Medieval Transylvania Tour

Tour Description

This is a private tour. It includes pick-up and drop-of from and to your hotel in Bucharest.

Tour Highlights:

• Sinaia mountain resort
• Tour of the Peles Castle in Sinaia
• Bran Village
• Visit to the Bran Castle also known as Dracula’s castle
• City Tour of Brasov (Kronstadt)
• Visit to the medieval city of Sighisoara (Schäßburg)
• The Biertan Village – one of the first German settlements in Transylvania
• Visit to the city of Sibiu (Hermannstadt)
• Drive along the Olt Valley, one of the most beautiful mountain crossings in Romania

Day 1 Bucharest-Sinaia-Bran-Brasov-Sighisoara

We start with a morning drive towards Transylvania, a region covered by ancient forests and abunding in wildlife. In the charming mountaineous resort of Sinaia you will visit the exquisite Peles Castle, a castle strongly connected to the flourishing period of Romanian royalty.
The Peles Castle is one of the best-preserved royal palaces in Europe. The castle is full of ornaments on the inside and the outside as well and features intricate wood sculptures and paintings.

We drive through the mountaineous landscape till we reach the Bran Village and than visit Dracula’s Castle, whose impressing hilltop silhouette may easily make one believe the eery myths and legends surrounding the place.

The first historical reference of Bran Castle is a document issued on November 19th, 1377 by Ludwig I d’Anjou, by which Brasov’s inhabitants received the privilege of building  a fortress. The Bran Castle was restored under the supervision of Karel Liman, a Czech architect in the service of the Royal house of Romania (1848-1929), who refurbished the interiors of the castle to make it suitable for a residence for Queen Mary. He managed to turn it into a beautiful summer residence surrounded by a park with alleys, a lake, fountains and the Tea house of Queen Mary where, nowadays, the tourists can enjoy drinks and refreshments. In 1938 Queen Mary of Romania bequeathed the Bran Castle with all its domains to her daughter Princess Ileana, who owned it until 1948.

After compleating the visit of the Bran Castle we will head to Brasov (referenced as Kronstadt in old documents dated 1234) where We will also make a tour of the city.

Capital city of the Brasov County, Brasov is situated in the central part of Romania, about 166 km North of Bucharest. Surrounded by the southern peaks of the Carpathian mountains it is part of Transylvania region. Because of its central location, Brasov is a good starting point for trips all around Romania. The old part of the city is very well preserved and can be seen either by walking or by using the cable-car that takes you to the top of of Tâmpa Mountain (995m) and offers a beautiful panoramic view.

Overnight stay: you will spend the night in the Citadel of Sighisoara, in a cosy 3-star hotel/pension located in the heart of the town; you’ll be amazed by the medieval charm of the place.

Day 2: Sighisoara – Biertan – Sibiu – Bucharest

In the morning we explore the Old Town of Sighisoara (old German name: Schäßburg) with its cobbled streets, burgher houses and ornated churches. You will visit the Clock Tower, Church on the Hill and Dracula`s house where Vlad the Impaler was born in 1431. The houses inside the Citadel of Sighisoara reveal the main features of a craftsmen’s town. There are some houses which belonged to the former town elite, like the Venetian House and the House with Antlers.

The central part of Sighisoara has exemplarily preserved streets and buildings of the old medieval fortified city – a reason for UNESCO to enlist it as a World Heritage Site. Events that highlight the history and culture of the place such as the Medieval Festival that takes place in the old citadel can be attended every year in July.

We than leave Sighisoara and head towards the Biertan Village – a UNESCO site in Romania, and one of the first German settlements in Transylvania. The fortified church of Biertan, surrounded by three rows of fortifications, was built by German stellers in Transylvania and was used for nearly 300 years as the residence of the Transylvanian Archbishop. A room in the citadel was used for a long time as a reconciliation place for couples about to divorce (hear the full story on site). The name “Biertan” was first attested in 1283. It had a township status.

We than leave Biertan to continue our “Medieval Transylvania Tour” heading towards Sibiu (Hermannstadt). Sibiu is one of the most important fortified towns in Transylvania. The city is reminiscent of old European cities such as Nürnberg; was founded in 1190 and grew to be the main city of the Transylvanian Saxons. This amazing place, with its “Old Town” (The Big Square, the Small Square, the Ursuline Church, The Franciscan Church, The Staircase Tower, the Tanners Tower, the Liar’s Bridge, the House of the Butcher’s Guild and last but not least with the amazing Bruckenthal Museum) is a gorgeous place to visit.

After a short sightseeing tour we leave Sibiu and cross the mountains following the winding route along the Olt River Valley, one of the most spectacular valleys crossing the Southern Carpathians towards Bucharest. The fabulous journey ends with the arrival in Romania`s capital city.