Tour overview

This 10-day small-group trip crosses Hungary and Romania from Budapest to Bucharest, taking in wine country, rural traditions and the medieval towns of Transylvania. Groups have no more than 12 travellers aged 15 and over, with a leader throughout. You travel by train and private vehicle, and stay mainly in hotels, with family-run pensions in Maramureș and a night in a village homestay in Viscri. Breakfast is included most days, with three dinners, one of them home-cooked in Viscri. The trip is land-only, starting in Budapest and ending in Bucharest.

After a first evening in Budapest, a train takes you east to Eger, a Baroque town known for repelling an Ottoman siege in 1552. In the Valley of the Beautiful Women you sample its famous Bull's Blood red wine in the cellars cut into the hillside. A stop at Debrecen's colourful main square and its Great Church leads across the plains into Maramureș, in Romania's far north.

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Maramureș is one of the last places in Europe where traditional village life carries on much as it always has. With a local guide you visit the wooden churches, several of them UNESCO-listed, the tall timber Bârsana Monastery, a village museum and a local distillery. You also see the Merry Cemetery at Săpânța, where brightly painted wooden crosses tell the life stories of the people buried there, often with a dry sense of humour.

In Transylvania, Sighișoara is a walled medieval town of towers and steep lanes, and the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler. Viscri, a Saxon village of pastel houses and a fortified church that has changed little in centuries, is the setting for a night with a local family and a home-cooked dinner. Next comes Bran Castle on its rocky crag, linked with Bram Stoker's Dracula, and two nights in Brașov, a medieval trading town at the foot of the Carpathians, home to the Gothic Black Church. A train takes you south to Bucharest for a walking tour with a local guide.

The physical rating is low, and the pace suits travellers who like to mix guided visits with free time. It is a good-value introduction to two countries with a long, layered history, from Habsburg and Ottoman times to the communist era.

Trip highlights

  • A wine tasting in Eger's Valley of the Beautiful Women (Day 2)
  • The wooden churches and Bârsana Monastery of Maramureș (Day 4)
  • The painted crosses of the Merry Cemetery at Săpânța (Day 4)
  • The medieval citadel of Sighișoara (Day 5)
  • A homestay and home-cooked dinner in Saxon Viscri (Day 6)
  • Bran Castle and the old town of Brașov (Days 7–8)

Your route

10 stops from Budapest to Bucharest

10-day route: Budapest – Eger – Maramureș – Sighișoara – Viscri – Bran – Brașov – Bucharest
  1. Budapest Day 1
  2. Eger Day 2
  3. Debrecen Day 3
  4. Maramures Days 3–4
  5. Sapanta Day 4
  6. Sighisoara Day 5
  7. Viscri Day 6
  8. Bran Castle Day 7
  9. Brasov Days 7–8
  10. Bucharest Day 9

Why choose this tour

Goes beyond Transylvania's famous towns to Maramureș, one of Europe's most traditional rural regions. A small group, a village homestay and good-value pricing make it an easy way into Romania.

Best suited to

  • First-time visitors to Romania and Eastern Europe
  • Travellers interested in folk traditions and rural life
  • Anyone who enjoys castles, medieval towns and wine
  • Travellers looking for a short, good-value small-group trip
Bran Castle above the forest in Transylvania, Romania

Day-by-day itinerary

10 days from Budapest, Hungary to Bucharest, Romania

  1. Day 1 · Budapest Arrive in Budapest

    Arrive in Budapest, a city of grand boulevards and buildings on both banks of the Danube. There is a welcome meeting at 6pm, and afterwards you might head out for dinner or a walk along the river.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  2. Day 2 · Eger, Valley of the Beautiful Women Train to Eger

    Take the train east to Eger, a Baroque town ringed by vineyards, famous for holding out against an Ottoman siege in 1552. Visit the cellars of the Valley of the Beautiful Women to sample Bull's Blood, the local red wine.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · Debrecen, Maramureș Debrecen to Maramureș

    Travel to Debrecen, with time to explore its fountains, colourful buildings and the golden Great Church. Continue by private vehicle across the plains into Romania's Maramureș region, where traditional village life is still very much alive.

