Things to do in Alba County

First, visit Corvin Castle, the spectacular Gothic-style castle where Dracula is said to be imprisoned, referred to by many as "one of the seven wonders of Romania". Learn about the historical importance of this medieval castle as you journey through its 3 main areas: the Knight's Hall, which was used for feasts, the Diet Hall, which was used for ceremonies, and the circular stairway. Marvel at these beautifully decorated marble halls and listen to tales and legends of Dracula and Vlad the Impaler. Next, head to Alba Carolina Fortress, the largest medieval citadel of its kind in Romania. Soak up the medieval atmosphere of this Vauban fortress and learn about its history from your English-speaking guide. After your tour of the fortress, get dropped off back at your hotel in Cluj-Napoca.

To begin this two-day tour, you will be picked up from your hotel in Cluj-Napoca by your guide and start the journey to Bukovina. On your way to Bukovina, you will make a quick stop in Bistrita, the northernmost fortified Transylvanian town. In a short walking tour through the town, you will enjoy the medieval legends and explore its narrow streets. Bukovina is especially famous for its painted monasteries, and over these two days, you will visit the most representative of all seven. During the second part of the day, you will have the chance to visit the most famous painted monastery in the world, Voronet Monastery. The frescoes of the monastery are dominated by intense shades of blue, and the southern wall depicts the best-preserved ‘Last Judgement’ fresco in Romania. The monastery was built in 1488 by Prince Stephen the Great in order to commemorate one of his victories against the Ottoman Empire. Enjoy a traditional dinner with a folkloric dance show at a nearby restaurant then stay overnight in Gura Humorului. You will start the day with a short drive to Humor Monastery, a small cross-shaped church built in 1530, dedicated to the Dormition of Virgin. Red hues dominate the exterior frescoes showing scenes from the lives of saints, as well as significant moments from the locals’ lives, such as the wars with the Turks. Moldovita Monastery is the next stop on your itinerary. The highlight of the day is Transrarau Highway. With a total length of 28 kilometers (17 miles), it is known as the Treasury Road. You will be amazed by its curves and the scenery. It goes up to 1400 meters in altitude, and from there you will have a hike through the Rarau Mountains. You will have the chance to see the rock formations that emerged from the ground millions of years ago in order to give birth to these mountains. After you have filled your lungs with fresh air it is time for lunch at a fish farm.

Embark on an excursion from Cluj to visit three of Transylvania's notable sites. See an underground theme park that's nestled inside the Turda Salt Mine, go for a hike through the dramatic Turda Gorge, and encounter traditional rural life in a preserved Rimetea village. Start your experience with pickup and a short drive to the Turda Salt Mine. Take a guided tour and spend some time in its unique underground theme park. Try out the ferris wheel, play a round of minigolf, or ride a boat on its underground lake. Hop back in the vehicle and head for the Turda Gorge. Marvel at the 3-kilometer long canyon, with massive walls sculpted in weathered limestone. Hike through high cliffs with steep ridges, rock towers, caves, and lots of varieties of flora and fauna. Conclude your experience with a visit to Rimetea village. Enjoy strolling amongst traditional white houses with green windows. Get a feel for Transylvanian rural life in a preserved and beautiful location.

Depart from Cluj-Napoca and head to Turda, once the most important economic center of the region where salt, also known as “white gold,” has been extracted since the Roman age. Arrive for a guided tour at the Salina Turda salt mine and discover the history of salt mining in the town dating from the 17th century. Explore site, including the Terezia mine, Rudolf hall, and the Franz Josef Gallery.  Afterwards, spend the afternoon in the Transylvanian western mountains in the village of Rimetea. The chalk-white houses and the harmonious structure of the village have earned it several distinctions. Considered to be one of the most beautiful village in Transylvania, it received the Europa Nostra Award for its architectural preservation.  Next up, take a 1-hour hike to the ruins of the Coltesti Fortress for an impressive view of the valley below. In the evening, head back to Cluj-Napoca where you’ll be dropped off at the starting point of your tour.

