Halloween in Transylvania (Northbound)
Halloween in Transylvania (Northbound)
Halloween in Transylvania (Northbound)
7 Days Starting in Bucharest and ending in Cluj Napoca
Visiting: Bucharest, Bucharest / Brasov, Bran Castle / Brasov, Viscri / Sighisoara, Sighisoara / Cluj Napoca, Turda Salt Mines / Cluj Napoca, Cluj Napoca
Tour operator:
Tour code:
WMSM
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 16
Age range:
15-99 years
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Even without its bloodcurdling myths of Dracula, werewolves, haunted castles and gypsy curses, Romania is an atmospheric destination. And no more so on the spooky holiday of Halloween. Let us introduce you to the beauty of ancient Bucharest, the haunting beauty and mythology of Sighisoara, and spooky Bran Castle (aka Dracula’s castle) in Brasov. For a spine-tingling adventure this Halloween, don’t look past this adventure in Transylvania. Mwahahaha.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Bucharest
Location: Bucharest
Accommodation: Hotel
Bună Ziua! Welcome to Bucharest. Often called the 'Little Paris of the Balkans', Romania's capital is known for its Belle Epoch architecture, thumping nightlife and communist sites. After the welcome meeting this evening, you might like to get a head start and explore the city by night, or perhaps head out for a group dinner to get a first sample of Romania's unique cuisine.
Optional Activities:
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Day 2: Bucharest / Brasov
Location: Bucharest / Brasov
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
This morning meet your local guide for a private tour of Bucharest. After taking in the recently restored old town of Bucharest, visit some of the more significant sites of the revolution of 1989, which culminated in the ousting and execution of communist leader Ceausescu, and the end of Romania's 42-year communist rule. Bucharest likes big things – the tour will also stop by the huge Piata Unirii, one of Europe's largest squares, and continue on to the ‘Ceausima’, Bucharest's 12-storey Palace of Parliament. The palace is the second largest building in the world (after the Pentagon). The former dictator ordered the construction of this monster, a building of staggering scale and opulence that includes 1,100 rooms and 4,500 chandeliers. In the afternoon, travel by train to the 13th-century Saxon city of Brasov. Also known by its German name of Kronstadt, this town flanked by mountains and city walls was once a major medieval trading centre.
Included Activities:
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Day 3: Bran Castle / Brasov
Location: Bran Castle / Brasov
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
No trip to Romania would be complete without a visit to the famous Bran Castle. The castle was built by the Saxons in 1382 to defend the Bran pass against the invading Turks. With its fairy-tale turrets and whitewashed walls, it's far from menacing and spooky, but is undeniably impressive, perched on a high cliff top and surrounded by pine trees. Afterwards, return to Brasov and enjoy a guided walk around town, checking out the ornate churches, townhouses, old city walls, and squares surrounded by gingerbread-roofed merchants' houses. Visit Brasov's main attraction, the gothic Black Church (Biserica Neagra), which took its name from its blackened appearance after a fire in 1689.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 4: Viscri / Sighisoara
Location: Viscri / Sighisoara
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
In the morning, travel by private transport to Viscri, less than 2 hours away (but it’ll feel like you’re entering another 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) and learn about the Sock Project, which supports the local Roma community. After a home cooked lunch at the house of a local family continue to the 12th century town of Sighisoara (approximately 1 hour). After a quick orientation walk you have all afternoon to explore the city.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 5: Sighisoara / Cluj Napoca
Location: Sighisoara / Cluj Napoca
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Medieval Sighisoara is likely to seduce visitors more than any other place in Romania. The town is famed as the birthplace of Vlad Dracul III, better known as Vlad the Impaler, the ruler of Walachia province from 1456 to 1462 and whose name was the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s iconic Count Dracula. Walking through the town is like taking a trip back in time to the medieval age, and it’s easy to image streets crowded with vampires, evil counts, wolves, peasants riding through the untamed countryside on horse-drawn carts and crooked old men doddering along the narrow streets. After a morning of exploring Sighisoara in your own time, travel by train through pastoral fields and untouched Saxon towns to Cluj Napoca, the unofficial capital of Transylvania. Perhaps enjoy a stroll around the Gothic streets of the 2000-year-old down before getting dressed up in your spookiest costumes for a Halloween party with your group.
Included Activities:
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Day 6: Turda Salt Mines / Cluj Napoca
Location: Turda Salt Mines / Cluj Napoca
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
In the morning, visit the Turda Salt Mines, a former salt mine converted into an underground amusement park, complete with ferries wheel. You can even hire a row boat and play bowling. There is also a fascinating museum showcasing the history of salt mining in the region. Salt is a common protective tool against all sorts of evil beings; legend has it that if you pour an unbroken line of salt across the entranceways to your house, vampires and demons won’t be able to get in. After your salt mine visit, return to Cluj for a city tour with a local guide. The remainder of the day is yours to explore. Perhaps meet up with your group for a final dinner tonight.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 7: Cluj Napoca
Location: Cluj Napoca
Meals Included: breaksfast
Your Halloween tour ends today. There are no activities planned for the final day and you can depart your accommodation at any time. If you want to stay longer in Bucharest please check about additional accommodation when you make your booking.
What's Included
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Cluj Napoca - Walking Tour with Local Guide
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Bucharest - Walking Tour with Local Guide
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Viscri - Fortified Church
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Brasov - Walking Tour with Local Guide
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Bran - Bran Castle Visit
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Viscri - Local Home Cooked Lunch
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Cluj Napoca - Halloween Party in Cluj
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Viscri - Sock Project Visit
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Turda - Salt Mines Tour
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Meals
6 breakfasts, 1 lunches
What's Not Included
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Tipping and Gratuities
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International Travel
Included Activities
- Bucharest - Walking Tour with Local Guide
- Bran - Bran Castle Visit
- Brasov - Walking Tour with Local Guide
- Viscri - Fortified Church
- Viscri - Sock Project Visit
- Viscri - Local Home Cooked Lunch
- Cluj Napoca - Halloween Party in Cluj
- Turda - Salt Mines Tour
- Cluj Napoca - Walking Tour with Local Guide
Accommodation
- OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
- The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
- TWIN SHARE BASIS
- Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own.
- CHECK-IN TIME
- Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.
- PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
- If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.
- FACILITIES
- Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges.
Transport
- TRANSPORT IN EUROPE
- Half the fun of travel is the travelling itself, that's why we like to travel the local way – whether that means mingling with commuters on a local train, watching the scenery roll by from the window of a long distance bus, arriving on a high speed train in the city centre of your next destination, or navigating each city's public transport system. In Europe, you are guaranteed to travel by genuine local public transport wherever possible, which puts you right in the centre of the action.
Important Information
- 1. Please note that this itinerary may have multiple departures on the same date. Your group size will still be capped at a maximum of 16 travellers, however in some locations you may overlap with other groups, such as in overnight stays, and of course at the Halloween Party itself.
- 2. 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.
- 3. This trip travels in a northbound direction, starting in Romania's capital Bucharest and ending in Cluj Napoca in time for the Halloween Party. This trip is also available in the opposite direction, travelling southbound from Cluj Napoca, ending in Bucharest.
Check out our Q&As
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
No
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Are international flights included in this tour?
No
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Is this trip right for you
Autumn weather in Romania can be cooler than expected, especially at higher altitude. Please consider the time of year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.
Hotels in Europe often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together if you'd like to get cosy. Also, please note that many hotels and guesthouses only offer shared bathrooms rather than en-suite facilities.
This trip takes place around Halloween in October. If you would like to visit Romania during a different time of year you may want to check out our trip 'Budapest to Bucharest' (trip code WMSB) or the epic 'Eastern Europe Explorer' (trip code WMSEC), which continues further south into Bulgaria.
On this trip you must pack as lightly as possible because you will be expected to carry your own bag and although you won't be required to walk long distances with your luggage (max 30 minutes), we strongly recommend keeping the weight under 15kg / 33lb. Most travellers carry their luggage in a backpack, although an overnight bag with a shoulder strap would suffice if you travel lightly. Smaller bags or backpacks with wheels are convenient although we recommend your bag has carry straps to accommodate the cobbled streets, uneven surfaces, stairs and steps you are likely to encounter while carrying your luggage. You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water and a camera etc for day trips. -
Are airport transfers included in this tour?
No
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Yes if aged 15+ and accompanied by an adult
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions