Self-guided tour of Romania's historical Maramures & Bucovina

Cluj Napoca

Day 1: Welcome to Cluj-Napoca

Cluj Napoca is the biggest city in Transylvania and also the most modern town in Romania. Gourmet restaurants and funky pubs reside in old historic buildings in the city center.

Pick up your car from the airport and first go to check into your hotel close to the city center.

After that, you can start to explore the city, visit impressive attractions, and enjoy the local cuisine.

Oradea

Day 2: Oradea’s Art Nouveau Architecture

After a delicious breakfast at your hotel, it’s time to start your ride through northern Romania. After about 3 hour drive, you will arrive at Oradea, another modern city in Romania.

Its Art Nouveau architecture and the beautifully restored citadel attract more and more visitors each year. Explore the city, visit the citadel and enjoy the contemporary atmosphere.

Merry Cemetery - Sighetu

Day 3: A Merry Cementery

After leaving Oradea behind, you will arrive in Sighetu Marmatiei in the afternoon. On the road, you will stop for a visit to the Merry Cemetery, a cemetery unlike any other in the world, full of humorous inscriptions and colorful crosses.

After you drop your bags at your hotel in Sighetu Marmatiei, you will visit the communist prison in the city center and learn more about those bygone dark times.

Desesti - Barsana - Breb

Day 4: The Wooden Churches

Maramures is famous for its around 60 wooden churches and monasteries, 8 of them are listed as UNESCO Heritage Sites. Among them is the over 300 years old Barsana Monastery.

The impressive wooden constructions are spread all over the region. Searching for them, you will pass green forests and ancient villages.

In the afternoon you can have a walk through the typical traditional village of Breb, to discover for yourself, why every visitor is falling in love with the region.

Stop any time to admire the unspoiled nature and the big wooden gates, a symbol of the place. If you are lucky, you can even spot people in traditional costumes!

Viseu - Gura Humorului

Day 5: A Ride on a Steam Train

Today, you will go to Gura Humorului. Another historical province in Romania waiting to be discovered in Bucovina. So better wake up early and before crossing the mountains in Bucovina, stop in Viseu for a ride on a 100-year-old steam train.

In the evening you will arrive at Gura Humorului, a small town in Bucovina, where you will stay for 3 nights.

Sucevita - Moldovita - Voronet

Day 6: The Painted Monasteries of Bucovina

Romania is known as a religious nation, so churches, built 100+ years ago are a big part of the heritage.

In Bucovina you will visit three painted monasteries, Sucevita, Moldovita and Voronet. As UNESCO Heritage Sites, they are considered unique works of art. You will discover colors found nowhere else in the world that still intrigues scientists, and make them wonder how they were obtained.

Suceava - Cacica

Day 7: Explore a Salt Mine

Bucovina has more things to offer to its visitors, so you can spend a full day exploring the medieval city Suceava with a beautiful, and very well-preserved citadel.

In the afternoon, on the way to your hotel in Gura Humorului, you can take a detour and visit the Cacica Salt Mine. You will spend your night in Gura Humorului.

Neamt - Ceahlau

Day 8: The Wild Part of Romania

On your 8th day, you will take time to discover the wild part of Romania, the Ceahlau Mountains. On-route, you can stop and visit a citadel that seems to be straight out of a knight movie, the Neamt citadel. Explore its interior and discover interesting details of the history.

In the afternoon you will drive to Ceahlau, a mountain resort near Lake Bicaz. After arrival and check-in, you can hike in the fantastic forest nearby or just take a moment to relax and soak in the amazing beauty of the landscape.

Bicaz - Lacul Rosu

Day 9: Visit the Bicaz Gorge

This is your last full day in Romania so you should enjoy the great outdoors. Close to Ceahlau, you will find two natural attractions, the Bicaz Gorge and the Red Lake while strolling through beautiful nature.

Cluj

Day 10: Good-bye, Romania

After an extraordinary holiday, it is time to go back to Cluj Napoca.

Drop off your rental car at the airport just in time to catch your flight back home.