Highlights Of Romania

The trip starts in Cluj-Napoca. Depending on your arrival time, you may wish to explore one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in Romania. During the dualist Austro-Hungarian period, Cluj experienced significant urban development with strong Western influences. This is visible in the city architecture, which is very different from Bucharest. Accommodation: Standard hotel

This morning, we leave Cluj and head to Maramures. On our way, we stop for lunch in Breb, a village laid out in a natural amphitheatre. It’s surrounded by the Rooster’s Ridge, the last (and most spectacular) remnant of a volcanic crater that erupted 9m years ago. In Breb, old traditions are highly respected and preserved, so a short stroll reveals beautiful wooden gates carved and decorated by local craftsmen and traditional old houses, one with links to King Charles III. In the afternoon, we visit Desesti Church, the only old wooden church on the Unesco World Heritage list that is still open for the religious services of the local communities. This evening, we stay at a guesthouse in the rural village of Botiza. Before we dine, we have a weaving demonstration from a local artisan. You may notice a few recurrent symbols, such as the rope of life, the sun, vegetal motifs and folk dances. All have a deeply symbolic for the villagers, representing daily chores, religion, ancestral beliefs and even death. Accommodation: Local guesthouse

We continue discovering the Maramures region, starting at the Merry Cemetery. Here, more than 800 beautifully carved wooden crosses displaying bright, cheery paintings and annotated with limericks reveal the stories of almost everyone who has died in the town of Săpânţa. We continue with the Memorial of the Communism victims in Sighetu Marmatiei, the ancient capital of Maramures. We visit a museum in a former political prison, which provides a sobering testimony of the dark years in Romania. This afternoon, we visit the incredible Barsana Monastery, a convent set up in the 1990s and one of the greatest masterpieces of Maramures crafts. We conclude today by paying a visit to a celebrated craftsman who specialises in woodwork. Accommodation: Local guesthouse