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Explore Eastern Europe's Hungary and Romania

From the beautiful Baroque churches of Budapest to the haunted castles of Transylvania, this ten-day journey across Hungary and Romania provides a fascinating insight into an intriguing region. Learn about the failed Turkish invasion of Eger and take a wine cellar tour in the Valley of the Beautiful Women. Become acquainted with traditional Romanian culture and customs in Maramures. Tour the medieval churches of Brasov, dine with a local family on an overnight homestay in Viscri and visit Bucharest's 12-storey Palace of Parliament. This jam-packed journey makes for a perfect introduction to two Eastern European treasures.

Start
Budapest, Hungary
Finish
Bucharest, Romania
Destinations
Hungary, Romania
Style
Original
Theme
Explorer
Code
WMSB
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • Sample the famous Hungarian 'bulls blood' in Eger, the wine that supposedly gave the Hungarian army supernatural strength during their battle against the Ottoman Empire

  • Experience peasant life on a full-day tour through the countryside of Maramures, Romania's most traditional and colourful region. Don't be surprised if you see horse-drawn carts along the road

  • Learn spooky stories while travelling through beautiful Transylvania, famous for its medieval fortified churches and as the birthplace of the inspiration for the world's most famous vampire, Dracula

  • A home-stay with a local family in the Saxon/Roma town of Viscri will expose you to Romanian hospitality and some finger-licking home-cooked grub

  • Delve into the communist past and the thriving, artistic present-day vibe of Bucharest, a city often underrated by travellers

Is this trip right for you?

  • Summer temperatures in Hungary and Romania can reach up to 40°C, which can be uncomfortable for those not used to the heat. Please consider the time of year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season. If travelling in summer, drink lots of water and remember to protect yourself from the sun. Bring layers to combat the heat, as well as sun block, shades and a hat.

  • Single travellers will be sharing accommodation with another traveller of the same sex. If you'd prefer a single room, a supplement is available at an additional charge. Please ask your travel consultant for more details. Hotels in Europe often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together/apart. Please also note that some accommodation on this trip offer shared bathrooms rather than en-suite facilities.

Map of Budapest to Bucharest including Hungary and Romania

Itinerary
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This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 Jan 2020 to 31 Dec 2020.
 View the 2019 itinerary

Szia! Welcome to Hungary. Since the collapse of communism, Budapest has experienced something of a renaissance. The grand architecture and boulevards evoke a time gone by, while glamorous stores and restaurants make this one of the truly great cities of Europe. After the welcome meeting at 6 pm, you might like to head out to explore the city by night. Perhaps visit the Jewish Quarter for dinner and explore the many options for a nightcap.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).

