Romania

Upon arrival, you’ll be picked up at the airport and taken to our hotel in the city center. After getting settled, we’ll begin with an evening tour orientation and group dinner at one of Bucharest’s most popular traditional restaurants, located in the heart of the Old City.

We’ll begin with a walking tour along Victory Street, passing markets, street art and historical sights before entering a neighborhood filled with beautiful early 19th-century mansions and unique street art. From here, we’ll explore narrow passageways, communist structures and vibrant squares.

We’ll also visit the impressive Obor Market, recently labeled “The Top Market in Europe” by a journalist for the Financial Times. We’ll tour the market, meet vendors, sample the huge variety of fresh food and even enjoy some local wine. We’ll also make a stop at the Palace of the Parliament before returning to our hotel. Dinner will be at a famous 100-year old eatery!

Leaving Bucharest, we’ll start with a 1.5-hour drive to the mountain town of Sinaia. Our first stop will be the Sinaia Monastery, where we’ll visit its quiet courtyards and church to learn how this royal retreat grew around the monastery. We’ll then see the outside of Peleș Castle, the former summer residence of Romania’s kings, set among fir trees with Carpathian peaks in the background. After lunch at a local restaurant, we’ll drive another 1.5 hours to Brașov.

Once we’ve checked into our hotel, we’ll take an evening stroll through the main square before sitting down for dinner at a long-running restaurant known among locals for its welcoming atmosphere and good food.

Today we’ll embark on a full walking tour of the city with our wonderful local guide, visiting Romanian and German neighborhoods, including several traditional businesses where we can interact with locals and learn about their work. We’ll also visit the Black Church, the main square and the historic medieval gates to the city.

After some free time to wander this incredibly quaint town, or even take the funicular up to the top of nearby Mount Tampa for sweeping views over the valley, we’ll head to Piata Sfatului, the lively main square where evening festivities always take place. From here, we’ll head to dinner at a restaurant run by a local, award-winning chef.

The day begins with a 45-minute drive to the small town of Bran, home to the famous and imposing 13th-century Bran Castle. We'll take a relaxed tour through the hilltop castle and wander through the gardens below.

We'll then head to the home of our dear friend, Gabriela, a local craftswoman in a tiny nearby village. Here is where we'll have a home cooked lunch inside her home, followed by a fascinating, traditional egg painting demonstration (a significant Romanian craft). After our home visit, we'll return to Brasov, where you can enjoy the evening at your own pace.

Today we’ll leave Brașov and drive about an hour to Crăciunel, a small Hungarian village known for its simple way of life and long-lived residents. Few travelers pass through and the focus of life here remains on farming, family, and crafts. We’ll stop at their homemade spa to see how villagers use local materials for simple wellness rituals, meet a woodcarver in his workshop, sip herbal tea blended by the village priest, and taste chestnut cookies made with nuts from a grove planted decades ago.

After lunch at a local restaurant we’ll continue to Corund, check in to our guesthouse and head to a black pottery studio to learn how local clay is shaped, burnished, and fired in a low-oxygen kiln that turns the surface a deep charcoal without glaze. We’ll end this wonderful day with dinner at a nearby trout farm.

The truly local experience continues as we head up to the remote Fantana Plateau, home to only a few small villages and the southernmost peat bog in the world.

We’ll begin with a 2-hour tour of the villages, nature and a local bio-mushroom farm. We’ll then head to a local cheese farm for a delicious, freshly prepared private lunch before stopping at a local syrup and jam producer where we can taste their diverse range of all natural, and extremely delicious, products.

We’ll then descend the mountain and return to our guesthouse for an afternoon rest where you can take a walk through the forest or enjoy a drink on the terrace. Finally, in the evening, our excellent home-cooked dinner will be at the remote farm of our friend, located in the mountains overlooking the valley below.

We'll begin the day with a 1-hour drive to the village of Brateiu for a true off-the-beaten-path experience. Upon arrival, we’ll meet and interact with a kind Roma family that has invited us into their home to learn about their culture. We’ll have a chance to visit their home, learn about the metal work crafts they are known for and even taste some of their local snacks and drinks.

Afterwards we’ll continue on a 30-minute drive to Sighisoara. This hilltop village is often considered the best preserved medieval village in all of Europe.

Our guide will take us through the cobblestone lanes to the 400-year old clock tower and impressive cathedral, into a traditional local liquor cellar and to the birthplace of Vlad Tepes, the inspiration for Dracula. You’ll also have free time in the friendly village after checking into our hotel.

This morning we’ll drive about 45 minutes to Viscri. This town was made famous by King Charles' repeated visits due to his fondness for the traditions and culture of Romania. Having one of the best preserved fortified churches in the world, and set among the rolling green hills, this cozy town is certain to impress.

After visiting the fortified church and having lunch, we’ll continue to the nearby village of Meșendorf, where we’ll spend the night at a gorgeous guesthouse among tranquil surroundings. You’ll have time to enjoy the peaceful village, stunning guesthouse property and the welcoming atmosphere before a home-cooked dinner prepared by our hosts.

After a relaxed morning and breakfast, we’ll say goodbye to Meșendorf and begin our 4-hour drive back to Bucharest, with a few stops along the way to rest and have lunch. We’ll arrive in the afternoon and check into our hotel.

The rest of the day will be free to unwind or explore on your own, such as a short walk through the Old Town, a coffee at a neighborhood café, or a quick visit to a nearby museum.

In the evening we’ll come together for a farewell dinner to close out the trip.

You will be picked up at the hotel for your private transfer to the airport based on the time of your flight.