7-Day Best of Romania Small Group Tour 2020
With: Bogdan 9
-
What you need to know about this Romania small group tour:
- A 7-day small group tour (max. 6 pers). 2020 departure dates: 18.04, 16.05, 27.06, 11.07, 5.09, 26.09, 10.10, 24.10
- A unique, authentic and complete Romanian travel experience: visit famous cities of Transylvania, popular landmarks and sights, see the beautiful Carpathian Mts, watch bears in the wild, discover Romanian and traditional rural culture, experience local life and enjoy delicious organic food!
- Included: 7 nights in selected 4* accommodation (with breakfast), special lunch/dinner on 5 days, tickets for all sights and activities in the itinerary, transport with modern minivan adapted for tourism, Romania-wide licensed guide with 8+ years of experience, water and snacks for the road
- Not included: flights, other meals, insurance, personal expenses. Available at extra cost: transfer from/to Otopeni Airport, accommodation on night before tour starts
- This itinerary was designed for SLOW and responsible travel, to balance time on the road, visits and free time on your own. We want you to enjoy and understand Romania, not rush through it :)
- Please read page 2 for more details. Contact us with any questions or to get a full description of the itinerary!
-
Additional information
If only 2 people are registered for the tour, the price will increase to 1,450 Euro/person to cover the full expenses, or can be canceled.
30% deposit required when booking. Refundable if canceled with 14 days before the departure date.
Balance to be paid before tour starts.
Moments to expect & itinerary for the 7-day Romania group tour:
-
Day 1: Bucharest Old Town & City Landmarks
We start the tour at 3 pm and by visiting the Old Town Lipscani area to learn the city’s history. Many charming 19th-century townhouses have stories to tell. We then go for a walk on the famous Victory Avenue where the city’s major landmarks can be admired: Revolution Square where the 1989 anti-communist movement started, the superb Romanian Athenaeum and the National Art Museum, former Royal Palace.
We finish the evening with a welcome dinner at one of Bucharest’s restaurants serving traditional Romanian food! Accommodation at a 4* hotel in Old Town area. -
Day 2: Famous Romanian castles & picturesque villages
We travel to Sinaia to visit the Peles Castle, a masterpiece of German Neo-Renaissance style from the late 1800s built as a summer residence for the Romanian Royal Family. The castle is very well preserved and many of its 168 rooms are decorated with the finest examples of European art. Next, we visit Bran Castle, the #1 tourist attraction in Romania also known as Dracula Castle. I'll tell you the real story of this impressive medieval citadel and if there's any connection to Dracula.
Overnight & dinner at a premium mountain guesthouse in Magura village with superb views! -
Day 3: Picturesque hike, Brasov and... bears!
After a filling Romanian breakfast-with-a-view, we go for an easy hiking trip to explore the traditional and picturesque villages in the area, admiring great views of the Carpathian Mts. The landscape here is breathtaking and unique, so bring your camera! In the afternoon we travel to Brasov, a charming medieval city and our gateway into Transylvania. Guided tour of Old Town, Council Square and Black Church. Late afternoon we head into the wilds for a unique bear watching experience with a wildlife guide!
Traditional Romanian dinner at our guesthouse back in Magura. -
Day 4: Charming Transylvania & life in Viscri village
Time to understand why the region of Transylvania is so famous! We travel to the picturesque village of Viscri, the most representative of the Saxon Villages where Prince Charles bought a house! We vist the famous UNESCO Fortified Church, enjoy a delicious lunch with locally-sourced products and then go on a horse-dragged cart ride to visit a local craftsmen in his workshop. Next, we travel to the heart of Transylvania to Sighisoara Citadel, the best-preserved medieval fortress in Europe, part of UNESCO heritage! We go for a walk to see the Clock Tower, Main Square and then on Scholar’s Stairs to reach the best viewpoint of the Citadel!
Lunch in Viscri. Overnight in Sighisoara Citadel at a medieval guesthouse. -
Day 5: Cultures of Transylvania: Romanian, Saxons and Rroma
After breakfast, we leave for a nearby village to visit a typical Rroma family. We learn about the culture and lifestyle of this 3.8 mil ethnic group also known as Gypsies living across 12 states in Europe. In the afternoon we drive to Sibiel, a typical Transylvanian village. We visit the Painted Icons Museum and then go to a local family's house to enjoy a traditional lunch prepared with home-grown products. After the feast, you can relax in their huge backyard and admire the beautiful scenery before we move on to Sibiu where we spend 2 evenings visiting the major sights in the city.
Lunch in Sibiel. Overnight in a medieval guesthouse. -
Day 6: Day trip into Romanian history
Clashing between the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Russian Empires, our country had a complicated history - so we go on a field trip to learn about it! We visit Corvin (Hunyade) Castle, a 14th century Gothic-meets-Renaissance residence for Transylvania’s medieval kings with a lot of history and legends to share! Next, we travel to Alba Iulia Citadel: dating from Roman times, this citadel is the spiritual capital and birthplace of modern-day Romania in 1918. A perfect ending to our history field trip!
Return to Sibiu in the evening & free time for dinner. -
Day 7: Driving on the Best Road in the World!
Let’s switch gears: from Transylvania’s mellow hills we go to 2,300m altitude on a thrilling ride on the spectacular Transfagarasan Road (ONLY in July-Oct). Also called Ceausescu’s Folly, this road crosses the impressive Fagaras Mts. rewarding us with breathtaking views! Up at the glacial Balea Lake we might still see snow! We drive on to Vidraru Lake, Curtea de Arges Monastery and end the tour in Bucharest.
Outside July-Oct we drive on the beautiful Olt Valley and stop at the UNESCO Horezu Monastery.
Accommodation in Bucharest at a 4* hotel in Old Town area. -
Included: premium & themed 4* accommodation
The guesthouses we selected for this trip are all top-notch: 4* services with comfortable beds in spacious rooms serving delicious and filling breakfast. Location: either with great views or in the heart of the city. Most importantly: they are representative for the tour's theme.
Hilton Garden Inn (Bucharest), Samedru (Magura), Fronius Residence (Sighisoara), Levoslav House (Sibiu)
Location details
- Starting point: Bucharest
- Nearest airport: Bucharest Otopeni 'Henri Coanda' Airport
- Nearest train station: Bucharest North Train Station
- Landscape: Urban, hills, countryside
Reviews from travellers
Bogdan is a true professional. He is professional yet so personable. All of the sites and experiences were excellent. This is one of the best tours I've ever taken and I'm lucky I found it on Romanian Friend! It had the perfect mix of driving, outdoor activities, history and fun. Romania is a beautiful and interesting country and Bogdan is an expert in the history and has just wonderful anecdotes and jokes. He has a great relationship with the proprietors of the beautiful accommodations and the experiences he set up for us. The best for me were the meals at the homes of local families. The Romanians are so warm and welcoming. I felt like family before I left. I'm already planning to return again soon.
Other tours nearby
-
The Garlic Workshop: Food, Magic and Vampires
Start from: Bucharest
-
The Communist Heritage of Bucharest
Start from: Bucharest
-
Old Town Pub Crawling Tour
Start from: Lipscani street
4 times a year we prepare a newsletter with local stories, places and our special insights about Romanian culture and local life that will inspire you to visit our country and have an authentic local experience. Would you like to get it?