Romania

Day 1: Bucharest airport – Sibiu

Accommodation: Guesthouse/Hotel 3*

Meals:  Welcome dinner

Begin your journey with a scenic transfer from Bucharest Airport to Sibiu (approximately 280 km, 4 hours). Upon arrival, settle into a cozy 3* guesthouse or hotel. Once the cultural capital of Europe, Sibiu was a beacon of Transylvanian Saxon heritage. Explore its rich history as the birthplace of Romania’s first hospital (1292), pharmacy (1494), and the Brukenthal Museum, opened in 1817 as the country’s oldest museum. Stroll through its cobblestone streets and admire its medieval charm.

Day 2: Explore the Magnificent Corvin Castle

Accommodation: Guesthouse/Hotel 3*

Meals: Breakfast

Travel to Hunedoara (130 km, about 2 hours), home to the majestic Corvin Castle, also known as Hunedoara Castle or Castelul Corvinilor. This Gothic-Renaissance masterpiece is among Europe’s largest castles and a proud entry on the list of Romania’s seven wonders. Let its grandeur transport you to medieval times as you explore its impressive architecture and storied past. Return to Sibiu and enjoy an enchanting evening tour of the city illuminated by night.

Day 3 : Astra Museum, Biertan & Sighișoara

Accommodation: Guesthouse/Hotel 3*

Meals: Breakfast

A short drive to Astra Open Air Village Museum, the second-largest open-air museum in Europe (250 acres), located in the middle of a dense forest and surrounded by a beautiful lake. It features more than 300 buildings, as well as watermills, windmills, and other structures representing village architectural styles from various parts of Romania.
Next, head to Biertan (70 km, approximately 1 hour's drive). Biertan is one of the most significant Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, having been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. Featuring late-Gothic architecture with heavy doors and double exterior walls, the church boasts the largest Transylvanian multi-paneled wooden altar and a remarkable wooden door that once protected the treasures in the sacristy.
Continue the tour to the remarkably well-preserved town of Sighişoara (30 km, approximately 30 minutes' driving), which is so rich in history that its entire old city center is a UNESCO site. Hear about the medieval town’s legendary former resident, Vlad the Impaler, a Wallachian prince and warlord who inspired Bram Stoker’s fictional character Dracula. Discover the only city in Romania that looks the same way as it did in the 16th century.

Day 4 : Viscri, Rupea Fortress & Brașov

Accommodation: Guesthouse/Hotel 3*

Meals: Breakfast

Travel to the picturesque village of Viscri (1 hour). As we approach, admire the impressive whitewashed walls and red-roofed towers that surround the town, designed to protect early inhabitants from invading Turks. Wander the rustic streets of the city and visit its UNESCO World Heritage-listed church. King Charles, who owns a house in Viscri, says, "Transylvania is in my blood".
Visit Rupea, a remarkable fortress with three rings dating from the 14th century, built on a basalt rock. Inside the fortress, there is a well 60 m deep. The water is still drinkable.
End your day in Brașov (90 km, about 90 minutes), a city steeped in Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance architecture. Enjoy a guided evening tour of Brașov’s Old Town, where history comes alive under the glow of lanterns. Accommodation at a 3* hotel for 3 nights.

Day 5: Peles Castle, Bran Castle, and Rasnov Fortress day tour

Accommodation: Guesthouse/Hotel 3*

Meals: Breakfast

Discover three iconic landmarks of Romania: Bran Castle (also known as Dracula's Castle), Rasnov Fortress, and Peles Castle. Drive about 45 minutes to Sinaia town to visit Peles Castle. The expansive, Bavarian-style Peleș Castle, built in a lush forest in the 19th century to house Romania's royal family, is among the most beautiful in Europe. A guide will lead you through many of its immaculate, ornate rooms, still adorned with luxuriant furnishings and décor. You’ll also have the chance to tour the neighbouring Pelișor Castle, a smaller royal residence decked out in art nouveau finery.
Continue the tour from Sinaia (about 60 minutes) to Bran Castle, also known as ‘Dracula’s Castle’ — a hilltop estate that conjures up visions of howling wolves and bats fluttering in the moonlight. Wander the castle’s Gothic chambers and learn about its ties to Bram Stoker’s undead antihero. Enter if you dare and wander through the castle’s many well-preserved rooms and chambers. Gothic furnishings and details help set the scene for ghastly legends of all that happened here, including the imprisonment of Vlad the Impaler. This 15th-century prince was notorious for his bloodthirsty campaigns against invading Turks and is said to have inspired Stoker’s malevolent Count Dracula.
Drive about 30 minutes to Râșnov, situated among the stunning Bucegi Mountains. Learn about the storied history of Râșnov Fortress, a walled stone compound designed to ward off attacks by the fierce Tartars and used as a refuge for local villagers during medieval warfare. Explore the time-worn courtyards, ramparts, and well of the 13th-century fortress built by the Teutons. Return to Brașov in the evening.

