8 DAYS SWEET LAND OF BUCOVINA TOUR ITINERARY:
Day 1 - Bucharest - Buzau - Tecuci - Iasi
After pick you up from Bucharest, TravelShop Turkey will depart for Buzau to
visit Muddy Vulcanoes with you. Between Berca and Arbanasi, about 30 km from
Buzau, we come across one of the best known geological reserves of Romania, the
Muddy Volcanoes.
Muddy Volcanoes is purely and simply because of their cone-shaped form with a
crater in the middle. In the case of the real volcanoes, the lava comes through
the volcanic horn from a hot magma cradle, it gets out through the crater and
flows over the slopes turning solid. The muddy volcanoes have been formed
through a similar process with the only difference that here the lava has been
replaced by mud.
The gas associated to the crude deposits in the sedimentary rocks, make their
way towards the surface through clefts, reach the underground water layer, where
they also involve the waters in their movement and on their way upwards, they
also wash the clay and the other rock fragments they might meet with. The
pressure of the derrick gas defeats with great difficulty the viscous liquid
which swells out, forms a hemisphere, split and wearily falls down with a sigh
into the boiling cauldron. If we bring a lit match closer to them, a blue flame
will blaze out because the bubbles are mostly made of methane.
After this visit you deserve a nice lunch in a traditional Romanian restaurant.
After lunch, we will continue our journay to Iasi. During our journey, Murtis
Tour have arrange an hour stop in Tecuci for a coffee break. Upon arrival,
transfer and check in to your hotel. Overnight in Iasi.
Day 2 - Iasi - Targul Frumos - Dolhasca - Suceava
(Breakfast included)
After breakfast, we shall start Iasi City Tour, visiting Three Hierarchs
Monastery, the Palace of Culture, the Metropolitan Church. The Palace of Culture
in Iasi. If time is allow, we wil visit Copou Park where the Romanian National
Poet, Mihai Eminescu (1850-1889), wrote some of his best work, , under his
favorite linden tree.)
After enjoy our lunch in a local restaurant with traditional and international
menu, Murtis Tour will accompany you to continue our pilgrimage to the north of
Moldavia. On the way, we will have a stop and visit the monastery and the Palace
of Ruginoasa: The palace of Ruginoasa, built in neoclassic style at the
beginning of the 19th century by a Moldavian treasurer, Costache Sturdza, to the
design of the Viennese architect Johan Freiwald, it was later rebuilt in
neogothic style. The palace was best known as the summer residence of Prince,
and ruler of the United Principalities, Alexandru Ioan Cuza.
Further on, visit of the Probota Monastery with paintings of the Church of
Probota Monastery are faded, but the interior ones are among the finest of their
kind in Moldavia. The commemorative inscriptions, both on the church wall and on
the gate tower, mention the year 1530. It is usually considered that the church
was completed in 1530 and painted in 1532. Then we will continue our journey to
Suceava. Upon arrival, transfer and check in to your hotel. Overnight in Suceava.
Day 3 - Suceava - Dragomirna - Patrauti - Balinesti - Dorohoi - Suceava
(Breakfast included)
After breakfast, TravelShop Turkey will pick up up and visit Princely Court -
built by Petru Musat at the end of the 14th century, the fortress was later
enlarged and strengthened by Alexandru cel Bun to hold off invading Ottoman
Turks. Stephan the Great (1457 - 1504) added the moat, 105-foot-tall defensive
walls and defensive towers that enabled it to withstand the artillery of Mehmmed
II, conqueror of Constantinopole. The fortress was finally blown up by the Turks
in 1675. Today, visitors can tour the remains of the impressive fortifications
and take in a great view of the city.
Then we will visit Saint Georges Church- St. George Church houses the relics of
Saint John the New, brought to Moldavia by Alexander the Good, in 1415. The
relics are placed in a silver casket, richly decorated with scenes from the
saints life. The outstanding exterior frescoes of the church, illustrating
scenes from the Old and New Testament, were completed in 1534 during the reign
of Petru Rares, a glorious time in the era of religious murals.
Also Murtis Tour will lead you to visit Zamca Monastic Complex, this fine
architectural complex, was founded by Armenians exiled in Moldavia. The church
dates from the 17th century. According to an inscription, the bell-tower was
built in 1606.