Today enjoy a free day to explore Budapest. Hiring a bike is a great way to move between the sights. Perhaps head to Statue Park to see the communist monuments that were removed from the city after the fall of the Iron Curtain. One unmissable activity is a soak in Budapest's hot thermal baths. There are several around the city, ranging from elegant to simple outdoor types. The pools vary in temperature, and some even feature whirlpools or seats where you can play chess while you turn into a prune. You can wander the pedestrianised streets of the old district of Buda with the castle on the hill and the Matthias Church, then perhaps take a cruise along the Danube, discovering the history that unfolded along the riverbanks. Tonight perhaps discover some of the city’s ‘ruin bars’, cool places to grab a drink that are usually located in abandoned buildings in downtown Pest and are filled with thrift-shop décor and mismatched art.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • House of Terror - HUF3000
  • Thermal Bath - Starting from - HUF4500
  • Pub Crawl - Starting from - HUF5000
  • Hungarian State Opera House Tour - HUF3000
  • Urban Adventures - Buda Castle Explorer - EUR52
  • Hungarian National Museum - HUF1600
  • Urban Adventures - Bites & Sights - EUR74
  • Bike Ride - HUF6000
  • Parliament Tour - HUF5800
  • Transport and Entry to Statue Park - HUF5000
  • Great Synagogue - HUF4850
  • Urban Adventures - Best Beers of Budapest - EUR74
  • Urban Adventures - Made in Budapest - EUR72
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Take a two-hour train east to Eger today. This beautifully preserved Baroque town is surrounded by hills and is home to some of the most renowned vineyards in Eastern Europe. Visit the wine cellars of the seductively-named Valley of the Beautiful Women with the group to sample some of the town's famous 'Bull's Blood' red wine, which supposedly gave the Hungarian army supernatural strength during their battle against the Ottoman Empire. Among the Turkish soldiers it was rumoured that the enemy army drank blood diluted with wine, as the firm resistance they encountered couldn't be explained any other way. In your own time, perhaps explore Eger's 13th-century castle, which was the scene of the historic siege that thwarted the Ottoman Empire's advancement into Western Europe. Here you can explore the Gothic Palace, a gallery of fine Hungarian art, and tour underground passageways of archaeological finds. You may also like to check out the town's 19th-century cathedral, the northernmost medieval minaret in Europe for views of the city, or the Minorite church in Dobo Square.
Accommodation
  • Pension (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Eger Wine Tasting
Optional Activities
  • Eger Castle - HUF1400
  • Minaret - HUF300
  • Astronomy Museum, Magic Tower, Camera Obscura, Lyceum Panorama Terrace - HUF1300
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Travel by bus to the pleasant town of Debrecen today (approximately 3 hours). While here, you'll have time to explore Deri Square with its fountains, colourful buildings, museums, and golden Great Church. Continue on by train and private vehicle across the central plains into the Maramures region of Romania. This second part of the journey should take around six hours. Time in Romania is an hour ahead of Hungary, so don't forget to set your watch. Maramures is also a place that can feel like stepping back in time. The region may be modernising, but among the traditional wooden houses and churches, the traditional music and forests, you can still find parts of life fairly unchanged since medieval times. Upon arrival, settle into your room at the pension, which is run by a local family, and look forward to some hearty home-cooked fare.
Accommodation
  • Pension (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Romanian visas are not available at the border. Should you require one, please organise this before you commence the trip.

Today you’ll discover more about the region of Maramures ('mah-ra-moo-resh') and how it seems frozen in time. Rich in tradition and folklore, the music, costumes, festivals and ancient superstitions of one of the last peasant cultures in Europe continue to thrive here. Each village is distinctive in its colourful outfits and style of hat. Maramures is particularly famed for its wooden churches, many of which are World Heritage-listed. Set out on a guided group tour to explore the region. You’ll visit the unique Merry Cemetery in Sapanta, where the life stories of the deceased – the good and the bad of their lives – are displayed on colourful wooden crosses. There are poems and limericks, and little pictures illustrating how the person died, all single-handedly carved over 40 years by Stan Ioan Patraş until 1977. The work has continued for the last 30 years by his apprentice. You’ll also see the village museum in Sighetu, an assembly of beautiful local wooden architecture, along with stopping by various other traditional villages.
Accommodation
  • Pension (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Maramures Tour with Local Guide
  • Sapanta Merry Cemetery
  • Barsana Monastery
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Today is a long day of travel (approximately 9 hours) through pastoral fields and untouched Saxon towns to Sighisoara in Transylvania. While the name may conjure up images of haunted castles, gothic churches and vampires, this is only a small part of what makes Transylvania such an enchanting and exciting destination. Medieval Sighisoara is likely to seduce visitors more than any other place in Romania. Another World Heritage site, the town was first settled by the Romans but flourished under the Saxons from the 12th century. Take a walk around the old town, which coils up a narrow hill and is surrounded on all sides by fortified walls, and explore the 64 metre-high clock tower that dominates the citadel. The town is famed as the birthplace of Vlad Dracul III, better known as Vlad the Impaler, whose name was the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s iconic Count Dracula. Vlad III is revered as a folk hero by Romanians for driving off the invading Ottoman Turks, of which his impaled victims are said to have included as many as 100,000. Maybe have traditional Romanian fare at ‘Casa Dracula’ tonight.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

While your next stop is less than an hour away, you'll feel like you've entered a different world. The small Transylvanian village of Viscri was originally inhabited by Saxons from the Luxembourg area, and the whole scene is picture-postcard rural. This idyllic village of red tiled roofs is a World Heritage site, virtually unchanged for 900 years. You’ll visit the town's fortified church (thought to be the oldest in Transylvania). You’ll also learn about the Sock Project, which supports the local Roma community. Time permitting, you may even like to go for a horse cart ride through the area, over pastures and through wondrous woods of oak and hornbeam. In the evening, indulge in a home-cooked dinner prepared by a local family, sampling fresh produce, homemade wines and schnapps. Tonight, stay in rustic houses that the locals rent out to visitors.
Accommodation
  • Homestay (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Viscri Fortified Church
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Tonight's rooms are in different houses scattered across the village, and you'll be sharing facilities with other members of your group. Be prepared to spend a night in rustic conditions with a wood stove that needs tending.

