Palace of Parliament

The Palace was ordered by Nicolae Ceaușescu, the dictator of Communist Romania, and it was constructed between 1984-and 1997. Starting during the darkest period of communism, Ceausescu's mad dream became the largest building in Europe and the 2nd largest building in the world.

Cozia Monastery

Ceausescu’s stained glass windows, demolished! Nicolae Ceausescu, the communist dictator, managed to leave something behind at Cozia Monastery, even if he visited it only once in his lifetime, not long after he became president. Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu’s portraits remained for some years in the museum of the monastery, together with the ones of the great rulers that have brought their contributions to the consolidation of the fortress. But before the Revolution, the stained glass windows representing Ceausescu and his wife were demolished and hidden in the attic of the monastery. The stained glass windows were brought there in 1986 from the District Museum. Ceausescu’s portrait could be seen together with the ones representing Romanian heroes and great kings. Before the Revolution, the Bishop of Arges came to the monastery with a delegation of English Lords and demanded that the portraits should be taken down. No one knew where they knew that a revolution was about to burst.

Sibiu

Visit Sibiu, a lovely medieval city where Romanians and Saxons have coexisted peacefully for centuries, and where various religious monuments (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant) attest to this peaceful coexistence. Sibiu was named European Capital of Culture in 2007 and annually hosts an extraordinary theater festival. The city captivates visitors with its three squares (Big Square, Small Square, and Huet Square), which transport them into a truly medieval atmosphere. Its towers and 15th-century bastions, as well as its beautiful museums and the famous "houses with the eyes," provide visitors with memorable experiences. Sibiu also has one of the largest gothic evangelical churches in Transylvania.

Cetatea Alba Iulia

Alba Iulia’s star-shaped citadel is one of Transylvania’s most overlooked sights. The walls of this magnificently preserved citadel – the largest in Romania – enclose grand monuments and museums, glittering churches, and archaeological treasures.

Salina Turda

Visit Turda Salt Mine, a former salt mine converted into an underground amusement park, complete with a ferry wheel. You can even hire a rowboat and play bowling. There is also a fascinating museum showcasing the history of salt mining in the region. Salt is a common protective tool against all sorts of evil beings; legend has it that if you pour an unbroken line of salt across the entranceways to your house, vampires and demons won’t be able to get in.  Step inside the UFO-shaped theme park! Visit the Turda salt mine, one of the largest in Europe and one of the top 10 underground wonders in the world! 

Maramures County

Today you’ll discover more about the region of Maramures ('mah-ra-moo-resh') and how it seems frozen in time. Rich in tradition and folklore, the music, costumes, festivals and ancient superstitions of one of the last peasant cultures in Europe continue to thrive here. Each village is distinctive in its colorful outfits and style of hat. Maramures is particularly famed for its wooden churches, many of which are World Heritage-listed.

Surdesti Wooden Church

The church of Surdeşti (Unesco) was the tallest wooden church in Europe, with a 54-meter-tall tower and a total height of 72 meters, until the new 78-meter-tall church of the monastery of Peri in Săpânţa was built a few years ago. It is also the only church with a double-eaved roof in the Land of Chioar. The two superimposed rows of arches above the porch are also unique in the area. A carpenter named Toma Macarie built the Greek Catholic church of the Holy Archangels in 1721 out of oak logs.

Merry Cemetery

You’ll visit the unique Merry Cemetery in Sapanta, where the life stories of the deceased – the good and the bad of their lives – are displayed on colorful wooden crosses. There are poems and limericks, and little pictures illustrating how the person died, all single-handedly carved over 40 years by Stan Ioan Patraş until 1977. The work has continued for the last 30 years by his apprentice.

Barsana Monastery

UNESCO designated parts of the Maramures Region in Northern Transylvania as WORLD HERITAGE sites in order to preserve the stylized wooden architecture and dramatic vernacular. The tall spires of orthodox churches that dot the area are particularly appealing. One of these is the newly built Barsana Monastery complex, which is actually a convent with sixteen nuns.

Moldovita Monastery

Visit the Moldovita monastery, another famous religious monument that was founded in the 16th century by Petru Rares and whose interior and exterior frescoes enchant the visitor. Moldovita Monastery is one of the eight painted churches included on UNESCO World Heritage Sites, all masterpieces inspired by the Byzantine art of the 15th and 16th centuries. Their distinctive element – the external walls covered with frescoes representing complete religious cycles – makes them unique in the myriad of churches built anywhere in the world at that time. Their spiritual function was supported by their political and educational role that aimed to defend and strengthen the Orthodox Church in a time when both Protestantism and Islamism were at the borders of the medieval Romanian provinces.

Sucevita Monastery

Sucevita Monastery was founded in the 17th century by the Movila brothers. The monastery contains Gothic and Byzantine elements that combine to form the fascinating Moldovan architectural style. The frescoes on this monastery's northern façade have remained visible due to the protective walls that have never been demolished. Few religious monuments are as inspirational and mesmerizing as Sucevita Monastery, one of the eight painted churches from Bucovina included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. A masterpiece and ‘a testament of Moldavian art’, Sucevita Monastery marks the end of an era, a time in which medieval religious art reached new levels of innovation and creativity in this part of Romania.

