- Duration: 8 Days
- Location: Departure from Cluj-Napoca
- Available Seat: Please contact us!
- Price: 816 €/person
Once upon a time, eight millennium years ago, the humans started to tame a part of the wild vine which produced very small and sour grapes. It was transformed into a cultivated vine, creating a great diversity of varieties with different colors and flavors.
The wine’s history wasn’t a fairytale all the time, and the Phylloxera vastatix’s invasion decimated the vineyards in France and in all Europe, Romania included. Just 5% of the aboriginal varieties of grapes have survived. The cure was brought from America (as the Phylloxera): seedlings immunes of the destructive bug. Nowadays, the European grapes result of the American resistant seedling and the European graft.
The wine has a story of his own that the elders use to tell it in the evenings by the fireside after the cask wine is pulled. The story is about young Dionysus who, tired of his long road, sits on a lawn to rest. At his feet he noticed a tender plant, unknown. Before departure Dionysus snatches the plant and takes it with him, putting it into a bird bone found on the road. Only that on the road, the vines grow visibly and the bone becomes too small, so the King of Wine finds a bone of lion and puts inside the plant, but soon it becomes too small again.
On his road, Dionysus finds a donkey head and puts there the plant with the bird and the lion bones together. Finally, reaching the islands of Naxos he plants the vines from which are growing wonderful grapes that Dionysus turns them into wine, teaching people how to work vines and drink wine.
The legend says that since then, if you drink a little wine you’ll be as cheerful and twitter as a bird, if you drink more you’ll feel strong as a lion, and if you drink exceedingly you’ll start to act like a donkey.
Day 1
Cluj-Napoca
Arrival in Cluj-Napoca. Depending on time, visit the city of culture and a prestigious university center, with an enduring tradition and acknowledgement: The Roman Catholic St. Michael’s Church, the old citadel fortifications, The Tailors’ and the Cobblers’ Bastions, Matei Corvin’s House, The Orthodox Cathedral (which combines Byzantine and Brancoveanu architectural styles and elements), The National Theatre, Iuliu Maniu street (also known as The Street in the Mirror).
Welcome dinner in restaurant and overnight in a 3* hotel in the city centre.
Day 2
Cluj-Napoca – Blaj – Jidvei vineyard – Sibiu
Breakfast. Departure to Sibiu region. Stop in Jidvei vineyard for a visit of the wine centre known even from the feudal era, when Transylvania was named as well The Wine Land (Weinland). The colonization of the Saxons of Transylvania contributed as well at the development of the wine culture and wine-making. Jidvei Company has nowadays developed many wine ranges, as: Traditional, Clasic, Castel, Tezaur, Grigorescu, Mysterium and Owner’s Choice.
Wine tasting. Lunch in Jidvei.
Arrival to Sibiu. Visit the city dating from the 12th century, called by the Germans “Hermannstadt”, which proves the old German domination of the town: the Large Square, The Small Square, The Huet Square, The Liar’s Bridge, The Brukenthal Museum (built between 1777-1787 in baroque style, shelters the art collection of the baron Samuel von Brukenthal, who was the councillor of Maria Theresa and the governor of Transylvania), the Evangelical Church, which shelters the tomb of Dracula’s son, prince Mihnea the Bad, murdered in the church square after a service in March 1510.
Dinner and overnight in a 3* hotel in the medieval city center.
Day 3
Sibiu – Transfagarasan / Ramnicu Valcea – Targoviste
Breakfast. Departure to Targoviste passing on Transfagarasan, the road situated up to 2000m which cross the Fagaras Mountains. The scenery is really great. The road is usually closed from late October until late June because of snow. If so, take the road which passes through Olt Valley, one of the most beautiful in Romania.
Lunch in restaurant. Continue to Targoviste. If the time allows, visit the Princely Court where Vlad Dracul resided. The place was build in the 14th century for Mircea cel Batran (Mircea the Old), who fortified his court with defensive towers. From the Sunset Tower (Turnul Chindiei) was announced the closing of the city gates as the sun went down. Today there is an exhibition recounting the life of Vlad Tepes.
Dinner and overnight in 3* hotel.
