Key details
• Private tour: only for you and your partner/family/group
• In English: with a guide or driver (other languages upon request)
• Dates: you decide the dates
• Services: you choose the type of services and options
• Location: it starts and ends in Bucharest
• Duration: 10 days in total
• No flights included
Short description
The best complete tour in Romania. The program manages to bring together all the important attractions in the country: the Wooden Churches and the Painted Monasteries in the north, the Danube Delta and the Black Sea Coast, Transylvania and Bucharest - the capital city, a whole tourist synthesis with the option of adding extra days and discovering even more.
What you will do
• Discover Maramures, the most authentic Romanian region, with its wooden churches and the famous "Merry Cemetery" of Sapanta
• Small motorboat excursion, hence more exciting, through the narrow channels of the Danube Delta, unique in Europe for its natural wealth and breadth
• Admire the Painted Monasteries of Bucovina, jewels of Byzantine art surrounded by fir trees and pastures
• Enjoy the Black Sea Coast and explore Dobrogea region, in Romania and even in Bulgaria (optional extra day)
• Visit all the important attractions of the 8 day Essential tour, plus Cluj-Napoca ("the capital" of Transylvania) and Constanta (ancient "Tomis", on the Black Sea Coast)
Advantages
Why Santiago Tour?
1. Local experts and excellent guides
2. Local prices and selected services
Why a Private Tour?
1. It's flexible - you decide when to travel and how
2. It's personal - a trip for you and according to your preferences
Alojamiento-socios Santiago Tour
Avión
Servicios
Price
This is a private tour, adaptable to your travel dates and preferences, organized only for you and your partner / family / group.
| Number of participants |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 or more |
Price* / person |
€2119 |
€1569 |
€1529 |
€1339 |
€1199 |
* Discount: up to - €150/person, in case of choosing English-speaking driver-guide instead of proficient tour guide (see below in options)
* In high season, the price will be communicated on request due to the variation of rates of the hotels in Constanta (Black Sea Coast)
Services
What is Included:
• Accommodation: 9 overnights according to the program, in double room with breakfast included, 3* Smart type (see below).
• Transportation by modern vehicle according to the program, with related expenses and 2 airport-hotel and return transfers included
• Assistance: English speaking proficient tour guide, as per program
• Guided visits mentioned in the program, 1 attraction with free entrance: Barsana Monastery (Maramures), 11 attractions with entrance fee included and 1 excursion.
The 11 planned attractions: Peles Castle (standard tour approx 1h) (Sinaia); Bran Castle; Prejmer fortified church; Clock Tower (Sighisoara); Merry Cemetery of Sapanta and the Wooden Church of Bogdan-Voda / similar (Maramures); Painted Monasteries of Moldovita and Voronet, and the Museum of Painted Eggs (Bucovina); Danube Delta Museum (Tulcea); Village Museum (Bucharest). The planned excursion: in the Danube Delta (duration: approx. 2h; see other details below).
3* Smart Type Accommodation: mainly 3* superior hotels with quality services
or similar, depending on availability.
• Single room supplement: + €210.
About the excursion in the Danube Delta:
• transportation by small motorboat, on the narrow canals of the Delta and therefore more engaging. The boats have a variable capacity, between 5 and 15 people, they are equipped with life jackets, and do not necessarily have a cover.
• It is important to be prepared for sun exposure - sunscreen, sun glasses, a cap or a hat - and to wear a wind jacket and waterproof, in case of rain. Under unfavorable weather conditions, the excursion may be replaced by one with a larger boat organized by the hotel.
What is Not included:
• flights and travel insurance
• personal expenses, such as: mini bar, phone calls, porterage etc.
• photo / video fees during the visits (if applicable)
• in general, all services not specified in "what is included"
• tips for the guide and/or driver.
Options
1. Accommodation
• 4* Comfort type - mainly 4* hotels with quality services: Bucharest - K+K 4* Hotel (center 0); Brasov - Armatti 3*- superior Hotel / Belfort 3*- superior Hotel (center 1); Sibiu - Ramada 4* Hotel (center 0); Baia Mare - Magus 4* Hotel / Castel Transilvania 4* Hotel (surroundings/city); Bistrita - Coroana de Aur 4* Hotel (center 1); Piatra Neamt - Central Plaza 4* Hotel (center 1); Tulcea - Esplanada 4* Hotel / Delta 4* Hotel (center 0); Constanta - Cherica 4* Hotel (center 1). Or similar, depending on availability. Total extra charge: approx. + €65/person in double room and the single supplement changing to: €255.
