Holiday in the Villages of Maramures

Day 1 - Fri. Bucharest

Arrival in Bucharest, capital of Romania. Transfer from the airport to the Athenee Palace Hilton hotel 5*. Enjoy a sightseeing tour that will give you an overall impression of the most significant sights in Bucharest. Relax with a welcoming drink - get to know one another and discuss the travel program. In the evening you may decide to relax in the hotel's spa or to dine in the renowned Caru cu Bere Restaurant, Bucharest's oldest beer hall, dating from 1875, with Romanian folk music and dances.

Day 2 - Sat. Cluj Napoca

After breakfast we travel across the flat plains of Wallachia and through the pine forests of the Carpathian Mountains, and reach the southern Transylvanian city of Sibiu. Short stop in the historic centre, one of the most beautiful and well preserved in Romania, dating from the 12th century. 

Transfer to Cluj-Napoca, a vibrant, engaging city and an important academic and cultural centre. Overnight at the Dej

Day 3 - Sun. Villages of Maramures

We travel northwards into Maramures and stop in the village of Surdesti. The towering wooden church in Surdesti was built in 1721 and is one of the most magnificent in Maramures. The entire interior of the church is original. The people from Maramures attend church every Sunday, as faith remains a central part of community life. You have the opportunity to attend Ortodox church service in Surdesti, to admire the display of colorful folk costumes and discover the local traditions. 

You will spend the following four nights in tourist pensions, wonderful rural retreats offering relaxing accommodation and great home-cooked food. (B, D)

Day 4 - Mon. The Wooden Churches of Maramures

After breakfast, tour of the most spectacular wooden churches of Maramures in the villages of Barsana, Budesti, Desesti and Poienile Izei. These extraordinary, towering wooden churches have remained remarkably intact over the centuries and today are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Inside, fascinating wall frescos provide a window on the world of medieval folk Christian beliefs. Discover a little more about the local culture by visiting the interior of a traditional house. 

Afternoon at leisure to enjoy the fairy tale atmosphere of the region. A choice of optional activities is offered: horse-cart driving through the rolling hills, horseback riding without ever crossing a road or a fence, hikes in areas of scenic beauty. (B, L, D)

Day 5 - Tue. The Merry Cemetery of Sapanta

Drive to Sighetu Marmatiei, founded in the 12th century. Visit one of Romania's most interesting museums, the Museum of Arrested Thought and Memorial to the Victims of Communism and to the Resistance. Standing in the centre of the city and occupying the former dreaded communist prison, it represents Romania's best attempt to get to grips with its past.

Continue to the Merry Cemetery of Sapanta, an unusual attraction, famous for the colorfully painted wooden crosses that adorn its tombstones. Shown in art exhibitions across Europe, the crosses make visitors marvel at the gentle humor and human warmth that created them.

Visit craftspeople and enjoy the spectacle of weaving traditional carpets, dyed in vegetal colors according to an ancient secret recipe specific to this land. Stop in Vadu Izei. The village is a living museum renowned for its immense, elaborately carved wooden gates. The remainder of the day is at leisure to further explore the area: haystack-peppered pastures, wildflower fields and crystal-clear rivers. (B, L, D)

Day 6 - Wed. Vaser Valley

A day to enjoy the villages on your own or take an optional trip (bookable locally at extra cost) with a logging train from Viseu de Sus up the picturesque Vaser Valley, deep into the forests of the Maramures mountains. This is a truly unforgettable journey on a narrow gauge railway, one of the last remaining forestry railways in Romania and most isolated lines in Europe, just 760 mm wide and 40 km long. It is spectacular, but can take all day as this is a working train, used to bring wood down from the mountains.  Along the route you can see bears and deer drinking from the river, unperturbed by the train and loggers, while in the mountain forests live stags, lynxes and wolves. (B, L, D)

Day 7 - Thu. Brasov

We make our way back to Transylvania to find fascinating medieval towns, legendary castles, fortified churches and dramatic mountains peaks. Short stop in Sighisoara, the best preserved and continuously inhabited medieval city in Europe and Vlad the Impaler's birthplace. Lunch at Casa Dracula, where Prince Vlad was born and lived - now a popular restaurant. 

Arrival in Brasov. Nestled below steep, craggy, tree-clad mountains, this beautiful town is the most visited city in Romania after Bucharest. Tour of the old town, a blend of centuries-old buildings and trendy chill out bars. Overnight at the Bella Muzica hotel 3*. (B, L)

Day 8 - Fri. Bucharest

Return to Bucharest. A last opportunity for city sightseeing and shopping (your own arrangements). Transfer to the airport for your flight home. (B)