Iași is the most important place for cultural heritage in Romania. A morning guided bus city tours is the best way to grasp the atmosphere. The visit commences at the Culture Palace. Take your time and stroll the beautiful halls and the cozy rooms of the palace. For sure The Moldavian History Museum, The Ethnographic Museum, The Science and Technics Museum are diverse, you can head over to whichever interests you. Finish the tour in the Clock Tower.

In the evening visit the Vasile Alecsandri Theatre, a jewel, the oldest theatre in Romania. A Venetian chandelier with 109 bulbs, an iron curtain which seals the scene from the main hall and its varied furniture and decorations will let you marvel for some time.

The locals love for the growth and fruit of the vine, gave birth to the Cotnari vineyard. The wine road is long but full of rewards: Cotnari wines are very diverse in character so be sure to encounter your own.

We will also visit Cucuteni, the oldest civilization in Europe, predating the civilizations of Sumer and Ancient Egypt the hundreds of years.

The Painted Monasteries of Bucovina are amongst the most picturesque treasures of Romania. Whether you are interested in religion, art, architecture or history, both the exterior and the inferior of these edifices will make you want to discover more about their story. Their outstanding composition, the decor, the elegant outline and harmonious colors blend perfectly with the surrounding landscape.

Eight of the churches were placed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list (Suceava, Voronet, Moldovița, Gura Humorului, Arbore, Probota and Pătrăuți).

Today we will see the most famous of them: Voronet Monastery, often called “the Sistine Chapel of the East”. Erected in 1488 by Stefan the Great in only 3 months and 3 weeks, Voronet’s most important feature is a Last Judgement fresco painted on the exterior facade. The blue paint that has miraculously never faded is known throughout the world as “Voronet blue” and stems from the semi-precious stone “Lapis Lazuli”. The artists worked here in isolation, guarding their trade secrets and even today, the composition of the paint remains a mystery.

The traveler who comes to Bucovina will have the opportunity to taste the local food. Both experts and beginners in gastronomy will be impressed by what is called the Bucovinean food. The culinary identity was kept intact here, people are still proudly cooking using natural ingredients, most of them from their own garden.

The Bucovina area is also well known for the black clay pottery crafted, tradition that was passed from generation to generation for centuries. Pottery in the area of Marginea dates to the 1500s and came into existence because the people needed to stock their food. Ceramics was the main material that contributed to the primitive society giving the possibility to safely keep food and the sorts. Could you imagine your house without pottery?

The architecture of the Sucevița monastery features both Byzantine and Gothic elements and some elements typical to other painted churches of northern Moldavia. Both interior and exterior walls are covered by mural paintings from the Old and New Testament. The paintings date from around 1601, which make Sucevita one of the last monasteries to be decorated in the famous Moldavian style of exterior paintings.

Smaller than Sucevita, Moldovita monastery is interesting for its collection of old books (from the 15^th -18^th centuries). Here you will find the Painted Eggs Museum.

Visitors of the painted monasteries will often witness a nun or a monk beating a long beam with a mallet, calling everyone to prayer. The tradition started during the siege of Moldavia by the Ottoman Empire when the Turks forbade the ringing of bells. The semantron replaced the ringing bells and thus became a tradition, reinforced by the fact that in time of war, bells were often melted down to build cannons.

Heading over the hills, the Ciumarna Pass will take your breath away. It is Bucovina’s “heaven on earth”, with its picturesque villages, simple and friendly people, wide pastures with wild horses, dark forests and a silence that encompasses you.

Our road follows the mountains. Let’s have a short walk in the old resort of Borsec. Famous for its mineral waters directly from the spring, the stroll around here will bring some peace to your holiday and will properly prepare you for our next stop.

The Praid Salt Mine is located deep in the underground. Sit on a bench and take in the place and enjoy the benefits of the salty air.

On our way lies Sighisoara, a medieval inhabited town, considered to be the most beautiful and well-preserved inhabited citadel in Europe. With its authentic medieval architecture, Sighisoara, is also the birthplace of Vlad Dracula, the Impaler, whose house is just one of the many attractions here.

For the rest of the day we will take a walk through the town’s hilly streets, exploring their original medieval architecture, magical mix of winding cobbled alleys, steep stairways, secluded squares, towers and turrets. It will be a journey back in time.

We tasted Hungarian and Romanian cuisine from different regions, now is time to taste the Saxon cuisine from Transylvania.

The entire surrounding area of Brasov is an environment of fresh air and tranquility situated at an altitude of 1100 meters. The area is full of history and legends.

Surrounded by an aura of mystery and legend, Bran Castle is now a museum open to tourists, displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Marie of Romania. At the bottom of the hill is a small open-air museum park exhibiting traditional Romanian peasant structures (cottages, barns, etc.) from across the country.

Did you know that Bucegi Mountains host the greatest energetic center in the world? A cable car ride away is Busteni plateau at 2000 m. Here, The Sphinx and The Old Ladies rocks are very suggestive, Ialomita cave, the “Omul” peak and Caraiman Cross are amazing landmarks to see. Meanwhile you will charge your batteries!

The end of this trip is nigh. It was a trip to have a taste of Romania. If this was to your liking, come back, we have more to show and tell you.