• 3* Economy type - mainly 3* standard hotels and pensions, with quality services. Total discount: approx. - €55/person in double room and single supplement changing to: €185.
Notes on accommodation
• Confirmed hotels can be communicated only after making the reservations on specific dates
• center 0 / center 1 / center 2 means: 0-5 / 5-15 / 15-25 minutes walking distance from the center (the important tourist area of the city)
• Some 3* boutique hotels and pensions don't have an elevator or air conditioning (because it is not usually required). If these are essential requirements, please let us know or choose the 4* Comfort option.
2. Assistance
A. With a tour guide. Option included in the price.
• English-speaking guide, offering detailed explanation, presentations, and guided tours. The guide also makes all necessary arrangements, as well as restaurant and meal recommendations.
• a guide for the entire program, no local guides being used in general. Some attractions only allow guided tours (their own staff); if the included tour is not available in English, our guide will join you and translate or even make the tour by himself (if allowed).
• depending on availability: a driver-guide (1 person), or a guide plus a driver (2 people), with fee, meal allowance, and accommodation included.
• only with a guide and starting from 4 participants, you can also choose meal options: lunches and/or dinners.
B. With a driver-guide. Discount: up to - €250/person.
• English-speaking driver, facilitating the visits, the entrances to attractions, the check-ins and other details. The driver is also able to make restaurant and meal recommendations.
• he offers basic information about the main attractions and the country but not detailed explanation or presentations. Some attractions only allow guided tours (their own staff); if the included tour is not available in English, our driver will join you and translate or even make the tour by himself (if allowed).
• his fee, meal allowance, and accommodation are included.
C. With a tablet. Discount: to be communicated on request.
• tablet with Internet access that serves for navigation purposes and to facilitate the trip, with apps and useful information; a travel guide in English; a road map (all to be returned at the end of the trip).
• implies transportation by rental car and 2 transfers, airport-hotel and return, included.
• accommodation is optional (can be added or not) and visits will be done freely, without asisstance.
3. Meals
• Half board (lunches): + €110/person, 8 lunches, days 2-9. Half board (dinners): + €135/person, 8 dinners, days 2-9. Full board: + €245/person (both previous options).
Meal notes:
• meal options are only possible for a minimum of 4 participants and accompanied by a guide
• meals are organized in local restaurants and hotel restaurants
• Lunches and / or dinners are provided on full days of the program and they are tourist-menu type (standard): 3 dishes (starter, main, dessert), bread, and mineral water. They do not include drinks such as coffee, wine, beer, soft drinks etc.
• breakfasts are already included with the accommodation
• meal options are more suitable for groups.
Read the General Conditions for a Private tour by clicking here
How it is organized
• 9 Overnights: Bucharest – Brașov – Sibiu – Baia Mare – Bistrița – Piatra Neamț – Tulcea – Constanța – Bucharest
• Itinerary: Bucharest (the capital) - Sinaia (Peles Castle) - Bran (Dracula's Castle) - Brasov (“Crown city”) - Prejmer (UNESCO fortified church) - Sighisoara (UNESCO medieval city) - Sibiu (European Capital of Culture 2007) - Cluj-Napoca ("the capital of Transylvania") - Baia Mare (important regional town) - Maramures (the Merry Cemetery of Sapanta and the Wooden Churches) - Bucovina (the Painted Monasteries) - Piatra Neamț (Moldavian style downtown) - Danube Delta - Constanta (on the Black Sea Coast) - Bucharest (the capital)
• The tour has 9 overnights and 10 days: 2 days for arrival & return and 8 days of program with activities such as city tours, free time, visits along the route, and excursion.
Short description
Concept:
• 10 days in total and planned to take place from Friday to Sunday. It can be adapted to your flights and preferred dates while taking into account the visiting hours of the attractions included in the program.
