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            [HighlightText] => Explore Moldavia's painted churches, Transylvania's fortified villages, Saxon Sighisoara, and Carpathian beech forests—all UNESCO sites
            [Description] => Explore Moldavia's painted churches, Transylvania's fortified villages, Saxon Sighisoara, and Carpathian beech forests-all UNESCO sites
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            [HighlightText] => Enjoy immersive stays in storybook villages with timeless cultural traditions and regional food and wine
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Hike amid pristine fir groves, white limestone rock faces, serene sheep pastures and enchanting hamlets
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            [Description] => Sighisoara
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            [Description] => Hasmasul Mare
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            [Description] => Sucevita Monastery
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Your Guides

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The best people to immerse you in a destination are the ones who live there, which is why we feature local Adventure Guides on our trips. Here are a few that you might meet on this adventure.

Andrei N.

An avid trekker and rock climber, Andrei has been guiding travelers through his homeland since 2002. He is a certified National Guide and Mountain Guide, passionate about wandering through pristine forest, mountains, and valleys—in search of mushrooms or leading guests—a constant thread in his life. Fluent in English and French, he looks forward to exploring trails and sharing stories of his climbing adventures with you in Romania’s undiscovered wilderness.

Raluca K.

Raluca’s enthusiasm for travel and positive attitude are contagious as she guides you along the trail and through the villages of Romania. She is a lifelong adventurer, certified National Guide and Mountain Guide, and member of the Association of Professional Guides in Romania. Encouragement and excitement are her strongpoints when you are out for adventure and her favorite part of guiding is sharing in the thrilling experience of traveling together.

