Danube Delta A landscape you ll never forget

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1 Danube Delta A landscape you ll never forget Visit historic and cultural sites and cities of two neighbouring countries, explore the waterways of the unique Danube Delta in a canoe or a traditional fisherman boat, catch a sunset you ll never forget, sample wine from vineyards dating back to the Roman Empire and savour some of the finest caviar in the world, the beluga sturgeon from the Black Sea! This is a tour which will take you through important historical, cultural and wild areas of Romania. Itinerary: Bucharest- Crisan - Tulcea - Constanta Duration: 8 Days Day 1: Bucharest Airport hotel transfer. After arriving at Bucharest airport, you will meet your English speaking tour guide and you will be transferred to your hotel. Accommodation in Bucharest - 1 night Bucharest City Tour. A Romanian legend says that the city of Bucharest was founded on the banks of the Dambovita River by a shepherd named Bucur, whose name, literarily, means joy. His flute playing reportedly dazzled the people and his hearty wine from nearby vineyards endeared him to the local traders, who gave his name to the place. Among Bucharest s many charming attractions you are going to visit the House of the Free Press, the Arch of Triumph, the Victoria Avenue, the Cantacuzino Palace, the Revolution Square, the Royal Palace, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Military Club, the Palace of the Savings Bank, the old historical centre of the city, named Lipscani District, the Princely Court and Church, Caru cu bere restaurant - a must see for its unique architecture and traditional food, Manuc s Inn, the National Bank of Romania, the University Square and Casa Poporului (The People s House), possibly the most important highlight of the city and of Romania.

2 It is the world's largest civilian building with an administrative function and the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon. It is also the most expensive administrative building, the heaviest building in the world and one of the most important communist legacies of our country. [We recommend visiting the outside, as well as the inside.] Return to the hotel. Day 2: Bucharest Crisan The Danube Delta is comprised of an intricate network of waterways and lakes divided in three main estuary channels of the Danube. This area of floating reed islands, forests, pastures and sand dunes covers 3,000 square miles and is home to a fascinating mix of cultures and people as well as a vast array of wildlife. We will see a part of this beauty! Breakfast After breakfast we leave towards Murighiol. Then we will be boat transferred from Murighiol to Crisan, where we will spend 4 nights, in a resort located right in the middle of Danube Delta. Crisan is a fishermen village which experienced quick growth especially because of its privileged position on the most travelled channel Sulina. Crisan is the main stepping-off point between Tulcea and Sulina. It makes an excellent base for exploring the surrounding lakes and channels. We ll boat in Saint Gheorghe Channel, we will cross Uzlina Lake, Isac Lake, Litcov Channel- the largest channel of Delta, Ceamurlia Channel, Caraorman Channel, the Danube branch Sulina finally reaching Crisan. We ll explore the youngest territory in the world. The Danube Delta started to form just 10,000 years ago and is still in the process of formation. If we're lucky, we can see how the sky is wrinkled black comrade-style, arranged in groups of V, of cormorants and pelicans. While boating on these channels, you are accompanied by birds which have created Delta s fame, known since the beginning of the twentieth century as an avian paradise. After arriving at Crisan we will be welcomed at Ovidiu Pension, with champagne and caviar tarts. Check in at Ovidiu Pension - 3 nights Leisure time for relaxation, fishing, sunbathing, swimming or other recreational activities. Dinner in Crisan.

3 Day 3: Visiting Letea Village and Letea Forest Breakfast After serving breakfast we will start the day with a new boat trip in the wilderness of the Danube Delta.Today you have the opportunity to experience fishing! We cruise to Letea Forest, a great tourist attraction. You cannot say you have visited the Danube Delta without visiting this unique wonder of the world. We sail through the channel Magearu which is flanked by floating reeds islets and water lilies. We will admire the features of a village specific to this area: archaic, with wide-open spaces, roofs made of reeds and wicker fences, and with the omnipresent sand. Then we will arrive to Letea Forest. Letea Forest is the oldest natural reservation in Romania and unique in Europe because of its fauna and flora and especially because of its trees, some of them older than 700 years old. The forest people will welcome and accompany us for two hours, explaining everything about the beauty of the place. We walk through oak forests of hanging vines; we listen to the birdsongs and feel the smell of forest and horses. Then we climb on the hot, dry sand dunes, and admire the delicate flora of the desert which has the roots deeply planted in a layer of sand, sand which was on the bottom of the sea about 8,000 years ago. Wild horses from Letea are certainly a special attraction of this natural reserve. Lunch can be served as a picnic or as a classic meal at the pension. Afternoon at leisure. Before dinner we have time to relax or discover the peace of the area taking a walk in Crisan village. Dinner at your pension in Crisan. The Delta cuisine will surely provide an interesting dining experience!

