3 days in Transylvania

Itinerary

Day 1: Castles

Stop At: Peles Castle, Str. Pelesului 2, Sinaia 106100 Romania
Elegant and chic, Peles Domain, was the background for many important chapters of modern Romanian history. Built by King Carol I of Romania, the first Romanian monarch, as a summer residence for the Royal Family, became one of the most treasured national monument. The castle’s exterior is displaying a mock-Tudor half-timbered effect beneath pointed towers. Considered the second most expensive building built in 19th century, the alleged amount for the construction of Peleş Castle was over 16.5 million lei-gold equivalent of 198 million dollars at the time, money that come out of the King’s own pocket.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle), Str. General Traian Mosoiu nr. 24, Bran 507025 Romania
uilt as a customs point on the most traveled merchant road linking Transylvania to Wallachia, Bran Castle stands on a 60 m high cliff overlooking a narrow mountain crossing. It was buit between 1378 – 1382 in a Gothic architectural style. Due to it’s placement and similarities to the description in Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”, Bran Castle becomes the legendary Castle of count Dracula. The name of the famous vampire, Dracula, is associated to the historical figure of Vlad the Impaler the bloody despot of 15th century Wallachia, who is surrounded by many other legends and stories.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Rasnov Citadel, Unirii Square no. 12, Rasnov 505400 Romania
he Teutonic Knights plan of defence was building five Strongholds (quinque castra fortia), including Rasnov Fortress build in 1211 as a wood-and-earth fort. Rasnov Citadel was built as a strategic fort and was able to offer refuge, for short intervals, to the population of Rasnov and two other nearby villages in case of an invasion. From the beginning of 16th century to the end of 17th century, the Saxon population from Rasnov permanently inhabited the citadel which gave Rasnov Fortress the look of a medieval fortified Saxon village.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at Casa Rasnoveana - a lovely 3 star guesthouse

Day 2: UNESCO Tour

Stop At: Sighisoara Historic Center, Piata Cetatii Nr.1 Center of Sighisoara, Sighisoara 545400 Romania
Sighisoara is an unusual concentration of medieval architecture in a relatively narrow space, located on Citadel’s Hill. Now it stands as one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval fortress in S-E of Europe. Mentioned in a document for the first time in 1298, Sighisoara is actually a burg, a walled town. The wall was built in the 14th century, with a height of between 4 and 14 meters, having in place defensive towers belonging to various handcraft guilds. Of the 14 towers originally built today only 9 remain, the most important is the Clock Tower, with 7 figurines representing the days of the week, is today the symbol of Sighisoara.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Biertan Fortified Church, Central Square, Biertan 557045 Romania
Biertan is home to the best known of all the Saxon fortified churches, high on a hill within two-and-a-half rings of walls. Completed in 1524, Biertan Fortified Church is now on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Here was the headquarters of the Lutheran bishops from 1572 to 1867. The interior is a late Gothic hall church with an altarpiece comprising no less than 28 panels; the extraordinary sacristy door, with no fewer than nineteen locks, and a room where couples wanting to divorce were supposedly locked up together for two weeks.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Sibiu Travel, Sibiu 550320 Romania
Sibiu was fouded in 1191 was the main Saxon city of Transylvania controlling the trade route with Wallachia through Olt gorge. Old Town is a startling sight, with many of its houses painted in various colors. Split into a historic center and lower new town, Sibiu has many fine old churches and some of Romania’s best museums, as well as the remains of fortifications and bastions. Sibiu has a strong Saxon characteristics where you will find narrow streets and old gabled houses that will make you think of Germany. Nowadays Sibiu became one of Romania’s most popular tourist destination and declared in 2007 the European Capital of Culture.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at Casa Rasnoveana - a lovely 3 star guesthouse

Day 3: Bears and Brasov

Stop At: Libearty Bear Sanctuary Zarnesti, DN 73A km 6 - near the entrance in Zarnesti from Rasnov, Zarnesti 500075 Romania
Near the Natural Reservation of Piatra Craiului Mountains, in Zărnești Town, Libearty Bear Sanctuary shelters around 100 brown bear specimens, on a 69 hectares piece of oak forest. This makes Libearty Bear Sanctuary the biggest brown bear reservation in the world. The bears are rescued from cruel and improper conditions from zoos, circuses or are wild specimens which have endeavored to close to human settlements.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Brasov Historical Center, Piazza Sfatului, Brasov Romania
We will have a walk to city downtown visiting the Black Church, the Rope Street,
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Peasant Fortified Church at Prejmer, East side of the Brasov Depression, Prejmer 507165 Romania
Prejmer had an early right to hold a fair, possessing “jus gladi” witch means ”the right of sward” translated into death penalty but just under the control of magistrates from Brasov also people from Prejmer had the right to choose their free representatives.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.