DESTINATION:
Romania
From Moldavia to Transylvania, Bucharest to Brașov, the Red Lake to the Black Sea, Romania stands out for its rich cultural heritage and outstanding natural beauty. Nestled in the heart of Eastern Europe, its history is a tale of foreign conquest and staunch resistance. Long an important Roman province and the only Latin speaking state in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, Romania saw the gradual increase of Saxon influence and Ottoman expansionism during the medieval period before eventual unification of its principalities in 1881. Since then, it has been at the heart of Eastern European politics, resistant to Austro-Hungarian hegemony, subsumed by communist rule and since 2007 a member of the European Union.
Our tour will bring to life some of the most dramatic cultural achievements from throughout Romanian history. The painted monasteries of Bucovina epitomise the strength of Romania’s Christian heritage in the face of Turkish invasion in the 15th and 16th centuries, whilst Bucharest’s Palace of Parliament showcases the megalomania of communist rule in the 1980s. In addition to historic Romania, there will be plenty of time to enjoy the country’s dramatic landscape. From the spectacular Carpathian Mountains to the dramatic Bârgău Valley – heart of ‘Dracula land’ – the Romanian countryside remains largely unspoiled.
Recommended duration – the duration of a visit to Romania will depend upon the preferred areas to be visited. A programme to include Bucharest will require a minimum of 6 nights/7 days but we would recommend 7 nights/8 days. A shorter tour can be configured using a low cost airline carrier servicing the northern airports, which are nearer to the area in which the painted monasteries are located.
KEY VISITS (Recommended)
BUCHAREST – Romania’s cosmopolitan capital city is well known for its wide Parisian-style boulevards and fine pre-World War I buildings.
- STAVROPOLEOS CHURCH – an early 18th century church which is richly decorated with ornate carvings and colourful frescoes.
- PATRIARCHAL CATHEDRAL – the seat of the Romanian Orthodox Church located on a hill overlooking the southern side of the city. The delightful interior includes frescoes, icons, and the tomb of Bucharest’s patron saint, St Dumitru.
- PALACE OF PARLIAMENT – a colossal structure and the third largest building in the world after the Pentagon and the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, which epitomises the megalomania that overtook leader Nicolae Ceauşescu in the 1980s. The interiors of the 1000 rooms are lavishly decorated with marble, walnut panelling and gold leaf, and only Romanian materials were used in the construction of the palace.
BRAŞOV – a medieval town with ornate Saxon churches and townhouses.
- PIAŢA SFATULUI – the main square situated in the heart of the medieval quarter of Brasov. According to legend it was in this vicinity that children emerged in Transylvania, after being enticed away from Germany by the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
- LUTHERAN BLACK CHURCH – the largest Gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul with a 7 tonne bell which is the largest in Romania. Inside there are fine hanging Turkish carpets and a huge organ with 4000 pipes built by Buchholz.
- ORTHODOX ST NICHOLAS’S CHURCH – located on the site of the former gateway to the inner city, the first construction of wood (1392) was replaced by a stone church in 1594. Further 18th century modifications have resulted in an interesting mix of Gothic, Byzantine and Baroque styles. The interior is decorated with icons and frescoes.
- ROMANIAN SCHOOL MUSEUM – displays some of the first textbooks written in the Romanian language and printed in Braşov (dating back to the 16th century).
- PREJMER – a pretty Saxon town with a five-towered 12 metre high wall surrounding its 13th century Gothic Evangelical church.
- BICAZ GORGES and the RED LAKE – a rather eerie natural beauty spot shrouded in legend, which showcases the spectacular scenery of the Eastern Carpathians.
- MUSEUM OF DECORATED EGGS – consisting of over 3,000 exhibits from around the world, illuminating many traditional craftsmanship techniques.
GURA HUMORULUI – a town once belonging to the Austrian monarchy and the base from which to explore the painted monasteries. The monasteries are amongst the greatest artistic monuments of Europe, painted in the 15th and 16th centuries when Turkish invaders threatened the Principality of Moldavia and featuring vivid mural frescoes created to educate and entertain the illiterate soldiers and peasants.
- VORONEŢ – founded in 1487 and particularly noted for its superb frescoes; often dubbed the ‘Oriental Sistine Chapel’ with the magnificent ‘Last Judgement’ fresco, which covers the whole of the western wall and is probably the finest single composition among the painted monasteries.
- MOLDOVIŢA MONASTERY – with frescoes dating from 1537. It was founded by Prince Petru Rareş as an offering to Christ and today many of its magnificent paintings have been restored. The church is enclosed by bold fortifications and set in beautiful grounds, offering a real air of tranquillity.
- SUCEVIŢA – a larger monastery considered by many to be one of the finest in Bucovina with exquisite frescoes adorning both the interior and the exterior.
- PELEŞ CASTLE at Sinai – a royal palace resembling a Bavarian Schloss in the German Renaissance style, set in a large park landscaped in the English fashion. Each of its 100 rooms is styled on a particular country and richly decorated in ebony, mother of pearl and leather, with over 800 stained glass windows in the building.
ALTERNATIVE VISITS
- BISTRIŢA – a small market town in the Bârgău Valley, the heart of “Dracula land”, and the setting for much of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
- TÂRGU MUREŞ – a small town which houses the spectacular Culture Palace, easily recognised by its secessionist style architecture, steepled roofs and colourful geometric tiles. The Culture Palace houses three museums: the history museum, art museum and stained glass window museum (‘Hall of Mirrors’).
- SIGHIŞOARA – a beautifully preserved UNESCO World Heritage listed medieval town, set in rolling countryside. The city walls encircle cobbled streets lined with 16th century burghers’ houses and churches.
- SIBIU – a charming town which combines styles of the late Renaissance, Gothic, Classical and Transylvanian Baroque architecture. Sibiu has been likened to Nuremberg, but many of the houses are painted sky blue, red, apricot and pea green. Visits include the evangelical and orthodox cathedrals and the Brukenthal Art Museum.
- VISCRI – a restored, atmospheric Saxon village and UNESCO World Heritage site. The traditional village features brightly painted houses, one of which was bought and restored by the Prince of Wales.
- BIERTAN – a village set on a hill within 3 rings of walls. It is home to the best known of all the Saxon fortified churches, which has the largest Gothic folding triptych altarpiece in the whole of Romania, whilst the sacristy door is particularly noted for its 17 locks, including a fine golden lock. Biertan was the seat of the Lutheran Bishops until 1867, and their fine gravestones can be seen inside the Bishop’s Tower. Biertan is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- BRAN CASTLE – often referred to as ‘Dracula’s Castle’. In actual fact, Vlad the Impaler never lived in 14th century Bran Castle, but the edifice lives up to the Gothic fairytale image that Bram Stoker’s novel evokes. The castle was created by the Saxons in the late 14th century to defend Braşov from invasion by the Turks, and its interior displays rich Western European furniture.
- IASI – where we will visit the Palace of Culture, one of the largest buildings in Romania. Constructed between 1906 and 1925, the flamboyant neo-Gothic edifice is the work of Romanian architect I.D. Berindei. The building served as the country’s Administrative and Justice Palace until 1955, and during World War II sheltered German, then Soviet troops. The Palace today houses the Moldavia National Museum Complex.
- CORVIN CASTLE – a spectacular Gothic fortress that dates back to the 15th century, it was built with dolomitic limestone and river stone. It is the largest medieval castle in Transylvania.
A tour to Romania can be configured in many different ways depending on the duration and choice of visits. We would strongly recommend that you discuss your preferences with one of our team, with a view to producing a tour that will best suit your requirements.