4 Day 4: Boat Trip in Delta w vie Traditional breakfast at the pension, 8:00 to 10:00 Free time for leisure, fishing, relaxing, sunbathing, swimming, and other recreational activities. Today we have several options. On request, we can have a wakeup call and can be transferred to a fishing boat (optionalextra charge) or we may fish in the pond behind the complex. Alternatively, you may prefer relaxing while browsing through the narrow channels, by a motorized boat, which leaves at 10:30. This would be a great opportunity for bird watching and for admiring nature. The route is: Crisan Caraorman Channel Iacub Channel Iacub Lake - Zhukov Lake - Bondar Lake - Bondar Channel - Mile 7 Channel - Crisan, Sulina Branch On our way we will appoint a local fisherman who will teach us some fishing secrets. (The boat trip can be extended with another visit to Letea forest and back on the Old Danube narrow area, in which case lunch will be served as sandwiches.) Another proposal consists of an afternoon sailing on Sulina Branch for admiring flashes of life in the Danube Delta in an incredible light. Lipoveni village is the last point of our trip and from there on the Old Danube we go back to the pension. In the evening we will have dinner, accompanied with music and Lippovans traditions.

5 Day 5: Nest of Swans Lake Traditional breakfast at the pension. After serving breakfast we will go on a traditional boat trip. We will admire and take photographs of the specific flora and fauna of the Danube Delta. We will see the wild waveforms and magnificent pictures, being accompanied by birds and fish of the Delta. The maze of channels bordered by thatch, willows and oaks entangled in lianas offer the perfect breeding ground for countless species of birds, some of them from as far away as China and Africa. Millions of Egyptian white pelicans arrive here every spring to raise their young, while equal numbers of Arctic geese come here to escape the harsh winters of Northern Europe. Some of the birds that live in the Danube Delta are sedentary: seagull, heron, nigger, pecker, pigeon, and titmouse. But most birds that can be seen here are part of a migratory category such as: large haddock, winter swan, wild duck. About 300 species of birds make the Danube s Delta their home, including cormorants, white tailed eagles and glossy ibises. The bird watching season lasts from early spring to late summer. Birds are not the only inhabitants of the Delta. There is also a rich community of fish and animals, from wildcats, foxes and wolves, to even an occasional boar or deer. Altogether, animal species can be seen here, as well as plant species. There's nothing comparable to sailing among all these almost touchable birds! Lunch at the pension. Free time for relaxation. Dinner in Crisan.

6 Day 6: Crisan Tulcea - Constanta Traditional breakfast 8:00 to 10:00: After breakfast we will be transferred to Tulcea, and stop for lunch and wine tasting at Niculitel vineyard. Sarica Niculitel vineyard is located in the northern part of Dobrogea, nearby Tulcea, and it is surrounded by hills laden with vines. The vineyard is well-known for centuries-old winemaking tradition. The wormwood wine of Niculitel has a special local technique: three quarters of the barrel is filled with white and black grapes, on top of which wormwood flowers, quinces and apples are added, after which wine or must is poured in. As it ferments, the must rises and begins to spout freely. Other highly appreciated local production includes Aligote, Riesling, Feteasca Regala, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat Ottonel (white wines); Merlot and Pinot Noir (red wines). We continue to Constanta, the largest sea port on the Black Sea, a city of a population over 350,000, established in the 4th century BC as a Greek colony. We will have a city tour of Constanta visiting Ovidiu s Square, the Casino, the Genoese Lighthouse, and the Roman Mosaic one of the largest in this part of Europe. Dinner and accommodation in Constanta. (1 night)

7 Day 7: Constanta Bucharest Breakfast. After breakfast we travel to Bucharest. Arriving in Bucharest we will stop for lunch and then head to The Village Museum. The Village Museum features a collection of 50 buildings representing the history and design of Romania s rural architecture. Steep-roofed peasant homes, thatched barns, log cabins, churches and watermills from all regions of the country were carefully taken apart, shipped to the museum and rebuilt in order to recreate the village setting. Later we go to Mogosoaia Palace, located in the village with the same name, on the shore of Mogosoaia Lake. This palace reflects the Brancovenesc architectural style, highlighting traditional Romanian staircase balconies, arcades and columns. Today, the palace houses the Brancovenesc Museum with exhibits of valuable paintings, wood and stone sculptures, gold and silver embroideries, rare books and precious manuscripts. Evening at leisure. You can enjoy a walk on the streets of Little Paris city centre. Dinner and accommodation in Bucharest. Day 8: Departure Day Breakfast and check out. Transfer from hotel to the airport and return flight. Included services: Accommodation : 2 nights accommodation in Bucharest, in 3* hotel, BB 1 night accommodation in Constanta, in 4* hotel, BB 4 nights accommodation in Crisan, in Ovidiu Pension ****, FB Transportation by bus Transfer from / to Tulcea Crisan Authorized guide Not included: Entrance fees. Flight tickets Other meals than stated Alcoholic beverages Photo/video fees at sites and museums. *** The days when lunch is not included we will make a stopover for lunch along the way.

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