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Day 1. Arriving to Hungary
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Itinerary:
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… - Nyíregyháza - Debrecen
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Program:
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The Romanian guide will meet the group in Debrecen. The city, as it is called "the Calvinist Rome", has a beautiful classicist centre with a famous cathedral (Nagytemplom) and museum (Déri).
After visiting the city centre the group will be given free time for visiting or bathing program at the thermal polls of the city. Get to know each other 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 7th days in a 3*** hotel, in Debrecen.
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Day 2, approx. 250 km. Transfer to Transylvania
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Itinerary:
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Debrecen - Berettyóújfalu - Oradea - Huedin - Cluj Napoca
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Program:
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The border crossing-point is at Ártánd-Bors. The highlight of the day will be in the village Sancraiu where the group will have a presentation of the dances and costumes of the ethnographical area of Calata. The next stop will be in Valeni, one of the representative villages of this entire region with an interesting fortified Calvinist church.
The accommodation place will be in a village, nearby the city of Cluj Napoca. The group shall be accommodated in a large private pension. Dinner in an exquisite restaurant.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 2nd and 6th days in a village near the city of Cluj Napoca, in a cozy pension.
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Day 3, approx. 240 km. The Szekler Rock, the Szekler wine, the Szekler folkor Itinerary:
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Itinerary:
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Rimetea - Turda - Targu Mures - Sovata - Odorheiul Secuiesc
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Program:
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we leave early in the morning from the village and stop in the village of Rimetea for having a medium/hard difficulty 4 hours long hike. For this hike we definitely need secure hiking boots. We will climb the so called Szekler Rock (1.129 m high, difference of level approx. 550 m). From above we will have a great panoramic view over the village of Rimetea and the surrounding area. For those who chose not to go on the hike there will be organized another program. After the hike we will receive our picnic bags as well. Next we will cross the plain region of Transylvania and stop in a village in the Tarnava River area where we will taste the wines of this region (Feteasca Regala - Királyleányka, Sauvignon Blanc, Cuvee, Muscat Ottonel and Italian Riesling).
After the wine tasting program we will stop in Corund for a free shopping program (max. 1 hour long). Last stop is at the accommodation place in a picturesque village near the city of Odorheiul Secuiesc where we will be welcomed by our local hosts and a short folkloric program performed by children.
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Accommodation and half-board:
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on the 3rd, 4th and 5th days in a village near the city of Odorheiul Secuiesc, in private village houses at Szekler families.
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Day 4, approx. 50 km. Hike and relaxation on the Harghita Mountains
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Itinerary:
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Izvoare - Muntele Hargita - Subcetate
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Program:
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In the morning we will travel by our bus some 20 km to the Izvoare village. Here we will change our vehicle for a local tractor pulling a big wagon with benches. We will use this tractor until the end of the forest-road and from there we will hike to the top of the Harghita Mountain (the 1.801 m high, 1˝ easy/medium hike). On the way back from the mountain we can come down on foot or using the same tractor as transportation. At the end of the hike we will stop in a beautiful house-garden and serve a picnic consisting in very tasty local trout-meal.
After the picnic we go back to our bus which will take us to the village Sub Cetate. Here we will have free bathing program in a mountain lake. In the evening we will enjoy a folkloric program presented by the Gypsy Salami Band and by the local young Szekler dancers at our same accommodation place. We will learn also the techniques of baking the local potatoes-bread and the Kürtös Kalács cake.
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Day 5, approx. 195 km. The Ghimes region
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Itinerary:
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Bradesti - Miercurea Ciuc - Ghimes Faget - Miercurea Ciuc - Bradesti
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Program:
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We will leave in the morning and cross the volcanic mountain of Harghita. Up on the plateau we will have a short stop at Lobogó mineral-water spring and taste its water. We will spend the entire day in the Ghimes region where we will meet the so called Csángó people. Our program will be the following: we will start by watching a very interesting folkloric program offered by the Transylvanian Csángós in a very beautiful house garden. From there we will hike (1˝ - 2 hours long medium hike) on a nearby mountain on foot or using a horse-pulled wagon to get to a mountain farm where we will be introduced in the techniques of producing milk-products such as cheese, soft cottage cheese, butter from heavy milk, etc.
The place offers a great panoramic view over the Ghimes region, one of the most interesting areas of Transylvania. Also there we will have a typical peasant-lunch consisting of corn porridge with cheese and salad. After the program we will return back to our accommodation place.
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Day 6, approx. 220 km. Travel across Saxonland and hike in Turda Gorge
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Itinerary:
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Odorheiul Secuiesc - Sighisoara - Turda
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Program:
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We leave the village that accommodated us and Szeklerland in the morning. We will travel to Sighisoara, an old medieval Saxon citadel and supposed birthplace of count Dracula - World Heritage site, program at leisure. The next stop is Turda where we will visit one of the biggest salt-mines of Romania and Europe, today working only as a museum and treatment center.
After the salt-mine we will have a very nice hike (2 hours long easy/medium horizontal walk) in the Turda Gorge. After the hike we will travel back to our first accommodation place in Transylvania, near the city of Cluj Napoca, where we will serve the good-bye dinner accompanied by live music.
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Day 8. Towards home
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Itinerary:
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Debrecen - Nyíregyháza - …
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Program:
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after breakfast the guide will say good-bye and the group will embark in the bus that will travel back to its home.
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~ end of program ~
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