Moldova & Eastern Romania

Day 1 – Flight to Iaşi, Romania

Early flight from London via Vienna for a mid-afternoon arrival in Iaşi for an overnight stay in a centrally located hotel.

Day 2 – Chişinau

A short drive brings us to the Moldovan border from where we continue through pleasant scenery to Chişinau, Moldova’s capital city, for a 2-night stay. There will be time to explore this charming city with its surprising number of parks and other green spaces.

Day 3 – Mimi Castle & Winery

Taking the train to Bulboaca, we visit a winery and elegant chateau to enjoy wine tasting, lunch (all included) and time to look around the beautiful surroundings. Return to Chişinau by train.

Day 4 – Cricova & Butuceni

Out first visit today is the nearby Cricova winery for an underground tour of its vast complex where wine is produced on an industrial scale and underground transport is by “golf cart”. Wine tasting and lunch are again included. We continue to the remote village of Butuceni, nestling deep in a river valley and dominated by its tiny monastery on a cliff top. There will be time to visit its underground chapel which opens onto the cliff face. 2-night stay in the village with evening meals included.

Day 5 – Tipova

Visit the village of Tipova where the River Dniester has carved a deep wide valley offering superb views across to Transdniester, the disputed breakaway part of Moldova still under Russian influence and where, of course, we don’t venture. We visit Eastern Europe’s largest cave monastery and lunch (included) is in the charming nearby riverside village of Lalova.

Day 6 – Across the Border

Return to Chişinau to enjoy a little free time before catching the late afternoon train to Romania. At the border, our train is lifted to replace the Russian broad gauge bogies with those for the European standard gauge. We reach Iaşi in late evening and transfer to our hotel for a 2-night stay.

Day 7 – Iaşi by Tram

Iaşi is a tram enthusiast’s paradise. As well as modern trams, there are many older trams of the sixties and seventies from various German cities still in regular operation. We hire a vintage tram for the morning for a tour of the system. Afternoon at leisure for independent sightseeing as the city has much to offer.

Day 8 – Probota Painted Monastery

Visit one of Bucovina’s famous painted churches at Probota, with lunch (included) in a village en route, before driving to the province of Bucovina and the village of Moldovita. Here we stay for the 2 nights on full board.

Day 9 – Moldovita & Sucevita

We ride the scenic Moldovita narrow gauge steam railway (a former forestry line), visit the Moldovita and Sucevita painted monasteries and enjoy a stunning drive through mountain scenery.

Day 10 – Gura Humorului to Iaşi

After a short visit to Voronet Painted Monastery and the regional market town of Gura Humorului, we catch the mid-afternoon train back to Iaşi, arriving early evening.

Day 11- Iaşi to London

Transfer to the airport for the afternoon flight via Vienna to London, arriving mid-evening.