SWEET ROMANIA

SWEET ROMANIA
20 days guided motorhome cultural tour


	HIGHLIGHTS * Bran Castle, Peles Castle * Medieval town of Sighisoara * Maramures wooden churches * Painted Monasteries from Bucovina * Danube Delta	OUR EVALUATION Culture*** Nature Comfort* Human contacts**** Climbing and walking skills*

Day 1
Hungary – Nadlac – Arad - Timisoara (95 km in Romania)
Arrival in Timisoara. Meet and greet with the guide. Welcome dinner in restaurant. Motorhome’s parking in a camping. (D)

Day 2
Timisoara in place by coach
We leave motorhomes in camping (happy drivers!!!). Transfer by coach to the centre. Visits in Timisoara: the old city centre, the Union Square (Piata Unirii) and the Art Museum. You will be impressed by the nice architecture – most of it is in Art Nouveau style. Lots of nice parks and green zones add a special flavour to this town. Lunch in a restaurant. Visit the Revolution Museum - Timisoara was the Romanian Revolution start-up location in December 1989.
Overnight in the same camping. (L)

Day 3
Timisoara – Lugoj – Caransebes – Sarmizegetusa – Orastie – Sebes – Sibiu (290 km)
Departure to Sibiu. Stop en route to visit Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, the Dacian-Roman capital, which took the same name as the Dacian capital (Sarmizegetusa Regia), located higher in the mountain. It was built after the Roman conquest of Dacia, after the second war (105-106 AD).

Dinner in a guesthouse. Motorhome parking in a peasant camping close to Sibiu. (D)

Day 4
Sibiu – Sighisoara – Sibiu by coach (215 km)
Breakfast. Visit the medieval city of Sibiu and the Ethnographic Museum in open air “ASTRA”. Known as Hermanstadt according to its Saxon founders, Sibiu was one of the most flourishing towns in central Transylvania in the 17th century.
Departure to Sighisoara. Stop for lunch in a restaurant and then visit the gorgeous medieval citadel of Sighisoara, an imposing fortified town on the top of a hill which is dominating the valley.

Included in UNESCO Patrimony, Sighisoara is a real “living museum”. Visit in the citadel the Clock Tower, the museum of mediaeval weapons, the covered staircase.
Back to the camping near Sibiu for dinner in a guesthouse and overnight in motorhomes in the same location. (B, L, D)

Day 5
Sibiu – Fagaras – Brasov (170 km)
Breakfast. Departure to Brasov. We are following the Meridional Carpathians, the highest mountain chain in Romania. Stop in Sambata de Sus to visit the Brancoveanu Monastery.

Placed in a beautiful location, the Monastery of monks, still active, is one of the main centers of glass painted icons in Romania. Continue to Brasov.
Motorhome parking in a camping close to Brasov. (B)

Day 6
Brasov and surroundings by coach
In the morning a coach takes us to the peasant fortresses Prejmer and Harman. Built by Saxon colonists starting with the 13th century, both are impressive architecture pieces of art. Each family in the village had a room inside the fortification, where the family stayed during sieges. The room was inherited from generation to generation.

Back to Brasov for a city tour and a walk in the old centre. Visit the Black Church, the biggest Gothic cathedral between Wien and Istanbul. Lunch in a restaurant. Drive to Bran and visit the famous Bran Castle, wrongfully added in the Dracula legend.
Back for overnight in the same camping close to Brasov. (L)

Day 7
Brasov – Predeal – Sinaia – Ploiesti – Bucharest (160 km)
Departure to Bucharest, following Prahova Valley, one of the main passages between Wallachia and Transylvania. Stop in Sinaia and visit the impressive Peles Palace, dating from the end of the 19th century. The castle, built in the time of Carol the 1st of Romania, includes marvellous collections of furniture.

Overnight in motorhomes in a camping close to Bucharest.

