Day 2
Breakfast at the hotel before setting out for a sightseeing tour of Budapest. Among the places of interest are The Heros’ Square, the Andrassy Avenue, the State Opera, St. Stephen’s Basilica, the Palace of Parliament, the Margaret Island, the Chain Bridge, the Buda City with the Fishermen’s Bastion, the Royal Palace and St. Gellert’s Statue. Lunch will be served in the meantime. The evening will offer us a Hungarian traditional dinner and a winetasting in the Borkatakomba pub. Accommodation at Hotel Ibis Centrum***.

Day 3
Breakfast opens the day dedicated to the Hungarian steppe, or “puszta”. Today we will admire the wonderful plain landscape and the various animal species that are specific to the area. We will then taste the delicious specialties cooked by the shepherds and enjoy a typical folk program. Horse-back riding is another option for the day together with a visit to the stables. We return to Budapest in the evening and have dinner followed by a good overnight at the same hotel Ibis Centrum***.

Day 4
After breakfast we set out for a visit to the Godolo castle, 30 km. away from Budapest. Built in the 18th c., it is a remarkable architectural structure in Baroque style that became famous as the favourite residence of Queen Elisabeth, better known as Sissy. The visit to the castle ends with a delicious cake served in the café which carries the queen’s name. Return to Budapest in the afternoon and then the tourists can explore the city on their own. Dinner and accommodation at hotel Ibis Centrum***.

Day 5
We have the first meal of the day at the hotel and then set out for Cluj-Napoca, the heart of Transylvania. Stop for lunch and a visit downtown the first major Romanian city: Oradea. In the afternoon arrival to Cluj, check-in at Hotel Best Western Topaz*** (www.bestwestern.com) . Dinner and overnight.

Day 6.
In the morning the group will serve breakfast, then departure from Cluj heading for Dej, Bistrita, towards the mountain areas, in search of Drakula . Sightseeing tour and lunch served in Bistrita. The next stop is at the Colibita dam and storage lake. In the evening we continue our journey to the “Dracula Hotel***” (www.hotel.castel.dracula.tourneo.ro) , located in Piatra Fintinele. Dinner and accommodation in a specific atmosphere meant to reproduce as closely as possible the tone used by Bram Stocker in his novel. Here we are offerred the fictionary version of count Dracula’s story. The tourists will have to face a night with floors and doors cracking lugubriously and weird sounds haunting the hotels corridors.

Day 7.
After breakfast we set out, (more or less) relaxed. We make a stop in Vatra Dornei, a resort famous for its mineral waters used in the treatment of the digestive system, then we continue our journey on the mountaineous winding road leading to Borsec, another resort famous for its mineral waters that have earned numerous international prizes. The great number of mineral water springs encountered in the area is accounted for by the volcanic activities that have given birth to the surrounding mountaineous environment. We have lunch in Borsec and then continue our way through the narrow pass between the Bistritei and Ceahlau mountains. We have dinner and spend the night in Lacu Rosu, nice resort, upstream the Bicaz Lake, on the Bistrita valley, in a dreamlike mountaineous landscape.

Day 8
Breakfast early in the morning then off to the Bicaz Lake. But first we see the Lacu Rosu (Red Lake), a natural lake formed as a result of a mountain slope fall over the Bicaz valley and on the bottom of which tree logs from the old forest covered now by water can still be seen. We can stop and boat on this lake. After Bicaz, we continue our journey to Gheorgheni, small Szeckler town situated in a depression at the bottom of the mountains. Off again to Miercurea Ciuc, the capital city of the Szecklers, a majoritary population that was colonized by the Hungarian kings around the 16th-17th century. After a sightseeing tour and lunch we leave again for Tusnad, another resort famous for its mineral waters resulted from post-volcanic activities. We check in and have dinner at the hotel Tusnad*** ( www.tusnad.ro) , not before having a pleasant walk through the city and a drink on a terrace or even in one of the local clubs or discotheques.

Day 9
After breakfast departure for Sfintu Gheorghe and on to Brasov, old medieval center situated at the crossroads of several trade routes. The sightseeing tour of the city should include by all means the old center with the Council Square and the Black Church, the cable railway climb to the Timpa peak dominating the entire city. Lunch can be served downtown or at the “Sura Dacilor” traditional restaurant in Poiana Brasov. Back to Brasov in the evening and then off again to Bran where we have a Romanian traditional dinner and accommodation at Hotel Sofia** (www.hotelsofia.ro)

Day 10
Breakfast is followed by a visit to the Bran castle, a historical vestige, former residence of Wallachian ruler Vlad Tepes whose name is linked to count Dracula’s image. It is here that we find the historical truth, considered to be the origin of the fiction. We return to Brasov towards noon, where we can resume our sightseeing tour . In the evening we leave to Prahova Valley resorts, where the main objective is the Peles Palace in Sinaia. Dinner and accomodation in Busteni, at Hotel Alexandros*** (www.rotraveler.com/hotel/busteni.php)

Day 11
Back to Brasov after breakfast and then on the road again to Sighisoara. The town is one of the best preserved medieval centers, its walls breathing out an air of history. Lunch at Hotel-Restaurant Sighisoara , visit of the medieval city including the house where prince Vlad Tepes Dracul was born.
Return to Cluj, following the route crossing Tirgu Mures. We arrive in Cluj in the evening, check in and dinner at the hotel Best Western Topaz***. ( www.bestwestern.com)

Day 12
Breakfast followed by a sightseeing tour of Cluj including a visit to the old city center and a climb up the Cetatuia Hill offering a panoramic view of the city. Then lunch will be followed by departure to Budapest, where the flight home takes off. In the evening dinner and accommodation at Hotel Ibis Centrum*** (www.accorhotels.com)

Day 13.
Breakfast then the bus will take you to the airport for your flight. The tour guide will offer assistance for the check-in formalities. Good-bye, we hope you had a great time on tour and will return to visit us again!