Day 1 – To Bucharest: Fly from London Heathrow to Bucharest with British Airways and transfer to Sinaia, which sits in the Prahova valley at the foot of the fir-clad Bucegi mountains. Stay at the Hotel New Montana for 1 night. (D)

Day 2 – To Brasov: Morning visit to the Palaces of Peleª and Pelisor, the former royal residences of King Carol I. These magnificent German Renaissance-style palaces are an assemblage of turrets rising above swathes of green meadows. Drive to the medieval town of Brasov and view Piata Sfatului, one of the finest baroque squares in the country with its 15th-century town hall. Visit the Black Church – the largest Gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul, which has a collection of more than 300 Ottoman rugs; St Nicholas Church and the first Romanian school. Continue to ‘Dracula’s Castle’ at Bran. Stay overnight at the Hotel Aro Palace (renovated rooms). (B)

Day 3 – To Gura Humorului: This morning, travel north from Transylvania to southern Bucovina, now part of Moldavia, via the Red Lake, the Bicaz gorges and the spectacular scenery of the eastern Carpathians. En route, visit Neamt monastery, the oldest in Romania, dating from the 14th century. Stay at the Best Western Bucovina Hotel in Gura Humorului for 2 nights. (B, D)

Day 4 – Gura Humorului: Today will be spent visiting the area’s remarkable painted monasteries. Considered to be among Europe’s greatest artistic monuments, the monasteries include Sucevita, Voronet and Humor. These churches were painted in the 15th and 16th centuries, when Turkish invaders threatened Moldavia, and feature vivid mural frescoes, created to educate and entertain the illiterate soldiers and peasants. These monasteries have been awarded Unesco world heritage status. (B, D)

Day 5 – To Sighisoara: Drive back into Transylvania to Sighisoara, travelling through stunning mountain scenery and the Borgo Pass. Visit Bistrita en route, a small market town in the Bârgau valley in the heart of ‘Dracula land’, and Târgu Mures, a Hungarian stronghold where sights include the Orthodox cathedral, the citadel church and fortress, and the Culture Palace. Stay overnight at the Hotel Casa Wagner. (B)

Day 6 – To Sibiu: Morning tour of the Unesco world heritage town of Sighisoara, a beautifully preserved medieval settlement. The city walls encircle cobbled streets lined with 16thcentury colourful burgher houses. Visits include the citadel, the monastery, Church on the Hill and the Clock Tower. This afternoon, visit one of the best-preserved Gothic fortified churches at Biertan, and continue to Sibiu. Stay 2 nights at the Hilton Hotel. (B)

Day 7 – Sibiu: Morning tour of Sibiu, a Saxon town that combines late Renaissance, early gothic, classical and Transylvanian baroque architecture. The tour includes the evangelic and orthodox cathedrals and the Brukenthal Art Museum. Afternoon visit to the picturesque village of Sibiel and its glass icon museum. (B, D)

Day 8 – To Bucharest: Morning departure for Bucharest, travelling through the scenic Olt valley. Afternoon tour of Bucharest. Known as the ‘Paris of the east’ due to its Parisian-style boulevards and belle époque buildings, see the Old Princely Court, the Royal Palace and the Palace of Parliament, which is the second largest building in the world. Stay overnight at the Hotel Athenee Palace Hilton. (B)

Day 9 – To London: Morning at leisure. Early afternoon transfer to the airport and fly to London. (B)

Meal Basis: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner, (N) = No Meals