Day 8
Bucharest in place by coach
Once again, we leave motorhomes in the camping. Transfer by coach to the centre. Bucharest is a very crowded capital, so a tourist coach will take us for the tour of Bucharest. Surnamed “Little Paris”, the Romanian capital surprises through the variety of the architectural styles. Visit Stavropoleus Church, Lipscani Street, which was the main commercial street in the past, University Square. Lunch in a restaurant and visit the impressive Palace of Parliament, Ceausescu’s Palace, the second building in the world after the Pentagone.
Back to the the same camping for overnight in motorhomes (L).

Day 9
Bucharest – Fetesti – Medgidia – Babadag – Danube Delta (355 km)
Drive to Danube Delta, crossing Eastern Valachia. We are driving on a section of the A2, one of the newest highways in Romania.

After crossing the Danube, we’ll transit through Dobrogea, the South-Eastern part of Romania.
Dinner and overnight in motorhomes in a camping in Danube Delta. (D)

Day 10
Danube Delta by small ship
Incursions in the Delta - cruise by small ship (cruise-lunch included). Danube Delta is one of the main highlights of tourism in Romania. The ship will take us through narrow channels, where you will discover "the paradise of birds": Dalmatian and White Pelicans, Egrets, Ducks, Swans, Avocets, Lapwings and many more… The species are varying according to the season.

The human intervention more than discreet allowed to the flora to develop here over 1000 different species . White and yellow water lilies decorate the lakes, oak forests covered by lianas, are giving them the aspect of a tropical forest, alternating with sand dunes specific
Return at the camping for overnight in motorhomes. (L))

Day 11
Danube Delta– Braila – Galati – Tecuci – Onesti (330 km)
Departure to central zone of Moldavia. This day, we’ll see different scenery – the “under Carpathians”, Romania’s “Piedmont”. We can notice a change of architecture in small villages: covered entry gates, roofs covered with wooden shingles, lots of flowers in the gardens.
Quite often, roads are bordered with walnut or apple trees. Stop near by Onesti for festive dinner with musicians and overnight in a camping in your motorhomes. (D)

Day 12
Onesti – Piatra-Neamt – Agapia – Falticeni – Sucevita (230 km)
Departure to Bucovina. Stop and visit Agapia Monastery, with beautiful frescoes painted by Nicolae Grigorescu, one of the most important Romanian painters. Lunch in a guesthouse in Agapia.

Continue to Sucevita for dinner and overnight in the orchard of a guesthouse in the motorhomes. You’ll enjoy tasty organic food in Bucovina. Not to tell you about the cookies – they are delicious!!! (L, D)

Day 13
Sucevita – Putna – Sucevita (80 km)
Breakfast. Departure to Putna Monastery, the first religious site built by Stefan cel Mare (Stephan the Great). Close to the monastery there is a wooden chapel of which the legend says that it is the most ancient holy construction in Moldavia.

Lunch in a nice local restaurant in Putna. Easy walk in the village to admire traditional houses and discover local activities.
Return to Sucevita for dinner and overnight in motorhomes in the same location. (B, L, D)

Day 14
Sucevita – Voronet – Manastirea Humorului – Moldovita – Sucevita (120 km)
Breakfast. Visit Voronet painted Monastery, included in the UNESCO patrimony and Manastirea Humorului Monastery, well known for its outdoor walls covered with frescoes. The blue of Voronet has become a reference for worldwide frescoe painters.

Lunch in a guesthouse. Departure to visit an Easter eggs decorator and then Moldovita and Sucevita monasteries.
Dinner and overnight in Sucevita (same place). (B, L, D)

Day 15
Sucevita – Marginea – Solca – Cacica – Sucevita (110 km)
Breakfast. Visit Marginea village, famous centre for its traditional black pottery dating from the Dacian time (around 2000 years). Possibility to buy directly from the craftsmen.

Continue to visit the salt mine in Cacica, known since the times of the Austrian Empire – 18th century.
Dinner and overnight in Sucevita in your motorhomes. (B, D)

Day 16
Sucevita – Iacobeni – Borsa – Sighetu Marmatiei – Sapanta (225 km)
Breakfast. Route to Maramures passing through the village Ciocanesti, with the outside walls of houses decorated with models which can be found on the embroidery and festive clothes in entire Bucovina. Continue through Prislop Pass to Maramures.

