Highlights of Romania

Day 1 - Sat. Bucharest

Arrival in Bucharest, capital of Romania. Transfer from airport to the Athenee Palace Hilton hotel 5*. Short 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. You can spend the evening in the onsite casino or one of the 4 restaurants and bars.

Day 2 - Sun. Sinaia - Bran - Brasov

We leave Bucharest behind and drive along Prahova Valley to Sinaia, an elegant resort that boasts up Romania's most fabulous palace. Visit to Peles Castle. Continue to Bran Castle, an important national monument due both to its beauty and to the landscape, also known as Dracula's Castle.

Even if you are not great admirer of vampire stories, you should definitely cross the castle door.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)

Day 3 - Mon. Brasov - Bicaz Gorges - Northern Moldavia

We travel northwards into Moldavia to the unforgettable painted monasteries. Moldavia is a rural paradise: picturesque villages, bucolic scenery and colorful inhabitants. Its painted churches are among the greatest artistic monuments in Europe and UNESCO World Heritages Sites. Drive through the Bicaz gorges, on one of Romania's most staggering and spectacular road. The gorge twists and turns steeply uphill, cutting through sheer, 300m-high limestone rocks on its journey through the mountains. A short stop to enjoy the breathtaking scenery in the Red Lake resort. Spend two nights at the Best Western Bucovina hotel 4* in Gura Humorului. (B)

Day 4 - Tue. Painted Monasteries of Moldavia

After breakfast, we take tour of the most spectacular painted monasteries: Suceavita, Moldovita, Voronet and Putna. The painted exterior walls, decorated with 15th and 16th-century frescoes, are considered masterpieces of Byzantine art. Far from being merely wall decorations, the paintings represent complete cycles of religious murals on all facades. Their outstanding composition, elegant outline and harmonious colors blend perfectly with the surrounding landscape. Discover a little more about the local culture in the village of Marginea, renowned for its black earthenware and visit a pottery workshop. (B)

Day 5 - Wed. Villages of Maramures

We cross the remote Prislop Pass - the highest in Romania and reach Maramures. The last peasant culture in Europe is thriving here, with hand-built ancient wooden churches, traditional music, colorful costumes and ancient festivals. Explore the charming villages of this northern region and marvel at the wooden churches of Poienile Izei, Budesti and Barsana. These towering wooden churches have remained remarkably intact over the centuries and today are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Stop to admire Vadu Izei, famed for its immense carved wooden gates that illustrate the social status of the inhabitants. Continue to the Merry Cemetery of Sapanta. With exuberantly colored and beautifully crafted wooden headstones, is one of Romania's most unusual attraction. Spend the night in a tourist pension in Maramures, a wonderful rural retreat offering relaxing accommodation and great home-cooked food. (B, D)

Day 6 - Thu. Sighisoara

We make our way into the heart of Transylvania to find fascinating medieval towns, legendary castles, fortified churches and dramatic mountains peaks. Arrival in Sighisoara. The best preserved and continuously inhabited medieval city in Europe, Sighisoara Citadel will make you feel like you're floating through another time and space. Enjoy a walking tour of the citadel. Afternoon at leisure to explore this exciting medieval town and enjoy the excellent dining opportunities. Overnight at the Sighisoara hotel 3*. (B)

Day 7 - Fri. Biertan - Sibiu

Our agenda today takes us to Biertan. Set high up on a hill, Biertan's Saxon church is the most prominent and best-known of the fortified churches that dominate many of the Transylvanian villages. Continue to Sibiu, one of the most beautiful and well preserved historical towns in Romania and European Capital of Culture in 2007. We take a walking tour of the historic centre, dating from the 12th century. You have the opportunity to enjoy Sibiu's nightlife. Spend two nights at the Ramada Sibiu hotel 4*. (B)

Day 8 - Sat. Sibiu

A day to enjoy Sibiu on your own or take an optional excursion (extra cost) to the Astra Museum of Traditional Folk Civilization, the largest open-air museum in Europe and one of Romania's finest, in the morning, or to the fortified churches of Cisnadie and Cisnadioara in the afternoon. (B)

Day 9 - Sun. Bucharest

Return to Bucharest. Transfer to the Athenee Palace Hilton hotel 5*. In the afternoon, you may decide to explore the city or relax in the hotel's spa and in the evening to dine in the renowned Caru cu Bere Restaurant, Bucharest's oldest beer hall, dating from 1875, with Romanian folk music and dances. (B)

Day 10 - Mon. Bucharest

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