We start our trip in the morning with travelling to Alba Iulia in a Walking tour you will find the history of the impressive fortress in Vauban style which was originally a Roman fort. In the old town visitors can stroll along the wide, tree-lined streets of the Habsburg citadel, one of the most impressive in Europe, to discover the historical, cultural and architectural places of interest of Alba Iulia: the Roman Catholic Cathedral – the oldest and most valuable monument of architecture in Transylvania., the Batthyaneum Library, the Orthodox Cathedral of the Reunification, the Babilon Building – housing the National Museum of Unification, the Union Hall, the Apor Palace, the Princely Palace, and the University of Alba Iulia. After the City tour, you will have some free time to explore and get some lunch. After lunchtime, we drive to the Corvin's Castle in Hunedoara, also known as Hunyadi Castle or Hunedoara Castle, which one of the most beautiful medieval castles in the world. In the evening we drive back to Sibiu.

Today’s journey is going to take us to some of Transylvania’s most enchanting impressive underground treasures, to the Salt Mine of Turda and the medieval mining centre of Rimetea. Prepare yourselves for a great journey filled with lovely traditions, exciting stories, and breathtaking landscapes. Turda is located only 35 kilometres from Cluj and has held a very important role in Transylvanian history. It was the city where the “religious peace” was signed, where five Catholic and Reformed confessions were welcomed, Transylvania becoming one of the most tolerant states in Europe. The city lies at the foot of the Western Carpathians, perhaps the most spectacular mountains in Romania. Because of the limestone soil composition, the landscape is extremely spectacular, deep caves, wild gorges, and fast-flowing rivers can often be found here. Close to Turda, we will hike through the “Cheile Turzii” Natural Park, home of several rare species of animals and plants. After approximately one hour, we will reach the other side of the mountains and our buses will pick us up and drive us back to the city. Leaving the beautiful landscape of the Apuseni Mountains behind, we will return to Turda. In the Middle Ages, the city was very rich due to the local salt mines. Ever since Roman times, these mines have been exploited, the salt produced here being taken to Rome. During the Austrian domination, the mines became critical for the Transylvanian industry, large amounts of money being invested here. Starting with 2007 and benefiting from massive investments, the salt mine was transformed into an interesting museum and concert centre. We will go hundreds of meters below sea level, admire the large galleries and get the chance to find out more about this amazing place. In the afternoon we will depart from Turda and drive to one of Transylvania’s best-kept secrets: the small village of Rimetea. It was built by German and Hungarian miners in the 13th century and had, until the industrial revolution of the 19th century, a leading role in the Transylvanian economy. After that the village was almost deserted, leaving the beautiful houses, watermills and the whole village panorama unchanged. In the evening we will return to Cluj.

The best way to spend 3 days in Romania it's to book this tour :) Transfagarasan Highway, Transalpina Road, Densus Temple, Polovragi Cave, Poienari Fortress will give you a great satisfaction and perfect memories for the rest of your life :) Total Duration: 3 days Day 1 : 1. Curtea de Arges Monastery 2. Trasfagarasan Highway 3. Poienari Fortress 4. Vidraru Dam - Overnight in Sibiu Itinerary steps: 4 Meals not included Accommodation not included Day 2 : 1. Sibiu City Tour 2. Hunyade Castle 3. Prislop Monastery 4. Densus Temple - Overnight in Alba Iulia Itinerary steps: 4 Meals not included Accommodation not included Day 3 : 1. Alba Iuia City Tour 2. Transalpina Road 3. Polovragi Cave 4. Horezu Monastery 5. Back to Bucharest Itinerary steps: 4 Meals not included Accommodation not included

