HIDE AND SEEK WITH DRACULA

HIDE AND SEEK WITH DRACULA
9 DAYS theme tour

Long before being mentioned by Bram Stoker in 1896, Dracula, the Prince of the Dark, has been a historical character. Son of Vlad Dracul (Knight of the Order of the Dragon-1431) and grandson of Mircea cel Batran (Mircea the Old), king of Wallachia (1386-1418), Vlad Tepes adopted a totalitarian leadership, introduced a very strict order in Wallachia, strengthened the army and helped the trade with the neighbouring countries. He was merciless towards those who went against him, had they been noblemen (boieri) or of a lower status. Externally, he fought The Ottoman Empire, against which he scored famous victories.

Surnamed "Vlad the Impaler" because of his cruel method of impaling both disobeying nobles, enemies and thieves, Vlad was respected by all simple people. Legend says that in his times, someone could leave in night time a purse full of gold coins in a crossroad and find it untouched next morning.

We offer you a tour on the footprints of Dracula - legendary, fictional and historical. Discover the legends handed down from generation to generation. See the places where the vampire of 19th century author Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula" roamed, and the road Jonathan Harker took to reach the vampire's castle. Learn about the real Prince Vlad, and see the authentic "Dracula's castle" and palace. On this tour you can combine legend, fiction, and truth to create a "Dracula" of your choice!
And don't forget your clove of garlic to keep you protected....


	HIGHLIGHTS * Poienari, the real fortress of Vlad the Impaler * Sighisoara, the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler * Borgo Pass, where is located the action of the novel "Dracula" * Bran Castle * Vlad the Impaler's tomb in the Snagov Monastery	OUR EVALUATION Culture*** Nature* Comfort* Human contacts* Climbing and walking skills**

Day 1
Bucharest - Curtea de Arges (150 km)
Meet and greet at Bucharest international airport. Departure for Curtea de Arges. Dinner and overnight in a 3* hotel in Curtea de Arges.

Day 2
Curtea de Arges - Sibiu (150 km)
Breakfast. Drive to Poienari, the location of the real fortress of Vlad the Impaler (Vlad Tepes). Visit the fortress (about 1490 stairs on a high hill, to access it). Most of the itinerary is through a nice forest. Back to Curtea de Arges and visit the Monastery Curtea de Arges, related to the legend of Master Manole; it is the monastery where Romanian Kings are buried. Lunch in a restaurant.

Drive to Sibiu (named Hermanstadt by the Saxon colonists). Visit the old centre (Evangelical Cathedral, where Dracula's son, Prince Mihnea the Bad was killed after a service in 1510, the Liars' Bridge etc.). Dinner and overnight in a rural guesthouse in Marginimea Sibiului.

Day 3
Sibiu - Biertan - Sighisoara (100 km)
Breakfast. Visit the open-air ASTRA museum, offering an impressive collection of all rural techniques (wooden grape presses, wind and water mills, etc.). Lunch in a traditional Romanian tavern in the museum. Drive to Sighisoara, the birth place of Prince Vlad Tepes (Dracula), a well preserved Saxon medieval town still inhabited.

City tour: the Clock Tower (the 1648 clock still keeps time) shelters the History Museum with a rich collection of medical and pharmaceutical objects and instruments, Transylvanian ceramics, a scale model of the town, an exhibition relating the experiments of Herman Oberth, born in Sibiu county, who was the inventor of the multi step missile with liquid propellant, the ancestor of the Apollo rocket. Continue with the Torture Room and the Museum of antique weapons (swords, firearms etc.).
Dinner and overnight in a 3* hotel (newly refurbished Saxon house) in Sighisoara.

Day 4
Sighisoara - Targu-Mures - Bistrita - Pasul Bargau (Borgo Pass) (200 km)
Breakfast. Today, we travel into the Eastern Carphatians to the Borgo Pass, where Bram Stoker located the action of his novel Dracula. On the way, we stop in Targu Mures to visit the Palace of Culture.

