10 day bus trip

This won’t be about the great hotel experience or the cathedrals that storm up to the sky, nor about boulevards hemmed by palm trees or monumental domes. There will be an experience and an impression that will mean for us becoming acquainted with a totally new culture, art and landscape. The church castles in Transylvania, already more fort than sacral building. The chain of monasteries in Moldavia, as cultural value unique in the world. The Danube Delta in the truest meaning of the word, a paradise. And the landscape in Transylvania, in the Carpathian Mountains, in Bucovina and Walachia designed a colourful blossom dress for us.

1st Day Budapest - Satu Mare
After crossing Hungary one will drive across the east Hungarian low plane and arrive to Bors, at the Romanian border. From here on to Satu Mare where one will spend the night in a very old but good hotel. (Historic monument).

2nd Day Satu Mare - Suceava
In the morning one can visit the "Cheerful cemetery" from Sapinta where on each gravestone a jolly poem over the deceased is written. Afterwards one will see the wood churches from Bogdan-Voda, Ieud and Rozavlea that are here in Maramures very similar to the rod churches from Norway. In the afternoon one will cross the Prislop pass and arrive in Suceava. The city of Suceava, where one will stay at the hotel of the same name for two nights, is the capital of the Romanian Moldavia. Fortunately the pretty gardens in which the roses bloom three times a year were preserved. Also there is a St. George Nou church to see and in walking distance the abandoned monastery of Zammca. In front of the city lies the old fort SUCEAVA.

Day 3. Tour of the monasteries
Among the strongest impressions of a Romania trip, are the world-famous Moldavian monasteries, also called the monasteries of Bucovina. When the sun is shining, the grand, coloured facades light up from far off towards the expectant visitors. From the once twelve churches the frescos were preserved just in five. One will visit these treasures on the trip to Bucovina and wonder. MOLDOVITA, HUMOR, ARBORE, VORONET and also SUCEVITA. Although each of these monasteries is in its own way unique, there are all assigned to the same era. Emerged around 1530, the frescos haven’t lost their illuminating beauty and depict not only sacral, but also worldly, political subjects. They are also to be perceived as a religious work of art because the population would not have understood the liturgy otherwise. Perhaps the churches were also too small, the pictures had no place inside and so they were painted on the outside. No one knows in fact. At the end of this interesting viewing we will drive back to the hotel.

4th Day Suceava - Tulcea
In the morning, one will have the opportunity to visit one of the two monasteries (Varatec or Agapia). They are the largest in Europe with more than 1000 nuns and novices (each). Cosily the trip goes further. Along the river SIRET, one will drive over BACAU, TECUCI and GALATI to TULCEA, the gate way of the Danube Delta where one will remain in the hotel Delta, again for two nights.

5th Day Danube Delta
Today there is a break for bus and driver. An all-day, jolly trip through the Danube Delta is scheduled. Many of us have already stood at the source of this often sang river, some have already seen it in Vienna or somewhere else. Today however, one can finally discover where our “beautiful blue Danube" flows into the Black Sea. The region that has over 400 sq km, partly water or sump, partly wooded area with reed islands in between, steadily changes its appearance. Thousands of birds live in the Delta, countless migratory birds settle in the reedy marsh.

6th Day Tulcea - Sinaia
In the morning one go on to reach the capital of Romania. Today, with 2.3 million inhabitants it is one of the largest cities of the East. In the centre, it is very big-city-like. One can move around along wide Boulevards between imposing magnificent buildings and noble houses. The Ceausescu - palace is alone worth a trip. If one knows the country, one remains almost breathless when seeing this building. The more than 700 rooms are equipped only with the most valuable materials. Of course one will also visit other sights like for example the Patriarch church or the Village Museum. In the afternoon one will then drive north, into the south Carpathian Mountains, to reach Sinaia.

7th Day Sinaia - Sibiu
In the morning one will visit the castle of Peles that was build by Karl I, the first king of the Hohenzollerns in Romania. A few kilometres away one will also be able to see the castle of Bran, also called the castle of Dracula. An experience is also the city of Brasov, where one will visit the "Black Church". One will visit Brasov, one of the most beautiful cities of Romania. The “Black Church” is the largest evangelic House of God in south Eastern Europe. The interior is draped with very valuable oriental carpets. The gothic walls with the oriental influences embody the historical characteristic of this region. In the afternoon one will arrive in Sibiu. In the evening festive supper at a typical restaurant.

8th Day. Saxon church castles
For today one have the visit of the most important Saxon church castles from the Kokel valley. One will begin with the church castle out of Slimnic, afterwards the one from Axente -Seve and the one from Medias. At noon, one can then see the largest church castle from Transylvania, namely the one from Biertan. Sighisoara alone is worth the entire trip to visit the old town. Here one can visit the Clock tower, the Mountain Church and the birthplace of Dracula. In the afternoon one will drive across Agnita and Nokrich back to Sibiu. In the evening, one are expected at the farmers in Sibiel where one will first visit the unique glass icons museum and afterwards, very cosily at the farmers home for supper.

9th Day Sibiu - Arad
In the morning one will drive to Alba Iulia. On the way one will see the villages, which were established by the people from the salt county. In Alba Iulia one will visit the catholic cathedral, which was one of the most important churches for the Hungarian kings. Some of them are buried here.The fort from Alba Iulia was built in its current shape in the days of Eugen of Savoy. In the afternoon one will drive along the Mures valley to Arad. On the way one will also see Deva. The youth-style of the architecture in Arad is renowned in the entire Romania.

10th Day Arad - Budapest
In the morning, after breakfast, one will immediately drive to the border one will cross in Nadlag. Here one will say goodbye to our guide and drive towards the homeland.

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