Tour Budapest – Sofia in 8 days / 7 Nights

Arrival in Budapest. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

The capital of Hungary straddles the mighty Danube River which separates the two cities of Buda and Pest. On today’s tour, marvel at the city’s striking architecture, tree-lined boulevards and Austro-Hungarian heritage and visit the iconic House of Parliament, home to the Hungarian Royal Crown. Some free time at your disposal, then cruise on Danube River with dinner. Overnight at hotel.

In the very morning, after breakfast, travel south and cross the border into Romania to historic Timisoara, built on the site of an ancient Roman fortress. After city tour lunchtime for you. Then, visit at Hunedoara to admire the Corvin Castle. The castle served as a fortress until the mid-14th century when it became the residence of Transylvania's voivode, Iancu de Hunedoara (Ioannes Corvinus in Latin, Hunyadi in Hungarian). Iancu upgraded the fortress transforming it into a stunning Transylvania castle. After, you will have a nice dinner with Romanian peasants’ family in Sibiel to taste typical Romanian food. Overnight at hotel in Sibiu.

Start the day after breakfast with city tour of Sibiu, which was the largest and most prosperous city built by German settlers in the 12th century. Discover its medieval Old Town and impressive Clock Tower. Continue to Biertan to visit the fortified church, a unique fortification for Transylvania. Then, admire the beauty of medieval city of Sighisoara with the Church on the Hill. Enjoy lunch at House Dracula. Afternoon visit the city of Brasov with its marvelous Black Church. In the evening free time in the city, then overnight in hotel. Attention! This day is without a dinner at hotel!

After breakfast, start the day visiting famous Dracula Castle in Bran. Listen to some bloodcurdling stories about Vlad the Impaler, the historical figure who has the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s vampire. Depart on a scenic drive with views of the Carpathian Mountains to the village of Sinaia to visit Peles Castle, built in the 19th century as the summer residence of the royal family. Arrive at the afternoon at Romania’s Capital to enjoy the evening tour of the city center. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

After the breakfast, visit at the Palace of Parliament, the second largest building in the world. After, travel to Bulgaria and enjoy the tour of Veliko Tarnovo: the ruined Tsarevets Citadel, Patriarchal Church and foundations of the Royal Palace from which 22 successive kings ruled Bulgaria. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

En-route to Sofia, you visit a local museum in Kazanlak, capital of the Rose Valley, to learn the art of producing Bulgaria’s famous rose oil. You will also see the UNESCO-listed tomb from the ancient Thracian Kingdom dating back to the 4th century B.C. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

On your morning city tour, uncover the charms of Bulgaria’s capital including Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St. Sofia Church and the Old Town. Continue to today’s highlight, the UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery, Bulgaria’s medieval spiritual center located in a lovely alpine region. Admire its rich collection of icons, oil paintings and rare books and have lunch at a local eatery near the grounds of the monastery. Return to Sofia for airport transfer.