The Historic Heartland:

The Saxon Siebenburgen

One Week, from Timisoara

Day One:

Timisoara: Introductions and orientation.

Walking tour of Timişoara, including the Orthodox Cathedral, the Castle,

Piata Unirii, the Synogogue, and the location where the 1989 Revolution began.

Day Two:

Depart Timişoara

          Sarmisegetusa Traiana, the capital city of Roman Dacia.

          Castle Colt, the mysterious and isolated fortress which inspired Jules Verne’s

Castle in the Carpathians.

          Hunedoara Castle, John Hunyadi’s massive and fantastic castle, the finest in

all of Transylvania.

Day Three:

Explore Sarmisegetusa Regia—the ancient Dacian capital city, later

turned into a Roman fort.

          Visit Sebeş—one of the German “Siebenbürgen” and home to

an impressive fortified church.

          Arrive in Sibiu (German “Hermannstadt”).

          Walking night tour of Sibiu.

Day Four:

Morning in Sibiu—visit the famous Brukenthal Museum.

          Transfagaraş Highway—one of the most spectacular mountain roads in Europe.

          Visit Castle Poienari—Built by Vlad the Impaler, it is considered by many to be the real Dracula’s

castle.

          Arrive in Curtea de Argeş, site of one of the finest monestaries in Romania and burial place of

Romania’s kings and queens.

Day Five:

Castle Bran—one of the most picturesque castles in Transylvania.

          Castle Raşnov—a heavily fortified castle built by the Teutonic Knights.

          Arrive in Brasov.

          Walking tour of Brasov (German “Kronstadt”)—a walled city and home to

the impressive “Black Church,” it was the center of the

Saxon Reformation in Transylvania.

Day Six:

Saxon Churches:

Prejmer –a well-preserved example of Saxon architecture.

                   Viscri—one of the most isolated, but also one of the most breathtakingly beautiful.

          Arrive in Sighişoara (German “Schäßburg”).

          Walking tour of Sighişoara.

Day Seven:

Morning in Sighişoara

          Biertan fortified Saxon church, the most famous and spectacular of all the

Saxon churches.

          Copşa Mica, once the most polluted town in Europe.

          Arrive in Timişoara