Highlights:
*Apuseni Mountains - offer you a ride through deep, thick forests on curvy roads and narrow valleys deep into the heart of Transylvania.
*Food and drinks - best selection of Transylvanian dishes from each region, not to mention the incredible low costs of the drinks
*Transfagarasan - a highroad cut straight in the mountain wall, this twisty paved highway is 2000 meters above sea level.
*Bran Castle - also known as Dracula’s Castle, the medieval fortress dating back to 1377
*Peles Castle - one of the best preserved and beautiful royal residences in Europe. The castle served as the retreat residence of most of Romania’s monarchs.
*Brasov Saxon Medieval City - a city with an outstanding medieval atmosphere. Three quarters of the city is surrounded by mountains, and it is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe.
*Sighisoara Citadel - stands as Europe’s most beautiful and still inhabited fortified citadel, UNESCO European heritage site. The medieval fortified citadel of Sighisoara is also the birth place of Price Vlad the Impaler also known as Count Dracula!
*Moldavian Monasteries - UNESCO World Heritage Sites, these architectural jewelleries have both religious and an historical value.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Budapest – Szeged – Arad
Welcome to Budapest, you’ll connect with our guide, a motorcycle enthusiast and a 100% Transylvanian. Ride to Szeged, rightfully called Sun City, enjoy a city tour. For lunch we strongly recommend Halaszcsarda, Fisherman Tavern, one of the oldest restaurants in the city. Accommodate in Arad in a 3* hotel, centrally located. Enjoy a welcome dinner, convince yourself of the Transylvanian hospitality! Optional activities: good pubs, discotheques, the largest swimming pool in Southern Europe!
Day 2: Arad - Savarsin – Deva – Hunedoara – Alba Iulia
Today you’ll visit Savarsin, an impressive castle situated on the site of a hunting mansion dating back to 1680. Enjoy a strong cup of coffee at the restaurant inside the castle. Ride next to Deva, take the cable car to visit the old citadel dating back to the XIII century.
Head next to Hunedoara, visit here Corvinestilor Castle, the greatest Gothic style castle in Romania, once the residence of Iancu de Hunedoara, a close and dear friend of Dracula. For dinner, in Alba Iulia you’re advised not to miss a truly “evil” offer: a meter of beer served in the Citadel’s Gunpowder.
Day 3: Alba Iulia – Zlatna – Abrud – Turda
In the morning ride to Apuseni Mountains, the picturesque landscape with beautiful houses located on top of the hills is the reason this area is called Transylvania’s Litle Switzerland. Ride to Turda, through the beautiful Ariesului Valley. Accommodate in a 4* hotel, centrally located, with a strong medieval touch.
Optional: After lunch you’re invited to ride to Turzii’s Gorges, the most important reservation of the Apuseni Mountains or to the Salt Mines in Turda, one of the biggest saline in Romania, with impressive halls named after kings and queens. Or ride to Savadisla, to delight yourself with a delicious traditional Hungarian dinner – flambé goulash, or chicken with apple sauce.
Day 4: Turda – Targu Mures – Sighisoara
Morning ride to Targu Mures, visit the citadel or enjoy a city tour. Again on the road, this time to Sighisoara, one of Europe’s most beautiful inhabited fortified citadel, UNESCO European heritage site but most important – Vlad Dracula’s birth place. Stroll around the old street of the citadel, visit The Clock Tower, The torture room and the Medieval Weapon Collection.
Module: attend the Witch Trial, Count's Fortune-teller will be at your disposal, witness the apparition of Count Dracula. For dinner we recommend Casa Vlad Dracul Restaurant – the very place where Dracula was born!
Day 5: Sighisoara – Biertan – Medias – Sibiu – Sibiel
Start your day with the fortified church in Biertan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the village is one of the first German settlements in Transylvania. You can shop here for souvenirs at one of the finest handicraft shops in Romania. Sibiu is your next destination; one of the main highlights of the European Cultural Capital of 2007 is Liars Bridge, don’t utter any lie while crossing it – it will collapse!
You’ll relax this evening in Sibiel, a village close to Sibiu with a strong Saxon atmosphere. You will be properly welcomed with a glass of Romanian fire water tuica! Visit to the Icon on the Glass Museum? Even milking the cow is an option! Dinner in open air, by fire camp. You’ll accommodate in a traditional 2* country-inn, spend the night under the same roof with your Romanian hosts.
