revealing the mystery of Count Dracula
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Itinerary:
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Prejmer - Viscri - Sighisoara - Odorheiul Secuiesc - Zetea
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Program:
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Prejmer, a stronghold built in the time of the Teutonic Knights and partly reshaped by the famous
Cistercian order, it measures up to the European standards of gothic style. Next stop will be in
Viscri, probably the most beautiful shaped Saxon fortified church.
Sighisoara is the most representative preserved Saxon citadel of Transylvania and it is partly
famous for being the birthplace of Count Vlad Tepes. After lunch in the "Dracula house" the group
will have a walking tour in the citadel visiting the Lutheran churches, walking up and down the
narrow streets and having program at leisure as well. All the three sites mentioned above are
included in the World Heritage Patrimony. Last stop is at the accommodation place in the territory
of the Szeklers, a Hungarian ethnic group of Romania. In the village of Zetea the group will be
welcomed with a nice Szekler folkloric program.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 5th, 6th and 7th days in a traditional Szekler village, in private houses, with very high level of services.
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Day 6, approx. 190 km.: Through Szeklerland
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Itinerary:
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Miercurea Ciuc - Ghimes-Faget
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Program:
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we will cross the Hargita Mountains which is the largest non-active volcanic mountain of
Romania and we will stop at the mineral water spring Lobogó, After crossing the main Szekler
city of Miercurea Ciuc, the bus will take us to the so called area of the Csángós, a Hungarian
ethnic group isolated in the mountains that is living at the border of the Szeklerland.
In one of these csángó villages we will take part at a very interesting folkloric program
and we will serve as lunch local dairy products at a sheepfold on a mountain slope.
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Day 7, approx. 150 km.: Relaxation in Szeklerland
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Itinerary:
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Corund - Sovata - Câmpul Cetatii
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Program:
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The first stop of the day is Corund where we will have free shopping program.
Corund is famous for its pottery-making centers and there are dozens of shops
selling all kinds of merchandize as souvenirs. Afterwards, we will serve as lunch
a meal consisting of trout fish and so called "mamaliga" (local, traditionally prepared polenta)
in Câmpul Cetatii; after lunch we will have a bathing program in the salt lakes of Sovata
and we will learn about the strange phenomena of heliothermia. Last stop is at our
accommodation place where we will be entertained again with a short Szekler folkloric program.
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Day 8, approx. 280 km.: Travel to Bucovina
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Itinerary:
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Gheorgheni - Bicaz - Vatra Dornei - Voronet
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Program:
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Lacu Rosu ("Killer Lake") is protected for its singleness among other natural sites.
Next to the lake is Cheile Bicazului (the "Bicaz Gorge"), the most impressive canyon
of Transylvania where the group will have an easy relaxing walk through the gorge.
On our way up north to Bucovina we will cross the picturesque valley of Bistrita Aurie
("Golden Bistrita"). Our accommodation place will be in Voronet village, located
in the heart of Bucovina, the region mostly famous for the inside-outside
painted monasteries.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 8th day in Voronet, in a 4**** star pension.
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Day 9, approx. 210 km.: Bucovina and Maramures.
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Itinerary:
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Voronet - Sucevita - Moldovita - Câmpulung Moldovenesc - Borsa
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Program:
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This day is mostly dedicated to three of the northern monasteries of Romania, all World Heritage Sites.
Voronet, the "Sistine Chapel of the East" is the most famous painted monastery of Bucovina; Sucevita
is a massive and fortified painted monastery; among all, Moldovita could be considered the most
beautifully shaped monastery. Here we will meet Tatiana guide-nun who will give us a complete image
of Bucovina and its monasteries. After leaving this mythical area we will cross the high Prislop-pass
(1416 m.) that takes us to another very interesting and maybe, the most beautiful ethnographical area
of Romania - the archaic Maramures region.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 9th day in Borsa, in a 3*** star hotel.
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Day 10, approx. 350 km.: Leaving Maramures and Romania behind…
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Itinerary:
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Ieud - Sighetul Maramatiei - Satu Mare - Nyíregyháza - Tokaj
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Program:
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Ieud is a very beautiful and characteristic village of Maramures where we will
visit two wooden churches - one is included in the World Heritage List - and a very
interesting local museum where we will learn about the Maramures people, their
crafts and living habits; Bârsana (photo-op); in Sighetul Marmatiei before lunch
we will visit the prison museum. The prison used to be one of the most frightful
centers of detention in the communist regime. The town is also famous for being
the birthplace of Elie Wiesel and for its beautiful open-air museum; Sapânta holds
the "Merry Cemetery" - one of biggest attractions of Romania, a strange and peculiar
cemetery, worth to include it in all the travel plans of upper Romania;
after Satu Mare we will leave Romania behind and by crossing the Romanian-Hungarian
border the road will quickly guide us towards Tokaj-Hegyalja region of Hungary, maybe
the most famous wine region of the country. We will have a wine-tasting program and
dinner in Tolcsva, in a very old cellar, in a very pleasant atmosphere. From Tolcsva
we travel 10 km more to our accommodation place, in a very stylish hotel.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 10th day in Tokaj region (3*** star hotel with sauna and bathing facilities).
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Day 11, approx. 300 km.: The taste of Hungary
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Itinerary:
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Tokaj - Hollóko - Budapest
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Program:
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Tokaj gives the name to the entire wine region: sightseeing tour in the
centre of the town; the village of Hollóko is the main attraction in the
northern part of Hungary, called Palócland - World Heritage Site: walking
tour in the village and lunch - traditional Hungarian dishes. Palócland is
a distinctive ethnographical area of Hungary, mainly because of its people,
dressing style, dialect etc. The last stop is at the hotel in Budapest,
capital of Hungary.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 11th and 12th days in Budapest
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Day 12: Splendors of Budapest
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Program:
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The entire day is dedicated to Budapest: sightseeing tour and program at leisure.
Tradition lunch in a fancy restaurant.
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Day 13, approx. 25 km.: The last day…
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Program:
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transfer from the hotel to the Budapest Ferihegy airport. Departure at…o'clock
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~ end of program ~
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