FASCINATING ROMANIA                10 days / 9 nights

Starting out from Bucharest and passing through Constanta, we will arrive at our most eastern point in Tulcea and visit  the Danube Delta, a paradise for wild life and unspoiled nature. From Tulcea the journey will continue to Piatra Neamt, where  we will  visit the Neamt Monastery , the largest monastery of monks in Romania. Our itinerary includes the most interesting sites of Moldavia; the painted monasteries of northern Moldavia (Moldovita, Sucevita, Humor and Voronet ). After leaving Moldavia we will be charmed by the beautiful land of  Maramures. Setting out from Baia Mare we will enter Transylvania, making a stop in Bistrita, the town from where the adventure of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" begins. Continuing deep into Transylvania, a land overflowing with tales of heroism and mystery, we will visit Sighisoara, one of the last genuine medieval towns in Europe. We will also visit Alba Iulia, and the Huniazilor Castle, the greatest fortress in Romania, before arriving in Sibiu, a charming town steeped in history.

Our tour will also include;  Bran castle, known as "Dracula Castle", Peles Palace, the Sinaia Monastery and the Biertan Church.

Day 1:  BUCHAREST - CONSTANTA - TULCEA
Departure from your hotel in Bucharest in the morning (around 9 a.m.) to Constanta and a sightseeing tour of this Black Sea Coast port.  Continue to Tulcea for overnight stay on the Danube Delta.
Day 2:  TULCEA - THE DANUBE DELTA
Breakfast . Day in Tulcea with a boat tour into the heart of the unspoiled nature reserve of the Danube Delta . Overnight in Tulcea.
Day 3:  TULCEA - PIATRA NEAMT
After breakfast, departure to Piatra Neamt. Overnight in Piatra Neamt.
Day 4:  PIATRA NEAMT - SUCEVITA / GURA HUMORULUI
After breakfast we visit the Neamt Monastery, the oldest in Moldova and the largest men's monastery in Romania. Visits to the Moldovita, Sucevita, Humor and Voronet monasteries, with their medieval frescoes of redemption and damnation that are ablaze in polychromatic splendour. Overnight in Sucevita / Gura Humorului.
Day 5:   SUCEVITA / GURA HUMORULUI - IZA VALLEY - SAPANTA - BAIA MARE
From Moldavia we enter into Maramures, a land of densely forested mountains and scores of villages in a state of almost medieval isolation. Since the Romans never conquered Maramures, unlike other regions in Romania, some aspects of civilisation in these parts appear to have hardly changed since Dacian times. Most buildings are made of wood by craftsmen whose skill is renowned. Passing through the Iza Valley , location of some of the loveliest villages and wooden churches in Maramures, we continue to Sapanta and its Merry Cemetery founded by Stan Ioan Patrascu. It features beautifully worked, colourfully painted headboards carved with portraits of the deceased or scenes of their lives (chosen by relatives) and inscribed with witty vreses and rhymes. Overnight in Baia Mare.
Day 6:  BAIA MARE - CLUJ - BISTRITA
After breakfast, departure to Cluj, the most important cultural town in Transylvania. Accommodation in Bistrita, the town from where the hero of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" begins an unforgetable adventure.
Day7:  BISTRITA - SIGHISOARA
In Sighisoara we  visit the Citadel, with its mighty Clock Tower and the house where Vlad Tepes, Dracula, was born. Overnight in Sighisoara or Albesti(6 km).
Day 8:  SIGHISOARA - ALBA IULIA - HUNIAZILOR CASTLE - SIBIU Departing from Sighisoara we continue to Alba Iulia,  a very important town in the unification of modern Romania. Then we go to Hunedoara and visit the Huniazilor Castle, the greatest fortress in Romania, before arriving in Sibiu for our overnight stay.
Day 9:  SIBIU - FAGARAS - BRASOV -BRAN - TIRGOVISTE
Stopping at Fagaras to admire its fortress, the tour continues to Brasov. We visit the old medieval centre of the town and the famous Black Church, so called for its blackened walls as a result of a great fire,started by the Austrians, who invaded Brasov in 1689. The most amazing thing about this Lutheran church is that it displays a collection of Islamic prayer rugs. It is also famous for its organ recitals on this 4000-pipe instrument. We then pass through the beautiful county of Rasnov and visit  Bran . The castle was originally  built in 1377 to safeguard the vital route between Walachia and Transylvania and is known nowadays as "Dracula Castle" because of its associations with Vlad Tepes (the Impaler). The route continues through a resplendent region of breath-taking beauty. The area around Cimpulung is famous for its megalithic stone structures, which are said to be proof of an extremely old civilisation. After visiting the Namaiesti rock church, with its ancient and miraculous icon and cells carved in stone we arrive for our overnight stay in Tirgoviste.
Day 10:  TIRGOVISTE - SINAIA - BUCURESTI
After visiting the Princely Court in Targoviste we continue to Sinaia to visit the monastery and of the Peles Palace, before the final leg and the end of our tour in Bucharest

Departure dates from Bucharest: Please contact Fantastic Tours for latest details

Tour Prices: 985 Euros per person (equiv. £670)

Single room supplement: add 180 Euros (equiv. £122)

Included in the tour price:

• 9 nights bed & breakfast in quality hotels

• English-speaking guide

• De-luxe coach / minibus on the tour

• Visits and entrance fees as per programme

Remember to add-on; flights, transfers and Bucharest hotels if required.

For reservations, information or assistance, please contact:

Email: james@justromania.co.uk    Tel: 01243 536323

or the agency in Bucharest: Email: fantastic@fantastictours.ro