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Best of Romania, Transylvania and Hungary route map

Arrive in Bucharest and settle in. Meet your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a local dinner.

Meals: Dinner

Take a walking tour of Bucharest, including the Palace of Parliament, Revolution Square and the Arch of Triumph. The afternoon is free to explore or shop, or you can choose an optional visit to Casa Ceaușescu, Snagov Monastery and Mogoșoaia Palace.

Meals: Breakfast

Travel through the Carpathian Mountains to Sinaia. Stroll through the gardens of Peleș Castle and visit Sinaia Monastery, then continue to Brașov and check in to your hotel. Visit Hărman Fortified Church and join Ioana and Corina at HOF Hărman for a Be My Guest experience with traditional Saxon-Transylvanian dishes.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

Visit Bran Castle and learn about its history with a Local Specialist. Explore Brașov’s medieval streets and visit the Black Church. The evening is free.

Meals: Breakfast

Explore Sighișoara’s old town on foot, including the covered wooden stairs, Clock Tower and house where Vlad the Impaler was supposedly born. Continue to Sibiu for a Local Specialist tour of Great Square, Huet Square, Goldsmiths’ Square and Liar’s Bridge, and see the Gothic Cathedral of St. Mary.

Meals: Breakfast

You may choose an optional visit to Muzeul Astra open-air museum. Later, visit Corvin Castle and continue to Timișoara, known for its public squares, Art Nouveau architecture and role in the 1989 revolution.

Meals: Breakfast

Cross from Romania into Hungary and visit Bugac Puszta for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience, including a horsemanship display and goulash soup. Continue to Budapest. An optional Danube dinner cruise is available this evening.

Meals: Breakfast,Lunch

Explore Budapest with a Local Specialist, visiting Heroes’ Square and crossing the Danube to Buda. Ascend Castle Hill to see Matthias Church and visit Fisherman’s Bastion for city views. The afternoon is free, with the option to visit the thermal baths. Toast the journey over dinner with fellow travelers.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

Bid farewell to Budapest and your travel companions.

Meals: Breakfast

What’s included

Travel by luxury air-conditioned coach, with Wi-Fi where available
Arrival transfer in Bucharest and departure transfer in Budapest, as indicated in the itinerary
An expert Travel Director, professional driver and Local Specialists for selected sightseeing
Audio headsets for sightseeing and hotel porterage for one suitcase per person
Hotel charges and local taxes
Restaurant gratuities and tips for hotel staff and porters
8 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 3 dinners, including a welcome dinner in Bucharest, a locally hosted Saxon-Transylvanian dinner in Harman, goulash lunch in Hungary and a farewell dinner in Budapest
8 nights in 4-star hotels: Novotel Bucharest City Centre, Hilton Garden Inn in Bra?ov, Mercure Sibiu Arsenal, Timisoara and Mercure Korona in Budapest. Hotels of a similar standard and location may be substituted.
Guided sightseeing in Bucharest, Bra?ov, Sighi?oara, Sibiu, Timi?oara and Budapest, including visits to the Palace of Parliament, Sinaia Monastery, Harman Fortified Church, Bran Castle, Bra?ov’s Black Church and Corvin Castle
Views of Pele? Castle and Budapest’s Castle District, plus a horsemanship display at Bugac Stud Farm in the Great Hungarian Plain

What’s not included

International flights to Bucharest and from Budapest, including associated airline fees
Passport and visa costs, where applicable
Travel insurance
Lunches other than the goulash lunch on day 7, dinners other than those on days 1, 3 and 8, and drinks not specified as included
Voluntary tips for the Travel Director, coach driver and Local Specialists, unless separately prepaid
Personal expenses such as shopping, laundry, phone calls and minibar purchases
Extra hotel nights before or after the tour and transfers associated with those stays
Any additional cost for a solo room, depending on the room option booked
Optional experiences, including Casa Ceau?escu or Snagov Monastery and Mogo?oaia Palace from Bucharest, Muzeul Astra in Sibiu, a Danube dinner cruise and Budapest’s thermal baths

Additional information

  • 3 Dinner (D)
  • 8 Breakfast (B)
  • 1 Lunch (L)
  • Bucharest: Bask in the rich history of Bucharest and its lasting legacies. 
  • Sinaia: Visit Sinaia Monastery, one of the region’s oldest religious sites. Founded in the late 17th century, it is known for its frescoed church and long connection to Romania’s religious history.
  • Bran: Visit the infamous mythical home of Count Dracula and favorite residence of Romanian royalty – Bran Castle.
  • Sibiu: Enjoy the sights and sounds as your Local Specialist brings the city’s Saxon heritage to life.
  • Visit Corvin Castle, a magnificent Gothic-Renaissance fortress, to explore medieval architecture, learn about John Hunyadi, a key figure in the defense against the Ottoman Empire and experience Romania’s rich cultural and historical heritage.
  • Timisoara: Journey through the colorful streets of Timi?oara and discover its rich history.
  • Budapest: Spend the day basking in the iconic views of Budapest. 
  • Deluxe coach travel
  • Selected hotel dinners plus a locally hosted meal
  • 4-star stays

Trafalgar

Meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers over a local dinner in Bucharest. Share a first taste of Romanian hospitality while getting to know the people travelling with you.

Romania’s capital pairs broad boulevards with Belle Époque buildings and a lively contemporary dining scene. This hosted gathering offers a sociable introduction to the country and a chance to hear what lies ahead.

Explore Bucharest on a walking tour and visit the immense Palace of Parliament, built under Nicolae Ceau?escu during Romania’s communist era. Pass Revolution Square, where the events of 1989 helped bring his rule to an end.

See the Arch of Triumph, a monument honouring Romania’s First World War victory. Together, these landmarks reveal a capital shaped by royal ambition, dictatorship and a dramatic transition to democracy.

Visit Sinaia Monastery, a longstanding religious landmark in the Carpathian resort town of Sinaia. Explore a place of worship closely tied to the town’s origins and Romania’s Orthodox traditions.

Founded in the late 17th century and named for Mount Sinai, the monastery gave Sinaia its name. Its church and frescoes offer a quieter counterpoint to the town’s royal architecture, revealing centuries of spiritual life in this mountain setting.

Explore Bran Castle with a Local Specialist, taking in its towers, passageways and commanding position above the surrounding landscape. Hear how the fortress became associated with Dracula while discovering the history beyond the legend.

Bran’s story includes medieval defence and its later life as a residence favoured by Romania’s royal family. The visit distinguishes the castle’s documented past from the fictional world of Bram Stoker’s novel.

Discover Sibiu with a Local Specialist, exploring Great Square, Huet Square and Goldsmiths’ Square alongside the Liar’s Bridge. See the Gothic Cathedral of St. Mary as you navigate the city’s historic centre.

Sibiu’s squares and churches reflect centuries of Transylvanian Saxon civic life, craftsmanship and trade. The walk connects its prominent landmarks with the smaller streets and architectural details that give this former fortified town its character.

Visit Corvin Castle in Hunedoara and explore its towers, turrets and Gothic-Renaissance architecture. The fortress’s imposing silhouette and stone spaces evoke the political power of medieval Transylvania.

The castle is closely associated with John Hunyadi, a major figure in the defence of the Kingdom of Hungary against the Ottoman Empire. Stories also connect it to Vlad the Impaler, adding another layer to a site where documented history meets enduring legend.

Watch Hungarian horsemen demonstrate their riding skills at Bugac Stud Farm on the Great Hungarian Plain, including the Puszta Five. Meet native Hungarian animals and enjoy a traditional goulash lunch in the Kiskunság National Park region.

Hear stories of shepherd life and the customs that grew from this grassland landscape. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience supports the preservation of local cultural traditions and contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Explore Budapest with a Local Specialist, standing among the monuments of Heroes’ Square before discovering Buda’s Castle Hill. See Matthias Church and take in views from Fisherman’s Bastion across the Danube toward the Hungarian Parliament.

