The private tour of Romania from Cluj-Napoca

The tour of Romania will start in Cluj-Napoca: we will meet you in at the airport, and after the transfer to your hotel, we will start exploring the city. We will have a guided tour in the old town, discovering the rich history of Cluj-Napoca and its architectural gems: majestic Gothic churches or elegant Baroque or Art-Nouveau palaces. Cluj-Napoca is the largest city in Transylvania, a vibrant city, with the largest student community outside Bucharest. It is not surprising that the most important music festivals are organized in Cluj-Napoca, and all throughout the year, the bohemian atmosphere radiates from every corner of the historical district.

Cluj-Napoca: Union Square

Today we will leave Cluj-Napoca, heading for the beautiful region of Maramures.
The first visit will be at Sapanta, in the far northern part of the country. There we will visit the unique Merry Cemetery . The crosses in the cemetery are painted in vivid colours, and the epitaph carved on the cross depicts in a few verses in popular style the life of the person buried there.
Then, we will go to Sighet, where we will visit one of the prisons where the Communist regime chained the Romanian elite, after WW2. The day will end with a visit to a UNESCO wooden church, where we will learn more about the spirituality and craftsmanship of Maramures people. Overnight in Maramures, at a guesthouse in a traditional village.
Distance: 250km, driving time: 4 hours

Sapanta: the Merry Cemetery

We will start the day visiting local craftsmen. Depending on the season and their availability, we can visit a woodcarver, a weaver or see the traditional installation, based on the force of water, used to clean the rugs or other clothes. And if we are lucky, maybe we will visit a “horinca – local fruit alcohol” distillery. In the afternoon, we will leave Maramures, and after driving over a few mountain passes, we will start the Bucovina part of our tour of Romania. Overnight in Bucovina
Distance: 200 km, driving time: 4 hours

Traditional wooden gate from Maramures

If you can allow spending an extra day in Maramures and you are interested in, we can experience a steam train ride in Viseu. Started as a logging train more than a century ago, nowadays the train is mostly used for tourism. The 30 kilometres long narrow gauge track winds through the Vaser River valley, deep in the heart of the Carpathian forests. The ride takes 5 hours back and forth, and at the end o the line we will be able to enjoy a show of traditional music and dance.

The steam train in Maramures

Today we will visit 3 of the 8 UNESCO painted monasteries of Bucovina: Moldovita, Sucevita and Voronet. We will learn about medieval art and architecture in Moldova and we will try to discover some of the secrets the artists hid in the outside frescos. Between the visits of the painted monasteries, we will visit a small private museum, dedicated to the painted eggs. The collection is made of over 7000 dyed and decorated eggs from Romania and the rest of the world. The painted egg for Easter is a popular tradition in Romania, and Bucovina has the most skilled artists, specialized in decorating the egg with elaborate motifs.
Distance: 150 km, driving time: 2.5 hours

Pilgrims at Moldovita monastery

We will return to Transylvania, crossing the Borgo Pass, the mysterious place where Bram Stoker placed the Dracula’s Castle. We will have the possibility to lunch at a sheepfold on the pass or on the shores of Colibita Lake, the place with the purest air in Romania. We will continue the day with a short visit in Targu Mures, where we can admire the elegant Secession style buildings. At the end of the day, we will reach Sighisoara, one of the last medieval citadels still inhabited in Europe. One of the seven Saxon towns in Transylvania, Sighisoara became even more popular due to its links with the Wallachian prince Vlad the Impaler aka Dracula, who presumably was born in this place.
Overnight in Sighisoara.
Distance: 300 km, driving time: 5 hours
Optional stop: Wine tasting at Liliac wineries.

Sighisoara, view of the citadel

Today we will head to Sibiu, the charming former European Capital of Culture in 2007. Before reaching Sibiu we will stop at a fortified church, UNESCO World Heritage Site – Biertan. It is a good opportunity to learn more about the Saxons, their fortified churches and their traditions and customs.
Then, after arriving in Sibiu, we will spend the rest of the day exploring the old town: during the guided tour we will see the main sights in the former medieval city: The Large Square, the Small, Square, Liar’s Bridge or the Council Tower.
Overnight in Sibiu
Distance: 120 km, driving time: 2 hours

Large Square in Sibiu

It is time for the first meeting with a castle in Transylvania. It is the Corvin Castle of Hunedoara Castle, the largest castle in Romania, built in the Gothic style in the 15th century. The castle, the former residence of the governor of Transylvania, Ioan Corvin and later, of his son Matias Corvin, the king of Hungary, impresses from the first glance with its tall turrets, gothic embroideries or the front drawbridge.
After the visit, we will head back to Sibiu, to spend the afternoon at the Astra Open Air Museum. Located in a beautiful natural setting, in the middle of a forest, the museum has a large collection of over 300 houses and traditional installations from every corner of Romania.

Corvin Castle in Hunedoara county

Today we will have a road trip on Transfagarasan, the mountain road that climbs sinuously on the Carpathian ridges. We will enjoy jaw-dropping views, we will breathe the fresh air of the mountains and we will stop many times to capture the beauty of Balea Waterfall, Balea Lake or the road itself.
In the afternoon we will arrive in Brasov, the beautiful medieval town at the foot of the mountains, where we will spend the night. We will use the afternoon to explore the old city, walking through the coloured buildings, behind the medieval walls or we will take the cable car up to Mount Tampa, for a sensational view over the city.

The Council Square in Brasov

The ninth day of our tour in Romania will be dedicated to castles. First, we will visit Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle. The small fortress in the southeast corner of Transylvania has little in common with the infamous vampire, but its story is no less captivating.
Then we will visit a different castle, from another era. We switch from a 15th-century castle to a 19th-century palace: Peles. Peles Castle was built by the first king of Romania to become the residence of his new dynasty. When it was completed, it was one of the most modern buildings in the world: it was equipped with electricity, telegraph, telephone, air conditioning, it had even installed elevators. In addition to comfort, Peles Castle was the reflection of the remarkable aesthetic taste of the Romanian sovereign: an eclectic style from which it stands out the German influences, the king’s country of origin.
Then, we will head to Bucharest, where we will spend the night.

Bran Castle

The last day of our tour of Romania from Timisoara will be dedicated to exploring Bucharest. We will visit the Parlament Palace, the largest civil building in the world and we will have a tour of the historical district of Bucharest, once called the little Paris.

Bucharest – Parlament Palace