Day 6: Romanian Authentic Mountain Villages

Accommodation: Guesthouse/Hotel 3*

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Sustainable, local, eco tour! The beauty of Romania lies in its countryside!

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Overview:

Experience the traditional Transylvanian way of life on a small group tour from Brașov to the rural villages of Pestera and Magura. We offer a walking tour in the area, which includes visits to the Bat Cave, exploration of the landscape, and interaction with the locals (3-4 hours, easy to medium, up to 12 km). Now, the Bat Cave is a national natural monument, part of the National Park “Piatra Craiului”. The cave entrance is through a narrow corridor, followed by a grotto and a gallery. You can admire the Jurassic limestone formations, formed over centuries, including the so-called "tears of the earth". The cave is not electrified to preserve the natural habitat of the bats. Visit the oldest guesthouse in the National Park, sample a variety of handcrafted cheeses, and enjoy farm-fresh cuisine. With a flexible pace and the personalized attention of your guide, it’s a unique and authentic way to experience the Romanian countryside.

Highlights

• Small group day trip to the authentic Romanian mountain villages of Pestera and Magura from Brașov

• Discover the culture of the villages, nestled in Transylvania’s Piatra Craiului National Park mountain

• Take a trek into the forests and meadows to see wild flowers and go inside the Bat cave

• Savor lunch made from fresh, simple ingredients at one of the guesthouses in the area

• Enjoy a flexible itinerary and the undivided attention of a guide on this small group tour

• In these two villages the people never died because of cancer or heart attack - they live an healthy life: working the land, taking care of animals (sheep and cows), preparing and eating home made food from their small farm (meat, eggs, milk), drinking fresh water from the spring and home made alcoholic drink called "tuica" made from different fruits: apples, plumps, pears!

What You Can Expect

Sample traditional Romanian cheese on a small group day trip to Magura and Pestera.

Nestled in the Piatra Craiului National Park Mountains in the Southern Carpathians, the villages of Pestera and Magura offer an authentic glimpse into rural Romanian life. Your immersive, full-day tour begins in central Brașov, where you’ll meet your local guide and board a private vehicle for the 45-minute drive to the village. Along the way, please let your guide know if you have any specific interests so they can tailor the day’s itinerary to your needs.

Explore the history of the villages, where many villagers continue to practice traditional industries, such as sheep farming and cheese-making. Visit the Bat Cave for about 10 minutes. Next, set off into the surrounding hills and meadows of Magura village for a moderate guided hike for 2 to 3 hours. Let your guide know if you prefer to hike for a longer or shorter distance, and proceed at a pace that’s comfortable for you.

Make a stop at the oldest guesthouse in the National Park. Meet some of the farmers, and sample two to three different kinds of cheese.

After working up an appetite, we have a hearty lunch. Savor simple Romanian cuisine, homemade from local farm-fresh ingredients, including eggs, vegetables, or pork. Purchase beer or wine to top off your meal. From the guesthouse, we walk back to the car in Pestera Village, a 1-hour walk. We can also visit the local church.

Relax on the scenic return drive to Brașov.

Day 7: Transfer to Bucharest airport

Meals: Breakfast

3-hour transfer to Bucharest airport.

From NZ$2,975 per person, twin share. (price is subject to change)

Single supplement applies

There is an option to upgrade accommodation.

Departs every Tuesday April through October

Cost Includes:

• 6 nights accommodation (2 nights in Sibiu at a 3* guesthouse/hotel, 1 night in Sighisoara at a 3* guesthouse/hotel, 3 nights in Brasov at a 3* guesthouse/hotel)

• 6 breakfasts, one lunch

• all transfers and transportation by car or minibus

• entrance fees only at Bran Castle and Peles Castle (the introductory tour)

• English-speaking tour guide/driver