TNN’s Romania Tour

Today is arrival day! We’ll have an orientation meeting in the afternoon before taking you to one of our favorite spots in Bucharest for a welcome dinner.

On our first morning together as a group, we’ll take a historic walking tour to get our bearings and learn more about Romania’s capital. In the afternoon, you’ll have time to explore the city on your own (we’ll give you some of our favorite recommendations to help point you in the right direction). In the evening, we’ll meet for an optional group dinner, followed by an optional night out in Bucharest’s Old Town to experience the city’s renowned nightlife.

In the morning, we’ll take a 2-hour drive through the stunning Prahova Valley to the mountain town of Sinaia. There, we’ll tour the nearby Peleș Castle, a striking fairytale-like castle that was built for King Carol I in the 19th century. This lavishly-decorated 160-room castle was the summertime residence of the royal family and the first castle in Europe to have electricity. Afterward, we’ll continue onwards to the Transylvanian city of Brasov (a 1-hour drive), where you have the option of staying with the group for dinner or heading out on your own.

We’ll start our first day in Brasov with a walking tour to learn about the history of one of the best-preserved cities in the country. You’ll then have the afternoon free to explore this fascinating and incredibly picturesque city at your own pace. If you so choose, you can meet up with the group again in the evening for an optional dinner.

In the morning, we’ll take a trip to Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle (despite the fact that Vlad the Impaler was likely never there). After touring the castle, we’ll refuel with a hearty traditional lunch in a local home. We’ll then head back to Brasov, where you’ll have the afternoon free to explore the city. If you’d like, you can meet up again with the group in the evening for an optional dinner.

In the morning we’ll take a 2-hour drive to Corund, a village in Székely Land, the ethnically Hungarian-majority region of the country. When we arrive, we’ll have a typical lunch at a local trout farm. We’ll then visit the traditional workshops that make this area famous, including a potter, weaver, and tinder mushroom family. We’ll end the day with a home-cooked dinner at a hunter’s farm in the mountains.

Today, we’ll start the day by driving to the remote Fantana Plateau, where we’ll visit local families on their farms. We’ll take a forest walk through the southernmost peat bog in the world to learn more about this unique type of environment. We’ll eat lunch at a local cheese farmer’s home. Afterward, you’ll have the afternoon to relax from the busy day before an optional group dinner.

With the morning comes a surprise activity at the home of local friends! We’ll then take a 1-hour drive to Sighisoara, one of the best preserved medieval villages in Europe. We’ll take a walking tour of the medieval citadel and village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Later, we’ll drive through the heart of Transylvania to the day’s final destination, the Saxon city of Sibiu.

In the morning, we’ll take a walking tour of the Old Town of Sibiu, known as The City of Eyes for its iconic rooftop windows that look like they’re watching over passersby. In the afternoon, you’ll have free time to wander the city at your own pace before meeting up again with the group for an optional dinner.

In the morning, we’ll take a 1.5-hour drive to Hunedoara, where we’ll visit the Hunedoara Castle. This Gothic-Renaissance castle is one of the largest and most impressive castles in Europe. After some time enjoying this site, we’ll return to Sibiu, where you’ll have the option of joining the group for dinner.

We’ll make our return to Bucharest via the incredible Transfagarasan Highway. This breathtaking road winds through the Fagaras Mountains and has been called one of the most epic roads in the world for its stunning landscapes. On the way, we’ll visit the 15th-century Poienari Citadel,  the ruins of Dracula’s actual castle. Finally, we’ll arrive in Bucharest, where we’ll have our last dinner together as a group.

Today, we say goodbye after our grand adventure! Our guides will be around all day to help you get to the airport or onward to your next destination.