Painted Monasteries in Romania

This morning you take a train journey to Suceava which takes around 5.5 hours. You shall stay tonight in a nice guesthouse in the village. If you wish you could visit Putna monastery; the spiritual center of Romania. You may have a short round walk of 1 hour to “Chilia lui Daniil Sihastrul”, a small hermitage dug in a rock. In the 15^th Century, it was inhabited by the hermit Daniil who supposedly predicted to Stephen the Great that he would become ruler of Moldavia. After becoming ruler, Stephen the Great was advised by Daniil to build the Putna monastery.

Visit the monastery, a foundation of Stefan the Great. It is the most important spiritual centre of Romanian Orthodoxy and played a significant role in Romanian history. Worthwhile visiting is the museum with priceless artefacts and treasures. During a round trip walk, you will visit the Sihastru monastery and you will have beautiful birds’ eye view from one of the hills of the impressive Putna monastery. 1, 3 or 4 h

From Putna you take the old monastery path to Sucevita monastery. In summer, the forest is full of berries and wild mushrooms. The undercoat of emerald green on which the superb frescoes are painted (1596) gave the monastery the name ‘a Poem in Green and Light’. The iconostasis is supposed to be the most beautiful one in the country. Sacherverell Sitwell wrote in 1938: “The first view of the painted church of Sucevita is among the most impressive revelations of the Byzantine world”. The little museum house the most precious collection of medieval art in Moldovia. Including medieval embroidered portraits and an epitaph with 1000 pearls. Two nights in a welcoming guesthouse with great food.
Walking time 5.5 hours, 11 miles 17.5 km up 450m down 450m

A car takes you over the Ciumirna pass with astounding panoramic mountain views. Visit Moldovita monastery, famous for the warmth and brilliance of its frescoes. The blue undercoat for its tree of Jesse gave the monastery the name ‘a parchment dipped in blue colour’. Very beautiful is the Ladder of Paradise, which has the ascetical mystic of John Klimakos as a theme and the depiction of the ancient philosophers. Maybe you meet Sister Tatiana (she speaks some English) who will show you around. The little museum contains, besides a priceless silver-cased Evangelistary presented by Catherine the Great of Russia, valuable icons and miniatures. Back in Sucevita you may have around walk and enjoy the bird’s eye view of the impressive, fortified monastery. 3 hours walk and 5 miles 8 km, 110m up/down.

Short transfer to Solca village, then you will walk through pastoral scenery passing friendly Polish villages founded during Austrian-Habsburg times to Humor. You will meet horse wagons loaded with hay. People are still working with sickles and scythes in the fields. The 16th-century Humor monastery, which exudes friendliness and tranquil charm, is painted in warm blues, greens, and reddish browns (from oriental madder pigment). Two nights in a very pleasant guesthouse (English speaking) in Humor.  4 hours around 7.2 miles 11.5 km, up 320m.

Visit Voronet monastery. “Voronet-Blue” is the keyword. Its superb frescoes gave it the name ‘the Sistine Chapel of the East’. Architecturally it combines Gothic and Byzantine features. Petru Comanescu still holds its truth: ”…here in the clear mellow light of those parts of the walls of the church seem to have stolen the sparkling blue of the sky, the green of the trees and the pastures, the gold of the sun and the red of the flowers growing in the peasants’ gardens”. Walk up to the Objina with good views over a valley and villages scattered around till you reach  Humor.
Walking time 5 hours, 9.4 miles 15 km up 370m up/down.

Transfer to Suceava. Train to Bucharest (dep. Suceava 5.51 a.m.,  arr. 11.41 a.m.). PLEASE NOTE: Do not to book a departure flight before 6pm