Bucharest airport
Arrival and Bucharest City Tour with wine tasting, Excursion to Dealu Mare, Excursion to Peles Castle, wine tasting at Rhein Cellars in Azuga mountain resort, Excursion to the largest salt mine in Europe, Excursion to Lacerta Winery, Bucharest Airport
6 Days
All year
Arrival and Bucharest City Tour with wine tasting
Arrival in Bucharest airport and transfer to the hotel in the city.
Full day to explore Bucharest.
Known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards, glorious Belle Époque buildings and a reputation for the high life (which in the 1900s earned its nickname of “Little Paris”), Bucharest, Romania’s largest city and capital, is today a bustling metropolis.
In the morning we take a guided tour, where we will see the Arch of Triumph, pass through Calea Victoriei which is Bucharest’s oldest most charming street, discover some of the most stunning buildings in the city, including the Cantacuzino Palace, the Revolution Square, the Military Club,
National Savings Bank Palace and the National History Museum. We visit the old town, where at the beginning of 1400s, most merchants and craftsmen – Romanian, Austrian, Greek, Armenian and Jewish – established their stores and shops in this section of the city; Today, the area is home to art galleries, antique shops, coffeehouses, restaurants and night-clubs. At the centre of the historic area are the remains of the Old Princely Court, built in the 15th century by Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad Dracula
Later we enter to the Bucharest Parliament Palace.
Built at the special request of Nicolae Ceausescu, leader of Romania’s Communist Party, the colossal Parliament Palace – formerly known as “People’s House” is the world’s second largest administrative building after the U. S. Pentagon. It took 20,000 workers and 700 architects to build this masive structure that boasts 12 stories, 1,100 rooms, a 350-ft.-long lobby and eight underground levels, including an enormous nuclear bunker. We visit also one of the oldest churches in Bucharest (with parts dating back to the 16th century and a steeple built in 1715), the Apostles’ Church.
During the Bucharest city tour, we will stop in some selected wine bars, where we will enjoy degustation of different Romanian wines, combined with some authentic delicious cheeses made in the region
Dinner and overnight in Bucharest.
Bucharest – Excursion to Dealu Mare
Today we transfer towards the Dealu Mare region, one of Romania’s top wine-producing areas.
We will enjoy the panoramic landscape, with vineyards covering the rolling hills.
First visit will be “Crama 1777” museum, where we will discover how the wine was made and aged in the XIX-XX century.
The museum has different tools and objects from the wine cellars, such as tools for grape processing, ceramic wine vessels, different wine barrels, viticulture tools, a collection of coins and some typical Romanian folk costumes from different regions.
After the museum visit, we will reach 2 local wineries of the region, where we meet with the wine experts, learn more about the wine making process, and enjoy degustation of different wines and snacks.
Lunch with traditional menu along the way. In the afternoon return transfer to Bucharest, for another dinner and overnight.
Bucharest – Excursion to Peles Castle with wine tasting at Rhein Cellars in Azuga mountain resort
This morning we visit Peles Castle, a masterpiece of German new-Renaissance architecture, considered by many one of the most stunning castles in Europe. Its 160 rooms are adorned with the finest examples of European art, Murano crystal chandeliers, German stained-glass windows and Cordoba leather-covered walls. Until 1947 it was a summer residence for the royal family. Peles Castle was the first European castle to have electricity, it even has its own power plant. It has 160 rooms and each room is decorated in a different style or theme.
There is a Concert Hall, Music Room (India), Turkish Salon, Great Salon (Italy), Council Room (Switzerland), Moor Hall, and so much more. The Royal Library has a secret door and the castle’s 60-seat Theater, with royal box, showed the first movie projection in Romania in 1906.
Further we visit Rhein Wine Cellars (founded in 1892 and “Official wine supplier of the Royal Family”). The cellars were built between 1888 and 1892 by a German investor. Currently the Rhein Wine Cellar belong to the Halewood Winery and it is the oldest Romanian wine cellar which uses the traditional Champenoise method of producing sparkling wines (wine fermented while kept in glass bottles). We taste some of the sparkling wines, before our return transfer to Bucharest. Dinner and overnight.
Bucharest – Excursion to the largest salt mine in Europe, with wine tasting in the countryside
Today we visit Slanic Salt Mine, the largest salt mine in Europe. The 14 underground rooms have an opening of 10 meters to the ceiling, 32 meters wide at the bottom, and the height is 54 meters. The depth of the salt mine is 208 meters.
Inside the salt mine, there is a sanatorium with 50 places, equipped with beds, chairs, and tables, where visitors with respiratory problems can spend a few hours just to relax and breathe in the air.
The most spectacular room of the salt mine is the Genesis Hall, which houses the busts of Trajan, Decebal, and Burebista (the historic personalities who influenced the formation of the Romanian people), all made of salt, as well as sculptures with elements specific to the Daco-Roman period. In the salt mine, there is also a bas-relief of Mihai Viteazul, the first Romanian voivode who unified all the Romanian lands for a short period of time, as well as a bust of Mihai Eminescu, which is considered one of the greatest Romanian poets of all time.
Panoramic drive through the rural landscapes to reach the winery that we will visit today. Another walk through the vineyards and cellars, meeting with the wine expert, and degustation of the local wines and snacks. Afternoon for dinner and overnight in Bucharest.
Bucharest – Excursion to Lacerta Winery
Bearing the Latin name of a local animal, the lizard, Lacerta Wineries are located on the 45th parallel north, just as other famous winemaking regions such as Tuscany and Bordeaux. A one-hour drive from the capital Bucharest, it offers a big tasting room and two terraces to admire the stunning landscapes. Farewell dinner and overnight in Bucharest.
Bucharest Airport
Morning in Bucharest and transfer to the airport for the return flight.
