2010 TOURS
A Unique Opportunity
We offer the unique opportunity of travelling in the comfort and security of your own private carriages from Budapest, through the Western Carpathian Mountains to remote Transylvania - the Land Beyond The Forest. It is one of the least explored regions of Europe with a rich history. The Ottoman Turks, Austro-Hungarians and Wallachians have all left surviving examples of their culture here. Many castles and fortified villages have barely changed since medieval times.
The Transylvania Express Piano-BarWe are currently assembling our tour program for 2010, and two of these are detailed below. As usual we will be arranging a special Dracula Tour for Halloween 2010 which will include a railway trip from Budapest to Transylvania - on the track of Jonathan Harker as described in the Dracula novel. This will be an action-packed event. However, we also offer our more leisurely "Classic" Tour of Royal Romania and the Saxon-German Heritage with a visit to the Royal "Champagne" cellars for a personal tasting. This tour will climax with a gala lunch and entertainment in your private historic dining-car and piano-bar, on your way back to Budapest.
Flights are not included in the tour prices, because there are several ways of connecting with trains to Transylvania, depending on your personal interest. The main gateways are the Transylvanian cities of Cluj-Napoca and Tragu Mures, and Budapest in Hungary. We can arrange your ticketing to Budapest with various scheduled airlines, including Romanian Tarom, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Air-France, Alitalia, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, and Delta Airlines from the USA. Many European cities are also linked to Cluj-Napoca and Targu Mures by low-cost airlines such as Blue Air, EasyJet, MyAir, and Wizzair.
Finally, there are also regular international trains that link Western European cities with Transylvania via Hungary - for example, the Harghita InterCity from Budapest to Brasov via Cluj-Napoca.
The Spiritual and Traditional background to the Dracula Legend
Budapest to Budapest -- Train/Bus/Plane
7 Days/6 Nights - 26th October to 1st November 2010
This full-board tour makes an exclusive rail journey from Budapest to Transylvania in private historic wagons with entertainment, and offers the full-on Dracula Experience. It includes traditional Szekeley & Csango Transylvania, and the unique World Heritage monasteries of Bucovina with their stunning painted frescoes.
The tour offers an introduction to the local culture and history which is combined with some light-hearted Dracula-related fun. Although a work of fiction, there are strong parallels with the real-life Transylvanian ruler Vlad Dracul, and his son Vald Tepes, who impaled his victims on stakes.
The tour climaxes at Halloween 2010 with a Vampire Ball.
Tour Code: MNDT1
Halloween & Transylvania History Tour 2010
7 Days/6 Nights
This is a special tour for those who are seeking a superior Halloween experience. Each day will be spent exploring the genuine links between the Dracula legend and Transylvania.
Vlad Tepes - the Impaler Day 1 - Tuesday 26th October
• dep Budapest 11:13 for Sibiu
• Travel in your private historic wagons on the Transylvania Express from Budapest to Sibiu, Transylvania
• Gala Welcome Lunch in the private VIP dining-car of the train
• Afternoon musical entertainment in your private piano-bar
• Dinner in the VIP dining-car
• Train arrives in Sibiu at 20:48
• Overnight Sibiu Hotel
Day 2 - Wednesday 27th October
• Morning tour of Sibiu historic Saxon Citadel
• Bus to Biertan UNESCO World Heritage Saxon medieval fortified church
• Lunch at Unglerus medieval-style restaurant
• Bus to UNESCO World Heritage Sighisoara, one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe
• Tour of Sighisoara Citadel with history of Vlad the Impaler's birthplace
• Dinner in Sighisoara
• Overnight at your Sighisoara Hotel
Sighisoara CitadelDay 3 - Thursday 28th October
• Bus to Dirjiu village
• Visit Dirjiu Hungarian medieval fortified church
• Musical presentation by Székely dancers
• Bus to Székely-Hungarian town of Odorheiu Secuiesc (Székelyudvarhely in Hungarian)
• Lunch in Odorheiu Secuiesc
• Afternoon free in Odorheiu Secuiesc with optional tour to visit Corund pottery factories
• Early dinner in Odorheiu Secuiesc restaurant with entertainment
• Bus to Miercurea Ciuc (Csíkszereda in Hungarian)
• Overnight at your Miercurea Ciuc Hotel
Day 4 - Friday 29th October
• Bus to Gyimes, deep in the isolated Eastern Carpathian Mountains
• Traditional Csángó mythology presentation, where you will be told about Csángó magic, witchcraft and shamanism
• Lunch with Csángó band and dancers
• Visit to former Austro-Hungarian border post
• Bus to Miercurea Ciuc
• Overnight at your Miercurea Ciuc Hotel
Sucevita MonasteryDay 5 - Saturday 30th October
• Morning visit to the Székely Ethnographic Museum in Miercurea Ciuc
• Bus to Gheorgheni
• Visit historic Lazarea Castle with medieval knights in costume
• Bus to Lake Rosu
• Picnic Lunch at Lake Rosu (Red Lake) with musical entertainment
• Bus to Guru Humorului, Bucovina via the dramatic Bicaz Gorge and Bicaz Lake
• Overnight at your Guru Humorului Hotel
Day 6 - Sunday 31st October - Halloween
• Morning visit to the UNESCO World Heritage painted monastery of Voronet (1488) often called the "Sistine Chapel" of Eastern Europe, with its famous blue frescoes
• Traditional lunch at a local farmhouse with band and dancers
• Visit to the World Heritage painted monastery of Sucevita (1583) with its vast defensive walls and towers
• Bus to Fantanele, deep in the Northern Carpathian Mountainss
• Gala Farewell Vampire Ball at the Castle Dracula Hotel with a visit by Dracula and his blood-thirsty Draculettes
• Overnight at the spectacular Castle Dracula Hotel
Vampire winesDay 7 - Monday 1st November
• Bus to Targu Mures
• Lunch in Targu Mures
• dep on 14:55 flight from Targu Mures for Budapest
NB: There's an option to spend a night in Cluj-Napoca and take the early morning 6am flight direct to London, Luton
Royal Romania and the Saxon-German Heritage
Budapest to Budapest -- Plane/Bus/Train
7 Days/6 Nights - 21st October to 27th October 2010
This full-board tour has an emphasis on the rich cultural history of Transylvania, especially the traditional Saxon medieval towns and villages, and also the influence of the Romanian Royal Family. It is not widely known that Romanian Queen Marie was an Englishwoman - the grand-daughter of Queen Victoria of England - who grew up in Kent. She turned Transylvanian Bran Castle into a comfortable, stylish home.