    Hotel
    Family-run pension
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  4. Day 4 · Săpânța, Bârsana Monastery, Maramureș Maramureș villages and the Merry Cemetery

    Spend the day with a local guide, visiting UNESCO-listed wooden churches, the tall timber Bârsana Monastery, a village museum and a local distillery. At Săpânța, see the Merry Cemetery, where painted wooden crosses tell the stories of the people buried there.

    Hotel
    Family-run pension
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  5. Day 5 · Sighișoara Sighișoara

    A scenic drive brings you to Sighișoara, a walled medieval town and UNESCO World Heritage Site, birthplace of Vlad the Impaler. Join an orientation walk through its cobbled lanes, towers and clock tower.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  6. Day 6 · Viscri Viscri homestay

    After free time in Sighișoara, drive to Viscri, a Saxon village of red roofs and pastel houses that has changed little in 900 years. Visit its fortified church, then share a home-cooked dinner with your host family.

    Hotel
    Village homestay
    Meals
    Dinner
  7. Day 7 · Bran Castle, Brașov Bran Castle and Brașov

    Visit Bran Castle, perched on a rocky crag among pine trees and linked with Bram Stoker's Dracula. Continue to Brașov, a medieval trading town at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Brașov, Black Church Free day in Brașov

    Explore Brașov at your own pace. See the Gothic Black Church, named after its walls were blackened by fire in 1689, and the Council Square. You might ride the cable car up Mount Tâmpa, or visit Râșnov Fortress nearby.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  9. Day 9 · Bucharest Train to Bucharest

    Take the train south to Bucharest. A walking tour with a local guide introduces the capital's Art Nouveau buildings, old churches and monasteries, parks and grand boulevards, and the vast Palace of the Parliament.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  10. Day 10 · Bucharest Trip ends in Bucharest

    The trip ends after breakfast, and you are free to leave at any time. Extra nights in Bucharest can be arranged when you book.

    Meals
    Breakfast
Eger Basilica above the town rooftops, Hungary

Where you stay

  • Budapest (1 night) Hotel
  • Eger (1 night) Hotel
  • Maramureș (2 nights) Family-run pension
  • Sighișoara (1 night) Hotel
  • Viscri (1 night) Village homestay
  • Brașov (2 nights) Hotel
  • Bucharest (1 night) Hotel

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 9 nights in hotels, pensions and a village homestay
  • Meals 8 breakfasts and 3 dinners, including a home-cooked dinner in Viscri
  • Transport trains from Budapest to Eger and from Brașov to Bucharest, and a private vehicle in between
  • Guided visits a Maramureș day tour with a local guide, the Merry Cemetery, Bârsana Monastery, a distillery and village museum, Viscri's fortified church, Bran Castle and a Bucharest walking tour
  • Wine sampling in Eger and an orientation walk in Sighișoara
  • Tour leader throughout

Not included

  • International flights to Budapest and from Bucharest
  • Airport transfers
  • Meals not listed, including most lunches
  • Optional activities, such as thermal baths or Râșnov Fortress
  • Single supplement (not available in Viscri), tips, travel insurance and personal spending
Two women in traditional Romanian folk costume on a wooden porch

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want flights included — they are not
  • You want most meals included — 8 breakfasts and 3 dinners
  • You need air-conditioning everywhere — some pensions and the homestay do not have it
  • You want a single room every night — not available at the Viscri homestay

Good to know

FCDO advice UK FCDO travel advice for Hungary · UK FCDO travel advice for Romania
The wooden Bârsana Monastery in Maramureș, Romania

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £1,890 per person, twin share, tour only. 36 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

How do we travel between places?

By train from Budapest to Eger and from Brașov to Bucharest, and by private vehicle for the rest of the route, including the border crossing into Romania.

What is the Viscri homestay like?

You spend one night with a local family in a traditional village house. It is simple and comfortable, rooms are shared, and dinner is home-cooked by your hosts.

Is Bran Castle really Dracula's castle?

It is the castle most often linked with Bram Stoker's novel, although Vlad the Impaler probably had little to do with it. It is impressive in its own right, high on a cliff above the valley.

How active is the trip?

The physical rating is low. Expect walking on cobbled streets and some steps at the castle and fortified church.

What meals are included?

8 breakfasts and 3 dinners, including two dinners in Maramureș and a home-cooked dinner in Viscri. Other meals are at your own expense.

Are flights included?

No. You fly into Budapest and out of Bucharest. Extra nights before or after the trip can be arranged.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary

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