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                    [Headline] => Travel by Train from Bucharest to Bucovina
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Meet your guide and group at the designated hotel in Bucharest, the bustling capital of Romania, for a brief orientation before your adventure begins. Romania is a complex patchwork of historical provinces and ethnographic regions, each with their own wild landscapes and centuries-old cultural traditions. Travel by train into the dense forest and rolling foothills of the rugged Carpathian Mountains, passing through Moldavia into Romania’s northernmost historical province, Bucovina. Disembark at Suceava and transfer to the charming village of Sucevita, where many old houses built in the traditional local style with shingled roofs, wooden porches, and floral motifs are still in use today. Tonight, your accommodation is in a typical wooden house where you will enjoy a delicious welcome dinner of hearty Romanian dishes.
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                    [Headline] => Hike to the Painted Church at Sucevita Monastery
                    [ActivityOverview] => 3-4 hours/5 miles of moderate hiking with 1,470\' elevation gain and 1,300\' elevation loss
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This morning, step onto the Via Transilvanica for a wonderful warm-up hike through pristine spruce and beech forests. Your guide will choose a scenic spot to enjoy a picnic lunch made with locally sourced produce while taking in the beauty of your surroundings. Continue along the trail, reaching a hilltop with gorgeous views of the Sucevita Monastery and its exquisite setting at the foot of the surrounding hills. The Bucovina province is best known for its UNESCO-listed painted churches—Byzantine-style masterpieces from the 15th to 16th centuries, whose external walls are covered in exceptionally well-preserved frescoes. Descend for a visit to the monastery and Church of the Resurrection, the best preserved of Bucovina’s painted churches. Though it is still a functioning monastery and place of worship, the church’s original 16th-century architectural structure and mural paintings have survived without their integrity being compromised.
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                    [Headline] => Follow the Via Transilvanica Village to Village
                    [ActivityOverview] => 6-7 hours/10 miles of moderate hiking with 1,840\' elevation gain and 3,280\' elevation loss
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Today’s journey takes you deeper into the heart of Bucovina’s scenic splendor. After a short transfer to Palma Pass, begin hiking on the Via Transilvanica trail towards the village of Moldovita. The day’s walk offers a wonderful opportunity to learn about the flora and fauna of the region, with various bird species, wildflowers, and even glimpses of wildlife, such as deer and foxes. The trail traverses dense forests and dreamy open meadows, then descends to Ciumarna hamlet. From here, tackle a long climb to another picturesque hamlet, La Toante. After a picnic lunch with a fabulous view and a short rest in the shade of a fir tree, follow the trail down through the trees into the Moldovita Valley to your accommodations in the village. This area of the country is known for its traditional craft of egg painting—incredible kaleidoscopic designs created with wax “writing” and colored dyes. The Hutsul, who live in the northern Carpathians both here and in Ukraine, are renowned for their skill in this ancient tradition and you will see the process during your stay.
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                    [Latitude] => 47.69
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                    [Headline] => Hike on the Via Hutulca & Ride the Rails back to Moldovita
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Today you’ll swap the Via Transilvanica for the Via Hutulca—another beautiful long-distance trail, that draws its name from the Hutsul, who live in the northern Carpathians both here and in Ukraine. Climb a long, gentle slope through pastoral hay meadows and make your way to the rounded ridges of the Obcinile Bucovinei mountains. After some lovely beech and fir forest passages, descend to a grassy valley and the small village of Argel. From there you’ll take a delightful narrow gauge steam train, built in 1888 for forestry purposes, through the scenic countryside back to your departure point this morning. In the evening, enjoy a traditional dinner prepared by your hosts.
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                    [Latitude] => 47.69
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                    [Headline] => Marvel at Moldovita\'s Painted Church & Cross the Carpathians to Transylvania
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After breakfast, explore another sensational UNESCO-listed painted church at the more isolated and picturesque Moldovita Monastery. The Church of the Annunciation, while smaller than the one at Sucevita, has more vibrant and detailed frescoes. After enjoying this masterpiece, say goodbye to Bucovina and head south across the Eastern Carpathian Mountains and valleys, to the Hasmas mountains in Transylvania. This area of the range is home to the Szekely, a Hungarian subgroup who maintain a distinct culture and Hungarian dialect. Reaching Lacul Rosu (Red Lake), named for the reddish soils flowing from richly forested slopes into its waters, drop off your luggage before heading out on an exhilarating afternoon hike to explore one of the limestone outcrops overlooking the jaw-dropping 1,000-foot cliffs of one of Romania’s most spectacular natural wonders, Bicaz Gorge.
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                    [Latitude] => 46.792
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                    [Headline] => Summit Hasmasul Mare in the Eastern Carpathians
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This morning, rejoin the Via Transilvanica gorgeous and largely undiscovered Hasmas Mountains National Park. Set out through wide open meadows and pastures where flocks of sheep graze with their shepherds nearby. Climb through alpine forest and rock-strewn plains to the top of Hasmasul Mare at an altitude of 5,900\'. Marvel at the breathtaking view over Eastern Transylvania and the Moldavian Carpathians. Here, white limestone spires and craggy cliffs contrast with dark spruce forest and green meadows punctuated by small lakes. Enjoy a picnic lunch in this spectacular scenery before descending from the ridge through the lower meadows, where your vehicle will be waiting at the end of the trail. Drive down through the mountains to the Saxon citadel of Sighisoara—a small, fortified medieval city whose historic center is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
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                    [Travel_Type] => 3-hour private van transfer
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                    [Latitude] => 46.219
                    [Longitude] => 24.793
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                    [Headline] => Explore Stunning Sighisoara Citadel & Hike through Saxon Villages
                    [ActivityOverview] => 4-5 hours/10 miles hiking with 900\' elevation gain and loss
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Spend some time this morning strolling along Sighisoara\'s cobblestone streets amid pastel-painted burgher houses and watch-tower spires in this magical medieval town. Built by the Transylvanian Saxons, who settled here in the 12th century, it is Europe\'s only inhabited medieval citadel. The Saxons were known for their craftsmanship, which shows in the architecture throughout the region. Take a short transfer to Saschiz, a Saxon village historically known for its distinctive blue pottery and UNESCO-listed fortified church, where you pick up the Via Transilvanica route again and hike through glorious forests and fertile open pastures to storybook Saxon villages and hamlets that are part of the cultural landscape. The trail takes you past some of the region\'s outstanding fortified churches, offering a snapshot of Saxon history amid idyllic rural scenery. Finish your hike in Mesendorf, a traditional Transylvanian village that seems frozen in time and spend the night in an enchanting old parish house reimagined as a stylish boutique hotel.
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                    [Travel_Type] => 40-minute van transfer
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                    [Latitude] => 46.08
                    [Longitude] => 24.982
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                    [Headline] => Across the Forest from Mesendorf to Viscri
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Depart on foot from Mesendorf for your final day on the trail and more spellbinding scenery. Hike over gentle hills and through verdant forests, past picture-perfect farms and shepherds tending their flocks. Your destination is one of the most beautiful villages in Transylvania, Viscri. Its centerpiece is the fortified church, originally built in the 12th century and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The afternoon is free to enjoy Viscri’s rural splendor, wandering its unpaved and cobblestone streets to admire the traditional tile-roofed houses painted in soft hues and marvelous church. Stay in a collection of historic country homes tonight, immersing yourself in the hand-painted furnishings and thick plastered walls. Toast to your wonderful adventure during a farewell dinner cooked and served by your delightful local hosts.
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                    [Latitude] => 46.059
                    [Longitude] => 25.09
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                    [Headline] => Return to Bucharest & Depart
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Journey back to Bucharest together with your group this morning for your onward flight.
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                    [Dinner] => 0
                    [Travel_Type] => 4-hour private van transfer
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                    [Itinerary_Location] => 
                    [Latitude] => 44.567
                    [Longitude] => 26.094
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Accommodations

