Visit Curtea de Arges and bear witness to over 600 years of history. Visit two unique churches and the burial grounds of the royal family of Romania. Continue the day journey with a drive on DN7C also known as Transfagarasan, the road that crosses the Charpatian Mountains. On the way, stop at the foothill of Poienari Castle and listen to the stories of Vlad “The Impaler” Draculea, also known as Dracula. From the castle, drive towards Vidraru Dam and stop to listen to the tales of the communist period and how this artificially made dam was built. Drive to Balea Lake and enjoy the highlight of the day that is Transfagarasan Road. Take some time and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the mountains and the famous road.

The Transfagarasan mountain road (or national road 7C) is one of the most spectacular roads in the world, according to Top Gear. Located in Romania, it runs trough the Fagaras mountains and has more tunnels and viaducts than any other road in Romania. Discover this fantastic route with a daily bus transfer service between Sibiu and the Balea area, and explore the stunningly beautiful Balea waterfall and lake on your own. This is a touristic bus and will only go on route with reservation. The duration of transfers is approximate, and the exact duration will depend on the time of day and traffic conditions.  The tour will be: Sibiu (Parking Thalia Hall) – Avrig – Cartisoara - Balea Cascada (Cable Car Station)  The return route is: Balea Cascada (Cable Car Station) – Cartisoara – Avrig - Sibiu (Parking Thalia Hall)

This is a relaxing tour from Bucharest to the Argeș area. We pick you up in the morning and drive one and a half hours to the former capital of Wallachia, city of Curtea de Argeș. Here we stop for lunch and visit the Monastery which is one of the most beautiful architectural monument în România. Then we go to the real castle of Dracula - Vlad the Impaler, Poienari Fortress which stand high at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Our professional guide will tell you why prince Vlad the Impaler is associated with the fictional character Dracula. . Our next piece of road is also our destination. The Transfagarasan road, build by Ceausescu, with the help of the army is breathtaking and takes us all the way up to the summit of the mountain where we discover the astonishing glacial lake of Balea. From here we start our long but beautiful drive back home.

The Transfăgărășan is a paved mountain road crossing the Carpathian Mountains, is the second-highest paved road in the country with an altitude of 2,042 metres (6,699 ft). The road also provides access to Bâlea Lake a glacier lake situated at 2,034 m of altitude. Here we will benefit from the fresh air and low temperature, admire the view of Trasnsilvania and have lunch. On the way back we will admire Bâlea waterfall, we'll stop at the Vidraru Dam to refresh us. It is very possible to meet brown bears on the route. On our way we will be able to see on a mountaintop a fortress built by Vlad the Impaler. This is Poienari fortress.

Your journey starts in the early morning in Bucharest, from where you will head northwards passing by the former capital of the medieval Wallachian principality, Curtea de Arges. Climb your way toward the Carpathian Mountains through the Transfagarasan Road and stop by to admire the Vidraru Dam, one of the largest in Romania, followed by a memorable ride along the picturesque Transfagarasan, declared by Top Gear as the best road in the world. Be ready as bears tend to join our tour but only from the side of the road. Built high up in the Fagaras Mountains, this road stretches for 100 km, offering breathtaking views. You can make stops on the way to admire the scenery, take photos, and simply enjoy the strong and healthy mountain air before heading back to Bucharest, which you will reach in the evening. Pass Capra Waterfall and reach the very top at Balea Lake where you will enjoy free time and perfect picture views. Be ready as bears tend to join the side of the road.

You'll leave Brasov on a car drive to reach the starting point - Balea Waterfall. In the way to starting point you'll pass through the city of Fagaras where you will see it communist arhitecture . You'll go back in time as along the road are aligned romanian villages also with interesting arhitecture. Fagasas Mountains are displayed on sight as you are close to the place where the adventure start.

Hairpins, tunnels, and sweeping mountain views await on a private day trip on the Tranfagarasan Highway through the Fagaras Mountains. Enjoy having a private guide to lead your group as you visit Balea Lake, Cistercian Abbey, and Brukenthal Palace. Driving along the Transfagarasan Highway, one of the most spectacular roads in the world, your private guide will point out local landmarks. The highest road in Romania, it runs through the Fagaras Mountains and has more tunnels and viaducts than any other road in Romania. Located in the Fagaraș Mountains, Balea Lake is a spectacular landmark on your day trip from Sibiu. The lake formed after glaciers melted away, leaving a huge void carved into the rugged stones. Visit the partly-ruined Cistercian Abbey in Carta. Admire impressive architecture featuring capitals, keystones, windows, and a 15th-century western portal that still remains. Today the church is frequented by the evangelical community of Carta. Continue to The Brukenthal, a stately palace from 1788, formerly used as the summer residence of Transylvanian Baron Samuel von Brukenthal. Visitors to the historic Brukenthal Palace can enjoy the Baroque architecture and the large landscaped palace park.

