PRE-CONGRESS TOUR NO.1 “ON ROMANIA’S TREASURE TRAIL: THE MONASTERIES OF BUCOVINA”

4 DAYS/3 NIGHTS – FROM SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26
TO WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2008 (early return to Bucharest)

In the North-East of Romania, nestled in the most recently emerging highlands of the Carpathians, lies a land marked by intermingling and co-habitation of different peoples.
The origins of Moldavia, its holy places and the most beautiful pages of its history lie here.
Five churches rivalling with each other in terms of the beauty of their external frescoes stand tall in a narrow space (each well-integrated in a monastery): Humor, Moldovita, Voronet, Sucevita and Arbore.
From one church to another, there is 10 to 40 km of exceptional landscape, meticulously worked by the farmers.
With their external painted walls, ornated with 15th and 16th century frescoes – “chefs-d'oeuvre” of Byzantine art – these churches are unique in Europe and belong to UNESCO’s world heritage list.
Far from being simple mural decorations, these paintings systematically cover all the façades and represent full cycles of religious mural paintings.
Their exceptional composition, the elegance of figures and the harmony of colours integrate perfectly in the surrounding landscape.
This tour will enable you to discover the most beautiful of the Bucovina monasteries.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26: BUCHAREST/ SUCEAVA

7:45 pm*: Meeting point at the OTOPENI airport.
9:15 pm*: Take-off from Bucharest to Suceava.
10:25 pm*: Arrival in Suceava and accommodation in a 4 star hotel in Gura Humorului.
* the schedule will be confirmed in the travel documents.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 27: SUCEAVA/ MONASTERIES

Breakfast at your hotel.
Day dedicated to visit 3 monasteries: Voronet, Humor and Arbore.

VORONET
The church is called the “Orient’s Sistine Chapel” and it is one of Europe’s most beautiful Orthodox churches. It became popular for its unique, transparent blue colour and its exceptional fresco of the Last Judgment covering the entire western façade while the Jessi Tree and the Akathist Hymn are represented on the southern façade. Inside, you will see a portrait of Stephen the Greatest.

You will then visit the HUMOR monastery.

Located on a hill in the heart of the Bucovina village, the Humor monastery offers beautiful external frescoes painted by Toma de Suceava. The church was founded in 1530 by the Voivode Petru Rares (the region’s sovereign) and Chanceler Théodor Bubuiog.

The monastery with modest dimensions is decorated with external frescoes – from the foundations to the canopy – which look like a manuscript page embellished with thousand miniatures.

Lunch in a typical restaurant.

The afternoon will be dedicated to visit the ARBORE monastery, pure jewel of the Moldavian in the Petrus Rares period. The frescoes were made 40 years after the church was built. The exceptional quality of these mural paintings are really worth it.
Return to Gura Humorului at the end of the day.

Dinner in a typical restaurant.

Accommodation in a 4 star hotel.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28 – MONASTERIES

Breakfast in your hotel.

SUCEVITA
The monastery is one of the most famous for Moldavian architecture and also one of the last ones built. Its foundation goes back to the end of the 16th century. It was built by one of the Movila brothers, a family of boyars (big landowners) between 1581 and 1601.

It is an impressive fortress that surrounds the church. The surrounding walls are 6 meters high, 3 meters thick and are flanked by four lookout towers that are reminiscent of the medieval citadels. You will also find a great set of mural paintings.

Lunch in the monastery.

After lunch, you will take one of the oldest trains of Bucovina: the Mocanita.

The train was used in the 19th century to transport wood. Today, it is considered as national museum.
You will cross the colourful landscapes of the Bucovina mountains. This trip will end by a light meal outdoor and a local music and dance show.
Return to the hotel at the end of the day.

Dinner in a typical restaurant.

Accommodation in a 4 star hotel.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29 – SUCEAVA/ BUCHAREST

Transfer from hotel to airport.
6:25 am*: Flight take-off from Suceava to Bucharest.
7:35 am*: Arrival in Bucharest.
Transfer to hotels (if you booked accommodation with DESTINATION PLUS).

The prices above are based on a minimum of 15 participants. DESTINATION PLUS reserves the right to increase the rates if that minimum number was not reached or if the airplane tickets were modified due to significant official fuel increase.

If on September 8 the minimum number of participants was not reached, DESTINATION PLUS reserves the right to cancel the significant pre tour concerned.

In that case, DESTINATION PLUS will refund the tour costs (except the fees due to the modification of your international airplane ticket that you have booked). Consequently we strongly advise you to book modifiable airplane tickets.

 * the schedule will be confirmed in the travel documents.

PRE-CONGRESS NO.2  “FROM THE CARPATHIANS TO SOUTH TRANSYLVANIA: Roman discovery, culture and traditions”

3 DAYS/2 NIGHTS
FROM SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26 TO TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2008 (Return in the evening)

Imposing palaces, romantic castles of the Middle Ages, severe Gothic cathedrals, fortified villages and  medieval cities. This is not a trip to Europe but to Romania, marked with an intermingling of East and West and a mix of Greco- Byzantine, Roman and Gothic styles.
Transylvania, “a land beyond forests”, located in Central Romania, is one of the most interesting regions of Europe from the perspective of the cultures' organisation and ethnic co-habitation.
Most of its cities were founded at the end of the 12th century or at the beginning of the 13th century. The most representative of them are Brasov, Sighișoara, Sibiu, Cluj, Fagaras, Bistrita and Medias.
For the unusual and authentic lover, in regions that are the most beautiful and at the same time, the wildest, you will discover true treasures of hospitality and sympathy.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26 – BUCHAREST – SIBIU “EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE IN 2007”

11:30 am*: Meeting point at the OTOPENI airport (Bucharest).
1:00 pm*: Flight take-off from Bucharest to Sibiu.
1:45 pm*: Arrival in Sibiu.
* the schedule will be confirmed in the travel documents.

Lunch in a typical restaurant followed by the Sibiu visit.

Birthplace of the Saxon civilisation, Sibiu is the Romanian city that has preserved the largest number of old districts.

Designated the “European Capital of Culture in 2007”, the city is divided into upper and lower towns, full of small squares, churches, ancient houses that give a picturesque atmosphere.

Visit the “upper town” (Large Square, Small Square), Evangelical Church and the Brukenthal Museum.

Dinner in a typical restaurant.

Accommodation in a 4 star hotel in Sibiu.


MONDAY, OCTOBER 27 SIBIU/ SIGHIȘOARA/ BRASOV/ POIANA BRASOV

Departure in the morning for Sighișoara, Vlad the Impaler's (Dracula) place of birth.

Preserving until today its German ancient cities specific character, Sighișoara is a homogenous complex, which offers a variety of charm through a maze of little roads and squares.

The most beautiful medieval city in the country (site protected by UNESCO) and native city of the famous Prince Vlad the Impaler – who inspired the character of Dracula – was founded by German artisans and merchants.

The Sighișoara city centre kept the characteristics of a small fortified medieval city and remains the only inhabited medieval city of Europe today.

For those who love “deciphering” a city, Sighișoara is an ideal place: corners of greenery, streets with loosely laid cobblestones and bulging blue, yellow, green or pink façades following upon one another…

Without forgetting alleys, small ways and stairs that link the lower town to the upper town.

Visit of the citadel whose ramparts surround the city, the bell tower, the hill church and the Medieval Arms Museum.

Lunch in Sighișoara.

The trip continues towards Brasov which looks like Salzburg.

A medieval city founded in the 13th century by the Saxons in very beautiful mountainous surroundings, with well-established traditions, history and culture, Brasov offers a unique atmosphere.

The historic centre has retained its charm, with its large square surrounded by old houses, the old town hall, the Black Gothic church and the pedestrian street bordered by typical picturesque houses.

Transfer to Poiana Brasov, a typical small ski resort in the Carpathians.

Dinner in a special inn.

Accommodation in a 4 star hotel in Poiana Brasov.


TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28: POIANA BRASOV/ BRAN/SINAIA

Departure to Bran to visit the most famous Castle of Transylvania.

Surrounded by an aura of mystery and legend, the Bran Castle is better known as “Dracula’s Castle” because Bram Stoker drew inspiration from it for his famous novel in 1897.

Perched on a rock (at a height of 60 m), the Castle imposed its romantic silhouette in magnificent surroundings: exceptional layout, secret rooms and narrow corridors truly make it into a labyrinth.

Beyond mythology, the Castle was transformed into summer residence by Queen Maria of Romania in 1920.

You will be able to admire the restoration: beyond the superb inner courtyard, you will visit different rooms with solid furniture, rich with reminiscences of the world of knights.

Late morning departure for Sinaia, nicknamed the “Pearl of the Carpathians”. Surrounded by forests and steep slopes of the Bucegi mountains, this resort owes its popularity to the King Carol I who established one of his residences here in the 1870s. Bucharest’s nobility soon followed him.

You will be seduced by colourful houses one after the other giving it an undisputed charm.

You will then leave for the two most interesting sites of Sinaia, the Sinaia Monastery (1695), which got its name from the Sinai mountain, where its founder spent some time during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land and the fabulous “Peles Castle”, the most beautiful of the royal family’s summer getaways, built at the end of the 19th century in magnificent surroundings, which shelters a rich collection of furniture, carpets, arms and armour.

Lunch in Sinaia.

Transfer back by bus to Bucharest

The prices above are based on a minimum of 20 participants. DESTINATION PLUS reserves the right to increase the rates if that minimum number was not reached or if the airplane tickets were modified due to significant official fuel increase.

If on September 8 the minimum number of participants was not reached, DESTINATION PLUS reserves the right to cancel the significant pre tour concerned.

In that case, DESTINATION PLUS will refund the tour costs (except the fees due to the modification of your international airplane ticket that you have booked). Consequently we strongly advise you to book modifiable airplane tickets.