During this tour you will grow to understand why HRH The Prince of Wales is so interested in the region and why he is actively involved in it's preservation. He has his roots here. You will visit the tomb of Prince Charles' great-great-great grandmother, a Transylvanian Countess, and the village where His Royal Highness has purchased and restored a traditional Transylvanian Saxon house.
The tour climaxes with an exclusive train journey in private historic wagons from Transylvania back to Budapest with a farewell on-train Gala Banquet with music and other entertainments.
Tour Code: MNCT1
Royal Romania and the Saxon-German Heritage 2010
7 Days/6 Nights
This is a leisurely tour for those who are interested in history and culture, and want more time to savour and reflect on their experiences. Each day will be spent exploring historic locations in Transylvania.
Day 1 - Thursday 21st October
• dep from Budapest at 12:25 on a short 45-minute flight to Targu Mures, Transylvania (we recommend you bring a packed lunch for the flight)
• Bus to Sighisoara (via Sangeorgiu de Padure to visit the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II's Hungarian ancestor)
• Tour of Sighisoara medieval Citadel - a UNESCO World Heritage site
• Welcome dinner in your Sighisoara Hotel, with entertainments
• Overnight in your Sighisoara Hotel
Viscri Medieval Fortified ChurchDay 2 - Friday 22nd October
• Bus to Viscri
• Tour of Viscri Saxon medieval fortified church - a UNESCO World Heritage site - where HRH Prince Charles has a home
• Traditional lunch in Viscri with musical entertainment
• Bus to the Saxon city of Brasov, founded in the 12th century
• Evening tour of Brasov Citadel, including the Gothic Black Church - the largest of its kind in South-East Europe
• Dinner in Brasov Citadel
• Overnight in your Brasov Hotel
Day 3 - Saturday 23rd October
• Morning free in Brasov or optional tour to Harman and Prejmer fortified churches
• Lunch in Brasov Citadel
• Bus to Bran
• Tour of Royal 14th century Bran Castle (also known as Dracula's Castle) - built to protect the old border between Transylvania and Wallachia, and the former home of Romanian Queen Marie
• Bus to Râsnov
• Tour of Râsnov 14th century fortress
• Dinner in Brasov Citadel
• Overnight in your Brasov Hotel
Bran Castle
Day 4 - Sunday 24th October
• Bus to Royal Sinaia over the Southern Carpathians
• Tour of Peles Castle - this Bavarian-style Schloss was home of the Romanian Royal Family
• Visit to the Royal "champagne" cellars with tastings followed by a lunch with more wine-tastings
• Visit to the Art Nouveau Pelisor Castle - another home of the Romanian Royal Family
• Bus back to Brasov
• Overnight in your Brasov Hotel
Day 5 - Monday 25th October
• Bus to Fãgãras
• Tour of Fãgãras fortress - built around 1310
• Lunch at Fagaras Citadel
• Bus to Saxon city of Sibiu - former European Cultural Capital
• Evening tour of Sibiu medieval citadel and its historic squares
• Dinner in traditional Saxon restaurant in Sibiu
• Overnight in your Sibiu Hotel
Sibiu Saxon CityDay 6 - Tuesday 26th October
• Morning free or optional tour of Astra Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania
• Traditional village lunch with gypsy entertainment
• Visit to Brukenthal National Museum, Transylvania's finest art museum
• Farewell Dinner in a Sibiu medieval palace with various entertainments
• Overnight in your Sibiu Hotel
Day 7 - Wednesday 27th October
• dep Sibiu 08:39 by train for Budapest in your own private historic carriages on the Transylvania Express
• Various entertainments in your private piano-bar
• Gala lunch in the private VIP dining-car
• Various entertainments in your private piano-bar
• Train arrives in Budapest at 16:47
NB: We can arrange additional nights in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, complete with day tours of the city, or a traditional Csarda with horse show and other entertainments in the Hungarian plain, to your choice.