Your tour will begin as you are taken from your hotel in Brasov by a professional guide. Once having departed Brasov, you will travel to the most spectacular road in Europe: Transfagarasan. You will stop first and visit the Carta Cistercian Monastery .the monastery was built at the beginning of the 13th century, in the Gothic style, by the Cistercian monks who came to Transylvania from Burgundy, France. You will then continue to the mountains which host the Transfagarasan Highway, the most spectacular and beautiful mountain road in Europe. The road has been featured on the UK motor show Top Gear, and traverses up through the mountains uniting Transylvania with Valachia. Whilst there you will experience great scenes, noisy waterfalls, and with some luck you may even see wild animals such as the brown bear or black goats. Moving onward, you will travel to the Balea Glacier Lake, where you will have lunch at the Lake Balea Chalet. You can then take a walk around the lake, and in summer can also climb up the slope near the lake. From the top of this ridge you will have wonderful pictures with the peaks of the surrounding mountains and the lake and cottage Balea. In the winter between December and March you can visit the ice hotel, as well as the neighboring ice church. You will later return to Brasov in the evening, with wonderful memories of your trip into the sky. During the winter between November and July, we will go up by van to the hotel Cascada Balea 1446m (above the road is closed due to snow), from where we will take the cable car up to Lake Balea. The price of the cable car (100 lei - 24 euros uphill) + descent) is not included in the price of the tour.

An adventure of a lifetime, for this 9-day tour of Romania we have chosen an assortment of rich sensory experiences, from medieval sites to a taste of the wilderness, with deep forests, vibrantly colored wildflowers and fresh mountain air (in the right season), all the way to modern exhibits, and a dash of traditional herbs and spices with the delicious foods we will be trying in every medieval town we visit. It’s the best way to understand Romania and the Romanians – Private Tour 9 days in Romania with a local guide :) Join us! Total Duration: 9 days Day 1 : Bucharest City Tour - Overnight in Bucharest What could be a greater adventure than Bucharest City Tour in a Share Tour with maximum 5 persons and having a elegant minibus for our time exploring : The Palace of Parliament or People’s House, The Bucharest National Village Museum, Calea Victoriei (Victory Avenue), Revolution Square, The Bucharest Old City Centre, Rich and Poor Area in Bucharest! Itinerary steps: 6 Meals not included Accommodation not included Day 2 : 1. Curtea de Arges Monastery 2. Poenari Castle 3. Transfagarasan Highway 4. Sibiu City Tour - Overnight stay in Sibiu Itinerary steps: 4 Meals not included Accommodation not included Day 3 : 1.Biertan Fortified Church 2. Sighisoara City Tour - Overnight stay in Sighisoara Itinerary steps: 2 Meals not included Accommodation not included Day 4 : 1. Turda Salt mine 2. Cluj Napoca City Tour (Botanic Garden) 3. Surdesti Wooden Church - Overnight in Sighetul Marmatiei Itinerary steps: 3 Meals not included Accommodation not included Day 5 : 1. Explore Maramures all day(local market) 2. Merry Cemetery 3. Sighet Memorial Museum - Overnight in Sighetul Marmatiei Itinerary steps: 2 Meals not included Accommodation not included Day 6 : 1. Barsana Monastery 2. Borgo Pass Road 3. Ciocanesti village - Overnight in Gura Humorului Itinerary steps: 3 Meals not included Accommodation not included Day 7 : 1. Voronet Monastery 2. Humor Monastery 3. Sucevita Monastery 4. Moldovita Monastery - Overnight in Gura Humorului Itinerary steps: 4 Meals not included Accommodation not included Day 8 : 1. Lucia Condrea - egg painted museum 2. Nicolae Popa Museum 3. Bicaz Gorges - Overnight Stay in Brasov Itinerary steps: 3 Meals not included Accommodation not included Day 9 : 1. Brasov City Tour (Black Church) 2. Bran Castle / Dracula's Castle 3. Peles Castle - Back to Bucharest Itinerary steps: 3 Meals not included Accommodation not included

The first day begins with a trip to Sinaia, where you will visit Peles Castle. Formerly  the summer residence of the Romanian Royal Family, Peles Castle is today home to the Peles National Museum. Next, you will discover the legends of Dracula with a tour of Bran Castle. Although there is no known connection between the castle and the infamous Vlad the Impaler, Bran Castle is often associated with him. After lunch, you will visit the historic center of Brasov. At night you will reach Sighisoara, where you will check-in and rest for the second day. After breakfast, you will discover Sighisoara, the only medieval citadel in Romania that is still inhabited. You will visit the famous Clock Tower, which has a height of 64 meters, and is surrounded by four massive walls, spreads over 4 floors. From the balcony of the tower, you can enjoy an amazing birds-eye view over Sighisoara. You will then reach Sibiu, one of the most important and well-developed Transylvanian cities. Your city tour of Sibiu will start in its most important square, with the Brukenthal Museum, the Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Cathedral and the Huet Square, with its Evangelical Church. On your way to Bucharest, if the weather allows it, the tour will include a trip through one of the most spectacular roads in the world, Transfagarasan.  At night you will reach Bucharest, where your getaway in Transylvania will come to an end.