Our First Romania: Mountains to Monasteries tour!

The first small-group tour of its kind for Blue-Roads Touring set off on its first departure last month and the glorious weather was not the only reason to give guests smiles on their faces.  

Romania: Mountains to Monasteries, one of the brand-new tours we launched this year, finally had its first small-group experience where 15 guests were guided by the best via an expert native Tour Leader, Stelian, as they uncovered the rich history, beauty, and sights of Romania.

If you are still thinking about booking your European escape this year, don’t underestimate this country and consider Blue-Roads Touring to guide you through.

Here’s a teaser of what you can expect along with what our first guests got to experience... 

It’s just like the name itself... Romania: Mountains to Monasteries! 

8 nights navigating through this hidden gem of a country, through literal mountains and monasteries. Guests were introduced to some of Romania’s spellbinding locations. From the capital city of Bucharest to Brasov and Sibiu, on to Bran, the home of Dracula’s Castle, and much more.  

Guests can relish in Romania in Blue-Roads Touring style through some of our unique tour highlights that include uncovering legendary tales of vampires at Bran Castle, enjoying the sweet tasting local brandy during a distillery tour, and visiting a UNESCO heritage site.  

The tour itself includes 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 2 dinners, with plenty of opportunities to experience the Romanian cuisine through our hand-picked restaurants and food stops, all whilst giving you that downtime to feast during at your leisure. And of course, it’s not a Blue-Roads Touring without having luxury hand-picked accommodation and a premium coach to settle into! 

But what did the first guests get to experience and what could be awaiting you if you joined us on our next departures?  

Upon arriving at Romania’s capital, Bucharest, guests were entertained by traditional Romanian folk dancing as they were welcomed by Tour Leader, Stelian over dinner before venturing into the city for a guided walk during a calm and beautiful sunny evening.  

Throughout the tour, guests saw some of the most majestic and tranquil sites, including Peles Castle in Sinaia, Transylvania, a Neo-Rennaissance masterpiece nestled just northwest of the town.  

Guests were able to enjoy an exquisite lunch in beautiful Brasov. Next up was a distillery tour in Palincaria, Transylvania where they got to try some local brandy followed by a walking tour, ending the day by looking over the stunning views of the city.  

They got to see how traditional Palinka is made through a guided workshop, and wander through the cobbled, colourful streets of Sighisoara, witnessing jaw-dropping architecture inside the Orthodox Cathedral in Sibu.  

They also had the opportunity to visit Mini Transylvania and see it from a different view (literally).  

Guests were left feeling fulfilled in so many ways; through their small-group experience, their eyes, their new-found knowledge and through their stomachs!  

During the tour, guests were guided by the best and were enlightened with some fun facts about this fascinating country through a series of guided walking tours. Here’s just some of what they picked up along the way:  

Romania has the largest Bear population in Europe 
6000 of which reside in the Carpathian Mountains, which we travel through on the second last day of the tour. 

King Charles III often visits Romania and has actual connections to Romania by being a descendant of Vlad the Impaler 
The link between Charles and Vlad the Impaler is through Queen Mary, wife of Victoria’s grandson King George V. Charles had taken a liking to a small village called Viscri in Romania and has been visiting there quite often in the past.  

He bought a property in the village in 2006 and created a retreat open to the public, where you can even spend a night for less than £105. Ever since his first visit, the King has invested a lot of time and effort into promoting the entire Transylvanian area with all its key aspects. 

The whole legend of Dracula was created by an Irish writer Bran Stoker
He loosely based the Count Dracula character on Romanian folklore and the historical character of prince Vlad Tepes, better known as ‘Vlad the Impaler” - famously known for his cruelty and bloodthirst that gave them the nickname.  

The connection between Vlad Tepes and Bran Castle (Dracula Castle) is very loose and some historians claim he has never been to Bran castle, while others speculate, he was held prisoner in the castle. Bran himself never visited Romania, let alone Bran castle! 

Speaking of which... 

Bran Castle is popular over Halloween
As many tourists want to pay to stay in the castle overnight to see if it’s haunted. 

Vlad Tepes was born in Shighisoara
and you can visit the house where he was born on the tour. 

In the Romanian countryside, you can often see storks nesting on top of the rooftops of houses. And it’s very close to where the people live.
Their nests are quite large so they’re very easy to spot. In Eastern Europe, as well as Germany and The Netherlands, storks nesting on the roof of a household are believed to bring good luck - and the possibility of a new birth- to the family below.

According to European folklore, the stork is responsible for bringing babies to new parents. The legend is very ancient but was popularised by a 19th-century Hans Christian Andersen story called "The Storks". 

In case you needed another reason to consider Romania for your next tour:  

“Back-Roads did a great job. As usual. Good bus, excellent guide, great driver. Best accommodation available. Every effort was taken to make us comfortable and content.” 

“Hotels were of a high standard, centrally located with the opportunity of going for local walks after a big day. Our guide was excellent, knew so much and was easy to be with.” 

“Stelian was a great guide, he was always there to offer assistance and advice on local places to visit.” 

Be one of the next guests on our upcoming Romania: Mountains to Monasteries tours.