6 Da Gama Rd Jeffreys Bay South Africa Email: info@seagulltours.co.za www.seagulltours.co.za Tel: +27 [0] 42 296 0475 Fax: +27 [0] 86 686 0009 ROMANIA 03 20 July 2016 Day 1 03 July 2016 Johannesburg - Bucharest We meet at OR Tambo International Airport for our departure to Bucharest via Istanbul. Overnight Aircraft Day 2 04 July 2016 Bucharest Once we collect our luggage and go through customs, we meet our tour guide and transfer to the hotel in Bucharest. Afternoon at leisure to rest after the flight. Dinner will be served at 19:00 in the hotel restaurant. Overnight Athenee Palace Hilton Hotel Breakfast and Dinner Day 3 05 July 2016 Bucharest Breakfast in the morning and then we start our panoramic Bucharest city tour, heading to the Village Museum - an open-air ethnographic museum located in the Herăstrău Park. Free afternoon to enjoy your lunch and the surroundings. Dinner tonight will be enjoyed in a traditional restaurant (Caru cu Bere), right in the Old Town of Bucharest (Folk Show Dinner). Overnight Athenee Palace Hilton Hotel Breakfast and Dinner
Day 4 06 July 2016 Bucharest Transfagarasan Road Sibiu Breakfast in the morning and head back to Sibiu. Today we will cross the mountains passing the Transfagarsan Road, the most beautiful road in the world at an altitude of over 2000m! On our way, we will also visit Curtea de Arges Cathedral, one of the most famous buildings in Romania. Built in the 16th century by Prince Neagoe Basarab of Wallachia, the cathedral is the burial place of many kings, queens and princesses of Romania. Its legends have inspired many Romanian poets. We will also be passing Poienari Fortress, the real castle of Prince Vlad Dracula, perched high on a cliff above the Arges river valley, and then we will reach the impressive Vidraru Dam. Highlight: Photo stop at Balea Glaciar Lake, where we will also enjoy our lunch (own account) in the restaurant located at the edge of the lake while admiring the scenery, before continuing our route along the Transfagarasan to Sibiu. We arrive late afternoon in Sibiu and have enough time to freshen up before our visit to Adriana Guesthouse in Sibiel village. We will be able to visit the Museum of Icons on Glass and to discover the traditional country life and try the local food prepared especially for us by the guesthouse owners. After dinner, we return to the hotel for a well-deserved rest. Overnight Ramada Hotel Breakfast and Dinner Day 5 07 July 2016 Sibiu Biertan - Sighisoara After breakfast, we depart for our city tour of Sibiu. Highlights of the tour: Piata Mare (The Big Square), Piata Mica (The Little Square), Piata Huet (Huet Square), Iron Bridge, Biserica Evangelica (The Evangelical Church) and Mitropolia (The Orthodox Church). On our way to Sighisoara we visit Biertan Fortress, one of the most majestic and valuable fortified churches in Transylvania. In 1995, the fortified church of Biertan was included in the list of the world architectural patrimony under UNESCO patronage. For a few hundred years, the citadel of Biertan was the residence of the Lutheran bishops. We continue to Sighisoara. Europe s best preserved medieval town. You have time to explore the town and have lunch on your. Maybe try lunch, in the house where Dracula was born today a famous restaurant. Dinner will be at the hotel tonight. Overnight Sighisoara Hotel Breakfast and Dinner Day 6 08 July 2016 Sighisoara Breakfast in the morning, and then we explore the beautiful medieval citadel of Sighisoara. Highlights of the city tour include: Guild Tower, Venetian House (built in the 13th Century), Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) House, Antler House, Wood Covered Staircase, Hill Church, Hermann Oberth Square. Sighisoara is one of the most beautiful towns in the heart of Transylvania. The whole medieval citadel is a part of UNESCO World Heritage. One of its most famous attractions is the Clock Tower(Council Tower), built in the 14th Century. The tower has seven foot thick walls and was used to store ammunition, food reserves, archives and the city's treasures. Enjoy lunch on your own and enjoy the city, buy some souvenirs. Dinner tonight is at Casa cu Cerb Restaurant, situated near our hotel. Overnight Sighisoara Hotel Breakfast and Dinner