Today continue to the 13th-century Saxon city of Brasov (approximately 2 hours). Also known by its German name of Kronstadt, the town is flanked by mountains and city walls was once a major medieval trading centre. Enjoy free time to explore, checking out the ornate churches, townhouses and squares surrounded by gingerbread-roofed merchants' houses. It's worth visiting the town's main attraction, the gothic (Biserica Neagra) Black Church, which took its name from its blackened appearance after a fire in 1689. Stroll along pedestrianized Strada Republicii, take a cable car up to Mt Tampa, or maybe explore the nearby Rasnov Fortress. The fortification is perched on a rocky hilltop above the town of Rasnov, and was constructed by Teutonic Knights in the 13th century as a place of refuge for the common people from Tartar invaders. Otherwise, you could head to Bran Castle, said to be the inspiration for the home of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Though not exactly super spooky, it is undeniably impressive, perched on a high cliff top and surrounded by pine trees. For those looking for a little nightlife action, Brasov has plenty of funky bars and restaurants to enjoy once darkness falls.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • The Black Church - RON10
  • Bran Castle Visit - RON40
  • Rasnov Fortress Entrance Fee - RON15
  • Guided Walk - RON200
  • Cable Car to Mt Tampa - RON8
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Head south to Bucharest today (approximately 3 hours). The city is increasingly known for its cosmopolitan vibe and energy, and while not the most beautiful or stylish city, there are some wonderful art nouveau buildings, ancient churches and monasteries, lush parkland, lakes and elegant boulevards. Romania's interesting capital also likes big things. It’s home to one of Europe's biggest squares, and its Palace of Parliament is the second largest building in the world – former dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu ordered the construction of the 12-storied Palace of Parliament, a building of staggering scale and opulence that includes 1,100 rooms and 4,500 chandeliers. You'll embark on a guided walking tour around town to help you get your bearings, then in free time you can choose to further explore some of the sights pointed out. Maybe seek out some traditional home-cooked Romanian food with your fellow travellers tonight.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Bucharest Walking Tour with Local Guide
Optional Activities
  • Museum of the Romanian Peasant - RON8
  • Bucharest Bike Tour - EUR20
  • Village Museum - RON15
  • Palace of Parliament Tour - RON35
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

There are no activities planned for the final day and you are able to depart the accommodation at any time. For those who wish to stay longer in Bucharest please enquire about additional accommodation at the time of booking.
Optional Activities
  • Urban Adventures - Home Cooked Bucharest - EUR85
  • Urban Adventures - Bucharest Sites and Bites - EUR57
  • Urban Adventures - Outcast Bucharest - EUR52
  • Urban Adventures - Bohemian Bucharest: Markets & Mahallas - EUR60
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
If it all ends to soon you can extend your trips by combining it with our 'Eastern Europe Express', taking in the highlights of Bulgaria, and ending in Sofia, or with the 'Moldova, Ukraine & Romania Explorer' which heads into the lesser known parts of Eastern Europe, ending in Ukraine's capital Kiev. If you have more time in Bucharest why not take one of our Urban Adventures day trips. Check it out on urbanadventures.com.

Meals

9 breakfasts, 3 dinners

Transport

Train, Public bus, Private minibus, Metro, Tram, Taxi

Accommodation

Hotel (5 nights), Pension (3 night), Homestay (1 night)

Included activities

  • Eger Wine Tasting
  • Maramures Tour with Local Guide
  • Sapanta Merry Cemetery
  • Barsana Monastery
  • Viscri Fortified Church
  • Bucharest Walking Tour with Local Guide

Dates & availability

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Travel lightly with Intrepid. We’ve offset the main sources of carbon emissions from this trip on your behalf, including transport, accommodation & waste. Read more

Important notes

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A single supplement is bookable on this trip, subject to availability at the time of booking. Please note that due to the small properties we use in Europe there is only a limited amount of single supplements available per trip departure. If you would like to book a single supplement and enquire about availability please speak to your booking agent.

Essential trip information

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