Cultural tours to Transylvania, Romania
| country: | Romania |
| location: | Transylvania |
| departures: | 2008: 18 Jul, 2 Aug, 8 Aug, 22 Aug |
| price: | From €1439 - €1589 (8-10 days) excluding flights |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Choice of three cultural tours, exploring Transylvania.
If you are interested in Transylvania’s customs, legends, beliefs and superstitions, you enjoy getting acquainted with a place through a longer period of time and you like to get in contact with the genuine peasant culture by exploring rural areas, the houses of famous artists, craftsmen and museums or landscapes made famous in literature, then our cultural tours are the perfect choice.
We have a choice of three different tours, concentrating on Northern Transylvania or Southern Transylvania, or taking in the best of both.
Tour options
Best of Transylvania and Romania
From €1589 (10 days) ex flights, departing 18 Jul, 8 Aug, 22 Aug 2008
A tour revealing Transylvania’s unique character! With an itinerary departing from Bucharest, this 10 day tour proves that it is in Transylvania that traditions are best preserved.
From the capital city of Romania – Bucharest, once surnamed the little Paris, the itinerary continues with Sinaia, the pearl of mountain resorts in Romania and then takes you to the heart of Transylvania, in Bran, home to the mysterious Bran Castle, continues with Rasnov, the largest peasant citadel, the Saxon medieval city of Brasov, and it includes even the best preserved and still inhabited medieval citadel in Europe, Sighisoara, Vlad the Implaler’s birth place.
You’ll also visit the magic realm of Maramures. Here you’ll make the acquaintance of a famous wood craftsman, who will show you how history can be carved in wood. In the medieval citadel of Bistrita you’ll meet Misiuga, the honourable Baron of Dracula, who stands as a testimony for Transylvania’s history. The tour includes, on the house, one night accommodation in a 5* hotel in Bucharest and a mouth-watering welcome dinner.
Northern Transylvania
From €1439 (8 days) ex flights, departing on request for a minimum of 8 persons
This cultural tour introduces you to Northern Transylvania’s finest scenery and folklore. The meticulously, carefully planned itinerary is focused on bringing out the essence of Transylvania’s culture and provide a direct contact with the genuine peasant culture by exploring rural areas and houses of famous artists.
Highlights include the worldwide famous monasteries in Bucovina, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, (including Voronet Monastery – the Sistine Chapel of the Est), the unique Merry Cemetery in the magical Land of Maramures, magnificent museums: the Village Museum in Suceava - a wonderful display of traditional peasant settlements from all over Moldavia, the Wood Museum in Campu Lung, the Hunting Museum in Vatra Dornei the Art Museum in Cluj Napoca; you’ll be able to shop for souvenirs in the famous Black Pottery Centre in Suceava and visit the work shop of the skilled wood craftsman Grigore Tulean.
To underline Transylvania’s unique colour, special activities have been added: a meeting with the honourable Misiuga, the 83 years old baron of Dracula in his windswept “Dogarilor” tower in Bistrita Citadel, a monastic lunch in Moldovita Monastery (an imposing example of the talent that defines exterior Moldavian painting), refreshing walks in breathtakingly beautiful natural scenery such as Turzii’s Gorges, one of the most important Natural Reservations in Apuseni Mountains (Sunset Mountains), a picnic lunch at the mouth of Poarta lui Ionele Cave. The entire itinerary is complemented by the finest regional cuisine, challenged in flavour by fine regional wines.
Southern Transylvania
From €1439 (8 days) ex flights, departing 2 Aug 2008
This cultural tour introduces you to Southern Transylvania’s finest scenery and folklore. The meticulously, carefully planned itinerary is focused on bringing out the essence of Transylvania’s culture and provide a direct contact with the genuine peasant culture by exploring rural areas and houses of famous artists.
Highlights include the medieval Saxon city of Brasov, the royal Peles Castle, the mysterious Bran Castle, the medieval Sighisoara citadel, the European Cultural capital of 2007 – Sibiu. In the streets of these old Transylvanian cities, designed for carriages and coaches, true live museums, you will find the atmosphere of romances and vampire tales.
To underline Transylvania’s unique colour, special activities have been added: a meeting with the unique spider web painter, an evening in a Szekler village in traditional country-inns, refreshing walks in wild gorges. The itinerary is complemented by the finest regional cuisine, challenged in flavour only by fine regional wines.
If you are interested in Transylvania’s customs, legends, beliefs and superstitions, you enjoy getting acquainted with a place through a longer period of time and you like to get in contact with the genuine peasant culture by exploring rural areas, the houses of famous artists, craftsmen and museums or landscapes made famous in literature, then our cultural tours are the perfect choice.
We have a choice of three different tours, concentrating on Northern Transylvania or Southern Transylvania, or taking in the best of both.
Tour options
Best of Transylvania and Romania
From €1589 (10 days) ex flights, departing 18 Jul, 8 Aug, 22 Aug 2008
A tour revealing Transylvania’s unique character! With an itinerary departing from Bucharest, this 10 day tour proves that it is in Transylvania that traditions are best preserved.
From the capital city of Romania – Bucharest, once surnamed the little Paris, the itinerary continues with Sinaia, the pearl of mountain resorts in Romania and then takes you to the heart of Transylvania, in Bran, home to the mysterious Bran Castle, continues with Rasnov, the largest peasant citadel, the Saxon medieval city of Brasov, and it includes even the best preserved and still inhabited medieval citadel in Europe, Sighisoara, Vlad the Implaler’s birth place.