Ceramica neagra Marginea

We continue with a visit to the local artisans of Marginea, who produce excellent work with the famous black ceramic; here you will have the opportunity to enter the workshop and closely observe the various working phases of ceramic pots, but you can also purchase Bucovina-specific items. Not only can you buy ceramic vases at Marginea, but you can also buy beautifully painted eggs decorated with the traditional Romanian technique.

Manastirea Voronet

Also known as the ‘the Sistine Chapel of the East due to its splendid frescoes, the church of the Monastery of Voronet was built in just a couple of months, in 1488, by Stephen the Great, the most popular prince of Moldavia, after one of his victories against the Ottoman armies. This was a common practice of the prince who promoted an architecture known as the Moldavian style. Many of the churches built this way are still preserved today in the regions of Moldavia and Bucovina. Exquisite testimonies of their painters’ talent, the frescoes of Voronet conserve a centuries-old secret. The distinct ‘Voronet blue’ color is unique in the world, and its composition is almost impossible to replicate today.

Humor Monastery

Humor Monastery is located on the crest of a hill, surrounded by trees and meadows, 5-6 kilometers from Gura Humorului, in the picturesque village of Manastirea Humorului, and is one of the most well-known buildings of the Romanian Middle Ages. The church was built in 1530 by Toader Bubuioga, a big chancellor and member of the Moldavia Council, and his wife Anastasia, according to an inscription carved in the rock near the entrance on the exterior wall of the saint place. The holy place rises around 300 meters from the ruins of an older monastery church, which was built even during the reign of Alexandru cel Bun (1400-1432). The open hallway and a new room on the floor, named the mysterious, which overlaps with the tomb room appear for the first time in the construction of Moldavia's churches.

Neamt Fortress

Neamt Fortress is one of the most important medieval monuments in Romania and the symbol of the most glorious period of its eastern part, Moldavia, under the rule of Stephen the Great (1457-1504). The history of the fortress is related to the development of the Moldavian state in medieval times when enemy attacks were a constant threat. The fortress witnessed some crucial fights and survived harsh sieges like the Ottoman attack in 1476 and the Polish attack in 1691. Built-in the 14th century, the fortress was first mentioned in 1395, in a document issued by the Hungarian King Sigismund of Luxemburg. Located at 480 meters altitude and named after the nearby river Neamt, the fortress had a strategic position for defending the territory of Moldavia. It was substantially reinforced during the rule of Prince Stephen the Great, highly praised for his heroic victories against the Turks and the many churches and monasteries he founded, including today’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Bicaz Gorge - Hasmas Mountain National Park

Bicaz Gorges are without a doubt one of the most breathtaking natural attractions in Romania, especially if you decide to leave your car behind and explore its many trails on foot. Crossed by the road that links the historical regions of Moldavia and Transylvania, these gorges are one of the most popular summer destinations in Romania. In this park, you’ll also see the most popular natural dam lake in Romania, Red Lake, the Ghilgos Massif (1,378 meters), the Altar’s Stone (1,154 meters) and the peak Hasmasu Mare (1,792 meters). But keep in mind that you have to go off the beaten and crowded track to enjoy the best experience nature has to offer in the picturesque Bicaz Gorges.

Red Lake

Visit the Red Lake, a natural barrier lake formed by the landslide of a portion of a mountain; the trunks of the trees are still present in the lake, giving it a particularly evocative atmosphere. The location is fascinating, particularly because of the legends that arose and spread in relation to the lake's name. During your visit, you will learn about these legends.

Sighisoara

Visit Sighisoara medieval town - UNESCO world heritage and Vlad the Impaler's birthplace. Walking tour in Sighisoara Citadel. So resplendent are Sighişoara’s pastel-colored buildings, stony lanes, and medieval towers, you’ll rub your eyes in disbelief. Fortified walls encircle Sighişoara’s lustrous merchant houses, now harboring cafes, hotels, and craft shops. Visit Sighisoara medieval town including The Clock Tower, The Church on the Hill, and the house where Vlad the Impaler was born. Lunch can be arranged in Sighisoara medieval town at Dracula House Restaurant.

Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle)

Also called Dracula's Castle, it is situated at the entrance of Bran-Rucar pass. A remarkable architecture, the monument was built between 1377-and 1382 on a rock 60 m. After Bran Castle visit, head to a local restaurant for lunch of fresh salads, traditional soups, delicious sarmales, meat, chicken, vegetables, and other regional fares (drinks and meals at your own expense). Traditional lunch can be arranged in Bran village.

Libearty Bear Sanctuary Zarnesti

Visit The Bears Sanctuary which is located in the forest, 2 km away from Piatra Craiului National Park. It covers an area of 69 hectares of forest, streams, and ponds where the brown bears live. It is the biggest of this kind in the entire world. Visit the Bears Sanctuary - an amazing place for such beautiful animals! This " 5 stars all-inclusive resort " for bears hosts around 100 rescued bears from captivity. They have a chance for a new and better life now! Taking pictures is allowed. Prepare your cameras!

Peles Castle

Visit the magnificent Peles Castle, the summer residence of Romania's first king, King Charles 1 of Hohenzollern, of German origins. The castle was designed by a Czech architect and is famous for being one of Europe's most modern castles at the time of its construction, between the 19th and 20th centuries. Each room has a distinct style that differs from the styles of the other rooms. We will also admire the Florentine room, which will transport us to a typically Italian and Renaissance era.