Spend 3 days touring through the Romanian countryside and exploring the regions of Bucovina and Transylvania on this picturesque and informative tour. Visit World UNESCO Heritage Sites, see monasteries, travel to Count Dracula's castle, and more, all while driving through these 2 regions and learning about their rich histories from your guide. Although the itinerary is quite long, driving in the countryside will offer magnific sceneries and plenty of photo opportunities. Detailed Itinerary Day 1: Bucuresti – Bacau – Roman – Bucovina Depart from Bucharest and head through Bucovina, stopping in various towns along the way. Take in the countryside and listen as your guide tells you about Romania's long-standing history. Arrive in Bucovina for the night's stay. Day 2: Bucovina – Sucevita – Moldovita – Voronet – Piatra Neamt (Meals: B) After breakfast, head out on your journey to visit 3 of the most beautiful monasteries in the area. These monasteries–Sucevita, Moldovita, and Voronet–are famous for being painted, and are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Then enjoy an overnight stay in Piatra Neamt. Day 3: Piatra Neamt – Lacul Rosu – Brasov – Bran - Bucuresti (Meals: B) Enjoy breakfast before heading toward the central region of Romania: Transylvania! Admire the scenery as you drive through the Carpathian mountains, and enjoy a stop at Bran, the castle of the famous Count Dracula. Head back to Buchareset where your tour concludes.

Day 1: Brasov, Gura Humorului, Bucovina, Moldovita, and Sucevita Your tour will begin as you are picked up from your hotel in Brasov by your professional guide. From there you will go to Bucovina through the Oituz Pass, before eventually arriving in beautiful Bucovina. Once having arrived, you will visit the Humor Monastery (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Voronet Monastery (also known as the "Sistine Chapel of the East" due to its splendid frescoes), and the Moldovita Monastery. At the conclusion of your day, you will spend an overnight in Sucevita Village at a guest house, where you will also have dinner. Day 2: Sucevita, Marginea, Gura Humorului, Bicaz Gorges, Red Lake, and Brasov Following breakfast (which will consist of products from the house farm) on the second day, you will begin with a visit to the Sucevita Monastery. Few religious monuments are as inspirational and mesmerizing as the Sucevita Monastery, which is one of the eight painted churches from Bucovina included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You will then visit the Black Ceramics of Marginea, where you will visit the workshops in which ceramic objects are produced. You will be able to admire the craftsmanship of the local artisans, and will also be able to try the craft yourself. Next on your agenda is the Arbore Church, which was built between the 2nd of April and the 29th of August 1503 by Luca Arbore. The monastery, with it’s rectangular shape, was built of brick and stone extracted from the quarries in the region. You will then move to explore the area around Bicaz Gorge. Red Lake is the perfect destination for those who want to relax in an amazingly beautiful landscape, and also for those who want to enjoy the silence and the fresh air. The journey from Moldavia towards Transylvania is done through this nature’s wonder, the Bicaz Gorge. Following the discovery of this gorge, you will travel back to Brasov.

We will depart from Cluj in the morning and drive to the small village of Rameti, where one of the oldest monasteries in Romania can be found. It was most probably founded in the 13th century and has seen most of the important dates in the Transylvanian history. The old frescoes, the church museum, as well as the natural scenery, are worth a visit. From here, we will depart to Blaj, a lovely city, situated on the Mures Valley, in a picturesque wine region. Although its ethnic composition has always been very colourful, it became the centre of the Romanian emancipation movement in the 18th and 19th century. We will visit the Greek-Catholic cathedral and find out more about the great gatherings between 1848 and 1868 and about the important people who lived here. After lunch, we will reach Alba Iulia and visit the old Habsburg citadel (very nicely restored in the past years), with Roman and medieval ruins, as well as the two cathedrals: the 1000-year-old St. Michael Catholic dome and the Orthodox Unification Cathedral, which was specially built after World War One, to celebrate the crowning of King Ferdinand and Queen Marry. After this, we will visit the local history museum and find out more about important landmarks in the Romanian history, such as the campaigns of Michael the Brave or the Uprising of Horia, Closca and Crisan.