You’ll also visit the magic realm of Maramures. Here you’ll make the acquaintance of a famous wood craftsman, who will show you how history can be carved in wood. In the medieval citadel of Bistrita you’ll meet Misiuga, the honourable Baron of Dracula, who stands as a testimony for Transylvania’s history. The tour includes, on the house, one night accommodation in a 5* hotel in Bucharest and a mouth-watering welcome dinner.
Northern Transylvania
From €1439 (8 days) ex flights, departing on request for a minimum of 8 persons
This cultural tour introduces you to Northern Transylvania’s finest scenery and folklore. The meticulously, carefully planned itinerary is focused on bringing out the essence of Transylvania’s culture and provide a direct contact with the genuine peasant culture by exploring rural areas and houses of famous artists.
Highlights include the worldwide famous monasteries in Bucovina, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, (including Voronet Monastery – the Sistine Chapel of the Est), the unique Merry Cemetery in the magical Land of Maramures, magnificent museums: the Village Museum in Suceava - a wonderful display of traditional peasant settlements from all over Moldavia, the Wood Museum in Campu Lung, the Hunting Museum in Vatra Dornei the Art Museum in Cluj Napoca; you’ll be able to shop for souvenirs in the famous Black Pottery Centre in Suceava and visit the work shop of the skilled wood craftsman Grigore Tulean.
To underline Transylvania’s unique colour, special activities have been added: a meeting with the honourable Misiuga, the 83 years old baron of Dracula in his windswept “Dogarilor” tower in Bistrita Citadel, a monastic lunch in Moldovita Monastery (an imposing example of the talent that defines exterior Moldavian painting), refreshing walks in breathtakingly beautiful natural scenery such as Turzii’s Gorges, one of the most important Natural Reservations in Apuseni Mountains (Sunset Mountains), a picnic lunch at the mouth of Poarta lui Ionele Cave. The entire itinerary is complemented by the finest regional cuisine, challenged in flavour by fine regional wines.
Southern Transylvania
From €1439 (8 days) ex flights, departing 2 Aug 2008
This cultural tour introduces you to Southern Transylvania’s finest scenery and folklore. The meticulously, carefully planned itinerary is focused on bringing out the essence of Transylvania’s culture and provide a direct contact with the genuine peasant culture by exploring rural areas and houses of famous artists.
Highlights include the medieval Saxon city of Brasov, the royal Peles Castle, the mysterious Bran Castle, the medieval Sighisoara citadel, the European Cultural capital of 2007 – Sibiu. In the streets of these old Transylvanian cities, designed for carriages and coaches, true live museums, you will find the atmosphere of romances and vampire tales.
To underline Transylvania’s unique colour, special activities have been added: a meeting with the unique spider web painter, an evening in a Szekler village in traditional country-inns, refreshing walks in wild gorges. The itinerary is complemented by the finest regional cuisine, challenged in flavour only by fine regional wines.
small group cultural tours
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as experiencing new cultures.how this holiday makes a difference
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These Transylvania tours offers you a well rounded Transylvanian experience, introducing you to Transylvania’s finest scenery and folklore and providing you with the possibility of getting in contact with the genuine peasant culture by exploring rural areas, the work shops of famous artists and craftsmen, visiting museums or landscapes made famous in the Romanian literature. Besides the economic aspect – we’re using only local suppliers; your visit is of great importance for the artist, craftsmen, museums, castles or the small rural communities you’ll visit as it provides them with the a motivation, a reason to carry on the traditions. You’ll be able to purchase locally goods starting with food and ending with souvenirs, handicrafts.
Being small group tour, these trips not only minimise the negative impact on the environment but also allow you to interact more easily with the locals, giving you the possibility to learn about culture, traditions straight from the source. Our trips take you to the workshop of a skilled wood crafts, Grogore Tulean, from Maramures, to the workshop of a skilled artist, unique in the world, the only one using spider web for his paintings, and to the windswept “Dogarilor Tower” in Bistriata Citadel to meet the honourable Misiuga, the 83 years old Baron of Dracula who will present his puppet exposition, made entirely from disposed materials and objects (everything from an old button to a broken lighter will be turned into good account and become a puppet!) To give you a full taste of the local culture you’ll delight yourself with a monastic lunch in Barsana, home to one of the highest wood monasteries in Romania, enjoy a traditional Saxon home cooked dinner in a guest house in Transylvania or a “motzesc” picnic lunch in a breathtaking natural scenery, at the mouth of Poarta lui Ionele Cave. The Romanian guide will also advise you on local customs as well as help you to break down language barriers. To make sure the money stays where needed we’re only using local suppliers and where the itinerary allows us we’re also using small family run business, for example in Ieud, a beautiful traditional village located in the magical Maramures, and in Lazarea, a typical Szekler village, and in Sibiel, a beautiful traditional Saxon village located in Transylvania, where you’ll accommodate in guest houses or even under the same roof with your hosts. Further more you’ll enjoy a home cooked traditional dinner. This is actually an ideal opportunity to spend more time with the locals but also ensure that the financial benefits of your visit reach the people of the area and not some large companies based outside the region. The entry fees will help maintain and even restore the precious tourist attractions visited through out the tour. We’re also making financial contributions for every persons who books one of our tours, in the amount of £1 per person to support Saint Daniel’s Foundation programme entitled 'A grand father for a nephew – A nephew for a grandfather', helping elderly and orphans, people most in need.  We encourage our guests do a little reading before coming to find out more about their host communities and the environment so that they would connect better with the locals. We provide suggestion on how best to support the local economies and communities, as well as the surrounding environment. Guests will receive a pre-trip information pack via e-mail, to minimise the use of paper, which will inform them about issues relating to the place they will travel, some language tips and general advice. Furthermore, our tour guides are well-educated multilingual people who can offer guests their skills as an interpreter and offer insights on current national and regional issues. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |