Bucharest City Tour - Overnight in Bucharest

Palace of Parliament - During a day trip to Bucharest, explore one of the world’s most debated administrative buildings. This private tour of The Palace of Parliament, also known as the People’s House, offers insights into the dangers and destruction a totalitarian regime like communism can inflict on a nation. Standing before one of the largest constructions globally, you’ll feel dwarfed by the extravagant opulence and megalomania that “the sleep of reason” can produce.

Capturing a selfie up-close might be challenging, as you’ll be attempting to photograph the second-largest administrative building on Earth, after the Pentagon, creating a memorable experience to share with future generations.

Muzeul National al Satului “Dimitrie Gusti” - On this private tour, visit The Bucharest National Village Museum, where Romanian traditions come to life. Discover how Romanian villagers created an ecological and sustainable environment in their backyards, and gain insight into their simple, modest lifestyle, living in social and spiritual harmony with nature.

Ateneul Roman - Next, your private tour takes you to the Romanian Athenaeum, a symbol of Romanian culture and often considered emblematic of Bucharest itself.

It’s only fitting that it ranks among the top tourist attractions on Calea Victoriei and in Bucharest.

Piata Revolutiei - Planning a city break in Bucharest? Don’t miss The Revolution Square, a site of immense historical importance. Here, you can step back in time to when dictator Ceausescu was overthrown, leaving behind secrets of a vast fortune and controversies surrounding the state security service and his offshore accounts.

As mentioned earlier, upon reaching the Senate Palace, you’ll see the building that once housed the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party, where the December 1989 Revolution began, a pivotal historical event that led to Ceausescu’s permanent removal from power.

Old Town - On a Bucharest day trip, experience the past through a blend of mystery and contrasts in the Historical City Centre, starting with Hanul lui Manuc, a massive fortified inn that served as a cultural and economic hub in its time. Built around 1806 by Manuc Bei, one of the wealthiest landowners in the Balkans, it was a gathering place for merchants passing through Bucharest, part of the vibrant crowd that filled the historic inn.

In this historical and cosmopolitan area, with guidance from Nicolas Experience Tours, you’ll discover not only Bucharest’s most popular restaurants but also museums, old and stunning churches, and an experiential library where you can purchase books, music, and other souvenirs, ensuring an unforgettable experience for you and your loved ones.

1. Curtea de Arges Monastery 2. Poenari Castle 3. Transfagarasan Highway 4. Sibiu City Tour - Overnight stay in Sibiu

Curtea de Arges Monastery - Did you know Curtea de Arges is unique for its significant royal tombs?

It’s well-known that truly good, beautiful, and enduring things come only through sacrifice, which becomes evident when you visit the old town of Curtea de Arges. With a rich and eventful history, here you can see the ruins of the Wallachian princely court, the 13th-century Royal Church, and the renowned Arges Monastery, a significant historical monument with a fascinating yet somber story.

Poienari Castle - The ruins of Poienari Fortress stand high on a cliff overlooking the Arges River, at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Built in the early 13th century by the first Wallachian rulers, the castle underwent several name and resident changes over the years before being abandoned and left in ruins.

Recognizing the location’s potential, upon ascending the throne, he ordered the structure’s repair and consolidation, transforming it into one of his main fortresses. When the Turks attacked and captured the castle in 1462, Vlad escaped through a secret passageway leading north through the mountains.

Transfagarasan Highway - Stretching over 150 kilometers, the Transfagarasan Highway is Romania’s most spectacular and renowned road, gaining fame from a 2009 BBC Top Gear appearance, making it one of the country’s top tourist attractions. Open fully only from June to October, the road’s highest point is at 2042 meters: the tunnel linking the northern and southern sides at Lake Balea (Balea Lac).

Big Square (Piata Mare) - If you’re in Transylvania, Sibiu is a must-visit travel destination with a 900-year history. A city tour will help you understand why Sibiu was chosen as the European Capital of Culture, including the Evangelical Cathedral, the Sibiu Old City Center, and the town itself, which are among Romania’s most visited tourist attractions, catering to every taste and providing a delightful travel experience for even the most discerning tourists.