Heroes’ Square honours figures from Hungary’s history, while the landmarks on Castle Hill evoke centuries of royal and civic life. The experience brings together the capital’s monumental architecture and its riverside setting.

Explore the open-air ASTRA Museum near Sibiu, where more than 300 original buildings illustrate Romania’s rural architecture, crafts and farming traditions. Walk among relocated homes and working structures in an expansive outdoor setting.

One of Europe’s largest open-air museums, ASTRA presents the ingenuity and regional variety of village life through the buildings people once lived and worked in. This experience costs extra and is bookable on tour.

Cruise the Danube through Budapest over dinner, viewing the city’s riverfront landmarks illuminated at night. From the water, take in the contrast between Buda’s elevated historic quarter and Pest’s monumental buildings.

The Danube is central to Budapest’s identity, dividing and connecting its two historic halves. A dinner cruise offers a different perspective on the capital’s bridges and architecture as their lights reflect across the river. This experience costs extra and is bookable on tour.

Stroll through the gardens of Pele? Castle in Sinaia, admiring its ornate exterior against the wooded Carpathian foothills. This is an exterior viewing experience rather than a visit inside the castle.

Built for King Carol I, Romania’s first king, the neo-Renaissance residence reflects the royal family’s enthusiasm for European art and architecture. Its elaborate rooflines and mountain setting make it one of the country’s most recognisable royal landmarks.

Visit Harman Fortified Church in a Saxon village near Bra?ov. Explore a place designed for both worship and protection, where sturdy defensive walls surround the historic church.

Transylvanian Saxon communities fortified churches to shelter residents during periods of conflict. Harman’s surviving architecture makes that shared village history tangible, offering a distinctive view of the region’s medieval heritage beyond its castles and citadels.

Join Ioana and Corina at HOF Harman, a restored Saxon farmhouse, for a locally hosted dinner. Enjoy homemade Saxon-Transylvanian dishes prepared with regional ingredients as your hosts welcome you into their village setting.

Hear stories about garden work, seasonal routines and traditions passed through the community. The meal offers a personal introduction to the people and food culture behind Transylvania’s historic Saxon villages.

Walk Bra?ov’s medieval streets to uncover the Saxon heritage of this Transylvanian city. Visit the Black Church, the imposing Gothic landmark whose name recalls the damage it sustained in a 17th-century fire.

Bra?ov grew as a centre of trade beneath the Carpathians, and its historic core still reflects that prosperous past. Its lanes and church bring the city’s merchant history and religious traditions into focus.

Explore the UNESCO-listed citadel of Sighi?oara on foot, following cobbled lanes past the landmark Clock Tower and Covered Staircase. See the house traditionally identified as the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler.

One of Europe’s best-preserved inhabited medieval citadels, Sighi?oara retains the enclosed character of a Transylvanian Saxon town. Its towers, old houses and steep lanes give a vivid sense of everyday life within historic defensive walls.

Discover Timi?oara’s colourful streets and public squares, including Union Square, while taking in the city’s grand facades and Art Nouveau influences. Its elegant urban centre has earned it the nickname “Little Vienna”.

Timi?oara also holds a pivotal place in modern Romanian history: protests here in 1989 helped ignite the revolution that ended communist rule. The city’s architecture and squares reveal both its multicultural past and its role in political change.

Visit Casa Ceau?escu, the former Bucharest home of dictator Nicolae Ceau?escu, on an optional experience. See the private surroundings of the man who ruled Romania during the final decades of its communist era.

The residence offers a revealing contrast to ordinary life under the regime and adds personal context to the political history visible elsewhere in the capital. This experience costs extra and is bookable on tour.

Travel beyond Bucharest to Snagov Monastery and Mogo?oaia Palace on an optional excursion. Discover a monastery linked in popular tradition to Vlad the Impaler and a palace celebrated for its distinctive Romanian architecture.

Mogo?oaia is associated with the Brâncovenesc style, which blends local, Byzantine and other artistic influences. Together, the sites offer a closer look at Romania’s religious history, aristocratic culture and enduring legends. This experience costs extra and is bookable on tour.

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