Before our lunch, we will visit Mirauti Church The oldest church in Suceava,
Mirauti Church was founded by Petru I Musat in 1375. Until 1522 it served as the
Moldavian coronation church. It was here where Stephen the Great was crowned
Prince of Moldavia in 1457 after receiving the bishops blessing. The church was
restored between 1898 and 1901, preserving the original design.
After have our lunch in Suceava in a local restaurant, we will depart for
Dorohoi. On the way we stop in Patrauti to visit the Monastery, after that visit
of Dragomirna Monastery. Then we will have a short stop in the city before we
drive back to Suceava. At the end of the tour, transfer back to your hotel in
Suceava, the rest of the evening is yours to explore the city. Overnight in
Suceava.
Day 4 - Suceava - Radauti - Solca - Gura Humorului
(Breakfast included)
Today we will depart for Gura Humorului. On our way, we will have a stop in
Radauti where is one of the oldest towns, being known since the 14th century. We
will visit the Princely Church and Ethnographic Museum which were founded in
1934, it presents in all its 11 halls a rich collection of items that reveal the
traditional occupations of the inhabitants from these lands and the ceramics
collection from Radauti, Marginea and Kuty.
Then lets continue our journey, on the way stop and visit Arbore Monastery.
Perhaps a tour of Bucovinas Painted Monasteries should begin here. After all,
the highlight of the small Arbore church is a scene from Genesis, which adorns
the western wall. The only church in the region with no belfry towers, because
it was not built by a prince, the monastery was founded in 1503 by Luca Arbore,
the advisor of Stephen the Great painted four decades later by Dragos Coman, one
of the greatest 16th century mural painters of Romania.
After our lunch break in Solca. We will continue our journey, on the way, we
will visit Cacica Salt Mine and The Lake. Afterward we will arrive in Gura
Humorului, from this city we pay other visits in the opposite side. Among the
most picturesque treasures of Romania are the Painted Monasteries of Bucovina
(in north-eastern Romania).
Going to the north, we visit Humor Monastery which was founded in 1530, Humor is
rather small, physically, but it looks large among Bucovinas treasures with a
variety of frescoes dating from 1535, including one illustrating the Return of
the Prodigal Son and one with a humorous depiction of the devil as a woman.
Then we will going to the south to visit Voronet Monastery. Perhaps the most
famous and stunning of the painted monasteries is Voronet, founded in 1487 by
Stephen the Great to celebrate a victory over the Turks. Widely known throughout
Europe as the Sixtine Chapel of the East due to its interior and exterior wall
paintings, this monastery offers an abundance of frescoes featuring an intense
shade of blue, commonly known as ‘Voronet blue. The nuns run a painting workshop
and provide guided tours of the monastery for visitors. At the end of the tour,
we will drive back to Gura Humorului and transfer to your hotel, the rest of the
evening is yours to explore the city. Overnight in in Gura Humorului
Day 5 - Gura Humorului - Campulung Moldovenesc - Vatra Dornei
(Breakfast included)
Today we will depart for Vatra Dornei. On the way we wil have a stop and visit
Putna, Sucevita, Moldovita Monastery where are the most representative painted
monasteries.
Putna Monastery is the most important religious, cultural and artistic centre in
mediaeval Moldavia, the monastery is the symbol of a period of remarkable
economic, social and political progress, a telling proof of the permanent
aspirations and struggle of the Romanian people for liberty, independence and
national unity.
Sucevita Monastery is chronologically the last and greatest monastic ensemble
among the painted monasteries in Bukovina, as it has the appearance of a real
fortress, with towers, buttresses and watch roads. Paintings at Sucevita were
best preserved. Theologically, the Tree of Jesse is a symbol of the continuity
between the Old and the New Testaments, as well as of the Logos before and after
the arising of Jesus. The Tree in Sucevita is an evolved version, as compared to
the same scene at Voronet.
The Monastery of Moldovita, located in the village of Vatra Moldovitei, was
built by Petru Rares, Stephen the Greats illegitimate son in 1532. The
predominantly gold and deep blue paintings on the exterior walls were completed
in 1537. The large and vivid Siege of Constantinopole highlights the frescoes.
Another stunning representation depicts the Tree of Jesse, representing Christs
genealogy, a wide-spread iconographical theme in Europe during the Middle Ages.
After our lunch break in a local restaurant in Campulung Moldovenesc. Murtis
Tour will lead you to continue our journey to Vatra Dornei - mountain resort
where famous for the skiing slopes and for the spa facilities, which make it a
true magnet for tourists all over the world. It is located at 800 m altitude, in
the north of the country and it has a long tradition in the mineral springs
exploitation and for the skiing conditions as well. Upon arrival, check in to
the hotel and the rest of the day is leisure. Overnight in Vatra Dornei.
Day 6 - Vatra Dornei - Tragu Neamt - Piatra Neamt
(Breakfast included)
After breakfast, we will pick up you and depart for Piatra Neamt. During our
journey, we have a few stops and visit some of the most representative
monasteries from Neamt County - Neamt, Secu, Agapia. In Moldavia, the
monasteries and fortresses have a linked history, both were shelter in time of
foreign invasion for Romanian people, it is not possible to pass away without
paying a visit to Neamt Fortress - The fortress was built during Petru I Musat
ruling (1375-1391), Due to the progress registered by the fight technique, the
role of the Moldavian fortresses diminished starting with the second half of the
14th century.
Today Murtis Tour may arrange our lunch in a very special place named Bears Inn
with traditional romanian menu. Afterwards, we will visit Horaita Monastery
before we arrive Piatra Neamt.
Upon arrival, transfer and check in to your hotel. You can join our optional
tour by walk to the Historical Centre of Piatra Neamt. The Ethnography Museum
holds an interesting collection of popular clothing, tools belonging to
handicrafters and traditional rustic outfits original from Neamt area. The ruins
of the Dacian fortress from Batca Doamnei lie on the right bank of the Bistrita
river, on the way out of the city. Here one may see the walls of the precincts,
the two sanctuaries, a fragment from the palisade, traces of Dacian settlements.
Overnight in Piatra Neamt
Day 7 - Piatra Neamt - Bicaz - Brasov
(Breakfast included)
Today we will depart for Brasov. On our way, we will visit Pangarati Monastery
and Bicaz Gorges, Red Lake in Bicaz. After the tour we will have our lunch in a
local restaurant.
After lunch, we will continue our journey to Brasov. Brasov was one of the best
placed town and grew prosperous and fortified as a result, and for many
centuries the Saxons there constituted an elite whose economic power long
outlasted its feudal privileges. Upon arrival, Murtis Tour will lead you to have
the tour trip in Brasov - with entry at the Black Church. At the end of the
tour, transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Brasov.
Day 8 - Brasov - Poiana Brasov - Sinaia - Bucuresti - End of Tour
(Breakfast included)
Today we will drive back Bucuresti, On our way back, we will havea stop in
Poiana Brasov to visit of the Bran Castle. In addition to its unique
architecture, the castle is famous because of persistent myths that it was once
the home of Vlad the Impaler, a famous or infamous medieval warlord. The castle
passed through royal hands for many generations. For many years at the beginning
of the 20th century, it was the principal home of Queen Marie, who, despite her
British birth and upbringing, became quite a Romanian patriot. The castle is
decorated largely with artifacts from her time, including traditional furniture
and tapestries that she collected to highlight Romanian crafts and skills.
Then we will continue our journey with a stop to visit the very famous castle in
Sinaia resort - Peles castle for the summer residence of the Romanian royal
family. Both at the end of the 19th century and nowadays, Peles Castle was and
is considered to be one of the most beautiful castles in Europe, and the first
entirely electrified on the continent.
After our lunch break in one restaurant in Sinaia, we will drive back to
Bucharest for your onwards journey. We hope your tour was a memorable one and we
would like to see you in future in one of our tours again. Have a nice trip back
home and thanks for choosing TravelShop Turkey.
8 DAYS SWEET LAND OF BUCOVINA TOUR INCLUDES:
- 1 night hotel with breakfast in Iasi
- 2 nights hotel with breakfast in Suceava
- 1 night hotel with breakfast in Gura Humorului
- 1 night hotel with breakfast in Vatra Dornei
- 1 night hotel with breakfast in Piatra Neamt
- 1 night hotel with breakfast in Brasov
- Professional English speaking guide
- All entrance fees to all museums mentioned in the itinerary
- Transportation in a fully air-conditioned, non-smoking coach
8 DAYS SWEET LAND OF BUCOVINA TOUR PRICES IN EURO:
Per Person |
Shared Double |
Single |
3 Star Hotel |
€ please ask |
€ please ask |
4 Star Hotel |
€ please ask |
€ please ask |
5 Star Hotel |
€ please ask |
€ please ask |
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