Lunch in a restaurant in Bistrita, where we taste the popular Dracula's meal.
Drive to Borgo Pass; in the afternoon free time: you can take an easy walk on the high pastures to enjoy the beautiful landscape.
Dinner and accommodation in the 3* hotel "Castle Dracula" in Borgo Pass .

Day 5
Pasul Bargau - Bistrita - Reghin - Targu Mures - Sighisoara - Brasov - Bran ( 330 km)
Breakfast. Departure to Bran. Stop for lunch in a restaurant between Sighisoara and Brasov.

Continue to Bran. On the way stop and visit the Saxon fortress Rasnov, located on a 150m high hill, dominating the surrounding plane. The fortress, erected in the 13th century by the Saxon colonists, has been recently restored.
Dinner and overnight in a rural guesthouse in Bran area.

Day 6
Bran - Rasnov - Brasov - Bran (60 km)
Breakfast. Visit the Bran Castle, often wrongfully attributed to prince Vlad Tepes. Perched on a rock, the castle dominates the valley connecting the southern province of Wallachia with Transylvania. Developed by Saxon settlers since the 13th century, this was once a vital trade route. Castle's inside architecture is quite impressive.
Drive to Brasov. Lunch in a restaurant in the downtown. City tour. Visit the Council Square and the Black Church, the greatest Gothic church between Wien and Istanbul. Its name comes from the damage sustained in the Big Fire in the town (1689).
Back for dinner and overnight in a rural guesthouse in Bran area.

Day 7
Bran - Predeal - Bucharest (170 km)
Breakfast. Departure to Bucharest. Stop in Sinaia, "the Pearl of the Carpathians", a mountain resort offering both sport and leisure facilities. Visit Peles Castle, former summer residence of the Romanian Royal Family, home to a large art and furniture collection. Lunch in a restaurant.

Drive to Snagov to visit the Monastery on the Island Snagov where, according to the legend, the decapitated Vlad Tepes was buried. We'll use boats to get there.
Drive to Bucharest. Dinner in a restaurant. Overnight in a 3* hotel.

Day 8
Bucharest in place (30km)
Breakfast. City tour of Bucharest, the “little Paris” of the '30s”: the University Square, the Princely Court, Lipscani Street (the former merchants' street), the Village Museum. Lunch in a restaurant. Continue visits: the Palace of the Parliament (Ceausescu's new palace), the second building in the world after the Pentagon – if opened for visits at that moment.

Continue to the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, where you'll discover a very special presentation of Romanian peasant environment and traditions.
Farewell dinner in a traditional restaurant with folk programme and accommodation in a 3* hotel.

Day 9
Bucharest
Breakfast.
Time permitting, last visits in Bucharest or shopping. Transfer to Bucharest international airport for departure.

Duration	9 days / 8 nights
Lodging	rural guesthouses (ocasionally, bathrooms shared between tourists) and hotels
Notes	1. Rates do not apply during Easter, Chrismas and the New Year period. 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, Friday or Sunday. If Day 1 differs, some visits or activities will be replaced consequently. 3. Price does not include: extra taxes for cameras and filming (requested in some places - e.g. the monasteries), personal drinks off the boarding, tips (optional).

2010 RATES
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS	PERIOD	PRICE/ PERS	SGLE SUPPL	PRICE INCLUDES
2 (private tour)	all year long	1485 EUR	195 EUR	- lodging: 3 nights in rural guesthouses and 5 nights in hotels (on a double room basis occupancy) - boarding: full board (as specified in the programme) - entry tickets for the visits included in the programme - transport and transfers in Romania by car, minibus or coach - all road and parking taxes - transport of luggage - English speaking attested tour guide - all taxes
8 (constitued groups)	all year long	880 EUR	195 EUR
		915 EUR	195 EUR
Quotation on request for other group sizes or discounts for children under 12