Bucharest – Carpathians: Dracula's Castle

We’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast at the hotel and then set out on a tour of the city known as the “Paris of the Balkans.” Our first stop will be at one of Bucharest’s top attractions, the famous Palace of Parliament. The Palace of Parliament, also known as the “People’s House,” was commissioned by Nicolae Ceaușescu, the dictator of Romania, and constructed between 1984 and 1997. Its construction began as a result of Ceaușescu’s grandiose vision and eventually became the largest building in Europe and the second largest in the world. Next, we’ll see the Cathedral of the Salvation of the Romanian People, which, once completed, will be the largest functioning Orthodox cathedral in the world. We will visit the Romanian Athenaeum, the country’s most renowned concert hall. It opened its doors in 1888 and has since served as the hub for the city’s cultural events, hosting the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra… A building that symbolizes national culture, with its impressive marble lobby, the enormous, richly decorated dome, and the captivating murals found in few other buildings in the world. The building’s construction was completed thanks to private donations.

We will continue our tour of the city, admiring the Military Academy, the complex that serves as the seat of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Romania, the Firefighter’s Museum, and more. We will visit the Ceaușescu family home, also known as the Primaverii Palace. A mansion built in the 1960s. It features a total of 30 ultra-luxurious rooms, gold-plated bathrooms, a movie theater, swimming pools, a greenhouse, and large, impressive gardens, all spread across an area of 14,000 square meters… We’ll end up in the historic center of Bucharest, which is bustling with life at any time of day. You can enjoy a meal, a drink, or a dessert while admiring unique 19th-century buildings. Afterward, join us for an optional visit to Therme Bucharest Park & Spa. It resembles a tropical island, a true paradise just twenty minutes from downtown Bucharest. A 30,000-square-meter wellness, relaxation, and entertainment park featuring 8 indoor and outdoor thermal pools filled with thermal water. There you will also find Romania’s largest indoor and outdoor garden, with over 800,000 plants and hundreds of tree species, including the largest area of real palm trees in Europe. The thermal water in the complex’s pools comes from a depth of 3,100 meters, while the temperature at Therme Bucharest Park consistently ranges between 29 and 30 degrees Celsius.

After breakfast, we set out on an optional day trip to the legendary Carpathian Mountains. After crossing the Prahova River valley, we arrive in Sinaia, the “pearl of the Carpathians.” Along the way, we’ll see the Sinaia Monastery, the first building constructed there, from which the town takes its name. Next, we’ll visit Peles Palace, the summer residence of King Carol I, the first King of Romania. We’ll head to Bran, where we’ll visit the famous Bran Castle, known as “Dracula’s Castle,” which was built in the 14th century as a defensive fortress against Ottoman attacks. We’ll have free time to shop for souvenirs in the countless little shops. Continuing on our way, we’ll visit the historic and uniquely beautiful city of Brașov with its famous Gothic-style Black Church. Return to Bucharest.

We’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast at the hotel and then set out on another city tour to discover sights we missed on our first tour. We’ll visit the Greek church that resembles the Parthenon, see the Arch of Triumph, inspired by the one in Paris, and arrive at the Village Museum. A museum unique in its kind, with more than 300 wooden houses, windmills, churches, and other structures showcasing architecture from all regions of the country. Each wooden structure originates from a different region of the country, depicting life in the countryside. Among the structures, you can admire farmhouses, windmills, and churches, while the signs on them inform you of their place of origin and construction.

Afterward, we’ll have free time to take a lovely stroll through Herastrau Park, a vast expanse of greenery in a magical setting, covering 1,870 acres, surrounding the eponymous Herastrau Lake, which takes up nearly half the park’s area. Charming little bridges, stunning views, and definitely a coffee at the famous HARD ROCK CAFE. We continue on to visit the Museum of Natural History, also known as the Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History. Founded in 1834, it has become an iconic destination for nature lovers from Romania and abroad. The exhibits illustrate the evolution of life on Earth. Its collection includes over 2 million specimens and is considered one of the most famous and well-organized natural history museums in the world.

We continue on to Calea Victoriei, “Victory Avenue,” where we will see many buildings and monuments, such as the Catakouzino Palace, the famous Capsa beer hall, Revolution Square, the Royal Palace, and the National Museum of Romanian History. We’ll stop at Revolution Square for the obligatory photos and visit the Royal Family’s palaces, which today house the National Art Museum of Bucharest. We will choose the European Art Gallery, featuring works by famous artists such as Rembrandt, Titian, Tintoretto, El Greco, Rubens, Renoir, Monet, and Delacroix. We’ll continue to the city’s largest shopping center, Afi Cotroceni. Shopping, a variety of stores, restaurants, cafes, and a large ice rink. Return to the hotel and free time. For the evening, we recommend a stroll along the unique cosmopolitan boulevard, Calea Victoriei, with its magnificent buildings.

It’s our last day in the Romanian capital; we have a little time to spare after breakfast, and it’s time to head back. We make the necessary stops along the way, and we arrive back in our city in the late afternoon.