Itinerary Summary Tour map Price table How to book
The tour of Romania from Cluj-Napoca was designed for tourists who are choosing the beautiful Transylvanian city to begin their trip to Romania. We designed it as a private trip, for a small group. The thematic of this trip is a mixture of culture, history, nature, culinary and local experiences.
Tour details
Our custom tour of Romania from Cluj is a 10-days trip. This way, you will have enough time to profoundly explore the country, at a comfortable pace. We will travel around the country, from Cluj to Maramures, Bucovina, back to Transylvania and then to Bucharest. The trip itinerary is flexible, so at our guest’s request, we can adjust it to fit their agenda and the time available.
The price starts from 750 EUR/person. This price is valid for a group of 8 persons and for an average price of accommodation of a maximum of 70 EUR/night for a double room, including breakfast. Please see below the price per person, depending on the group size. The hotels or guesthouses where we will stay will be chosen together; we will give you a few options and you will have the final word regarding the accommodation. Depending on the hotels you choose and the final itinerary, the price can change, so, for a custom offer please contact us.
Level of physical activity: Moderate. Our guests need to be able to walk a maximum of 5 km per day or climb stairs.
Itinerary
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
Tour map:
Price table
Group Size | Currency | Price |
---|---|---|
8 | EUR | 750 | 7 | EUR | 850 |
6 | EUR | 880 |
5 | EUR | 1050 |
4 | EUR | 1150 |
3 | EUR | 1500 |
2 | EUR | 1950 |
sgl supplement | EUR | 330 |
*for groups larger than 78 persons, please ask for a customised offer
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