Arrival in Bucharest. Meet our guide at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Check-in. Welcome dinner at the hotel. Overnight at 4* hotel/Bucharest 

Romanian dancers greet you!

Day 3:  Tuesday, October 3: BUCHAREST
Breakfast at the hotel. Half day sightseeing tour of Bucharest is a perfect way to familiarize yourself with the five-century-old capital of Romania. Stopover in the Revolution Square and in the Constitution Square, in front of the Palace of Parliament, Ceausescu’s huge dream, now reality due to the enormous sacrifices of the Romanian people, the second largest building in the world, being surpassed only by the Pentagon building in Washington. The tour includes visits to the Metropolitan Church (Patriarchal Church), to the Synagogue/Coral Temple, to the Village and Folk Art Museum – the largest in Europe, containing over 110 houses and old wooden churches and 11,000 objects of folk art, transported from all over the country. Drive by the Romanian Athenaeum, the former Royal Palace, the Town Hall, the Opera House, the Cotroceni Palace, the Military Academy, the University Square and the Arch of Triumph, which gives the city a taste of Paris. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Afternoon meeting with Romanian folk choreographer and a pair of dancers. Dinner at a traditional restaurant. Overnight in Bucharest at the same 4* hotel.

Ceaușescu Palace in Bucharest

Day 4: Wednesday, October 4: BUCHAREST – CURTEA DE ARGES – SIBIU 
Breakfast at the hotel.  Morning departure to Curtea de Arges, Wallachia’s former capital city, for a visit to Curtea de Arges Monastery, built between 1512-1515.  Master Manole’s Church is one of the outstanding churches in Romania, famous for its architecture, where, according to the legend, Master Manole, the builder, entombed his wife in the stone walls. A short drive from here will take you to the Vidraru Dam, an impressive construction on the Arges River. Pass by Poienari Castle, the real castle of Vlad Tepes, built around the 13th century, a real challenge for the visitors, being situated on a cliff of a canyon. In order to reach the castle and enjoy the amazing scenery, the visitors need to climb about 1480 steps. Lunch en route. Travel north through the beautiful Olt River Valley into Transylvania, translated from Latin as the “Land across the forest” with stop over for visiting Cozia Monastery, the oldest one in Romania, being built at the end of the 14^th century. Late afternoon arrival in Sibiu, European Cultural Capital in 2007. Folk dancing, dinner and accommodation in Sibiu at a 4* hotel.

Pastoral scene in Sibiel

Day 5: Thursday, October 5:  SIBIU – SIBIEL – SIBIU 
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning walking tour of the old part of Sibiu (mediaeval Sibiu), with its narrow streets; pass across Liars bridge, visit the Evangelic Cathedral, the Council Tower and the Catholic Church, beautiful art monuments and discover this citadel built by Saxons, where history, art and folklore blend to tourists’ delight. A visit in Sibiu will not be complete without a glimpse at least of the Open-Air ASTRA Museum of Folkloric Traditional Civilization situated in the Dumbrava Forest; marvel at the unique old houses with genuine furniture and handmade rugs, clothes wooden craft objects in exquisite colors made by skilled artisans. A short drive from here will take you to Sibiel village for visiting the Museum of icons painted on glass; in this area, enjoy the flavors of the area’s traditional cuisine at lunch. After lunch return to Sibiu for enjoying the dance lesson with a few members of one of the top ensembles in Romania (2 h). Dinner and overnight at the same 4* hotel in Sibiu. 

Traditional clothes of Romania Festival, Nasaud, Transylvania, Romania

Day 6: Friday, October 6: SIBIU – HUNYADI CASTLE (CORVIN CASTLE) – ALBA IULIA – SIBIU
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning departure to Hunedoara area for visiting the Hunyadi Castle (Corvin Castle) one of the largest in Europe, built in the 15^th century. Lunch en route. An early afternoon drive will take you to Alba Iulia, known in ancient times as Apulum, one of the oldest settlements of Romania and the largest commercial center during the Roman Empire. Later it became an impressive Habsburg citadel called Alba Carolina. Have a tour of the restored ancient citadel, visit the Catholic Cathedral and the Orthodox Cathedral of Reunification. Early evening return to Sibiu for dinner and overnight. 