Day 6: Sibiel – Balea Lac – Balea Cascada – Brasov
An incredible ride for you today, you’ll head first to Balea Lake, crossing the Transfagarasan, a highroad cut straight in the mountain wall, this twisty paved highway is 2000 meters above sea level. Next stop is Fagaras, the 650 years old citadel. The best place for lunch here is the restaurant in the vault of the citadel.
Brasov a city with an outstanding medieval atmosphere is your next destination. For dinner you can ride, on narrow roads with thick forests aside, to Poiana Brasov, and try the excellent restaurants here. Accommodate in Brasov, 3* hotel. Plenty of night life opportunities: pubs, lively clubs, discos.
Day 7: Brasov – Bran – Rasnov – Sinaia – Brasov
An entire day at your disposal. You can choose to stroll around the streets of Brasov or take a guided trip to Bran Castle, Rasnov Peasant Citadel and Peles Castle. Peles Castle is one of the best preserved and most beautiful royal residences in Europe, 160 rooms all of them opulently decorated.
Rasnov Citadel is the largest peasant citadel in Southern Eastern Europe.Bran Castle owes its fame both to its unique charm and to the myth Bram Stocker created around Dracula. For lunch, take our advice and try the Traditional Sheepfold in Bran, absolutely delicious dishes not to mention the cheese assortments you can find here.
Day 8: Brasov – Lacu Rosu – Cheile Bicazului – Piatra Neamt
It’s time for some wild landscape – the ‘untained’ Bicazului Gorges and the misterious Red Lake, also called Killer Lake due to the pine trees that point out of the water like a forest of stakes. For lunch we recommend the restaurant located on the middle of the lake. After that you’ll ride to Piatra Neamt, accommodate in a 3* hotel. If you’re in the mood for some delicious Moldavian dishes, you should try a restaurant and enjoy a dinner with folk show.
Day 9: Piatra Neamt – Voronet – Marginea – Sucevita – Moldovita – Vama
You’ll now make acquaintance with the holy side of Romania. Morning ride to Voronet monastery considered to be the "Sistine Chapel of the East", due to the magnificent frescoes on the west wall, a representation of the "Last Judgement".
The Black Pottery Centre in Marginea is perfect for the traditional souvenirs you can take back home. Enjoy a monastic lunch in Sucevita Monastery then ride to Moldovita monastery.
Accommodate in Vama in a 3* villa.
Day 10: Vama – Campulung Moldovenesc – Tihuta – Bistrita
Step into Jonathan Harker’s shoes, the main character of Dracula novel, and ride on curvy mountain passes to Borgo Pass, visit Dracula’s Castle and His Coffin.
End the journey in Bistrita, city tour and a visit to a special character: Misiuga, the 83 years old Baron of Dracula waiting for you in his windswept tower - Dogarilor. Accommodate in Golden Crown, a 3* hotel. For dinner you should try Jonathan Harker’s Saloon, the restaurant inside the hotel and enjoy the same menu like Bram Stocker’s hero.
Day 11: Bistrita – Nasaud – Sacel – Sighet– Sapinta – Satu Mare
Early ride to Sacel, visit the workshop of Grigore Tulean an excellent woodcraftsman who, among others, can teach you how to make a vampire wooden stake! In Sighetul Marmatiei visit the Communist Prison, a legacy of a more recent vampire, the ex-dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
Unique in the world the Merry Cemetery, from Sapanta, owes its name to the wood-carved memorial crosses decorated in vivid colors depicting the deceased in a cartoon like manner. Accommodate in a 3* hotel in Satu Mare.
Day 12: Friday, Satu Mare
Departure to Budapest.
For 2008, Ride under Dracula’s Wings, is guaranteed to depart on the following date: August 17, 2008.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price includes:
- Accommodation: two nights in 4* hotels, six nights in 3* hotels, 1 night in 2* Hotel, one night in traditional country-inn 3* and one night in a 2* traditional country inn in fact welcoming peasant houses.
- Transportation: bring your own bike or rent a motorcycle.
- Meals: 11 breakfasts, 1 monastic lunch in Sucevita Monastery and 3 dinners (welcome dinner, dinner with fire camp in Sibiel village, fare well dinner).
- Entry fees to: Sucevita Monastery
- Motorcyclist English speaking guide, general map, daily route briefing.
Not included: gas, road taxes, parking, entry fees to the mentioned tourist attractions, most lunches and dinners, beverages, individual activities, plane ticket, airport fees, photo, video tax and other not mentioned.
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