In Prislop Pass, a real entry gate in Maramures, you’ll be impressed by mountain’s scenery: high picks, green pastures, sheepfolds on the slopes. Continue to Maramures. Time permitting, stop and visit the old wooden church in Ieud in the valley.
Dinner and overnight in a peasant camping in Sapanta (in your motorhomes). Once again, you will appreciate local gastronomy, but also the open spirit of local people. (B, D)

Day 17
Sapanta – Barsana – Sighetu Marmatiei – Sapanta (100 km)
Breakfast. Visit Barsana Monastery, well-known in Maramures as a pilgrimage place. All the complex is built in wood and perfectly integrated in the landscape.
Back to North-West to visit the Memorial Museum in Sighetu Marmatiei. Sighetu Marmatiei (or Sighet, as the locals call it) was the birth place of Elie Wiesel, one of the Nobel price winners.

Lunch in a restaurant. Return to Sapanta to visit the Merry Cemetery. Unique in the world, the blue painted carved crosses present each one the story of the deceased person. It’s a real open book to the past. Death is not presented as a tragedy, but as part of human existence, as birth, marriage.
Festive dinner with musicians. Overnight in the same place, in your motorhomes. (B, L, D)

Day 18
Sapanta – Negresi-Oas – Satu Mare – Petea – Budapest (400 km)
Breakfast. Departure to Hungary. Overnight in your motorhomes in a camping in Budapest. (B)

Day 19
Budapest in place (coach and cruise on Danube)
We leave the motorhomes in the camping. Guided visit of Budapest (by coach). Lunch in a restaurant. Free time to spend in Budapest.

19,00: transfer by coach for cruise dinner on Danube. It’s our farewell party. Good Hungarian wine, folklore players and dancers are present. Budapest seen by night from the Danube is really impressive. All buildings are valued by wonderful lights. Back to the camping by coach. Overnight in your motorhomes. (D)

Day 20
Budapest
Last shopping in Budapest and departure.

Duration	20 days / 19 nights
Lodging	courtyard or orchard of guesthouses and in campings
Notes	1. The price does not include: personal drinks off the boarding, road and parking taxes, extra taxes for cameras and filming (requested in some places – ex. the monasteries), tips (optional). 2. According to the opening hours for some visited sites (e.g. museums), this programme can be applied as it is if Day 1 is Monday, Thursday, Saturday or Sunday. If Day 1 differs, some visits or activities will be replaced consequently. 3. Pets accepted.

2010 RATES
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS	PERIOD	PRICE/ PERS	PRICE INCLUDES
16-30 (8-15 motorhomes, constitued groups)	May- September	1070 EUR	- 8 nights motorhome parking in a guesthouse grassed yard or orchard; 11 nights in camping in Timisoara, Brasov, Bucharest, Danube Delta, Onesti and Budapest - 8 breakfasts - 9 lunches - 1 cruise lunch in Danube Delta - 8 dinners - 4 festive dinners in Timisoara (welcome), Onesti, Maramures, Budapest (cruise) - drinks for the briefings - full travel file with access details (day by day itinerary) - detailed map of Romania - travel guide of Romania (one for each crew) - one SIM card(400 min in group included) for each crew (good if radios are out of range) - GPS for usage (one for two motorhomes) - guided city tours by bus: Timisoara, Sibiu, Sighisoara, Brasov, Bucarest, Budapest - guided Danube Delta tour by small ship - entry tickets for the visits mentioned in the program - our Pan Travel attested English / French speaking guide - tour leader from Timisoara (day 1) to Budapest (day 20)
		1223 EUR
Quotation on request for other group sizes or discounts for children under 12

Roumanie en autocaravane-- Romania in a camper -- Rumänien mit dem Wohnmobile