The old monuments, the authentic rural life, the picturesque sceneries, the kind people, together with the famous frecos (listed on the UNESCO Heritage list) are the key words when it comes to describe Bucovina.

Duration

3 days

About

The name “Bucovina” comes from the German word “Buchenland” and may be translated as “the Land of Beech Trees”. This land is now one of the most attractive and visited touristic areas in Romania which received in 1975 the Pomme d’Or international prize by The International Federation of Travel Writers and Tourism Journalists.

Day 1: Bucharest – Bacau – Roman – Bucovina

In the morning, you will leave behind Wallachia and head to Bucovina known for its painted monasteries, but also for the traditional houses adorned with beautiful floral and geometrical motifs, for its traditions kept over the centuries and for its hospitable people. Dinner and accommodation in Bucovina.

Day 2: Bucovina – Sucevita – Moldovita – Voronet – Piatra Neamt

Breakfast in the morning. Today we will visit the painted monasteries, unique for the original frescoes both on the inside & outside walls, still preserved in the original style (some of these monasteries being UNESCO heritage).

First, you will be driven to Moldovita Monastery built-in 1532, initially built as a monastery for monks and changed after as a convent for nuns. The second monastery will be Sucevita which is the largest of all, looking more like a mighty fortress than a monastery. The monastic place, as the last one to be painted on the exterior walls, boasts the best-preserved frescoes of Bucovina.

In the end, you will visit the most famous painted monastery of all, Voronet Convent also known as “The Sixtine Chapel of the Orient”. Erected in 1488, Voronet Monastery represented one of the first Moldavian creative elements showing a distinctive style. The church is a combination of Byzantine, Gothic and local elements. The exterior painting on the western wall depicts, on five registers, the Doomsday scene, unique in the whole world. The Voronet Monastery entered the universal cultural heritage also for having in the composition of the paintings the inimitable “Voronet blue”. Overnight in a hotel in Piatra Neamt.

Day 3: Piatra Neamt – Lacu Rosu – Brasov – Bran – Bucharest

Breakfast in the morning at the hotel. Today you will enter the legendary land of Transylvania after crossing the Carpathian Mountains. You will stop in Brasov considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Romania. Here, you will have lunch in a typical restaurant and enjoy a lovely walk on the narrow and cobblestone streets of the old city center. You will see The Council Square, The Council Tower, The famous Black Church (the largest Gothic construction in the Eastern part of Europe). Then, head to Bran and visit Bran Castle, which became so famous thanks to the legend of Dracula. Here you will find out how this legend was born and why Transylvania is until nowadays related to it.

In the afternoon, return to Bucharest and drop off at your hotel.

Although the itinerary is quite long, driving in the countryside will offer magnificent sceneries and this is our only tour to show two interesting regions in a relatively short period of time.

What to Expect

• Sucevita, Moldovita and Voronet painted monasteries
• Bicaz Gorge and the Red Lake
• Bran castle
• Brasov medieval city

Know before you book

A minimum of 2 people is required for this trip to run. Please note that the time table is subjected to changes due to heavy city traffic and road works. TravelMaker, as the company which organizes the trip, is not responsible if the visited sites are closed without prior notice and for any reason at the moment you arrive. Also, the order of the visits during the trip can vary depending on the weather and traffic conditions as well as on the visiting program switch from summer to the winter season.