Transylvania and the Painted Monasteries

Arrive in Bucharest and stay overnight

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

From Putna you will take the old monastery path to Sucevita monastery. 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 Romania, which makes it a worthwhile visit. There is a little museum which houses the most precious collection of medieval art in Moldovia. Including medieval embroidered portraits and an epitaph with 1000 pearls.  You will spend two nights in Sucevita.

A car will take you over the Ciumarna pass, you can enjoy the astounding panoramic mountain views. You can visit Moldovita Monastery, famous for its 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’. Maybe you will meet Sister Tatiana (she speaks some English) who will show you around. The little museum contains a priceless silver cased Evangelistary presented by Catherine the Great of Russia, valuable icons and miniatures. Back in Sucevita you can explore on foot and enjoy the bird’s eye view upon the impressive, fortified monastery.

Today you will transfer to the Voronet Monastery. Its superb frescoes gave it the name ‘the Sistine Chapel of the East’. Architecturally it combines Gothic and Byzantine features. After visiting you will walk up to Objina with good views over a valley and villages scattered around until you reach Humor. Humor monastery, which exudes friendliness and tranquil charm, is painted in warm blues, greens and reddish browns (from oriental madder pigment).

Today you’ll cross the Carpathians to Transylvania through the spectacular Bicaz gorge, drive into Hungarian villages and further on to Bran where you’ll stay overnight. One night in a guesthouse next to Dracula’s Castle. 5 – 6 hours by car

Visit the Dracula castle this morning and enjoy looking around. Afterwards, you can walk up to the Kalibash village of Magura which is situated 1000 m up in the mountains. Then around walk to Pestera. On your way, you may see orchids, gentians, campanulas, and endemic flowers like the ‘Carpathian Iris’. Little farms are scattered around over beautiful alpine pastures and meadows covered with wildflowers. Stay in a guesthouse with beautiful views over the surrounding mountains.

Today you have a lovely loop walk up to the mountain village of Pestera You will pass the Pestera Lilecilor (Bats cave) on the way. Another walk brings you high up to a ridge from where you have spectacular views to the knife-edge sharp main ridge of the Piatra Craiului massif, which looks like the back of a dragon. You walk over pastures and meadows covered with wildflowers. Both walks return to Magura village.

Transfer to the airport and departure.