Timeless Romania

Fly from London (regional connections available) to Bucharest with British Airways. Transfer to Hotel Athénée Palace Hilton for 2 nights. Welcome drink. (N)

Morning tour of Bucharest, known as the ‘Paris of the east’ due to its boulevards and Belle Epoque buildings. View the Old Princely Court and the Royal Palace. Afternoon at leisure. (B)

Morning drive to Sinaia to visit the palaces of Peles and Pelisor, the former royal residences of King Carol I. Overnight at the Hotel Aro Palace in Brasov (renovated rooms). (B)

Morning tour of the medieval town of Brasov and view the Piata Sfatului, one of the finest baroque squares in the country. Visit the Black Church – the largest gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul – with a collection of more than 300 Ottoman rugs. See St Nicholas Church and explore Romania’s first school. Continue to Bran castle, which is famously associated with Dracula, the legendary character from Bram Stoker’s gothic novel. In the afternoon, travel 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 La Conac for 2 nights. (B, D)

Tour the area’s remarkable painted monasteries, considered to be among Europe’s greatest artistic monuments and awarded Unesco world heritage status. (B, D)

Drive back into Transylvania to Sighisoara, travelling through superb mountain scenery. Visit Bistrisa en route, a small market town in the Bârgau valley, and Târgu Mures, a Hungarian stronghold. Overnight at the Hotel Central Park (or similar). (B)

Morning tour of the Unesco-listed town of Sighisoara, a beautifully preserved medieval settlement. The city walls encircle cobbled streets lined with colourful 16th-century burgher houses. Visits include the citadel, the Church on the Hill and the clock tower. In the afternoon, visit one of the best-preserved gothic fortified churches, which the area is renowned for, at Biertan, and continue to Sibiu. Stay 2 nights at the Continental Forum (or similar). (B, D)

Morning visit to Corvin, one of the largest Renaissance-gothic castles in Europe, and the picturesque village of Sibiel with its glass icon museum. Return to Sibiu for time at leisure. (B)

Morning departure for Bucharest, travelling through the scenic Olt valley. Afternoon at leisure. Stay overnight at the Hotel Athénée Palace Hilton. (B)