11 day bus trip

1st Day Su Homeland - Timisoara
Departure early in the morning towards Romania. The trip first leads you through Hungary -Györ -Budapest to the romanian border in Nadlac and then further to Arad. By punctual arrival (depends on the border stop), we will go on a short city tour of Arad. Arad and Timisoara are the two metropolises in Banat, a region that from the point of view of mentality, architecture and "cultural atmosphere", differes from the old Romania (Walachia and Moldavia). The story of the city is long and rich in variety. You will see the fort, the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Cathedral with the Florian Chapel. We drive then further to Timisoara. The city designates itself as the first free city of Romania. Actually the protest movement that led to Ceausescu’s slump came in 1989 from Timisoara. The city of gardens and parks is home of a notable university. D/O/B H. Continental 3*

2nd Day Mo Timisoara - Sibiu
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, sightseeing of Timisoara. You will see the Roman Catholic Cathedral from the baroque times, which was built by the fishermen of Erlach, the plague column, the old city hall, the orthodox cathedral, as well as the building in which prince Eugen lived. Afterwards we drive further towards Hunedoara. The city, a large iron centre, is known for its impressive castle. The unit, which was built on Roman wall ruins, was given as a present to the Sovereign Voicu Corvin by the Hungarian King Sigismund, the later German Emperour, as thanks for his courage in battling the Turks. Today a style mixture between Gothic and Renaissance is to be seen. To be admired, among other things, are the chapel, the knight hall and the hall of the State Parliament. Lunch in the small village of Sibiel. We then go further to Sibiu. The city, that is located at the feet of the south Carpathian Mountains, was established in the 12th century under Hungarian domination by German settlers, the Saxons. You will undertake a city tour of the large and small ring, which are surrounded by best preserved, medieval houses, past the gothic Haller-House from the 16th century, the Catholic baroque church from the 18th century, the Bridge of Lies, to the powerful three ship Protestant church, with a lovely view over the old houses and reinforcement units. Dinner at the restaurant "Sibiul Vechi". O/B H. Continental 3*

Day 3. Tu Sibiu - Brasov
Breakfast at the hotel. Afterwards trip to Sighisoara with a short stop in Medias -Margarethan church and Biertan -church castle. After arrival, city tour of Sighisoara. The most beautiful medieval city of Romania rises on a wooded hill. Along the fort wall, nine of the original 16 towers still stand with a sharp roof watch. The imposing 14th century building, where, along the city hall the ammunition warehouse, the treasure chamber and the archive are also found, was reinstated after a fire in 1676. Show-piece of the historic museum in the clock tower is the replica of a 17th century pharmacy. On a city tour, you also get to see the birthplace of the sovereign Dracula, the old clock tower and the Joseph Haltrich secondary school. Lunch at the restaurant "House of Dracula". After lunch, we go to Brasov. King Andreas II presented 1211 the knights of the German Order with land in the Barsei-County at the eastern border of his empire. Thanks to its position, the city soon became an important trade and fair metropolis, later also a centre of the German minority in Romania. You will visit the city hall place in the heart of the old town, the Black Church, the Schei-Block and the city reinforcement. Dinner at the restaurant "Carpathian Stag". O/B H. Capitol 3*

4th Day We Brasov - Bucharest
Breakfast at the hotel. Possibly further visitations in Brasov (if on the day before too little time for that remains). Trip to Bran and visit of the Dracula castle. High on a steep rock, the castle controls the gorge lying at its feet and the street which connects Transylvania to Valahia. The castle Bran is always presented to the tourists as "Dracula’s castle". In reality, Vlad “the Impaler” never entered it. Still, located so strongly in the middle of Transylvania, it reminds of the description of Dracula’s castle from Bram Stoker’s novel of the same name. Trip further to Sinaia and lunch at the restaurant "Economat”. In the afternoon, the viewing of the castles Peles and Pelisor are in the programme. Karl of Hohenzollern -Siegmaringen, that came to the Romanian king throne as Carol, built between 1875-1914 the summer castle Peles. Scrolls were added to the mixture of wood architecture, stone architecture and half-timbering architecture with asymmetrical towers in the style of the German Renaissance, Italian terraces, Baroque and Rokoko. Trip further to Bucharest. Dinner at the restaurant "Carul cu bere". O/B H. Bulevard 3*

5th Day Th Bucharest - Tulcea
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, city tour of Bucharest, the centre of the political, economic and cultural life. Bucharest experienced in the course of the centuries many dark times, as well as its destruction by the Turks in 1595. The capital of the country is nevertheless called the Paris of the Balkan Peninsula. You will undertake a trip and see the National Theatre, the University, the Patriarchal Church and the monument buildings of the 20th century, which were constructed under dictator Ceausescu, as well as the People’s Palace, which is the second largest building in the world. Lunch in Bucharest. In the evening, you will arrive in Tulcea. The Danube divided itself shortly before flowing into the Black Sea into three main canals. Chilia in the north, Sulina, the shortest and Sfantu Gheorghe in the south. With the large lagoons of Razelm and Sinoe, it covers over 5000 s km and stands as a biosphere reservation under nature protection of the UNESCO. Tulcea is the largest city of the Delta and lies just before the last forking of the Danube in the place of the antique Aegyssos. D/O/B H. Delta 3*

