Day 1

On arrival at Bucharest Airport you will be met and transferred to a 3* hotel for overnight.

Day 2

Optional tour of Bucharest. Take the train to Brasov (en route optional stop at Sinaia to visit Peles Castle). Visit the old town of Brasov (Kronstadt) in the foothills of Mount Tampa. Brasov is one of the seven cities founded by the Saxons in Transylvania in the 12th century when they were invited to Transylvania to guard the mountain passes. Visit a wood carver, a former political prisoner during communist times who learned to carve in prison and admire his intricate beautifully carved wooden objects in traditional Romanian style.

Overnight at a Pension.

Day 3

Take the train to Baia Mare in the Maramures region. The journey takes approximate 6 – 7 hrs.

Maramures is a fascinating place in the north of Romania surrounded by mountains and picturesque valleys, the most famous and beautiful being the Mara and Iza Valleys. The region is renowned for its 17th and 18th century spindly wooden churches and beautiful hand carved wooden gates: here there are fairly-tale hamlets, splendid displays of woodwork and popular costume, country festivals, ancient traditions, hospitable people and artisans. From the bus station near the railway station, buses leave for the valleys. Take the bus that goes to Sighetu Marmatie in the Mara Valley. Stop in Harnicesti village from where it is about a 15 minute walk to your host in Hoteni village. Here you will stay overnight in the home of two of most famous musicians of Maramures.

Day 4

Explore the villages and churches along the Mara Valley. Buses connect the villages.

Stop in Desesti and Sat Sugatag to see the wooden churches and admire the beautiful carved wooden gates of the houses. Visit a local artisan in Desesti who makes hand-woven natural wool rugs, using ancient recipes for making dyes from flowers and plants. Desesti dates back to 1360. In the wooden church in this village the naïve paintings of the inner walls depict a colourful and decorative fairy-tale world. In Manastirea stop to see the delicate hand-embroideries and hand-strung bead necklaces (traditional in this area) made by an artisan.

Return to Hoteni for overnight accommodation.

Day 5

Day time festival. Today people dressed in traditional Maramures costume from the three villages of Sat Sugatag, Breb and Hoteni gather together in Hoteni for the “Round Dance Festival”. In the olden days people use to gather every Sunday for the round dance – it was a way of socialising, meeting other people and having fun. This custom has now been revived with the help of two musicians from Hoteni who organise this event. Time to watch people dancing, time to learn to dance and time to taste the strong plum brandy called horinca!

Overnight accommodation in Hoteni.

Day 6

Today take the bus to Vadu Izei from where a horse and cart trip can be arranged to the lovely village of the Oak Valley where you can meet a famous wooden carver whose nickname is ‘Pupaza’. On the way back to Vadu Izei visit more craft artisans – in weaving, wood sculpture, icons painted on glass, traditional costumes and embroidery.

Overnight accommodation with village families. In the evening the children of your host will perform some traditional dances and music. They are part of a local music group.

Day 7

Hire a local car to take you east along the Iza Valley to the village of Barsana to visit the old wooden church on the hill. Stop to visit Barsana Monastery at the exit of the village. The church is said to be Europe’s tallest wooden building. Take the bus to the village of Botiza. Overnight Botiza with village families.

Day 8

Botiza is well known for the women’s artistry in weaving rugs or “scoarte”. Visit some of the local artisans. In the afternoon you can either take a horse and cart ride along the Sasu Valley to the “borcut” where there are several sources of mineral water, or take a gentle one hour walk across the hill from Sasu Valley to Poienile Izei where you will be picked up by car.

Overnight accommodation in Baptize.

Day 9

Hire a local car to go to Viseu de Jos from where you can take the train to Brasov. Stop on the way to visit Targu Mures. You are now in Szekely Land where there is a considerable Transylvanian Hungarian community. The Szekelys are direct descendents of the Hungarians who settled in Transylvania at the beginning of the IXth century. You will notice along your way that the villages have two names – one in Romanian and one in Hungarian. Visit the old centre – the Roses Square is dominated by beautiful buildings. Visit the Orthodox Cathedral, the mediaeval citadel and see the impressive stained glass windows at the Palace of Culture with folk legends depicting the Szekely people. Take the train to Brasov.

Overnight accommodation at a 3 star pension.

Day 10

Take the train to Sighisoara (Schaßburg), one of the best preserved mediaeval citadels in Europe. The citadel is perched on a hillock with a 14th century defensive system surrounding the entire hill. Here you will have the opportunity to walk the streets of a medieval town still inhabited today. From here you can either take the train that goes to Medias and then walk to Biertan where the Saxon Festival will take place, or from Sighisoara take a taxi to Biertan.

Overnight accommodation in Biertan.

Day 11

You will have the opportunity to see dancers from many Saxon Transylvanian villages who will perform and display their traditional costumes. Time to celebrate with the people and watch the dancing groups. Time also to visit the impressive Saxon fortified church at Biertan which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The eastern bastion of the church was not only for defence but it used to be also a prison for the men or women who wanted to divorce. They were kept there with only bread and water until they changed their mind about divorcing. It is said that in 300 years only one divorce was recorded.

Overnight accommodation in Biertan.

Day 12

Take the train back to Sighisoara. Change in Sighisoara for the train to Brasov. In Brasov you can take a bus to Rasnov to visit an impressive 13th century fortress and stop also in Bran to visit the famous castle that is mythically linked with Count Dracula.

Return to Brasov for overnight accommodation at a Pension.

Day 13

Take the train to Bucharest. Make your way to the airport in time for your return flight to the UK.