Day 4
Targoviste – Wine Road – Buzau
Breakfast. Departure to Prahova Vineyards in order to follow the famous wine Road which reedits an older segment of a road used by Romans, which crossed Europe. Nowadays it crosses through 14 localities and famous vineyards of the county and includes stops and visits at manor houses, monasteries and royal courts. Lunch in wine cellar with traditional menu. Wine tasting and visit of the vineyards in horse-drawn carts, visits of grottos and cellars where the wine used to be stored from the old times.
Continue to Buzau. Dinner and overnight in a 3* pension. Accommodation arranged in huge wine barrels.
Day 5
Buzau – Vrancea Vineyards – Piatra-Neamt
Breakfast. Departure to Vrancea, one of the famous wine regions of Romania. Enjoy wine tasting and lunch with traditional dishes.
Continue to Piatra-Neamt town. Evening walk in the centre. Take the funicular up to the Pietricica Mountain in order to have a great view over the city and its surroundings.
Dinner and overnight in 3* hotel.
Day 6
Piatra-Neamt – Vatra Dornei – Piatra Fantanele – Bistrita
Breakfast. Departure to Bistrita region, land of Dracula’s legends. The road follows the border of Izvorul Muntelui Lake (the largest lake on the interior waters in Romania), passes at the foot of Ceahlau Mountain (emblematic for the Romanian landscape) and through Zagreni Gorges. Have a break in Vatra Dornei, mountain resort with a great history behind. Lunch in restaurant.
Continue to Bistrita. Stop in Piatra Fantanele and have a break at the hotel-castle Dracula, built after Bram Stoker’s novel. The scenery over the surrounding is amazing!
Evening tour of Bistrita town: The Evangelical Church (with the highest tower in Romania – 75 m), Sugalete (complex of 13 multi-stage buildings from the 15th – 16th century, bounded through large enters forming a gallery of 20 arched roofs uphold on 21 pilasters. Dinner in the restaurant Coroana de Aur. If its name appears in Bram Stocker’s novel Dracula, the restaurant was built afterwards, in touristic purpose. Try the popular Dracula’s meals and drinks. Overnight in 3* hotel.
Day 7
Bistrita– Culpiu – Cluj-Napoca
Breakfast. Departure Culpiu region, part of Lechinta great vineyard, an old wine centre of Transylvania. On a surface of 68 hectares the vine is cultivated for centuries and gives annually production of 5000 kg of grapes/ha. This amount of grapes gives annually around 2000 litres of wine. There are as well table wines marketed in bulk and bottle wines, as well wines marketed as wines with controlled origins and a superior wine trade named Rose.
Lunch and wine tasting in traditional cellar.
Departure to Cluj-Napoca. Free time for visits and shopping. Farewell dinner in restaurant and overnight in 3* hotel.
Day 8
Cluj-Napoca
Breakfast. Last visits and shopping. Departure.
HIGHLIGHTS
* Cluj-Napoca city
* Jidvei vineyard
* Sibiu medieval city
* Transfagarasan Road and Balea glacial lake
* Targoviste town
* Wine Road and Prahova vineyard
* Vrancea Vineyard
* Izvorul Muntelui Lake
* Bargau Valley and Dracula’s Hotel
* Dracula’s restaurant and Bistrita medieval town
* Culpiu and Lechinta Vineyard
PRICE:
Organized groups: 816 €/person
Special! Private tour: 1 345 €/person
*161 €/person SGL Supplement
Included:
- Accommodation 6 nights in 3* hotels and 1 night in 3* pension
- Full board (check-in with dinner and check-out with breakfast)
- All transport and round transfers
- Fuel, road and parking taxes
- English attested guide
- 4 Wine tasting sessions (Jidvei, Prahova, Vrancea and Culpiu)
- Visit of the vineyards of Prahova in horse-drawn carts
- Entry tickets for the visits included in the program
- Telephonic emergency call and support 24/7
Not included:
- Taxes for cameras and filming
- Driver for the private tour
- Drinks off the boarding
- Tips
NOTE:
- The program in the present form is available if Day 1 is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday according to the opening hours of some visits or activities in the tour. If Day 1 differs, they will be replaced or cancel.
- Rates do not apply during the main holidays (Easter, Christmas and New Year) and during great events (festivals, concerts, fairs).
