Going back to her roots, our founder and tour lead Andreea is ready to show you the beauty of her birth country: from medieval castles to quaint churches, through winding roads cutting across stunning scenery, to the best of the pre-war architecture that Bucharest (fondly known as ‘Little Paris’ back then), has to offer.

This is a 10-day fully guided and tutored tour designed by our Romanian-born founder Andreea and co-led and tutored with Matt. 

In addition to all the photographic opportunities, there will be ample opportunity to sample delicious Romanian cuisine, learn about Romanian traditions and also perhaps find a thing or two about what’s myth and what’s reality when it comes to the infamous Dracula!

Trip Overview

Our itinerary, starting and ending in Bucharest, will include a very diverse selection of locations so you can get a real ‘taste’ of Romania - not to mention tasting delicious food every day!

We will be staying / visiting Sinaia including Peles Castle and Sinaia Monastery, the (in)famous Bran Castle and surroundings, the medieval citadel of Sighisoara, the impressive fortified churches of Biertan and Viscri, the latter being situated in a picturesque village where you step back in time, the beautiful Transylvanian towns of Brasov and Sibiu and last but by no means least, the incredibly welcoming village of Sibiel where we will witness and photograph secular traditions and be spoiled rotten by the locals with home-cooked food made with ingredients exclusively produced on the family farm, and a folkloric evening with music and dance (yes, you won’t be able to resist getting up and joining in, we promise).

Indicative itinerary:

Day 1:

Arrivals in Bucharest, airport transfers and check into the hotel (after 3pm)

Introductions over dinner

Day 2:

Bucharest: Today we are exploring the Romanian capital, its old town, the legacy of its totalitarian regime and its brutalist architecture, its beautiful parks, and we will also stop for dinner in one of the most renowned and beautiful venues, sampling some more delicious Romanian food and drinks.

Day 3:

We say good bye to Bucharest and head towards Sinaia, where we will stay over night. We will visit the spectacular former royal residence castle of Peles, and its lush and picturesque surroundings, as well as Sinaia monastery with its old painted church.

Day 4:

Today we are heading towards the region of Sibiu, with a few stops to record some beautiful views across the Fagaras mountains and the villages we will be driving through. We will arrive for a 2-night stop in the village of Sibiel, a traditional Romanian village in Transylvania, famous for its secular traditions, its old and rare crossroad shrines incorporating 19th century wooden crosses and wells, impressive collection of glass-painted icons and a great place to sample traditional Romanian hospitality including a special home-cooked dinner and folklore show prepared by our hosts.

Day 5:

A very special celebration takes place today in Sibiel, on this 40th day from the Orthodox Easter, also known as ‘Ispas’ attended by all children and young people of the village and their procession through the village, dressed in traditional wear, going round the village triptychs and carrying lovage leaves as a symbol of ascension and wellbeing, a celebration of the cross and of pastoral living alike.

Day 6:

Today we say good bye to Sibiel and we head towards our next stop, with a short break in Sibiu, a beautiful germanic town with architecture reminiscent of its 12th century Saxon heritage. We will visit the main square, spot the famous houses with eyes and the 13th Century Council Tower. We will then continue our journey to the medieval town of Sighisoara where we will stop overnight - once we check into our accommodation, we will explore the citadel in the evening and take some night photos of the medieval cobbled roads and the famous clock tower.

Day 7:

We continue to explore Sighisoara in the morning, following in the footsteps of Vlad Dracul and his (in)famous son Vlad the Impaler who was born here. We then continue our journey towards our next destination: the village of Viscri, an old Saxon village made popular by (then) Prince Charles who invested in a local house and the revival and preservation of local traditions. We will stay here overnight and have the opportunity to observe and document old traditions including blacksmithing and bread making, watching the cows come home and being truly spoiled with home-cooked food and Romanian hospitality.

Day 8:

This morning we will visit the fortified church in Viscri, a very common staple of these little Saxon villages of Transylvania, and then make our way towards our next stop, the (in)famous Bran Castle. We will be staying here overnight and have the opportunity to visit and photograph this iconic building as well as shop for traditional souvenirs.

Day 9:

In the morning we have one last chance to capture Bran castle in a different light, and then we begin to make our return to Bucharest. Once checked into the hotel, we will have the opportunity to review some images from the trip, followed by a last celebratory dinner at an iconic historic venue in the Capital.

Day 10:

Departures to the airport after breakfast.

What’s included:

Airport transfers both ways

Accommodation in single occupancy, en-suite rooms with breakfast - no single supplements to be paid.

Couples sharing will be offered superior double room accommodation wherever available.

All meals starting with dinner on Day 1 and ending with breakfast on Day 10

All internal transport (private minibus)

Entry fees to all attractions as mentioned in the itinerary

Unlimited photographic coaching and support from two professional photographers with a maximum 4:1 tutoring ratio

Small groups of maximum 8 participants

Trip price pp: £3500

What’s excluded:

International travel to / from Bucharest

Visas, insurance or vaccinations as required

Drinks, snacks or meals other what what is included

Any additional nights or entry fees for attractions not mentioned in itinerary

Get in touch now if you’re interested to come along!