Halloween in Transylvania (Northbound)

Buna 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. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, you might like to get a head start and explore the city by night. After the meeting, why not head out for a group dinner to get your first sample of Romania's unique cuisine.

This morning, meet your local guide for a private tour of Bucharest. After taking in the recently restored Old Town, you’ll 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. Visit the huge Piata Unirii – one of Europe's largest squares – and 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 1100 rooms and 4500 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.

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, sitting on a high cliff top and surrounded by pine trees. After, return to Brasov for 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.

This morning, you’ll travel by private vehicle to Viscri – this small Transylvanian village 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 UNESCO 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, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site for its well-preserved medieval Old Town. After a quick orientation walk, you have all afternoon free to explore the city.

Medieval Sighisoara 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 and peasants riding through the untamed countryside on horse-drawn carts. After a morning of exploring, travel by train through pastoral fields and untouched Saxon towns to Cluj Napoca – the unofficial capital of Transylvania. When you arrive, maybe head out for a stroll around the Gothic streets of the 2000-year-old town.

This morning, visit the Turda Salt Mines – a former salt mine converted into an underground amusement park. Maybe hire a rowboat, go bowling or visit the museum showcasing salt mining in the region – the options are endless! Salt is thought to be a protective tool against all sorts of evil beings, and legend has it that if you pour an unbroken line of salt across the entranceway 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 rest of the day is free to explore.

Today, you’ll head out for a daytrip to the Hoia Forest – a famous haunted forest with reports of ghost stories, apparitions, faces identified in photos and UFO sightings. Over the years, locals and tourists report anxiety and the feeling of being watched in this forest and the local vegetation features strangely shaped trees and charring on tree stumps and branches. The forest became famous in the late 1960s when a military technician took photos of a UFO above Poiana Rotunda (Round Meadow). If you’re lucky, the forest may even be covered in mist! After a short transfer from your hotel, you’ll meet with a local guide for a 4-hour hike within the forest, along gentle hills and valleys. Listen to the legends and visit the Round Meadow where the first UFO was sighted. After, head back to your hotel for a free afternoon.

With no further activities planned, your trip ends today and you can depart your accommodation at any time. If you want to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation.