Best Romania Archaeology Tour

Romania has an ancient civilization, thousand years ago these fertile blessed lands have been by the people who were hunting and farming. Only one month ago, during excavation works for the building of a highway, it has been discovered an 8000 years old written stone plate, probably the oldest writing world wide.

The Romanian dances are a major subject of interests, the songs set the language barrier

Is is fascinating to navigate through the Romanian history, searching artifacts and thinking to the daily life of the people. Even this thing I am going to propose you, in an unforgettable History and Archaeology Tour of Romania. We are going to start from the antique Greek and Roman times in Tomis, the father of the today Constanta. I propose you also something based on the overexagerated legend of Dracula, and I am not going to miss a visit in the most important History and Archaeology Museums in Romania, in Bucharest and Constanta. Bear in mind that the time is late for this year, the winter comes and is knocking on the door. My tip: still possible to do and book this year, getting a 10 % off discount!

The antic ruins of Histria are simply fascinating if try to figure the daily life in those  old times

Day One  
Arrive in Bucharest, drive to hotel in Constanța. At the moment Constanta is not anymore animated and overcrowded, an excellent season for visiting the charming city

Day Two
Explore Constanța, the ancient city of Tomis, including some current excavations, including the ‘mosaic building’. The large museum houses finds from all over Dobrogea, including the famous ‘Sculpture Treasury’.

Contemporary Bucharest

Day Three
Day at Histria, the largest excavation site in Romania. It was an ancient Milesian apoikia (trading colony) from the 7th century BC, which was subsequently abandoned. Most of the visible monuments are Late Roman in date, including city walls, baths and several Christian basilicas.

Day Four
Drive to Adamclisi to see the Tropaeum Traiani, the triumphal monument erected in celebration of Trajan’s vistory over the Dacians - the provincial counterpart to Trajan’s column in Rome, one of the very few such monuments which still survives. Continue to Bucharest. Optional, wine tasting in Murfatlar.

The monument of Adamclisi celebrates the Roman conquest of the ancient Dacia 

Day Five
National Museum in Bucharest, containing treasures from all over Romania, including lifesize replicas of the reliefs of Trajan’s column in Rome. The museum’s ‘treasury’ is also very impressive displaying Romania’s most valuable artefacts (including much gold and silver) from prehistory to the modern era. ‘Pharaonic House of the People’, the world’s largest civilian building, built under the Ceausescu regime, which now houses the Romanian Parliament. The old city of Bucharest is changing fast - those who want to see it should hurry! Free afternoon. Discover the typical architecture of an Orthodoxe church in archbishopic of Bucharest. Extra free discount: Bucharest Architectural Tour

Day Six
Drive along the Prahova Valley to Bran Castle, popularly linked with Dracula, founded in the 14th century and later used as a defence against the Ottoman Empire. Continue to Brasov (‘Black Church’) and city break

Sarmizegetusa in the mountains, the former Capital of Dacia

Day Seven
Sibiu, a Medieval town founded in the 12th century by Saxon settlers, became the most important of Translyvania’s ‘seven cities’. Charming old town with narrow lanes, Medieval houses, churches, merchants guild and the Bruckenthal Palace, which houses one of Romania’s largest and oldest museums. It was European ‘Capital of Culture’ in 2007.

Day Eight
Sarmizegetusa Regia, capital of the Dacian kingdom - monumental architecture with Greek influence, and a quite unique appearance, including defensive walls, artificial terraces, temples and sanctuaries. Nearby fort of Costesti.

Day Nine
Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, capital of the Roman province of Dacia, with amphitheatre, temples, forum and the residence of the province’s financial procurator. On to the Gothic Hunyad Castle at Hunedoara, associated with John Hunyadi, the Romanian general who fought the Turks.

Day Ten
Drive back to Bucharest for flights home.

Total costs of 990 Euros include good *** hotels with lunch, breakfast and lunch, as also all necessary fees and entrances,  but exclude the flight, the optional wine tasting and tipping.

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Visiting Sighisoara, in the heart of Transilvania

Nowadays Sighisoara only counts 30 000 inhabitants, a small town also. But professionally speaking, is the uncrowned capital of the touristic Romania.

On the narow Medieval streets of Sighisoara fortress. You may see the Clock Tower.

Reaching Sighisoara from any direction, you will be mesmerized by its clean Medieval aspect. A masterpiece indeed, so nice, that many people ask : " How was Sighisoara spared by the destroy of the Communism?" If you are familiar with the German Gothic and Baroque architecture, you will be at home in Sighisoara! Which had been for centuries a Saxon city and fortress in Transilvania.

During the Carnivals of Sighisoara, the Medieval toilets are a must

The Fortress of Sighisoara (German Schassburg) is very well preserved and probably once again unique, as it is still populated today. Some of the local German Saxons come back in pension, due to the low costs of life in Romania. Within a short walk you can reach the Clock Tower (requires reparations), History Museum, Dracula House, and the wonderful Fortress Square. A little bit further, after a short ascension over 200 stairs you can reach the Church Hill and have a wonderful panorama of the city. The Church is worth a visit ( a small fee to be paid) as hosts some interesting artefacts from other fortresses of Transilvania, and has a centuries long history behind. The neighboring cemetery is very interesting and again historically significant, with the graves of many German rulers and archbishops. After all these efforts you will be rewarded in one of the town's many restaurants, maybe even in Dracula House! Is not the only one in Sighisoara, of course, but has excellent service and  good King's meal. About the price, don't forget the Historical charge.

Eating in Dracula House is still an event, and fortunately not a dangerous anymore

If you are tired, and it is summer, forget any hope to get a room, the town is overcrowded. You need reservation and booking, of course. Even at Binder Bubi, the best hotel in the town, with 5 stars, everything is booked. Also important, in summer there is a medieval festival on the last Sunday of July, with camp fires and fancy toilets. Keep in mind, is important, maybe you want to take part, or you want to avoid.

Restaurant of the Hotel Binder Bubi Sighisoara proudly holds its *****

So many things to do in Sighisoara. It is surely a mistake coming to Romania and neglecting Sighisoara!

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Myths, legends and facts about Dracula

Bram Stoker's book "Dracula" is purely fiction, nevertheless based on some historical truths. Personally, I was first shocked and hurt by the book, and its references, but nowadays as a travel guide I find it very useful for promoting the Romanian tourism.

Vlad Tepes Dracula, a scupture from his birthhouse, which is nowadays a good restaurant in Sighisoara.

Those undesired references to Transilvania and Romania turned to be very good for having some fun. There are some places in Romania who had nothing to do with Vlad Tepes "Dracula" during Middle Age, but nowadays exploit its legend and organize an excellent marketing for it (e.g. Bran Castle, Fantanele Castle on Borgo Pass, Snagov Monastery etc).

Medieval Weapons, contemporary with Vlad Tepes Dracula, as exposed in  Restaurant Casa Vlad Dracul

The true facts in brief: Vlad Tepes Dracula was born in Sighisoara and ruled in the Romanian Valachia. Nowadays his birthhouse became a restaurant, where is also possible to see a sculpture of the cruel ruler, together with some Medieval weapons. While his father ruled Vallachia he has been send to Istanbul, as a guarantee for a good behavior to the protecting Ottoman Turks. There he learned a lot about the Turkish language and culture, but started to look his expedition in Istanbul as a captivity, hating the Turks to dead.

The Myth of Dracula is an excellent opportunity for having some fun

Later, during his main reign of 1456-1462, based on his natural born addiction to violence and his hate against Turks, he managed to do 100000 victims, most of them Turks. As an observation, the number is perhaps exaggerated (probably doubled or tripled) and the local political enemies have not been spared.Most of them falled through impalement, his favorite torture and execution method. He choosed probably this method, because he knew what a disgrace is for a Muslim perishing in this manner.

Eating in Dracula House is always an event

Starting from these facts, the book of  Bram Stroker tell the story of the count Dracula moving from Transilvania to London, and being addicted to blood and violence. Simply fiction, of course, but a good start for learning much more about Romania indeed. It even happened in Dracula castle from Piatra Fantanele on Borgo Pass, that a tourist complained about Dracula pawing her breast. I tried to explain her that Dracula is dead centuries ago, but it was useless!

I have tried to select all the places significantly tied to Dracula in Transilvania and Romania, and proposed a few interesting tours in Transilvania and Romania. Be sure to use this long hot Romanian Autumn, which is really fantastic.

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The Romanian Dracula  Tour

The historic truth served as a base for a well known novel of Bram Stoker . There was a Wallachian ruler called Vlad Tepes (The Impaler) who was a very cruel man, his favorite execution method being the impalement. He hated the Turks and strongly fought against them, being celebrate as an athlete of Christianity and being supported even by the Pope.

Vlad Tepes The Impaler, also called Dracula, was cruel, severe, but right and fair, according to Romanian myths and legends

He had no trust in the local influent big boyars, who betrayed his father. These categories of enemies of Vlad Tepes gave him the unhappy opportunities to execute many of them. In the Romanian myths and legends, Vlad Tepes has been portrayed as a right, but severe ruler. His opened mass executions freightened even the big Sultan Mehmet II The Conqueror, coming to Wallachia to cash his tribute or kill Vlad Tepes. So, Mehmet II lost his temper and gone back, when seeing terrible scenes of impaled Turks ( a slow difficult death).

Starting from this truth, Bram Stroker's Novel made from Dracula a world symbol of horror, which is a terrible mistification. But we shall also marketing the Dracula legacy! And I gathered in this Romanian Dracula Tour everything which can remember the life and rule of Vlad Tepes Impaler.

Sighisoara is the birthplace of Vlad Tepes, and a well preserved medieval fortress

Day 1 Sighisoara in Transilvania is the birth place of Vlad Tepes The Impaler. The town of Sighisoara is even nowadays a very well preserved medieval fortress, and many buildings look in the same way they did a few centuries ago, during Tepes childhood. Stay a day there, walk and look the traces of Dracula. Wine tasting in Jidvei possible, and even probable.

The Bran Castle has many in common with Dracula  and makes a good marketing and publicity for it

Day 2 Travel to Cabana Fantanele, a mountain chalet, where Dracula used to refugiate, and Bran Castle, where you can find a torture room and the genuine atmosphere of the old times. You are supposed to eat a lot of garlic during all the day, in order to keep the Devil away (The Romanian Dracula originates from Dracu, or Devil). Not recommended for people with heart diseases, and only possible with a prescription from you Physician.

The Monastery of Snagov  hosts, according the legend,  the tomb  of Dracula

Day 3 Travel to Bucharest and visit the Monastery of Snagov, where according to the legend Vlad Tepes the Impaler was buried. This is again a mistification, he lies most probably in Comana monastery! Besides, you can visit other nice places in Bucharest or one of its wine tasting rooms.
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