3 Days
Explore Transylvania's wild beauty and uncover the myths and legends of one of the most popular regions in Romania!
DAY 01
Bucharest – Peles Castle – Bran Castle - Bran
Your first day begins in Bucharest, where the tour guide will pick you up from your hotel and drive you to Transylvania. Get your camera ready to experience some breathtaking photographic moments that will make any Instagram follower jealous!
You will first stop at Peles Castle, a beautiful Neo-Renaissance castle, which was the former summer residence of the Romanian Royal family. While walking up a slope to reach the castle, passing through cafes and handcraft stalls, you can admire this architectural jewel and its beautiful surrounding garden, looming majestically to greet visitors.
Next, you will head to the heart of the Carpathian Mountains, where you will discover a 13th century built castle that has been on every traveler's wish-list: Bran Castle.
Surrounded by mountains with snowy tops, upon a rock, a red-roofed castle arises and lures you to come inside. The myth, the intrigue, and the magic of this interesting castle in Transylvania make this place a great place to capture that Instagram photo you've been craving for finally! Although many consider this Dracula's Castle, after Bram Stoker's character, Dracula, a Transylvanian Count lived here, the castle is now a museum dedicated to displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Maria of Romania.
Afterward, your guide will drive you to the hotel.
DAY 02
Hiking – Brasov city tour – Bear watching – Bran
It is said that the Carpathian Mountains are Europe's last true wilderness so today you will discover Transylvania's wild beauty and you will head to some of the most beautiful mountain villages that lay in the heart of the mountains and are a crossing point of three different landscapes, in an almost infinitely large natural area. The idyllic surroundings of the Piatra Craiului Mountains and its beautiful people can be genuinely experienced only by foot, so grab your hiking boots and let's go!
Locals here live on traditional, small farming, with cheese and other dairy products being their primary source of income, and for lunch, you will try some of the local cheese. As some of these villages only became accessible by car in recent years, horse-drawn carts are still the most commonly used vehicles in the village, so if you encounter a local, don't be shy to say hi!
In the afternoon, you will head to Brasov, a medieval city that looks like stepping back in time. As a town full of history and surrounded by forests, the oldest traces of human activity and settlements in Brașov date back to the Neolithic age, but Saxons played a decisive role in Brașov's development.
Here you will visit the Black Church that stands as the main Gothic-style monument in the country and has a six-ton bell, the biggest in Romania. The history of this beautiful monument is very intriguing, as the construction began around the year 1383 and was interrupted in 1421 because of the Turkish invasion. The earthquake in 1471 caused the southern tower to be finished earlier without reaching its destined height, and the church was completed in 1477. After the fire from 1689, when the roof and the interior furniture were completely destroyed, the walls were darkened by the smoke of the fire and was named The Black Church.
Photo tip: The best way to photograph the Black Church is by taking a 10-minute walk uphill to the local viewpoint of the main square. Don't miss that awesome picture!
After lounging in a cozy cafe, you will head to our last adventure of the day, when you will discover more about the fauna of Romania, one of the richest and most varied in Europe, containing rare or even unique species on the continent.
Did you know that if the bear population, a species that is at the top of the trophic pyramid, is kept in large numbers, it means that the other species of animals in the bear's habitat are in a good state of conservation?
You will be meeting the local ranger, and you will head deep into the forest to admire the majestic brown bear. The bear observatory is very close to the animals, so be quiet and pay attention to every detail, sometimes the lucky ones get to see the bear cubs hiding and playing nearby!
Afterward, you will return to the hotel.
DAY 03
Bran – Sinca Monastery – Balea Lake – Bucharest
On your last day, you will head to a beautiful place that will charge you with some fantastic energy and inner peace, in an oasis full of beauty, where you will visit an ancient cave church – built more than 6000 ago. This tremendous place has high spiritual power, and many say that it is a place where miracles do happen. Surrounded by nature with a little traditional monastery on top of the hill, Sinca Veche Rupestral Monastery is the place where many believe that wishes come true!
Afterward, you will stop to Balea Lake, the largest glacier lake and one of the most beautiful in the Fagaras massif. Set the top of a mountain and over 2000m altitude, with a landscape that gives you a state of tranquility, away from the hectic cities, Balea Lake represents a splendid monument of nature that should be admired while visiting Romania.
Here you can enjoy a picnic near the lake or taste some local soup, and afterward, we will head back to Bucharest.
Before you book, please be informed that Balea Lake can be easily reached in summer by car, but in the cold season is only reachable by cable car from Balea Waterfall. Between June-November, your guide will be driving you on the Transfagarasan Highway.
In the evening, you will arrive and Bucharest, and you will be dropped off at your hotel.
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