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Stay in village guest houses for an authentic experience with home cooked meals and warm Romanian hospitality. One night at a comfortable mountain hotel and one night in a historic 16th century Saxon house.

Casa cu Cerbi

Comfortable Hotel

An authentic Bucovina farmhouse, Casa cu Cerbi has been beautifully restored in the Carpathian tradition. Clad in intricate woodwork and painted in bright green tones, the inn offers cozy, comfortable rooms with hand painted furnishings and regional textiles. Your knowledgeable hosts give you a warm welcome, hearty home-cooked meals, and delightful stories of the traditions and history of the region. Immerse yourself in a Romanian village. 

Local Moldovita Guesthouse

Rustic Lodging

Enjoy a true Romanian countryside experience in the picturesque village of Moldovita. Surrounded by rolling hills, pine forests, and traditional wooden homes, rooms at the family-run guest house have simple charm and handcrafted details. Relish homemade meals highlighting local specialties made from age-old Bucovinian recipes. Warm hospitality, peaceful surroundings, and a deep connection to local heritage are all parts of the guest house experience.

Hotel & Restaurant Lacu Rosu

Comfortable Hotel

Nestled in the forest, this alpine-style hotel is the perfect base for adventure in the Eastern Carpathians. Comfortable modern rooms have mountain views, connecting you with nature, and the hotel has free Wi-Fi, connecting you to the world. Savor traditional Szekely and Romanian dishes made with fresh, local ingredients at the popular restaurant, from rich stews and grilled trout to homemade desserts.   

Hotel Sighisoara

Comfortable Hotel

Within the walls of the Saxon citadel, Hotel Sighisoara was once the city hall. The beautifully restored building dates to the 16th century and interior details such as coved ceiling and exposed beams remain. Each room is different in this historic hotel, with bright simple rooms looking out on the ancient city, beckoning exploration. Sip wines in the authentic brick cellar or check out the offerings at the onsite spa.

Mesendorf Gasthaus

Comfortable Hotel

This boutique collection of small traditional Saxon houses, barns, and modern lodges crafted in traditional style melds contemporary comforts and design on a historic property. Wooden floors and furniture, white walls, and beautiful textiles come together in a contemporary aesthetic with sleek modern bathrooms. The dining room is housed in a glass-walled barn, so you can enjoy the scenery while savoring top-notch meals made with fresh ingredients. 

Traditional Saxon Houses

Rustic Lodging

These beautifully renovated traditional homes, with their thick walls and tile roofs, have been reimagined as experiential homestays, complete with antique furniture and often with original tile stoves. Wood beamed ceilings, hand-painted chests, hand-loomed carpets, and shared bathrooms are typical. Each local house is unique, hosting two to six guests and reserved exclusively for your group. Meals will be enjoyed together at one of the houses.