EuRo Eclipse 99 The Culture Tour Period: 8-15 August 1999

Arrival on Otopeni International Airport in Bucharest. Meet our guide at the airport. Transfer to the hotel in town. In the way short sightseeing of the main avenues. Accommodation and dinner at Lebada Hotel (4*).

Good morning Bucharest! Breakfast. Visit Military Museum of Bucharest - a veritable mirror of Romanian people's life along time. Visit the ancient area of the town: The Old Court - founded in 1459 by Vlad the Impaler Dracula, The Princiary Church - founded in XVIth century by Mircea Ciobanul, Manuc's Inn - XVIIIth century, Stavropoleos Church - religious jewelry of Romanian architecture founded by the monk Ioaniche. From Union Square go to the former House of People, today Romanian Parliament. Visit Patriarchal Church - the first church in Romania, brancovenesc style and visit The Deputies Chamber's Palace (outside). Visit the boulevards by coach (Carol, Elisabeta, Magheru, Victoriei) and the neoclassical palaces of Bucharest - the Royal Palace, Romanian Athenaeum, Cantacuzino Palace, the University, the National Theatre and residential area: the Triumph Arch, Herastrau Park and Casin Monastery. Visit the Village Museum - one of most beautiful ethnographic museum of Europe, who bring together over seventy original peasans houses from whole Romania. Optional visit to Bucharest Astronomical Observatory "Amiral Vasile Urseanu" (15 US$/person). Folkloric night at the splendid Casa Alba Restaurant situated in the very old Baneasa Forest. Accommodation at Hotel Lebada (4*).

Breakfast. Leave to Curtea de Arges, one of the most famous Romania’s historical monument. Here is the place where are barry the Romanian’s Kings. Visit Biserica Domneasca, the first monument of religious architecture of large dimensions who was built in Romania. Visit Bistrita Monastery, built in 1490 by the Craiovesti boyars. Stop to Polovragi. Here you can visit the monastery (1470) and the caves. Dinner. Accommodation and dinner to Hurezi Monastery.

Breakfast. Waiting for the Great Moment: the last Total Solar Eclipse of the millennium! Observing the eclipse within his maximum visibility area near Ramnicu Valcea (umbral duration 2m23s). Take your time to enjoy in the afternoon the beauty of the county and chat about the most spectacular natural event of the end of millenium you have just see. Dinner and accommodation to Hurezi Monastery.

Breakfast. Leave to Targu Jiu. Visit the town known for the memory of Constantin Brancusi, and some of his famous sculptures. The memorial Ensemble. Continue to Hunedoara. Visit Huniazi Castle, built in the XIVth century and considered the most important of Gothic lay architecture in Transylvania. Continue your way to Sibiu via Sebes. Accommodation and dinner at Imparatul Romanilor (3*) hotel in Sibiu.

Breakfast. Sightseeing of mediaeval Sibiu, including Bruckenthal Museum, a sober and elegant museum who would impress any specialist. Baron Bruckethal was a man of great refinement, an art lover who collected fine paintings, engravings, art objects, books, furniture etc. In his testament he expressed his desire to have the palace turned into a museum open to visitors. Since 1817, the Bruckenthal Museum has continually increased its collections and become an institution of European repute. Visit the Evangelical Church. Departure to Sighisoara - the best preserved city from XV-th century. Visit Old Citadel, Clock Tower, the house were Vlad Dracul was born. Departure to Poiana Brasov. Dinner to the restaurant "Sura Dacilor", in the sound of Romanian popular music. Overnight at 3* hotel in Poiana Brasov.

Breakfast. Sightseeing of mediaeval Brasov including Black Church, Weavers Bastion, Council Square, Saint Nicolas Church. Visit Bran Castle - the controversy and contested Dracula's palace built in the XIV century. Here you will also see the Ethnographic Museum with houses from the Brasov area, and visit the Customs Museum. Departure to Sinaia via Paraul Rece. Visit Sinaia Monastery, old monks monastery built by the voevod Serban Cantacuzino. Accommodation and dinner in Sinaia at Palace/Economat hotel (3*).

Breakfast. Visit Peles Castle - former summer royal residence of Kings of Romania, inaugurated on the 7th of October 1883. The fairylike beauty of the landscape at the foot of the Bucegi mountains had fascinated the young German prince Carol I of Hohenzollern who was to become the king and founder of modern Romania. The Peles Castle has 106 rooms, an imposing reception hall with fine ornaments of inlaid wood, a gallery of mirrors and a Florentine hall where one can admire splendid Murano handeliers, a Mauresque drawing room and also a Turkish one. The edifice is surrounded by a terraced garden. A bronze fountain is watched over by two bronze dogs. Transfer to Otopeni airport for afternoon departure. Farewell Romania...

Price of the package: 690 US$/pers, valid for a group of 20 persons. Includes: 7 nights accommodation in the listed hotels, full board, transportation by coach, air conditioning, entrance fees in the museums, English speaking guide, minimum astronomical assistance. Single supplement: 99 US$.

Deposit: 250 US$/pers, payable to TSE 99 in Canada until 1st May 1999;
Balance: 440 US$/pers + (99 US$/pers single suppl), payable to Romantic Travel in Romania until 1st July 1999.