For those who love authentic cultural experiences, whether romantic or adventurous, Sibiu offers everything needed to relax and enjoy, leaving everyday stress behind for a fun and memorable trip.

The beauty of this ancient citadel, recognized for its architecture, street layout, cultural and artistic heritage, and stunning natural scenery, is flanked on two sides by the Fagaras and Lotru mountains.

1. Corvin Castle 2. Densus Church 3. Sarmisegetusa Regia - Overnight in Sibiu

Castelul Corvinilor - Corvin Castle, also known as Hunyadi Castle or Hunedoara Castle (Romanian: Castelul Huniazilor or Castelul Corvinilor; Hungarian: Vajdahunyadi vár), is a Gothic-Renaissance castle in Hunedoara, Romania. It ranks among Europe’s largest castles and is recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of Romania.

Densus Church - The Densuș Church (also known as St Nicholas’ Church) in the village of Densuș, Hunedoara County, is Romania’s oldest stone church.

Built in its current form in the 13th century on the site of a 2nd-century Roman temple, using materials from the Dacian Sarmizegetusa fortress, it features a stone tower above the naos. Inside, 15th-century mural paintings depict Jesus in Romanian traditional attire, created by artist Ștefan. In the 18th century, additional paintings were added by Simion de Pitești.

Sarmizegetusa Regia - Sarmizegetusa Regia, also known as Sarmisegetusa, Sarmisegethusa, Sarmisegethuza, Ζαρμιζεγεθούσα (Zarmizegethoúsa) or Ζερμιζεγεθούση (Zermizegethoúsē), was the capital and most significant military, religious, and political center of the Dacians before the Roman Empire wars. Situated atop a 1200 m high mountain, the fortress, comprising six citadels, was the core of a strategic defensive system in the Orăștie Mountains.

1. Turda Salt Mine 2. Cluj Napoca City Tour (Botanic Garden) 3. Surdesti Wooden Church - Overnight in Sighetul Marmatiei

Salina Turda - Turda Salt Mine is arguably one of Transylvania’s most fascinating sites. If you have the opportunity to vacation in Romania, it would be a shame not to explore one of its most beautiful places, the Turda Salt Mine.

This location is a feast for the senses, with the purifying saline air benefiting those with respiratory issues, such as allergies or asthma.

Gradina Botanica “Alexandru Borza” - If you’re passing through Transylvania during your Romanian trip, a Cluj Napoca City Tour should be on your itinerary. Prepare your camera, as the Old City Center boasts unique historical and architectural monuments, Baroque, Renaissance, and Gothic-style buildings, some dating back to the 17th century, along with friendly and welcoming locals.

Not to mention the restaurants and delicious local cuisine, which are so popular you might have to wait for a table to enjoy your meal.

Surdesti Wooden Church - Nothing compares to the warmth exuded by wooden constructions, and the Surdesti church offers even more. Visitors are often so impressed they tip their hats – not a joke, considering the church’s tower measures an impressive 54 meters.

Imagine the craftsmanship involved in creating this 72-meter high wooden masterpiece, a challenging task even with modern technology, and when you realize it was built in 1721, you understand why it’s considered an architectural marvel.

1. Explore Maramures all day (local market) 2. Merry Cemetery 3. Sighet Memorial Museum - Overnight in Sighetul Marmatiei

Merry Cemetery - This Romanian trip promises history, culture, adventure, and fun.

The Dacians, our brave and wise ancestors who worshiped the god Zalmoxis, laughed at funerals and cried at births.

In Maramures, traces of historical continuity remain, most notably in Sapanta, home to the unique Merry Cemetery.

The crosses and tombstones, each a skillful and colorful work of art, feature humorous poems about the deceased that will leave you in stitches.

Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance - To understand why Romanians fought so hard to escape communist oppression, visit the Memorial Museum for the Victims of Communism, and you’ll begin to grasp the totalitarian regime’s damage and the immense pain and suffering it caused in such a short time.

1. Barsana Monastery 2. Borgo Pass Road 3. Ciocanesti village - Overnight in Gura Humorului

Barsana Monastery - One of Romania’s tallest wooden churches (57m height)

Just as walking barefoot through grass connects you with the earth, stepping into the courtyard of Romania’s most beautiful wooden monastery, Barsana Monastery, connects you spiritually with the sky and God.

If you’ve seen breathtaking places before, so divine they felt like heaven on earth, this Maramures trip might make you reconsider.

With its fairytale scenery and timeless history, this magical place has captivated tourists and locals for centuries.

Tihuța Pass - Tihuța Pass (Romanian: Pasul Tihuța, also called Pasul Bârgău; Hungarian: Borgói-hágó or Burgó) is a high mountain pass in the Romanian Bârgău Mountains (Eastern Carpathian Mountains) connecting Bistrița (Transylvania) with Vatra Dornei (Bukovina, Moldavia).

The pass gained fame from Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, where it was termed “the Borgo Pass,” the gateway to Count Dracula’s realm. Stoker likely found the name on a contemporary map; he never visited the area.

Today, the pass is home to Hotel “Castel Dracula,” located at an elevation of 1,116 m (3,661 ft). Built in 1976, the hotel adopted its current name after 1989 and has become an attraction due to its medieval villa architectural style and novel connection. In 2018, the property was put up for sale.

1. Voronet Monastery 2. Humor Monastery 3. Sucevita Monastery 4. Moldovita Monastery - Overnight in Gura Humorului

Manastirea Voronet - The Voroneț Monastery is a medieval monastery in the Romanian village of Voroneț, now part of Gura Humorului. It’s one of the famous painted monasteries from southern Bukovina, in Suceava County. Constructed by Stephen the Great in 1488 over 3 months and 3 weeks to commemorate the Battle of Vaslui victory, it’s often called the “Sistine Chapel of the East,” with frescoes featuring an intense shade of blue known in Romania as “Voroneț blue.”

Did you know Voronet Monastery was founded by Stephen the Great?

Dubbed the “Sistine Chapel of the East,” it attracts tens of thousands of tourists annually, with at least three unique elements making it a highlight of your Moldavia and Bucovina trip.

The most impressive aspect of the church’s artwork, both inside and outside, is the exceptional background color – the famous Voronet blue!

Humor Monastery - To understand religion’s importance to our people, tour Romania and see the numerous houses of worship built and destroyed by enemies throughout history.

Striving to protect their spiritual treasures, people built churches away from the world’s eyes, some hidden in woods, others nestled in rock caves at high altitudes.

Humor Monastery, built around 500 years ago, is a fortified monastery that has endured over the centuries.

After the first church here, built around 1400, was destroyed, the second one, built in 1530 with thick river rock walls, was meant to withstand the test of time.

Sucevita Monastery - Sucevita and Voronet are two of Romania’s most beautiful monasteries, part of the international cultural and spiritual heritage, making them essential stops on any trip to Romania and northern Moldavia.

Even if you haven’t read the Bible, the biblical scenes and icons painted on Sucevita Monastery’s walls provide stunning visual support for understanding Christianity’s history.

The fortified church is like an open book for anyone who enters, and seeing it in person reveals why it’s on the UNESCO World Heritage list of cultural landmarks.

Moldovita Monastery - For a spiritual journey to a place echoing with fervent prayers from hundreds of thousands who found solace here over history, venture through the Carpathians and Balkans to one of Romania’s oldest monastic settlements, built in 1532, home to Moldovita Monastery.

The fortified church combines Byzantine, Gothic, and Moldavian styles, but its unique mural artwork, both inside and outside, truly impresses visitors.

