Day 1. We’ll meet at our centrally located hotel this afternoon for an orientation meeting, then take a short walk through Old Town to a traditional Romanian dinner together. Palates pleased, we’ll take a casual guided stroll around the historic city center in the evening glow, seeing Silk Road caravanserai, Greek Orthodox churches, neo-classical masterpieces, and the city’s vibrant nightlife. (2 nights in Bucharest)

Day 2. This morning a local expert will show us around the “Paris of the East” that had plenty of stories to tell even before it hammered a nail into the coffin of Communism. Then, to understand Romania you have to see the emblematic Palace of Parliament, like the Pentagon had a baby with Versailles, so we’ll head there after lunch together. Option to join me for dinner.

Day 3. This morning we’ll head for the Transylvanian Alps, and a royal summer palace that overflows with German neo-Renaissance grandeur. We’ll continue on to the medieval walled town of Sighisoara and have dinner together in a half-timber gasthaus whose Saxon history is present both in the walls and on the menu. (Bus 5 hours, 2 nights in Sighisoara)

Day 4. Our Sighișoara day starts with a tour of this historic hilltop town where Vlad Dracula was born. Then it’s a short drive into the countryside for a farm-to-table lunch in a Transylvanian village, before visiting a fortress that protected the faithful for 800 years and captured the King of England’s heart. (Bus about 2 hours)

Day 5. Today (weather permitting) we head for the mountain pass that Top Gear named “The World’s Best Road.” We’ll have lunch at the top, surrounded by snow capped mountains and an azure glacier lake. Take a stroll in the clear mountain air, grab selfies with a bear, and buy some homemade cascaval cheese from the farmer who made it, before we head to beautiful and elegant Sibiu. Dinner together. (Bus 5 hours, 3 nights in Sibiu)

Day 6. Our local guide will meet us for a walking tour of Sibiu, “The City with Eyes” and former European Capital of Culture, renowned for its arts and theater, festivals, and baroque style. Free afternoon to check out a museum, stroll the parks, and eat tasty pastries. (No bus)

Day 7. We’re packing a lot into these two weeks, and Sibiu is a great place for a relaxed day, albeit with an optional trip to Europe’s largest open air museum, which preserves centuries of traditions from Romania’s many ethnic groups. Free for dinner on whichever of Sibiu’s beautiful piatas you like best. (Bus about 10 minutes)

Day 8. Have you ever rowed a boat 400 feet underground? Today you’ll have the chance in a former salt mine. Soak up the ethereal ambiance of these massive striated caverns, pausing to imagine life when they began carving them 1000 years ago, and go for a relaxing paddle before coming up for lunch. Then we’re off to the vibrant university town of Cluj-Napoca. After a quick orientation walk, you’re free for the afternoon and dinner among the winding lanes of Old Town. (Bus 3 hours, 1 night in Cluj)

Day 9. Today we’ll cross countryside that evokes in turns of Tuscany, Tirol, and Gondor as we enter Romania’s third region: beautiful Bucovina. We’ll stop for lunch at a hidden mountain lake, then spend two nights in a countryside inn, including dinner together both nights. (Bus 5 hours, sleep in Bucovina 2 nights)

Day 10. Rustic, proud, and culturally distinct Bucovina is famous for its painted monasteries, and we’ll see my favorite two. This region has a lot to offer, so we’ll also check out the famous local black pottery, and one of the most unusual museums around. Option to add an afternoon hike in a UNESCO forest of untouched spruce, fir, and beech trees, or just relax and enjoy the scenery around the hotel. Dinner together. (Bus about 3 hours)

Day 11. Catch up on your journal as we head back south to our last stop, Brasov. We’ll share a short walk around the heart of the Old City, ending as the day slips into evening in one of Europe’s great central squares, the Piata Sfatului. Free for dinner on your own in any of the sidewalk cafes that surround the square and line the cobblestone streets. (Bus 7 hours, sleep in Brasov 2 nights)

Day 12. A short morning ride takes us to two of Romania’s best fortified Saxon churches, where you can walk the battlements, stand under Byzantine frescoes in the intimate chapel where they were painted 700 years ago, and climb the bell tower on ladders that seem just about as old. (Make sure you’re out before the bells ring!) Back to Brasov for a free afternoon in this graceful city of culture and cuisine, before our last night dinner together. (Bus less than 1 hour)

Day 13. You’re free to extend your stay (Brasov is an easy day trip to Bran Castle) or the bus will return to Bucharest in the morning (including airport dropoff around 11:00). Happy travels!

Tour itinerary subject to change.