6th Day Fr Danube Delta
Today we go on a ship excursion into the Danube Delta. You will go on the main canal Sulina to the canal of the 36th mile. From here on, further through the old Danube, in the Fortune Lake up to the Nebunu Lake. Besides the fish wealth, the bird variety is especially impressing, if you pass along gigantic groups of pelicans, herons, ducks and cormorants. Warm lunch on board. In the afternoon we go back to Tulcea. D/O/B H. Delta 3*

7th Day Sa Tulcea - Suceava
Your trip will lead you today through Dobrogea region past Galati, Tecuci, Bacau and Piatra Neamt. You will have lunch at a restaurant in Bacau. The monasteries Neamt, Agapia and Varatec will be visited today. The Monastery Neamt is one of the most interesting monasteries, in the Middle Ages being an important orthodox cultural centre with schools for miniature painters and copiers. The imposing church, with its elegant, octagonal tower, is completely covered in the interior with frescos, of which many depict martyr scenes. You also get to see the grave of a monk that came here in the 18th century with 60 students from the mountain Athos. The white church of the monastery Agapia, that was restored in the 19th century, with an onion-tower, reminds somehow of the architecture of the Greek Islands. The in 1598 established monastery of Varatec is also inhabited. The frescos are in part already blackened from candle smoke. You can also become acquainted with the romanian wine at a wine tasting at the vineyard Niculitel of the monastery Celic Dere. D/O/B H. Continental 3*

8th Day Su The Moldavian monasteries
In the Bucovina, with its meadows and wooded mountains in the north, the sovereigns built dozens of churches and secured monasteries. Because of its extraordinary frescos, they are today a compulsory stage on each Romania trip. The nun monastery of Dragomirna was built in 1602 as a small church. The building of the current monastery, which was surrounded by powerful walls and corner towers, for protection against the Turks and Tatars, followed in 1609. On the inside frescos, especially a beautiful Christ figure in the cupola and painted winding columns are to be admired. The church of Patrauti possesses a shingle roof and a vacant wood tower. It stands from 1487 and was one of the first churches that Stefan the Great constructed. Lunch at the restaurant "Popas Bucovina". The large monastery of Putna, which was repeatedly set on fire and plundered by the Turks and Kazaks, is since its ordination in 1470 uninterruptedly active. The wonderful late 16th century nun monastery of Sucevita was strongly secured for protection against the Turk incursions. The church of Sucevita is the most decorated monastery from Bucovina. The paintings, that gave it the surname of "green Jewel", are filled with thousands of people, with angels and martyrs, with prophets and bishops. The monastery of Arbore, also without a tower, build in 1503, is one of the smallest in Bucovina. On its outside frescos from 1541, rule 5 different green tones. Especially worthwhile are the representations of the creation and scenes from the life of two Saints. Dinner at the restaurant Continental Suceava. O/B H. Continental 3*

9th Day Mo Suceava - Piatra Fantanele
Today you will visit the Moldavian Monasteries of Voronet, Humor and Moldovita. Lunch at the restaurant "Casa Elena" in Voronet. The actual monastery of Voronet is gone, only the church remains, which was built in the summer of 1488 in not even four months, in the honour of the hermit Danil, an adviser of Stefan the Great. Its frescos made the "Sixtine Chapel of the East" famous. The little, in 1530 established and still active monastery of Humor was famous earlier for its miniature paintings - and writing art workshop. The nun monastery of Moldovita, protected by powerful walls and towers, is one of the largest in Bucovina. Its church was painted five years after its founding in 1532. In the monastery museum, 16th century furniture was preserved, among which the throne chair of the founder, Petru Rares. Further on your trip you will also visit the wood museum from Campulung, that owns a rich collection of sculpted objects. D/O/B H. Castle Dracula 3* Piatra Fantanele

10th Day Tu Piatra Fantanele
Today we will go into the Maramures region. You will visit the wood churches from Bogdan Voda, Ieud and Rozavlea. In Bogdan Voda, archaeological diggs in the last 20 years brought to light a Christian Cemetery, a feudal residence from the 13-14th century and the ruins of a stone church, as well as a monastery out of the 13th century. The village Ieud lies in the Iza valley 50 km from Sighet. It is famous for its wooden church, one of the largest old wood constructions in Romania. It is called wood cathedral or gothic cathedral and it is the most beautiful from the 31 old wood churches of the Maramures. Rozavlea is a large village in the Iza- valley: the church is one of the most beautiful wood buildings in Romania. It was constructed between 1717 -1720. Near the Ukrainian border, the visit of the "Cheerful cemetery" of Sapanta stands in the program. The romanian village of Sapanta has an unique burrial ritual. Each must reckon with an ironic gossip. One can find a jolly poem over the deceased on each gravestone. Lunch at the restaurant "Perla Sigheteana" in Sighetul Marmatiei. D/O/B H. Dacia 3*

11th Day We Satu Mare - Homeland
The current day leads you back to Austria. Trip from Satu Mare to Hungary, to Debrecen and further past Budapest and Györ, to Vienna.

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