Day 7 9 July 2016 Sighisoara Sighetu Marmatiei Breakfast early in the morning, and then we head to Northern Romania. On our way to Sapanta Cemetery, we will enjoy a panoramic tour of Targu Mures, and then stop for lunch in Bistrita. We continue our trip to Sapanta where the spiritual philosophy of the people of Maramures is perhaps nowhere more apparent than in Sapanta. The town folks ancestors considered death as a beginning, not the end, and this faith is reflected in the carvings in the town s unique Merry Cemetery. Blue wooden crosses feature a carved scene and humorous verses that endeavor to capture essential elements - both the good and the imperfections - of the deceased s life. Even without benefit of translation, visitors can appreciate the handiwork of sculptor Stan Ion Patras, who began carving these epitaphs in 1935, and his successors. Patras house in the village is now a fascinating museum. Sapanta is also home to several wooden gates and one of the region s tallest wooden churches. We arrive early evening in Sighetu Marmatiei and, if time permits us, we visit the Memorial Museum (The Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance) - if not, we will visit it tomorrow morning. Overnight Casa Lurca Pension Breakfast and Dinner Day 8 10 July 2016 Sighetu Marmatiei Gura Humor After breakfast, we continue to explore Maramures region. Following the Iza and Mara rivers, we will admire the impressive landscapes and some of the oldest churches and gates made of wood. We visit the famous Barsana Wooden Monastery, one of the most beautiful in Maramures, included in the UNESCO World Heritage. We will visit 2 more UNESCO Wooden Churches - the best examples of the wood carving mastery and artistic spirit in Maramures: Poienile Izei and Ieud Deal. We arrive late evening in Gura Humor and have dinner at the hotel. Overnight Sonnenhof Hotel Breakfast and Dinner Day 9 11 July 2016 Voronet and Agapia Monasteries Gura Humor After breakfast, we will visit today the Moldavian Painted Monasteries. The "Painted" Monasteries are the major Moldavian destination, because of the vivid and animated frescoes on their walls. Due to their singleness, the monasteries in Bucovina are now UNESCO protected cultural sites. We start our visit with VORONET Monastery (1547) 10 min drive from Gura Humor, most known for the frescoes with predominant blue color - Voronet blue, surnamed The Sixtin Chapel of the East". Continue then with the Museum of Painted Eggs "Lucia Condrea" - the museum was founded in summer 2007 by the artist Lucia Condrea, member of the Artists Union of Romania, known for over two decades by the value of the Easter painted eggs she exhibited in over 112 international exhibitions in 11 countries. The museum contains over 5,000 exhibits arranged artistically on the surface of the two levels of the building, in 41 windows.
Lunch (own account) in a restaurant in Vatra Moldovitei and then we will end our visit today with the sumptuous Agapia Monastery - painted in 1858 by our greatest painter, Nicolae Grigorescu. Dinner tonight will be in a nearby restaurant. Overnight Sonnenhof Hotel Breakfast and Dinner Day 10 12 July 2016 Gura Humor Neamt Monastery Red Lake After breakfast we make our way to the Red Lake Resort. First stop will be at Neamt Monastery the oldest monastery of Moldavia, surrounded by old forests, at the bottom of the mountains. Then we have a coffee stop in Piatra Neamt city, while we will also have some time to enjoy the city. Continue our way thru the Bicaz Gorges (Eastern Carpathians) while admiring the stunning landscape, having time to take photos and learn the legend of this wonderful place. Overnight Red Lake (Lacu Rosu) Hotel Breakfast and Dinner Day 11 13 July 2016 Red Lake Miercurea Ciuc Prejmer Brasov In the morning, after breakfast, we depart to Brasov. On our route, we will enjoy a panoramic tour of Miercurea Ciuc and visit the Fortified Church in Prejmer - the biggest fortified church in Southeastern Europe built in the 14th century. We will arrive in Brasov before lunch and you the afternoon at your disposal to enjoy as you see fit. Maybe enjoy lunch in a traditional restaurant (Sergiana Restaurant) or take the Tampa cable car to the peak (3,000 feet) for the best views of the old town. Dinner tonight is at the Cerbul Carpatin Restaurant, with folk show included. Overnight Casa Wagner Brasov Breakfast and Dinner Day 12 14 July 2016 Brasov Poiana Brasov Brasov In the morning, after breakfast, we will have the opportunity to enjoy the city of Brasov, maybe the most beautiful city in Romania. With two different parts: the largely Baroque area coiled beneath Mount Tampa and Mount Postavaru, and the surrounding sprawl of apartments and factories, its main attraction is the old town - the Schei district - where you will surely find lots of old sights to see. We enjoy a guided visit of the medieval part of the city with The Black Church that houses a priceless collection of Oriental rugs as well as a 4000-pipe organ. The Town Hall Square, the Franciscan Monastery, The Central Park, The Black Tower, The White Tower, Ecaterina s Gate, Schei Gate and the Rope Street the narrowest street in Europe. After the city tour, we will continue our way to Poiana Brasov Resort - the most popular ski resort in Romania, comparable to other notorious European resorts in the Alps (just 30 min drive from Brasov), where we will have a stop for photos and for lunch (own account). A cable car trip to the top of Postăvarul Peak will offer you breath-taking views! In the evening, we enjoy dinner in a traditional restaurant in Poiana Brasov (Sura Dacilor Restaurant) and then return to Brasov. Overnight Casa Wagner Brasov Breakfast and Dinner
Day 13 15 July 2016 Brasov Bran (Dracula Castle) - Sinaia After breakfast, we will say goodbye to the beautiful city of Brasov and head further to the village of Bran, 40 min away from Brasov. We tour through the famous Bran Castle (known as Dracula s Castle ) - an important national monument and landmark of the Romanian tourism, due not only to the beauty of the Castle and the landscape but also to the legend of Count Dracula. Time for lunch and shopping in Bran and then continue to Sinaia. Dinner will be enjoyed at the hotel tonight. Overnight New Montana Hotel Breakfast and Dinner Day 14 16 July 2015 Sinaia (Peles Castle) - Bucharest After breakfast we have a city tour and visit Sinaia Monastery and the famous Peles Castle, one of Romania s most beautiful palaces. Free afternoon to enjoy the city of Sinaia on your own before a late afternoon departure for Bucharest. Dinner will be enjoyed at the hotel. Overnight Athenee Palace Hilton Hotel Breakfast and Dinner Day 15 17 July 2016 Bucharest Tulcea After breakfast we visit the Palace of Parliament as part of our city tour. After lunch we depart for the city of Tulcea, located at the entrance gate of the Danube Delta (around 4-5 hours driving). Short stops en-route for coffees and so on. Overnight Delta Hotel Breakfast and Dinner Day 16 18 July 2016 Tulcea Danube Delta Tulcea We spend the whole day today on the Danube Delta including a fish menu lunch on board. Tonight we have our farewell dinner. Overnight Delta Hotel Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Day 17 19 July 2016 Tulcea Bucharest Johannesburg After breakfast we have time for some last minute shopping before departing for Bucharest. We stop for lunch (own account) at the Murfatlar Vineyard. Murfatlar is situated between the Danube and the Black Sea and is one of the best known vineyards in Romania. We will enjoy guided visit of the wine cellar and museum before tasting Romanian wines. Late afternoon we depart for the airport and check in for our flight home. Overnight Aircraft Day 18 20 July 2016 Johannesburg Welcome home after a memorable trip! BON VOYAGE
Package Information: 03-20 July 2016 COST Land only 1 930.00 per person sharing Single supplement 450.00 (European single bedroom) PLUS International flights from Johannesburg (Excluding airport taxes) R 5 440.00 per person *** Please note all prices are based on 15 participants *** INCLUDED Flights Accommodation Meals Travel Tour director Entrance fee Other Return economy class airfare on Turkish Airlines 4 and 5 star hotels Breakfast and dinner daily + lunch on day 16 Air-conditioned coach with professional driver English speaking tour director and local guides All fees included Delta trip by boat EXCLUDED Airport Tax Insurance Schengen Visa Gratuities Items of a personal nature ± R7500.00 per person ± R750.00 per person (incl increased cancellation cover) ± 65.00 per person done directly with the consulate ± 160 per person GENERAL We request R3 000.00 deposit per person and completed booking form to guarantee a place on the tour. It will be on a first come first serve basis. The balance of payment is due 2 months prior to departure unless otherwise notified. Please be aware that if you do not make use of the exact same flights as the group fare a penalty will apply PRICE IS SUBJECT TO CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS, INCREASES, SIZE OF THE GROUP AND FLIGHT SCHEDULES UNTIL FINAL PAYMENT HAS BEEN RECEIVED BY SEAGULL TOURS. NO CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS ARE ACCEPTED FOR GROUP BOOKINGS.