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Day 1, approx. 30 km. Meeting Hungary…
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Program:
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Arriving in Budapest. Transfer from the airport/railway station to 3***
Agro hotel located on the Svábhegy in Budapest with a great view over city; Get to know each o
ther dinner - the guide will hand out leaflets and the program, presenting the tour in a nutshell.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 1st and 13th days in Budapest, 3*** Agro hotel.
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Day 2, approx. 250 km. The taste of Hungary
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Program:
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Gödöllo (The Gödöllo Palace, former Hungarian summer-residence of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth - Sissi);
the town Miskolc is famous also for its thermal waters. We will enjoy the hot water in the beautifully
arranged bathing facilities at Miskolc-Tapolca. The next and the last stop will be in the Tokaj-Hegyalja
region, an area very famous in the whole world for its white wines, especially for its Aszú wine.
We will have a wine-tasting program (and dinner) in Tolcsva, in a very old cellar, surrounded by a
very pleasant atmosphere.
From Tolcsva we go 10 km more to our accommodation place, in a nearby village.
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Driving time:
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approx. 4 hours on very good roads, a big part on motorway.
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Accommodation and breakfast :
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on the 2nd day in a neat 3*** star hotel with sauna and pool facilities.
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Day 3, approx. 350 km. Towards Transylvania
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Program:
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We cross the town Tokaj, the centre and the name-giver of the entire wine growing area.
After some 150 km we will cross the Hungarian-Romanian border and the first city in Romania
we will cross will be Satu Mare; in Sapânta the so called Merry Cemetery can be found - one
of biggest attractions of Romania, a strange and peculiar cemetery, still worth to include
it in all the travel plans of upper Romania; Sighetul Marmatiei holds a terrifying ex-communist
prison, today a museum. The prison used to be one of the most frightful centers of detention in
the communist regime. The town is also famous for being the birthplace of Elie Wiesel and for
its beautiful open-air museum; Viseu de Sus.
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Driving time:
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approx. 7 hours on good roads.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 3rd and 4th days in Viseu de Sus, in a 3*** star hotel.
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Day 4, approx. 150 km. Ancient life in Maramures
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Program:
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On this day the group will be shown a few beautiful villages of Maramures and also,
in the afternoon we will make an easy hike in the neighboring Rodnei Mountains.
The first visited village will be Ieud, a characteristic village of the region,
where we will visit two wooden churches - one is included on the World Heritage
List - and a very interesting local museum where we will learn about the Maramures
people, their crafts and living habits. Also, we will make stops in Bârsana (monastic
complex), Bogdan Voda or Rozavlea . The hike in the afternoon will take us to the so
called Waterfall of the Horses. The hike is not difficult, it will take some 2-2,5 hours
to make it. In the evening we will return to same hotel as on the 3rd day.
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Driving time:
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approx. 2,5 hours on good roads.
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Day 5, approx. 350 km. Mystical Bucovina
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Program:
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Prislop-pass, a 1.416 m high mountain-pass will take us from Maramures to Bucovina, another
very beautiful and maybe, the most picturesque area of Romania. We will visit two of the
most beautiful monasteries of upper Moldavia and we will start with Moldovita, probably the
most beautifully shaped monastery, World Heritage Site. Here we will meet nun Tatiana who will
give us a complete image of Bucovina and its monasteries; Voronet is considered to be the
"Sistine Chapel of the East", the most famous painted monastery of Bucovina, also World Heritage
Site. In the late afternoon we will have an easy walk in the Bicaz Gorge, one of the most
impressive and beautiful gorges of Europe and we will set our camp for the next day in Lacu Rosu spa.
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Driving time:
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approx. 7 hours, a longer day
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Accommodation and half-board :
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on the 5th day in Lacu Rosu Spa, 2 star hotel.
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Day 6, approx. 150 km. Introducing the Szeklerland
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Program:
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The day starts with a hike on the Killer Mountain (approx. 3-3,5 hours, medium difficulty hike);
afterwards we will enjoy the salt waters of Sovata spa by bathing in the Bears Lake, program
at leisure; Corund - black and colored Szekler pottery, shopping time and program at leisure;
we will be welcomed in Szeklerland with a short folkloric program and with a brief presentation
of some local arts and crafts.
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Driving time:
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approx. 4 hours, easy day
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 6th and 7th days in a traditional Szekler village, in 2 bedded houses with bathroom facilities and high level services.
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Day 7, approx. 190 km. Through the land of the Szeklers
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Program:
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The Hargita Mountains are the largest non-active volcanic mountains of Romania and before crossing
it we will make a short stop at a mineral water spring, called Lobogó, Miercurea Ciuc is an important
Szekler town, with a newly built beautiful Makovecz Imre church; the Gyimes is the region that the
group will surely remember.
Hungarian Csángós will perform for the group a folkloric program in the most beautiful place,
in the heart of the nature. We will serve also lunch there, consisting of dairy products brought
from a sheepfold nearby the village; in the afternoon we will return to the same village that
sheltered us one night before.
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Driving time:
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approx. 4 hours, easy day
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Day 8, approx. 190 km. Revealing the mystery of Count Dracula
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Program:
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Sighisoara is the most representative preserved Saxon old citadel - World Heritage Site,
Count Dracula's birthplace, walking tour, Lutheran churches, program at leisure; Viscri
villages holds a beautiful Saxon fortified church, Saxon museum - World Heritage Site;
Brasov used to be King Mathias' most beloved town, the biggest Saxon town and important
Saxon cultural centre, walking tour in the old centre, the Black church - the biggest Lutheran
church of Romania; last stop is in Sacele. This Hungarian village is located near Brasov, in
a very picturesque area surrounded by mountains.
