Unesco Sites and Food tour

On request we can offer travel services before or after the main tour, such as: hotel in Bucharest, airport transfers, day tours in Bucharest. Please send us your request by email at office@visittransilvania.ro

Starting point: Bucharest

Ending Point: Bucharest

Total distance: approx. 1900 km (1200 miles)

Total driving time: approx. 28 hrs.

Average daily driving time: approx. 4 hrs

Overnights in:  Brasov Old Town, Bicaz Lake, Botiza village - Maramures, Sighisoara Old Town

In the morning between 8.00-9.00 AM we’ll organize a pick-up from the hotels located in the central part of Bucharest. We’ll have a panoramic tour of Bucharest. Highlights: Parliament Palace, Revolution Square, Athenaeum, Royal Palace, Triumph Arch, Victoriei Avenue, etc
Then we’ll travel on the route to Transylvania crossing the scenic Carpathians mountains using the beautiful Prahova Valley.
First stop we’ll be in the mountain town of Sinaia to visit the Peles Castle, former summer residence of the kings of Romania. 
Next we will be at the famous Bran castle, a 14th century castle with a rich history and a former “gate” of Transylvania. After the Bran Castle visit you can spend a short time for souvenir's shopping.
End the day in Brasov, an old medieval town dating since 13th century.
Overnight in a 3 star hotel located in the Old Town.

Breakfast. We’ll start the day with a visit of the historical center of Brasov, Walking tour in the Old Town of Brasov, having an old history since 1235. The main sites are: Council Square, Black Church, White and Black Towers, Weaver’s Bastion and Ecaterina’s Gate, The Rope’s street, etc.
We will like to surprise you with a sweet gift, a sample of couple cookies made in Grandma's style. 
There are homemade cookies following old recipes which are hard if not impossible to find in any standard cake shop. Enjoy them along the route.
Next stop and visit at Prejmer Fortress (UNESCO) a great , one of the best preserved of its kind in Eastern Europe and a unique sample of a religious and defensive structure, characteristic for Transylvania.
It is time to leave Transylvania and continue our experience with new regions – Moldova & Bucovina, the East part of Romania. But first we’ll have to cross the Eastern Carpathians mountains using again a very scenic route. We’ll stop at Red Lake to find more about how this lake was created and the story behind it. It is also the time to have a dessert, a “kurtos kalacs”, a Hungarian speciality.
The route continues crossing the Bicaz Gorges, a really amazing place. Stop there for a short walk along the gorges.
Moldova, the eastern Romanian region will welcome us with another special place, the Bicaz Dam. Built in 1950 at the end of the Izvorul Muresului barrier lake, also known as Bicaz lake. It is the largest artificial lake from Romania. We’ll drive along the lake to our accommodation place, the Lostrita pension***, located on the shore of Bicaz lake, facing the Ceahlau mountains. It is a family runed hotel, with a great location, great views and excellent food.
Special Dinner in the Moldavian style. 3 course dinner plus water, 1 beer or a glass of local wine are included.

Breakfast. Today we’ll drive up north to visit Bucovina and its famous painted monasteries (UNESCO sites). In the morning we’ll drive along the Bicaz lake and the beautiful Rarau mountains.
We will visit the Voronet Monastery (UNESCO), founded in 1488 by Stephen the Great . It is famous for its original frescoes, the blue background colour and the best preserved and the most impressive representation of the Last Judgment.
Next stop at Moldovita monastery (UNESCO), dating back from 1532 and is due to the ruling prince Petru Rares. It has the aspect of a fortress, with imposing towers and high, thick walls. 
Today we have a busy program and to save time we’ll have picnic lunch with products prepared by our host on Bicaz lake. It’s a chance to try Romanian style meat products, sausages, cheese, bread and fruits.
Our route will include a passing through the charming Ciocanesti village known for its picturesque painted houses.
We’ll cross the Carpathians mountains toward Maramures – the Northern region of Romania famous for its wooden churches, wooden gates and well preserved traditions. Enjoy the mountains and forest scenery of the Prislop Pass.
A special visit will be in a small but very interesting place: the  Maramures Woman Museum – Dragomiresti, where we can see how people from Maramures used to live, to find more about their traditions and customs. At the entrance of the museum is an impressive wooden gate, a good moment for your tour guide to explain to you the history and symbols carved on the Maramuresean Gates.
End the day in Botiza village. Visit a local household to see and understand more about the way of living in these villages. Visit a local sheepyard (depending of the season)
Dinner with home-made local products and overnight in a local pension.
Dinner includes 2 courses, desert and local plum brandy and fruit liqueurs.