• The program can be slightly customized to match your preferences and ideas, or it can be the draft for a tailor-made trip made from scratch. To calculate travel times, take into account an average speed of approx. 50 km / hour (except highways).
Custom-made:
• Adapt: if the flight hours are not favorable (arrive early, leave late), we recommend adding 1 more day in Bucharest or at least returning on Day 8 to Bucharest in the afternoon (40km + 315 km), removing Constanta from the program, but gaining more time in the capital.
• Adapt: the program can be reduced by 1 day, if Dobrogea region (Danube Delta and the Black Sea Coast) or Maramures region (Wooden Churches and Sapanta Merry Cemetery) are removed from the program.
• Extend: there are optional days that can be added to the program, which are detailed below and imply an additional cost.
Program
Day 1 of 10. Arrival in Romania
Bucharest ☾
Program: transfer and free time (if possible)
Arrival at Bucharest Airport and meeting with Santiago Tour’s guide or driver.
Transfer to the accommodation.
Depending on the arrival hour, free time in the city (without driver or guide). You can stroll around the old town where the capital is recovering its "belle époque" charm: the Central Bank, CEC Palace, Macca-Vilacrosse Covered Passage, and its medieval identity: the Prince Court of Vlad Tepes "the Impaler", the Old Court Church or Stavropoleos Monastery.
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Day 2 of 10. A royal castle, Dracula's Castle, and a city in the heart of the country
Bucharest – Sinaia – Bran – Brasov ☾. 205 km
Program: visit Peles Castle, Bran Castle, and Brasov
Breakfast. We leave Bucharest heading toward the Southern Carpathians and arrive in about 2h / 2h30 in Sinaia mountain resort. We visit Peles Castle (standard tour), the last royal residence in Europe built in neo-Renaissance style. Then we continue the route to Bran and discover "Dracula's Castle", where the myth of the Count-Vampire enfolds in mystery a great historical fortress. Time for lunch and then we finish this day’s itinerary in Brasov. Walking tour admiring the Council Square and its unique buildings, the Black Church, an imposing Lutheran church, and the beautiful Catherine’s Gate. Overnight accommodation and free time.
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Day 3 of 10. Medieval heritage in Transylvania
Brașov – Prejmer – Sighișoara – Sibiu ☾. 235 km
Program: visit Prejmer fortified church, Sighisoara, and Sibiu
Breakfast. The itinerary takes us in the morning to Prejmer, where we find the UNESCO Fortified Church - the most complete and best preserved in Transylvania. Then we continue to Sighisoara, the “postcard” town with an unforgettable collection of medieval buildings, declared a World Heritage Site. Walking tour including the Clock Tower (history museum with a panoramic view). Time for lunch and we proceed with the program arriving in Sibiu, European capital of culture in 2007. In the afternoon, a walking tour of the city, whose eye-shaped dormers give charm to a beautiful Central European architecture. While strolling, we encounter: the fortifications, the Large Square, the Small Square, the Evangelical Cathedral and the Orthodox Cathedral. Free time and overnight accommodation.
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Day 4 of 10. A star-shaped citadel and the capital of Transylvania
Sibiu – Alba Iulia – Cluj Napoca – Baia Mare ☾. 320 km
Program: visit Alba Carolina Citadel and Cluj-Napoca; time in Baia Mare
Breakfast. We leave Sibiu heading toward the north of the country and arrive in Alba Iulia, the city of the union between Transylvania and Romania. Brief stop to admire the impressive star-shaped citadel, named Alba Carolina, whose splendor has been recovered after a recent restoration. Then we continue to Cluj-Napoca, the second largest city in the country, an important bicultural economic and university town (Romanian and Hungarian), which still maintains a certain aristocratic air. City tour, discovering: Union Square - around Saint Michael Catholic Church, the tallest gothic building in Romania (80 m); the birthplace of the famous Hungarian king Matías - located in the old town, near Museum Square; the monumental Romanian Orthodox Cathedral and the Theater built by Helmer & Fellner. Time for lunch and brief free time. Then we follow the route and arrive in the afternoon in Baia Mare, departure point to explore Maramures the next day and the capital of this historical region. Overnight accommodation and free time.
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Day 5 of 10. Maramures, a fairytale region
Baia Mare – Sapanta – Barsana – Bistrita ☾. 235 km
Program: visit the Merry Cemetery of Sapanta, Barsana Monastery and Bogdan Voda Church
Breakfast. We begin exploring Maramures, a region almost isolated by mountains, where the life of some people still continues according to ancestral rhythms. We first visit the Merry Cemetery of Sapanta, among the famous in the world for its attitude towards death and its aesthetics. A multitude of modeled crosses with traditional decoration and bright colors on a blue background, followed down by a naive and representative painting of the deceased - his daily activity, circumstances of death, his passion - and a comic epitaph. Then we continue along the Iza Valley, discovering slender Wooden Churches in a pure Maramures style, recognized by UNESCO. We visit Barsana, a new orthodox monastic complex that has renewed the tradition of carving wood, and Bogdan Voda Church, old but well preserved, with remarkable mural paintings. Time to have lunch and follow the route through the Eastern Carpathians. In the afternoon we arrive in Bistrita, a city in Transylvania famous for its appearance in the novel "Dracula". Overnight accommodation and free time.
Optional: Extra day (6). Special excursion by steam train
Viseu de Sus - Bistrita ☾. 95 km
Program: Excursion by “Mocanita” steam train, along the Vaser Valley
Breakfast. Arrive in the morning at Viseu de Sus train station and start a unique excursion in “Mocanita” steam train through an old logging route that reaches areas of wild, unspoiled nature. Lunch included during the stop in a meadow, on the banks of the Vaser River (mixed grill, water / soft drink, pastry and coffee). In the afternoon, follow the route to Bistrita, overnight accommodation and free time.
Day 5, the previous one, changes like this: Baia Mare - Surdesti - Sapanta - Barsana - Viseu de Sus ☾. 175 km.
Program: visit Surdesti Church, the Merry Cemetery of Sapanta, Barsana Monastery and Bogdan Voda Church
Full day in Maramures, with an additional visit: Surdesti Church, the highest in the world among the old wooden churches (72 m), of an interesting, hybrid cult, called Greek-Catholic. We also get to observe better the everyday life of a typical Maramures village. Overnight accommodation in the tourist town of Viseu de Sus.
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Day 6 of 10. Bucovina and the Painted Monasteries
Bistrita – Moldovita – Voronet – Piatra Neamț ☾. 295 km
Program: visit Moldovita and Voronet monasteries, and the Painted Eggs Museum
Breakfast. We leave for Bucovina, a splendid mountainous region dominated by the green of its firs and pastures, famous for the Monasteries painted on the outside - unique jewels of Byzantine religious art. Brief stop on the way, at the “Borgo Pass” and its mysterious "Dracula's Castle" hotel, and then we arrive to visit Moldovita monastery. The convent church stands out for its impressive exterior scenes such as the Tree of Jesse and the Siege of Constantinople, all on a red and ocher color background. We continue with the program and discover the popular art of Bucovina and its character through a visit to the Painted Eggs Museum, understanding the technique and admiring the artist's collection. Time to have lunch en route and arrive at Voronet Monastery. Visit of the church, called "The Sistine Chapel of the East'' for the monumental composition of the “Last Judgment” and the value of its “Voronet blue”, recognized in international art catalogs. Then, in the afternoon, we finish this day’s itinerary in Piatra Neamt, a city with an original historical center in Moldavian style. Overnight accommodation and free time.
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Day 7 of 10. Crossing the Danube and getting close to the Delta
Piatra Neamț - Tulcea (Danube Delta) ☾. 330 km
Program: visit the Delta Museum and its Aquarium in Tulcea
Breakfast. We continue with a new stage of the journey, crossing the historical region of Moldavia to the south. Short stop in Marasesti, admiring the Mausoleum dedicated to the heroes of the First World War. The end of the conflagration made possible voting in previously occupied Romanian provinces and, subsequently, the formation of Greater Romania in the time of King Ferdinand and Queen Maria. Arrive in Galati, an important port on the Danube and active student city. Time to have lunch and cross the Danube by ferry. In the afternoon we arrive in Tulcea, the gate to the Danube Delta, ancient Greek and Roman city called Aegyssus. Visit the Delta Museum, a modern center with a very interesting exhibition about the Danube Delta and an attractive Aquarium that includes all types of sturgeons plus many other fish species. Overnight accommodation and free time.
