WHY IT'S DIFFERENT?
Travel through time, discover the real authentic Romania including its famous UNESCO wooden churches and stunning painted monasteries.
BOOK TODAY $354.75 DEPOSIT PER PERSON
Based on two people sharing, not including flights learn more
Painted monasteries
Their are eight monasteries dotted throughout Suceava County. You won't get to visit them all but we have hand-picked the most beautiful and interesting monasteries for you to explore.
The Wooden Churches
The countryside of Maramures is peppered with beautiful wooden churches that date all the way back to the 17th and 18th centuries and have made it onto the acclaimed list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The Merry Cemetery
The Merry Cemetery is a cemetery is famed for its colourful tombstones with naïve paintings describing, in an original and poetic manner, the people who are buried there as well as scenes from their lives.
Salina Turda
Salina Turda is Romania's most famous and surreal salt mine. Its more akin to a theme park than a salt mine with a number of activities available from a ferris wheel to mini golf to rowing.
“Fantastic experience from start to finish! We will definitely be using them again. I’m sure the whole team are great but we had Marius and he’s a star!!!”
Ben Herbert - Guest
YOUR EXPERIENCE
Take a journey through time and discover the real Romania on a cultural back-to-basics style trip through the Maramures and Bucovina regions. In Maramures, you will be staying in simple guesthouses that are hosted by locals, warmly invited to share peasant customs and traditions typical of the village life such as helping farmers herd buffalo and getting your hands dirty making jam from freshly picked berries. Admire the region’s famous UNESCO wooden churches, including the tallest wooden church in the world, learn more about Romania’s history of communism in Sighet and gain a new perspective at the charming Merry Cemetery. You'll then travel onwards to Bucovina where the simple, traditional life is beautifully woven with the history of the UNESCO painted monasteries. Spend the next few days admiring these heritage sites of Moldova and learn more about the past of these regions. You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy Northern Romania's natural surroundings and the easy pace of rural Romanian lifestyle, giving you a real slice of traditional life.
YOUR EXPERTS
NEED TO KNOW
| DESTINATION | Romania |
| DURATION | 7 nights |
| GROUP SIZE | 16 people |
| ASSISTANCE | Hands on |
| AIRPORT(S) | Cluj |
| FLIGHTS | For more information on flights from the UK please refer to the Trip Details section. |
| VISA | UK, EU & US not required |
| VACCINATIONS | No |
Arrival in Cluj and transfer directly to your hotel. Afternoon and evening to relax and explore the city. Overnight in Cluj.
Morning transfer to the Turda salt mine, before transferring through the rural Romanian countryside to to Breb, via Rogoz and its stunning wooden church. Settle in to your local cottage and enjoy an evening at your leisure in Breb.
INCLUDED
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Sunday morning traditional church service in Maramures at a local wooden church before travelling to Sighet and Sapanta to visit Romania’s Memorial of the Victims of Communism Museum as well as the charming Merry Cemetery. Evening back in Breb.
INCLUDED
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
After breakfast visit the old mill and whirlpool in the nearby village of Sarbi. Travel to Budesti, stopping at the wooden church and see the 315 year old shirt of Pintea Haiducul. Enjoy lunch and head back to Breb where you can get your hands dirty with the available village activities, depending on the season. Enjoy dinner before heading back to Breb.
INCLUDED
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Today you will be travelling onwards to Bucovina and visiting some of its impressive painted monasteries on the way. In the evening, sit down for dinner (not included) at your guesthouse in Gura Humorului.
INCLUDED
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Morning Visit to UNESCO Humor Monastery. Travel through Bucovina to UNESCO Arbore Church, one of eight buildings making up the churches of Moldova. Travel to Putna Monastery, stopping for lunch on the way. Explore Sucevita Monastery, before traveling back to Gura Humorului.
INCLUDED
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Travel to Moldovita Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and then on to Cluj via Colibita Lake. Arrive back to Cluj for your final evening in northern Romania.
INCLUDED
A selection of our accommodation, which is subject to availability, however alternatives are always of a similar price, grade and location.
Breb
Romania
Located in the centre of Maramures, Breb is excellently placed to easily visit the nearby sights such as the wooden churches and the Merry cemetery.
Typical Accommodation: Village Hotel, Casa din Vale or similar
Gura Humorului
Romania
Gorgeous, authentic accommodation near to the Painted Monasteries, making it the perfect base to explore the surrounding area.
Typical Accommodation: La Roata, Bucovina Lodge or similar
Cluj
Romania
Centrally located near the main square, you'll be able to visit Cluj's main sights on foot, as well as the vibrant cafe, restaurant and bar scene.
Typical Accommodation: Capitolina, Chic Boutique or similar
WHERE YOU'RE GOING
Ask most people what comes to mind when they think of Romania and you’re likely to hear something along the lines of Dracula, vampires and gypsies. Yes, the spooky castles pitched on rocky hilltops are certainly vampire-worthy but the only real fangs you’re likely to be exposed to here are those belonging to the wild bears, wolves and lynx that roam the Carpathian Mountains. Once you place the stereotypes aside for a moment, you’ll soon understand how misunderstood, overlooked and vastly underestimated this country is.
FAST FACTS
| CAPITAL | Bucharest |
| POPULATION | 19.29 million |
| CURRENCY | Romanian leu |
| TIME DIFFERENCE | UTC+02:00 |
"Rather than tipping locals when provided with a service or activity, if possible we recommend buying what they have to offer"
Marius G - Untravelled Paths
Try palinka at least once
For those brave enough, there is nothing better to warm the belly than a good shot of the Romanian firewater. Be careful, though, it's strong stuff. As they would toast in Romania "Noroc!".
Along the Enchanted Way
A story of love and life in Romania with much of it set in the areas you're visiting throughout your stay with us. This William Blacker classic is the perfect read for your trip.
Small change
The region you are based in is remote and primitive so be sure to carry some local currency on you, ideally with small change so you can buy local produce and tip where appropriate.
Cross the language barrier
Have a go at the local language, it's a romantic language so those who speak any of the other romantic languages will pick up many of the words quickly such as "salut", "merci" and "ciao".
As a tour operator we are not able to offer inclusive flights as part of our experiences however we are more than happy to help you find the most appropriate incoming and outgoing flights for you. All the listed airports fly directly in and out of Cluj with multiple different airlines to choose from. We highly recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights.
INSURANCE
In order to be fully covered on your trip should anything happen, we suggest getting an insurance before you travel. We recommend True Traveller, designed especially for adventure travel, who will be able to tailor an insurance package based on your needs. You can find out more here.
SOLO TRAVELLERS
Our prices are based on people sharing, for solo travellers who would prefer a private room the price per person will include a solo occupancy fee.
EXTRA NIGHTS
If you wish we can also organise extra nights at either end of your trip for you.
Book your trip in a few easy steps.
Although Romania is a member of the European Union, it does not use the euro (€) but has its own currency - the RON / Leu. The official currency is most commonly referred to as the plural ‘lei’ although some banks and exchange offices list it as the RON. One leu divides into 100 bani with banknotes coming in various denominations normally 1 leu, 5 lei, 10 lei, 50 lei and 100 lei and less commonly, 200 and 500 lei notes. Coins come in 50 bani and 10 bani pieces, which can be useful for small tips or donations.
The easiest option is to head to a cash machine once you’ve checked into your hotel in Cluj to withdraw funds. There are plenty of ATMs around so it’s quick and convenient to get hold of your holiday cash
If you want to come prepared beforehand, the Bureau de Change in M&S is, strangely, one of the only places that dispenses the local currency. You can also purchase currency online and collect it from your local post office or even have it delivered straight to your door. Ordering currency online with the Post Office is commission-free and available for next day delivery. Obviously the more you buy the better rate you’ll receive.
However you choose to get hold of your spending money, just make sure you either spend or convert your RON before you leave.
Most major credit and debit cards (Visa and Mastercard) are accepted throughout Romania’s main towns and cities. While you should have no problem using your card to pay for drinks or dinner in Cluj, it is best to have cash on you during your time in Maramures – some of the more rural villages don’t even exchange currency but pay for things by trading goods. It is always advisable to inform your bank that you’re travelling abroad in order to avoid the frustration of having your card blocked.
As a general rule, you’ll be able to have a good lunch for around £10 a head and will pay around £15 a head for a nice evening meal in Cluj. Naturally, the type of establishment you choose to eat in and what you order will dictate the cost of your meals. Be aware that ordering imported wines can cause your bill to sky-rocket so drinking local wines is advisable. Meals in Maramures cost around £8 a head. We reckon around £70 for lunch, dinner and drinks for two people is plenty per day. Please note that these are rough estimates and you can always choose to spend more or less depending on your budget and preferences.
Tipping is not obligatory in Romania although rounding up taxi fares and adding 10% in restaurants is polite and common practice. If the service has been poor please don’t feel obligated to leave a tip.
Spring: The weather in spring and early summer here in Northern Romania is lovely and pleasant as the intense heat of the summer is yet to arrive and the meadows and rolling hills burst to life with colourful wildflowers carpeting the pastures. While May can bring a fair amount of rain, June tends to be drier and warmer with the chance of the odd thunderstorm here and there.
Summer: In the full swing of summer, visiting Maramures and Cluj in July and August means long hot sunny days and blue skies with little chance of rain. While temperatures can soar to around 40 degrees, it tends to be a little cooler in the mountains so you’ll be able to enjoy the great outdoors either hiking or getting involved with village activities.
Autumn: September brings with it slightly fresher temperatures and a certain sense of tranquillity as the rush to get the hay in from the fields is usually over by this point. You’ll still have warm and very pleasant days with cooler evenings and visits to the wooden churches and the Merry Cemetery are a lot more enjoyable.
You can always contact the UTP team on +44 207 101 4061 or info@untravelledpaths.com. Before you travel, you will also receive a personalised itinerary with the contact details of the local manager in Romania should there be any problems. Your guide will be on hand throughout the trip as well, so you're in safe hands.
Our digital booklet, which you will receive before travel, contains all the information you need about optional activities. Simply drop us an email letting us know what you'd like to do during your trip, and we'll take care of the rest. Please note that the payment for the optional activities will be taken locally in cash.