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Driving time:
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approx. 4 hours, on very good highways.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 8th and 9th days in Sacele, in very welcoming Hungarian nationality Csángó private homes (the accommodation type here is the same with Zetea, two days before).
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Day 9, approx. 95 km. Castles and legends in the Carpathian bend
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Program:
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We start the day with a very beautiful hike near Brasov to the Seven Stairs Waterfall -
we will have a very nice, quite easy walk in the forest and at the end of the walk we will
find ourselves in front of the waterfall. The waterfall is called Seven Stairs because of
its more levels and because there are 7 major stairs that lead from the bottom to the upper
part of the waterfall. The entire hike altogether with the picnic may take some 3 hours; the
road will guide us afterwards across the Postavarul Mountains to the most visited winter sport
resort, Poiana Brasov where we will serve lunch in a famous fancy restaurant,
Sura Dacilor (The Dacians Shed).
Bran Castle is one of the most famous visited sites in Romania, mainly due to the myth of
Dracula connected to the castle. Râsnov is a Saxon peasant castle built for protecting the
villagers in case of sieges. One of the highlights of the day will be the folkloric dancing
show performed by a young Hungarian Csángó ensemble in Sacele, our accommodation place
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Driving time:
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approx. 2.5 hours, very easy day.
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Day 10, approx. 300 km. Across Saxonland
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Program:
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This day is a longer one and maybe a little bit tiresome but is will take us through the southern
area of Transylvania. The Prejmer fortification is considered the most beautiful Saxon fortified
church - World Heritage Site.
Before visiting the old centre of Sibiu we will make a short shopping stop: the shepherds of
the Sibiu County are well-known for their dairy products that they are selling across the
country and we will have the opportunity to buy some of these delicatessens. Sibiu once was
the cultural and administrative centre of the Transylvanian Saxons: the old centre, walking
tour, the Saxon cathedral, Brukenthal Museum - the first museum of Transylvania, including
famous paintings of Rubens, Titian, etc…). In the afternoon we will choose between the Turda
salt mine and the Turda Gorge: the salt mine represents a 2 km long easy walk into one of the
biggest and most spectacular salt mines of Romania, today a museum and the Turda Gorge is one
of the most spectacular and wild gorges of Transylvania, easy 3 km long walk in the gorge;
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Driving time:
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approx. 6.5 hours.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 10th and 11th days in a village nearby Cluj Napoca, in very neat pension.
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Day 11, approx. 110 km. Around the heart of Transylvania
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Program:
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Rimetea is one of the most interesting villages of Romania, with specific architecture,
Hungarian traditional costumes, painted furniture, museum, clean room or watermill. This
village has been given the Europa Nostra Award and is on the waiting list to be included
among the World Heritage sites because of its location, specific architecture and richly
adorned costumes. After Rimetea we will have a very beautiful and quite wild hike in the
Râmeti Canyon. This hike consists of passing a very narrow and wild canyon where a brook
is flowing that we will have to cross several times and very often we have to be in the
water up to our hips. This is the reason this hike requires some bad shoes that we can use
for crossing the water. The hike is some 4 hours long and it can represent the highlight
of the tour.
After the hike we travel back to our accommodation place through Cluj Napoca, the cultural
centre of Transylvania and one of the major cities of the country. We will have a short
sightseeing tour around the centre of the town.
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Driving time:
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approx. 2.5 hours, easy day.
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Day 12, approx. 340 km. Back to Hungary
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Program:
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Izvorul Crisului, located in the heart of Kalotaszeg region houses one of the most
beautiful protestant churches of the region. The region is well-known for its handmade
embroideries and people are selling all kinds of artifacts and souvenirs in front of their
houses. In a very beautiful village of the same ethnographical region we will take part in
a short folkloric dancing program, typical to this area. Oradea; Romanian - Hungarian country
border; Debrecen; Hortobágy is one of the most interesting parts of the Hungarian lowlands.
Eger is our final destination for the day and after registering at the hotel's counter we will
have a farewell supper with wine-tasting in the Valley of the beautiful woman: we will have egri
bull's blood wine + other local wines + famous Hungarian dishes + live gipsy music.
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Driving time:
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approx. 6 hours.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 12th day in Eger, in a good 3*** star hotel with wellness facilities
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Day 13, approx. 200 km. To Budapest through Palócland
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Program:
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Eger is one of the most beautiful baroque towns of Hungary. We will visit its main
square and the Eger Castle, famous for its resistance against the Turkish siege from
1552. Hollóko is a traditional village in Palócland, a distinctive ethnographical area
of Hungary, mainly because of its people, dressing style, dialect etc. We will have a
sightseeing walking tour in the village, lunch and a short local program in a great
restaurant where traditional Hungarian palóc dishes will be served. We will end the day
and the tour on the banks of Danube, in the same hotel in Budapest.
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Driving time:
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approx. 4 hours.
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Day 14, approx. 25 km. The last day…
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Program:
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transfer from hotel in Budapest to the Budapest Ferihegy airport / railway station. Departure at…o'clock.
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~ end of program ~
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