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Day 8 of 10. The Danube Delta and the Black Sea Coast
Tulcea - Murighiol - Constanta / Black Sea Coast ☾. 185 km
Program: Danube Delta excursion and visiting Constanta
Breakfast. Boat trip through the channels of the Delta, exploring this fantastic territory that is home to 25 ecosystems with various types of flora and fauna, fish, and more than 400 species of birds - local and migratory. It is the newest land area of Romania, in continuous expansion, the largest wetland in Europe (5,200 km2) and a Biosphere Reserve. Duration: approx. 2 to 3 hours. After the excursion, we continue the route to Constanta - ancient Greek and Roman settlement of Tomis, an important port city nowadays with a small old town having a charm of its own and a certain Balkan atmosphere. Short visit walking from Ovid Square (the great Roman poet exiled here, AD 8) to the seafront, admiring Carol Mosque, the Orthodox Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, and the Casino. Free time and overnight accommodation.
Optional: Extra Day (9). The Black Sea Coast
Constanta / Black Sea Coast ☾
Program: enjoy the beach and optional excursion to Murfatlar wine region
Free time to enjoy the beach or stroll around the elegant tourist port of Tomis, in Constanta.
Numerous private beaches are also to be found in Mamaia, north of Constanta and attached to the city. It is a strip of land between Lake Siutghiol and the Sea, considered to be the best seaside resort on the Romanian coastline for its fine sand and entertainment options. Enjoying good temperatures in summer, for both air and water, the Black Sea is an important tourist attraction, different from the Mediterranean sea due to its natural characteristics: practically no tides and a low level of salt.
Optional excursion to Murfatlar (additional cost). It is a well known wine region in Romania, a hilly area privileged by a microclimate. Visit a winery with tasting and lunch.
Optional: Extra Day (9/10). A palace on the Bulgarian coast
Constanta/Black Sea Coast - Balchik - Constanta/Black Sea Coast ☾. 125 + 125 km
Program: visit Balchik Palace and spend time on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast
In the morning, excursion to Balchik Palace - the favorite summer residence of Queen Maria of Romania during the interwar period. It is a beautiful architectural ensemble on the Black Sea coast: a main building with an extravagant minaret, a botanical park, a wine cellar, outdoor baths and the Stella Maris Chapel. After the visit, we take the way back and make 2 possible stops: Cape Kaliakra, a historical place with beautiful views over the sea at 70 m high, and Bolata Bay Beach, one of the most beautiful on the entire coast. Both attractions are part of a protected natural area. Time for lunch in a restaurant on the seashore, one of the options being Dalboka, famous for its mussel farming, and return to Romania in the afternoon. Overnight accommodation and free time.
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Day 9 of 10. Discover the capital city
Constanta / Black Sea Coast - Bucharest ☾. 225 km
Program: visit Bucharest and free time
Breakfast. This day we return to Bucharest. Arrival in the Romanian capital and city tour: the Village Museum, an open air display of the country's rural architecture; Revolution Square with the Romanian Athenaeum - one of the most iconic buildings, the Art Museum - former royal palace, and the balcony of the former Central Committee - where dictator Ceausescu delivered his last speech; Constitution Square, just in front of the Palace of the Parliament (second largest building in the world); Patriarhiei Church and the Palaces of the Romanian Orthodox Patriarch. Time for lunch, during the visit, overnight accommodation and some free time in the afternoon.
Optional: Extra day in Bucharest.
If the return flight on the next day is early, an extra day in the capital city is recommended. The city tour will take place on this full day and you will enjoy enough free time in Bucharest. Suggestions for spending the free time: The Old Town (Lipscani), the parks of Bucharest, the Treasury (History Museum), the Art Museum, the famous Obor Market or Therme (the thermal baths at the north of the city).
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Day 10 of 10. Return
Bucharest - Airport ✈
Program: free time (if possible) and airport transfer
Breakfast. Free time in the city depending on the flight and transfer to the airport. End of Santiago Tour’s services. Thank you!
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