Turda Salt Mine in Transylvania, Romania

Day 7: Saturday, October 7: SIBIU – TURDA – CLUJ-NAPOCA
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning departure Continue north to Turda for visiting the amazing and huge salt mine, 209 m underground, situated on the 22nd place of the world’s top spectacular tourist destinations. Now restored as a museum and center for halo therapy, it has a futuristic feeling being more like a “playground’ with bowling, mini golf, table tennis, basketball hoops, boat rowing facilities. Traditional lunch en route. Late afternoon arrival to the hotel in Cluj-Napoca. Walking tour of the center of this beautiful city, including visits to the Orthodox Cathedral and to the St. Michael Catholic Church. Dinner at a local restaurant in Cluj-Napoca. Overnight at a 3* hotel in Cluj-Napoca. 

Day 8: Sunday, October 8:  CLUJ – SIGHETU MARMATIEI – SAPANTA – BARSANA – BOTIZA – BAIA MARE 
Breakfast at the hotel. Early morning departure to Maramures area, land of almost one hundred beautiful wooden churches and extremely artful carved porches, where authentic rural culture and life with important touches preserved from the Dacian ancestors may be experienced. There are eight Wooden Churches of Maramureş listed by UNESCO. Stop in Sighetu Marmatiei for visiting the Elie Wiesel Memorial House. Drive further north to Sapanta village, where the local spirituality, mostly people beliefs are more obvious. Since ancestors considered that death it’s just a new beginning, they had a special way of honoring the deceased in the unique Merry Cemetery. Here, blue wooden crosses feature carved scenes and humorous lyrics that describe the personality, both good and bad sides, of those who passed away. A stop here would not be complete without visiting the Sapanta-Peri Church the tallest wooden church in the world, 78 m high. Lunch with folk music (“ceterasi”) at a local house with a tasty menu from Maramures. Continue your journey through remote villages of the Maramures area with a couple of stops for visiting representative art expressions of the local craftsmen, including the impressive Barsana Monastery Complex, an important cultural and religious center.  Late afternoon arrive in Baia Mare city for dinner and overnight at a 4* hotel.

Merry Cemetery in Sapanta Village

Day 9: Monday, October 9: BAIA MARE — TIHUTA PASS – CAMPULUNG MOLDOVENESC – GURA HUMORULUI 
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning cross an invisible threshold to Bukovina, land of the outdoor painted monasteries mostly included in the UNESCO World Heritage, a realm where religious beliefs, tradition and old history are mostly expressed. Stopover in Tihuta pass, the actual area of Bram Stoker’s Borgo pass, the place of Count’s Dracula presumed castle for admiring the landscape. An hour drive will take you to Campulung Moldovenesc remote town for visiting the interesting Wood Art Museum. Continue on to the heart of Bucovina for a last visit of the day, Voronet Monastery, surnamed “the jewel of Bucovina”, famous for its unique shade of blue. Dinner and overnight at a 4* hotel in Bucovina area.

Day 10: Tuesday, October 10: GURA HUMORULUI – MARGINEA – SUCEVITA – GURA HUMORULUI 
Breakfast at the hotel. Today, after an early morning departure, enjoy the gentle hills, the luxurious nature wrapped in a warm light, of this blessed territory. Bucovina presents itself like an art album, with time and space dimensions discovered by getting acquainted with the exquisite frescoes painted on the monasteries, with the impressive walls of the citadels, with the vivid colours from the enchanting popular costumes. Sucevita, “a Poem in Green and Light”, Moldovita which received the Order “Pomme d’Or” (Golden Apple), Humor, one of the best-preserved monuments of its kind, are a must on your visiting list. While touring the monasteries you may want to stop in Marginea village famous for its black pottery, unique in the world, being a ceramic center since the 16^th century. The tasty Moldavian cuisine will be experience during all your meals in the area but today’s lunch might be on the top. Late afternoon return to your yesterday’s accommodation place just in time for your 1 h folk dance lesson. Dinner with folk show (for group of minimum of 15 pax) and overnight in Bucovina area at the same hotel as the previous night.