1. Lucia Condrea - egg painted museum 2. Nicolae Popa Museum 3. Bicaz Gorges - Overnight Stay in Sighisoara

Muzeul International al Oualor Lucia Condrea - Since the summer of 1993, artist Lucia Condrea opened a museum in Moldovita (Bukovina, Suceava- Romania) bearing her name, unique in Romania and possibly the world, given the artistic value of the exhibits. The museum houses over 5500 exhibits, artistically arranged across two building levels in 56 display cases.

The Popa Museum - Located 12 kilometers from Targu Neamt, in Tarpesti, Neamt County, you can visit the notable Nicolae Popa Museum. Founded in the ‘70s by local sculptor Nicolae Popa in his own home.

After being wounded in World War II, imprisoned by communists for opposing the regime, and left with only his house, Nicolae Popa stood for Romanian values. Through hard work and dedication, driven by a strong artistic inclination, he became one of Romania’s most valued naive sculptors and a true folklore creator.

Bicaz Canyon - What could be more beautiful than a walk along a riverbank that has carved its way through Romania’s mountains and virgin forests?

1. Sighisoara City Tour 2. Biertan Fortified Church - Overnight stay in Brasov

Sighisoara Clock Tower - Begin the Sighisoara Old Town tour with a visit to the Clock Tower and Arms museum. To experience life in the Middle Ages, visit Sighisoara, Romania’s medieval town, and Count Dracula’s (Vlad the Impaler) birthplace.

Built in 1280, the Sighisoara Citadel is not only one of Romania’s most visited tourist attractions but also a living medieval fortress, inhabited for over 700 years – a rarity.

Biertan Fortified Church - The Biertan Fortified Church, a breathtaking historical monument, was one of the first Transylvanian Saxon settlements in Ardeal, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hundreds of tourists visit annually, discovering what makes this place special.

Located in a small town dating back to 1224, the church impresses with its stunning scenery and unique construction – built on a hillock in the town center, surrounded by three defensive walls and seven bastions.

1. Brasov City Tour (Black Church) 2. Bran Castle / Dracula’s Castle 3. Peles Castle - Back to Bucharest

Black Church (Biserica Neagra) - Next, explore the beautifully-preserved medieval town of Brasov, nestled in the Carpathian Mountains’ foothills. Your guide will lead a walking tour of the Old Town, revealing the Black Church, Old Town square, and medieval city walls. Enjoy free time to soak in Brasov’s charming café atmosphere.

Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle) - Bran Castle, a blend of myth and history.

Bram Stoker’s fictional portrayal of Dracula’s castle closely matches Bran, leading many to believe he used its descriptions to create Count Dracula’s fictitious home.

Outside the castle, sample traditional foods: handmade cheeses, pálinka (plum and pear brandy), and traditionally-produced ham and sausages.

Peles Castle - Once upon a time, there was a beautiful castle…

If you’re writing memoirs or want to boast about seeing Europe’s most beautiful castles, the Romanian royal family’s summer residence is a top tourist attraction in Romania and Europe, and you’ll soon understand why.

Every year, thousands of notable figures and hundreds of thousands of tourists book tours of Romania for this attraction alone, to admire its beauty and, for a few hours, feel like royalty.

• Private car (Tourism or Minibus) only for you and your friends/family
• A private, licensed English speaking guide/driver, available throughout the tour
• Complimentary wireless internet access in the comfortable car
• Accommodation, meals and entrances fee for the guide
• All car expenses, such as gasoline, parking and road tolls
• Great flexibility regarding changes to the daily itinerary even after the start of the tour

• Accommodation, meals and beverages
• Entrance fees as per the itinerary

Embark on the adventure of a lifetime with this 10-day tour of Romania, featuring a diverse array of rich sensory experiences. Explore medieval sites, immerse yourself in the wilderness with deep forests, vibrant wildflowers, and fresh mountain air (in the right season), and enjoy modern exhibits. Savor traditional herbs and spices with the delicious foods in every medieval town visited.

This is the ultimate way to understand Romania and its people – a Private 10-day Tour in Romania with a local guide. Join the journey!

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.