Breakfast. The land of Maramures is known as a place where the old traditions and customs are very well preserved. Here it is common to see people dressed in their folk costumes, working the fields or going to Saturday market. On Sundays or on major religious holidays people get dressed in their best traditional clothes and are going to the church. Maramures is famous for its wooden churches, some of them being more than 300 years old and for the wooden carved gates. Working in wood is a regional tradition. Our tour in Maramures will give you the time to find more about its history, culture and crafts.
In the morning we’ll see Barsana monastery, a symbol of the religious life in the area and a sample of wooden buildings architecture. Next we’ll see a wooden craftsman workshop and an artisanal crafts centre in Sarbi village, using the power of water. 
Another stop will be at Desesti Wooden church (UNESCO) one of the best preserved church and interior frescoes.  It is a great sample of the construction and decoration of the Maramuresean old wooden churches. We’ll continue to Sapanta Merry Cemetery (UNESCO), famous for its colourful tombstones and funny inscriptions. 
In the afternoon return to Botiza village. 
Dinner with home-made local products and overnight in a local pension.
Dinner includes 2 courses, desert and local plum brandy and fruit liqueurs.

Breakfast. We are heading on the route towards the center of Transylvania.
We’ll visit Alba Iulia, a city with a rich history dating since the ancient times. Here was located one of the biggest Roman cities from Romania and we can still see its ruins. Alba Iulia had a great role in the history of Romania, being known as the city of the Union.
Visit the Orthodox Cathedral, Catholic Cathedral, the fortification system built in “Vauban” style, Roman ruins.
End the day in Sighisoara, a picturesque old town dating since 12-13th century.
We are in a UNESCO tour of Romania and there is no better choice than to spend 2 nights in the old town of Sighisoara, a UNESCO  site.
Accommodation in a 3 stars hotel located in the Old Town

Breakfast. In the morning we’ll start having a walking tour of Sighisoara Old Town. The city has its origins in 12-13th century and it is the best preserved medieval town in Transylvania. The Renaissance style architecture, the colourful houses, narrow streets, towers and medieval walls make the charm of this amazing place. Church on the Hill and the Clock Tower are the most important buildings. 
Typical for Transylvania are the fortified churches, built in the old villages starting with 14th century in order to protect the local communities. 
A great example is the Biertan village, an important trade centre in the Middle Age and the Biertan fortified church (UNESCO site), built in 15-16th century. Here was the headquarters of the Evangelical Bishops for about 300 years. 
Next visit: the old city of Sibiu, a candidate to be included in the UNESCO list and a former European Capital of Cultures.  it was the biggest medieval town of Transylvania and today is one of the most popular tourist sights. Highlights: Big Square, Little Square, Orthodox and Lutheran-Evangelical Cathedrals, Liars bridge, medieval wall, etc. Sibiu is a vibrant city with a charming old town and a walk will reveal parts of the local history and culture. It is considered one of the European most romantic places to live and visit.
Return to Sighisoara. Farewell Dinner will be served at Casa Vlad Dracul restaurant, an iconic place from Sighisoara, the birthplace of the famous Vlad Dracula. It is a 2 course dinner, plus 1 beer or 1 glass of Romanian wine. 

Breakfast. In the morning we’ll drive you through an area of old villages and fortresses of different kinds, highly influenced by the local Saxon Heritage.
We’ll pass through the Saschiz village, also an UNESCO site hosting two impressive monuments:
The Saschiz Church. Built in 1493 in Gothic style it is one of the nicest old churches from Transylvania. The complex was surrounded by a powerful defensive wall, the perimeter of which is today marked by a fence.The only surviving portion is the northern tower, which was fitted with a prominent spire in 1677
Saschiz Peasant Fortress. Was built in the 14th century and it is also called "the Giants castle" following a local legend.
Jam and chutney tasting in a small producer workshop.
We’ll continue our rote to Transylvania visiting the most known and one of the most charming old villages: Viscri village.
It is one of the most known and charming villages of Transylvania which preserve the authentic houses and way of living. It started to develop and to be more known with the help of (at that time) Prince Charles the Walles. We’ll start walking in the village, on the cobblestone streets between the colourful houses where people are trying to preserve their traditions and way of life. The village looks almost the same as it was 100 years ago.
We’ll visit Viscri fortified church (UNESCO) , which is the oldest and most important building. The local ethnographic museum will reveal more about the locals' life.
Next we can see some of the shops and workshops where people are still doing their hand made products.
Around 4,00 PM we’ll arrive at Bucharest. Drop-off at the airport or at a hotel in the central part of Bucharest.

We’ll be happy to assist you to customize your trip. We can add services before or after the tour such as: accommodation, transfers or other day tours.
If your traveling plan doesn’t match with our scheduled departure tours we can always send you a private tour option and we’ll do our best to be designed as you wish and to fit better with your requirements.
In any of the above situations feel free to send us your request via the tour request form or just sending an email at office@visittransilvania.ro