Bicaz Gorge

Agapia Monastery

Day 12: Thursday October 12: SIGHISOARA – BRAN – POIANA BRASOV
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning walking tour of Sighisoara, the most beautiful and best preserved, still inhabited, medieval citadel in the central and South-Eastern Europe, listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a peek to the the most sought place here, Vlad Dracul House, the very place where prince Vlad Tepes, the Impaler, was born; it has been turned into a museum-like restaurant full of old flavors and artifacts.  Stop in front of the Clock Tower in the small square where artisans and painters usually present their work, climb the covered wooden staircase to the Church on the Hill, wander through the town’s narrow streets with beautiful original architecture, pass by the Antler House, the Venetian House, original towers and secluded squares; you will feel that, due to the quiet, peaceful atmosphere, time seems to stand still here, trapped in the Middle Ages. Lunch in the area. Afternoon departure to Brasov travelling though Transylvania. Lunch en route. Dinner. Overnight at a  3* hotel in Brasov – Poiana Brasov area. 

Timisoara: Dancers from Romania in traditional costume, present at the international folk festival, “International Festival of hearts” organized by the City Hall.

Day 13: Friday, October 13: BRASOV
9:00 AM – This morning, after breakfast at the hotel, you will find out that the main city of the area, Brasov, nested in the Central Carpathians, is situated at the meeting point of the three Romanian regions: Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania. Enjoy a walking tour of the old part of this beautiful medieval town, with attractive Saxon architecture, including the Council Square, the famous Black Church, the largest Gothic Church between Vienna and Istanbul and the extremely pleasant, cobbled streets and alleys packed with boutiques, cafes, shops, cafeterias and feel the special romantic medieval atmosphere harmoniously blend with modern life.  Lunch en route. About 1 h drive, will bring you to Bran Castle, widely known as Dracula’s Castle, after Bram Stoker’s famous novel inspired by these places and our harsh ruler, Vlad the Impaler. It was built at the beginning of the 13th century by Knight Dietrich of the Teutonic Order, having a strategic mission being at the border between Transylvania and Wallachia. In the XX century, the Castle became a royal residence. Now it is open for visitors eager to broaden their history knowledge and thirsty of fabulous legends. Enjoy a traditional meal, with a tasty Romanian menu, at a native restaurant. Overnight at a 3* hotel in Brasov – Poiana Brasov area. 

Bran Castle where Dracula Dwells

Day 14: Saturday, October 14:   BRASOV – SINAIA – BUCHAREST 
Breakfast at the hotel. Drive south, crossing the beautiful Southern Carpathian Mountains, through Prahova Valley, and stop-over in Sinaia mountain resort, well-known as the “Pearl of the Carpathians”. Situated on the outskirts of this resort city, amidst lovely sculpture gardens and fountains, surrounded by mountains, Peles Royal Castle is an exquisitely detailed landmark, a masterpiece of German New-Renaissance architecture. Rivaling the castle itself is the beautiful natural setting in which it stands. Once the summer residence of Romania’s kings, this spectacular castle, built at the end of the 19th century, is now one of Romania’s most beautiful museums, displaying priceless collections of weaponry, hand woven silk rugs and furniture, ceramics, and sculptures. Lunch en route. A couple of hours drive will have you back to Bucharest just in time for a few hours on your own. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at a 4* hotel in Bucharest,

Romanian Folk Dancers say goodbye

Day 15, Sunday, October 15 
Breakfast at hotel, then departure to the airport for the flight back home.

REGISTRATION FORM: I can’t wait to go! Enclosed is my registration deposit of $200 per person. Single supplement: $995.  Additional charges: Service charges: $185. Gratuities and drinks during meals not included. Program subject to change without notice.  With 20 participants, tour will be led by Nancy 3. Hoffman and Lee Friedman; less than 20 participants, tour will be led by Vivian O’Neil. Cancellations 90 days prior to departure: Total refund: Less than 60 days: No refund. Travel insurance always recommended. Total balance due July 1, 2023

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Make checks payable to: Jim Gold International, 497 Cumberland Avenue, Teaneck, NJ 07666 U.S.A Phone (201) 836-0362. Web site: www.jimgold.com E-mail: jimgold@jimgold.com

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