Programme of the Enescu Festival, taaking place in September 2011.

1^st Day, Sa: Bucharest. A Metropolitan City
Individual arrival to Bucharest's International Airport. Transfer to the hotel through the village of Otopeni. A sightseeing tour (ca. 3 hours) of Bucharest, including the House of the Press, the Triumph Arch, Victory Square, Victory Avenue, the Cişmigiu Garden, Monument of the Sanitary Heroes, Military Academy, Cotroceni Palace, the House of the People, and the Roman Square, shall give us an overview on the city. Attendance of a musical performance one of the concerts of the George Enescu International Festival (2011 or 2013) or an alternative show on request. Accommodation in the chosen hotel of Bucharest.

2^nd Day, SU: The Road of the Princes
After a delicious breakfast, depart for our tour of the day. We shall leave Bucharest for Târgovişte, the third Valahian Capital. The Old Court, Church Stelea, in Moldovan style, the Old Metropolitan Church and Pătraşcu-Museum, a museum showing some of the paintings of the big Romanian painter are all interestig sites thatthe city offers. During the evening, we shall reach our destination for the day, the village Valea Mare-Pravăţ. Accommodation in the Pension Valea Mare.

3^rd Day, MO: Câmpulung. The First Vallahian Capital
After a delicious breakfast, depart for our tour of the day. During the time of the legendary Negru Vodă (The Black Lord), who descended here in the 14^th century, Câmpulung was the Capital of Valahia. No Princiary Court is known here, though. It is assumed he was ruling from today’s Monastery Negru Vodă. A brief tour of the city shall present us the nice and unspoiled city of Câmpulung, a city not being destroyed greatly during communist times. A visit to the Ethnographic Museum is worth the while. The Catholic Church is only one of the buildings of the German Saxons of Northern Valahia - it is little known of the Saxons of this part of Romania, in Transylvania it is widely known of their historic role. Some free time to stroll through the town and its markets, shops and cafes. During the early afternoon, return to Valea Mare-Pravăţ for a free afternoon. Walking possibilities on the nearby hills are endless. Back to Valea Mare-Pravăţ for dinner and accommodation. Accommodation in the Pension Valea Mare.

4^th Day, TU: Romantic Road
After a delicious breakfast, depart for our tour of the day. This morning we shall depart through a scenic road used until the 19^th century by the merchants trading with Transylvania, Valahia and the far south - the Ottoman Empire. Our first stop en route is the Monument to the Heroes of WW I, that presents the history of WW I in the area, with a light and sound show of a fight scene in the area. Upon interest, we shall research the area of the battle fields, some of the trenches of the fight can be seen still. Further we drive through Dragoslavele to Bran, in Transylvania, passing the now historic border between Valahia and Transylvania. Just behind the border, there we find still the Bran Castle, that has become known as Dracula Castle. Legend and real history do mingle here together and we shall know, by the end of the tour to differentiate between the two. Visit the castle shortly after lunch at a nearby restaurant. By the late afternoon or early evening we shall be back to Valea Mare-Pravăţ for dinner and accommodation. Accommodation in the Pension Valea Mare.

5^th Day, WE: Second Valahian Capital. Retreat of last resort
After a delicious breakfast, depart for our tour of the day. Shortly after Negru Vodă, the Capital of the newly formed country had to be moved to a region, where there was less movement - and that was Curtea de Argeş. Little is being preserved from the Old Court, however, the church of the former monastery has been restored during the reign of Charles I, to become the Necropolis of the Royal Family of Romania. Further we drive to Poienari, in the Făgăraş Mountains, the highest mountain range in Romania. Some nearly 1500 steps lead us to the stronghold used by Vlad the Impellor (Dracula) during a fight with the Ottoman Army as a retreat of last resort for his army - by far outnumbered by the one of his enemy. Back to Valea Mare-Pravăţ for dinner and accommodation. Accommodation in the Pension Valea Mare.

6^th Day, THU: European Coalition of the 16th century
After breakfast, we shall depart to the point, where 1596, after a near desaster at Călugăreni, a European military coalition gathered to defeat the Ottoman Army. The Cross of Michael the Brave marks the moment of a truly european-wide coallition (Florentine, Transylvanian, Moldavian, Valahian troups) gathered here to stop the Ottoman conquest. Further we shall visit the Cetățuia Monastery, that resambles to some extent the Greek Meteora. From the road, an easy to medium mountain trail leads us through a gipsy settlement to the monastery. Back to Valea Mare Pravăț for dinner and accommodation.

7^th Day, FRI: Horse-driven chart on the forestry roads
After breakfast, we shall visit the Monastery of Nămăieşti, a monastery carved in stone, possibly a non-Chirstian temple at its origins, that should exist since the times of the Apostles. From there, we shall drive a horse-driven chart through the beautiful forests surrounding the village. On grill we shall have today a traditiional bulz. Back to Valea Mare Pravăț for dinner and accommodation.

8^th Day, Sat: Back to Bucharest
After breakfast, depart for Golesti, where we shall visit the property of the Golescu family, an important Liberal Family of the mid-19th century, now a museum in state ownership. In Bucharest, we shall take a walking tour of the Old Centre, with a particular emphasis on the Old Court, the residence of the Valahian rulers since the 16^th century. Bucharest was documented, though, in the mid-15^th century, under Vlad the Impellor, who became later known as Dracula. Dinner and accommodation in Bucharest.

9^th day, SUN: End of tour
After breakfast we shall visit one more castle on the Road of the Princes - Mogoșoaia Castle. It is a masterpiece of the Brâncoveanu architecture of the 18th century. Time comes then to say good-bye and to close our tour. Transfer to the airport in good time for the plane.

Info page with operation, weather and rates