In the Carpathians

Introduction
Transylvania Romania
The monastery archipelago of the old Romanian principality Moldavia is one of the most unique cultural landscapes in Europe. Nowhere else (besides the monasteries of Mount Athos) Byzantine art, architecture and liturgy are preserved in such a variety and beauty. As part of the UNESCO World Heritage, the monasteries are famous and unique by their architecture and outside mural paintings. Each church has its special color: Voronet – blue, Sucevita – red-green, Moldovita – yellow and Humor red-brown. Their pictorial texts combine Byzantine forms and Western book miniature painting with Romanian folk tradition. The architecture and paintings would be unthinkable and impossible without the beautiful landscape of the “Sweet Land of the Bucovina”.

Accomodation

Accommodations
If one hotel from the list below is not available at the date of the booking, we are using similar hotels (same standards).

Accommodation Itinerary - subject to changes based on availability
Night 1: Hotel in Bucharest
Night 2 & 3: Guesthouse in Putna
Night 4 & 5: Guesthouse in Sucevita
Night 6 & 7: Guesthouse in Manastirea Humorului

Bucharest - Hotel Minerva
The hotel was opened in 1937 in a 6-story neoclassical building and was renovated in 2008. It offers 91 rooms that are cozy and Italian in design, and feature Wi-Fi, a private bathroom, a safe, TV, a fireplace and IDD phone.

Putna - Dana Guesthouse
This charming guesthouse offers 4 simple but comfortable bedrooms. Each room has its own bathroom and free Wi-Fi internet.

Sucevita - Casa Cazac Felicia
The building is surrounded on two sides by a beautiful wooden porch, covered with wooden tiles where, during the summer you can admire the gorgeous landscape while having a delicious meal. The terrace as well as the yard is full of beautiful flowers.
In the afternoon, after 5,30 PM, you can hear from the monastery the "toaca" (a nun is hammering on a board) and the sound of the bells calling the nuns to the evening prayer, and, possibly, this will take your thoughts to the glorious times when the monastery was gathering around the entire village.

Manastirea Humorului - Pensiunea Maridor
Located among fields and rolling hills, this accommodation offers a relaxing environment. The rooms are simply decorated and feature charming antique furniture. Each of the 10 rooms is equipped with a TV and private facilities.
There is no internet connection available at this property.


Meals
All breakfasts and 6 evening meals are included in this trip. Lunches are never included.

The breakfast are eaten at the accommodations and included evening meals are taken in either the restaurant (if it's a hotel) or in the dining room (if it's a pension).
The style of the food is mainly Romanian.

Special diets and dietary restrictions:
Vegetarians, gluten/lactose free, etc… can be catered for when notified in advance.

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding

Itinerary

Sample Itinerary - subject to changes

Day 1: Arrival
Arrive Bucharest. Overnight in Bucharest
Meals included: none
Overnight at Hotel in Bucharest

Day 2: Putna Monastery
Short walk to Bucharest train station (3 min.) and train to Suceava. A car will then transfer you to Putna.  The impressive monastery, a foundation of Stefan the Great, is the most important spiritual center of Romanian Orthodoxy and played a significant role in the Romanian history. The night is spent in a guest house close to the monastery.
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse in Putna

Day 3: Sihastria Monastery
Walk to Sihastria Monastery (from one of the hills you have a beautiful birds’ eye view of the impressive monastery) and to a hermit’s cave.
Approx. 3 hours walking (9 km / + 100 m / - 100 m)
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse in Putna

Day 4: Sucevita Monastery
From Putna, you take the old monastery path to Sucevita Monastery. In summer, the forest is full of berries and wild mushrooms. The undercoat of emerald green on which the frescoes are painted (1596) gave the monastery the name ‘a Poem in Green and Light’. The iconostasis is considered to be the most beautiful in the country. As Sacherverell Sitwell wrote in 1938: ‘The first view of the painted church of Sucevita is among the most impressive revelations of the Byzantine world’. The 2 following nights are spent in a welcoming guesthouse with excellent food.
Approx. 5.5 hours walking (17.5 km / + 450 m / - 450 m)
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse in Sucevita

Day 5: Moldovita Monastery
Transfer by car over the Ciumirna Pass, with magnificent panoramic views. Visit Moldovita Monastery, famous for its brilliant frescoes (‘a parchment dipped in blue’ is the description of the Tree of Jesse), including the fine Ladder of Paradise. Back in Sucevita a circular walk to enjoy a wonderful view over this impressive, fortified monastery.
Approx. 3 hours walking (8 km / + 110 m / - 110 m)
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse in Sucevita

Day 6: Humor Monastery
Short transfer to Solca village. The walk to Humor takes you through pastoral scenery and villages founded by Poles in the Habsburg period. The way is still used by horse-drawn hay carts, whilst in the fields the sickle and scythe are still the main implements at harvest. The 16th century monastery church at Humor is painted in blues, greens and reddish browns (from oriental madder pigment).
Approx. 4 hours walking (11.5 km / + 320 m / - 290 m)
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse in Humor

Day 7: Voronet Monastery
Visit Voronet Monastery; its superb frescoes gave it the name ‘the Sistine Chapel of the East’ – architecturally it combines Gothic and Byzantine features. Continue up to the Obcina with fine views over the valley and villages and back to Manastirea Humorului.
Approx. 5 hours walking (15 km / + 370 m / - 350 m)
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse in Humor

Day 8: Departure
Transfer to Suceava and then, train to Bucharest and departure.
Meals included: Breakfast

Rates and Dates for In the Carpathians

Dates Note: Arrival can be any day of the week duriong the season.

Other Info
Meeting: Brasov
Airport: Bucharest
Transfer: Brasov Train Station (not included- take a taxi)

Climate:
                                                Suceava area