Romania at a glance

Arrive in Bucharest, greet your guide, and make yourself comfortable at the streamlined, up-to-the-minute Berthelot Hotel, a lovely jumping-off point for uncovering this splendid capital’s enticing cultural riches.

So cosmopolitan that it rivaled the sophistication of the City of Lights in public consciousness during the post-WWI era, Bucharest is now a study in startling opposites. Exquisite French architecture stands in juxtaposition with vainglorious testaments to the Communist era; elegant 19th-century homes provide an interesting counterpoint to gleaming skyscrapers of glass and steel. Join your guide for a scenic city tour, and take in the enlivened, effervescent personality of this extraordinary city.

*should you travel to Bucharest on a flight that arrives late in the afternoon or evening, the city tour can also be done the next morning

Today, you’ll travel into mountainous, spectacular Transylvania to experience the stunning medieval city of Sibiu. On the way, take a break at the Curtea de Arges monastery, an architectural wonder that seems to challenge the laws of physics. This 16th-century marvel, constructed under intense time constraints, spawned multiple legends of love, loss, and premature death.

After your tour, ascend the Carpathians to visit the forbidding ruins of the 13th-century Poenari Fortress, perched on the edge of a sheer cliff face falling straight into the Arges River. You’ll climb 1,480 steps to reach the former home and castle of Vlad the Impaler. Legends transmitted from the 15th century say that he terrorized the Boyars into the hard labor required to rebuild and fortify the existing structure; most his prisoners ended their days as exhausted slaves.

Continuing your drive to Sibiu, you’ll journey along the high Transfagarasan Road, built by the Communists at an altitude of 2054 m (over 6000 feet). The scenery is absolutely stunning.

This afternoon, arrive in Sibiu and settle into your hotel. Your guide will lead you on a fascinating, in-depth walking tour of the medieval Old Town. This settlement was built by ethnic German Saxons, who were extremely thorough in their construction of defense systems incorporating thick walls, high watchtowers, and secret passageways.

*please note the Transfagarasan road is open only between June and September. If your tour takes place outside this period, you will travel on the road going along the Olt river valley

Depart the magnificent town of Sibiu, and proceed to the Biertan Church (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Saxon villagers took the protection of their towns very seriously, and built fortified churches over the course of the medieval era. Interestingly, the townspeople were solely responsible for the construction and maintenance of these structures—a tradition they have perpetuated to the present day. Saxon roots in Transylvania run deep, with some present-day families tracing their lineage back as far as the 1100s. The Biertan Church, built between 1486 and 1524, represents the last expression of this particular architectural style.

In the afternoon, continue on the trajectory of your journey with a visit to Sighisoara. Here, the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town exemplifies a living citadel, and the majority of its medieval fortifications remain relatively untouched by time. Tour the famous clock tower, a widely-recognized and beautiful symbol of medieval Transylvania. A picturesque covered wooden staircase brings you to the archetypal Church on the Hill, from where you’ll gain a superb view of the surrounding area.

Sighisoara is recorded in historical annals as the birthplace of the infamous Vlad the Impaler, the cruel Prince of Wallachia famous for brutally torturing his enemies. The house of his birth looks much the same today as it did in 1431, and now provides the setting for a distinctive restaurant.

In the afternoon, travel to Brasov, a quintessential Transylvanian town.

Today, let your guide lead you on a captivating walk in Brasov’s Old Town, amidst the evocative homes of well-to-do medieval merchants. Discover the Black Church, a vast 14th-century Gothic cathedral featuring a museum and Lutheran services each Sunday. Walk along the town’s impregnable city walls and bastions before departing for the famed Bran Castle, redecorated by Queen Marie in the 1920s following a period of disrepair and abandonment.

Next, travel through majestic mountain scenery and soaring views to arrive at Sinaia, a beautiful town in the Carpathian Mountains. Visit the Peles Castle, the lavish 19th-century home of the first King of Romania. The castle boasts a palatial interior lined with luxuries: sumptuous crystal, oriental rugs, magnificent wood paneling, and precious mirrors. Nearby, pause to tour the Sinaia monastery, named after ancient Mt. Sinai of Biblical times.
Arrive in Bucharest in the evening.

Today is the day when your tour ends. Transfer to the airport for the flight home.