12D11N Treasures Of The Balkans & Transylvania (6720)

Check into your hotel and take advantage of free time to visit Sofia at leisure. In the early evening, meet your Tour Director and travel companions.

This morning, join a Local Guide for a city tour that includes the Parliament building, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the National Theater, St. Sofia Church, and Boyana Church, a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

breakfast

An interesting drive today as you leave Bulgaria and cross the border into Serbia. Continue to the lively capital that takes its name Belgrade (white city) from the fortress built on a white ridge overlooking the city. Today’s distance: approximately 395 km.

breakfast

Discover more about Belgrade on a guided city sightseeing tour to see the main monuments including Novi Beograd, Ada Bridge, Topcider Park, Tito’s Memorial, Parliament House, Terazije, and Kalemegdan Fortress. Enjoy some free time to explore more.

breakfast

Stop in Novi Sad, built on the banks of the Danube River and famous for its Petrovaradin Citadel. Enjoy a stroll in the town center. Continue to Budapest, the capital of Hungary, split in two by the River Danube and a treasure trove of architectural wonders and history. This evening, you may join an optional cruise on the Danube River. Today’s distance: approximately 400 km.

breakfast

This morning, enjoy a guided sightseeing tour to discover the highlights of Budapest. Admire views of the Opera House, Saint Stephen’s Basilica, Parliament, the Royal Palace, and Matthias Church. Stop for a photo at Heroes Square and the Castle District. Free time this afternoon and evening to explore more.

breakfast

Drive through the Hungarian countryside, cross the border into Romania, and continue to Cluj-Napoca, the film capital of Romania. En route to the hotel, see some of the city’s highlights during a panoramic city tour. Today’s distance: approximately 470 km.

breakfast · dinner

Stop in Sighisoara, a medieval town with 11 towers within the city walls surrounding cobblestone streets, ancient houses, and churches, one of Romania’s prettiest towns. Legend says it is also the birthplace of the notorious Vlad who inspired the fictional character of Count Dracula. Continue to Brasov, a lovely medieval town famous for its town square filled with Baroque architecture and outdoor cafes. Today’s distance: approximately 270 km.

breakfast · dinner

This morning, depart for Bran and visit the legendary Dracula castle. It was built in 1377 and inhabited by the Wallachian prince, Vlad the Impaler. In the afternoon, a walking orientation of the Old Town of Brasov includes a visit to the Black Church, followed by leisure time.

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Travel to Sinaia in the Prahova Valley, a lovely ski resort almost 3,300 feet above sea level. While in Sinaia, there will be time to visit the Sinaia Monastery and Peles Castle, considered to be among the most romantic castles in the world. Continue to beautiful Bucharest with its flower-festooned parks, gardens, and wide boulevards shaded by century-old trees.

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The highlight of the included sightseeing tour is a visit to the open-air Village Museum, a unique collection of traditional farmhouses, cottages, windmills, watermills, and artisans’ workshops from all parts of the country. Your Local Guide will show you other places of interest, including the Government Victoria Palace, the Royal Palace, and the Savings Palace. This afternoon, you may join an optional visit to the massive Palace of the Parliament, known as the People’s Palace.

breakfast

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

breakfast