Romanian UNESCO Heritage Tour

The private Romanian UNESCO Heritage Tour will start with the pick up from your hotel at 08:00 am and drive North to Gura Humorului.

So, prepare to leave behind the region of Wallachia and enter Bucovina, the land of the Beech trees, where you will admire typical mountain and countryside sceneries, meet warm people and feel the spiritualness of the places you will visit. This region is very famous thanks to the old painted monasteries which are part of UNESCO World Heritage.

Dinner and accommodation in Gura Humorului.

Breakfast at the hotel in Gura Humorului.

The day will start with Voronet Monastery’s visit, considered an emblematic painted church with about 500 years old but well-preserved frescoes and the inimitable “Voronet blue” in the composition of the paintings. Here you will find out interesting things about the Orthodoxy in Romania, religious traditions, and beliefs. All these through…pictures. Do not miss the famous fresco representing the “Doomsday”, which is unique in the world.

The next stop is in Sucevita, where you will visit the largest painted convent, very similar to a fortress. You will see again outside painted frescoes which passed the time test. Here there are the best-preserved paintings among the other painted monasteries from Bucovina.

Before heading to Piatra Neamt, visit Moldovita Monastery. You will admire the predominantly gold and deep blue paintings on the exterior walls completed in the XVIth century. The large Siege of Constantinople represents the highlight of the frescoes. Also, do not miss Jesse’s tree’s representation, illustrating Christ’s genealogy, a general iconographical theme in Europe during the Middle Ages.

In the evening, arrive in Piatra Neamt for dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast at the hotel in Piatra Neamt.

Departure in the morning. Today you will enter the legendary land of Transylvania and visit the UNESCO sites located here. Head first, to Sighisoara Medieval Citadel.

On the way, you will admire stunning mountain sceneries as you will cross the Carpathians. You will pass several picturesque villages and find out the story of the Szekler minority in Romania, this area being famous for their culture and lifestyle. You will also admire Bicaz Gorge and the Red Lake, unique in Romania, thanks to how it was formed.

We will soon arrive in Sighisoara (UNESCO Heritage), the only medieval citadel in Europe still inhabited. Here, time seems to run after other patterns. You will find out the citadel’s story, and you will see the well-preserved walls and towers of defense and admire the medieval houses aligned along narrow old streets. The citadel highlights are: the house where it is said that Vlad the Impaler (known as Dracula) was born, the Clock Tower (on the top of which you can take some beautiful panoramic pictures of the citadel), the Covered Stairs, and the Evangelical Church. Lunch in Sighisoara.

In the afternoon, we will pass by Viscri village, which made Prince Charles of Wales fall in love with Romania. Viscri is a Saxon settlement full of color and history, with authentic local touch and original conservation of the lifestyle. This medieval place was also included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Here, you will walk on the old streets of the village admiring the genuine Saxon houses, you will get to know the original lifestyle of the people trying to keep alive the ancient and beautiful traditions, you will visit the Fortified Church, and depending on time, you will stop at a local coffee shop to taste traditional cakes and drinks homemade by the locals. We tried them, and we liked them!

In the evening, drive to Brasov for dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast at the hotel in Brasov.

Brasov, Kronstadt (“the city of the crown”) under its German name, is considered one of Romania’s most beautiful cities. Here you will walk on the narrow and cobblestone streets of the old city center. You will see The Council Square, The Council Tower, the famous Black Church (the largest Gothic construction in the Eastern part of Europe).

Leave Brasov and head to another UNESCO Monument, the Fortified Church of Prejmer. Here, you will find out more about the Saxons (Germans) who lived here starting with the X – XIth century. Their culture, life, and traditions are significant for our country. Visiting the fortified church, you will understand why.

Now prepare to enter Wallachia, another historical region of Romania. You will stop in Sinaia, a very famous mountain resort known as the “Pearl of the Carpathians”. You will visit Peles Castle, the former summer residence for the first Royal couple of Romania, King Carol 1st and Queen Elizabeth. Considered one of the most beautiful castles in Europe, the construction is impressive thanks to the architectural style and decorations, but most of all thanks to the beautiful interior design (an exciting mixture of cultures in terms of furniture, the specific touch of the King and Queen) and the modern facilities for the last half of the XIXth century (electricity, vacuum cleaner, electrical elevator, and central heating). Here you will also hear the Royal couples’ story in Romania and their significant influence on our country’s history. The visit lasts about 45 minutes, after which you will spend some time in the beautiful gardens of the castle.

Arrival in Bucharest in the evening and drop off at the hotel.