Magic Christmas in Eastern Europe

15 days
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
Map not provided by operator
Additional images not provided by operator
Video not provided by operator
4.4/5 Great
7 reviews  
86%
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
Private Guided
Romania has kept centuries long traditions related to Christmas in the purest form possible and all are yours to discover on this unique Winter Trip. Start by exploring Cluj Napoca, the unoficial capital of Transylvania and then travel north where Christmas Carols are to be heard at every corner and the old Steam Train awaits for a ride through history. End y...
19%
$2,884
From$2,345
See departure dates

Member Savings

Save up to $700!

Sign in to see which companies give additional
savings to Travelstride Members (it’s free)

Unlock Savings

Overview

Trip type
Private Guided
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Experience unique Christmas Traditions kept as centuries ago\
    • Visit the Merry Cemetery
    • Enjoy a horse - sledge ride through the villages
    • Greet the carolers wandering from house to house dressed in traditional clothes
    • Delight yourself with traditional festive lunch in Maramures
    • Take a ride with the local narrow-gauge steam train
    • Visit the largest salt mine in Romania
    • Explore Corvin Castle
    • Visit the Sibiu Christmas Market
    • Visit the Libearty Bear Sanctuary

What's this trip about?

    Romania has kept centuries long traditions related to Christmas in the purest form possible and all are yours to discover on this unique Winter Trip. Start by exploring Cluj Napoca, the unoficial capital of Transylvania and then travel north where Christmas Carols are to be heard at every corner and the old Steam Train awaits for a ride through history. End your fabulous trip with Sibiu, where fireworks will announce the New Year in the beautiful setting that Transylvania is offering.

Details

Itinerary focusOff the Beaten Path
Group sizePrivate - your group only
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityCluj Napoca
End CityBucharest

Travel Themes

  • Culinary & Wine
  • Cultural
  • Education / Learning
  • Family Friendly
  • Local Immersion & Homestays
  • National Parks
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Photography

Destinations

  • Europe
  • Romania

Attractions

  • Brasov

Activities

  • Culture
  • History
  • Homestays & Cultural Immersion
  • Nature
  • Photography
  • Ruins & Archaeology
  • Wine Tasting

Trip includes

    • All entrance fees
    • Private Guide
    • Private Vehicle
    • Free Wi-fi
    • Complimentary Bottled Water
    • All taxes
    • 14 x Breakfast, 2 x Lunch, 2 x Dinner
    • New Years Eve Festive Dinner

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Day 1  22nd of December

Your Romanian Holiday Tour starts today.

After your arrival in Cluj Napoca, you will meet your English speaking tour guide.

The region of Maramures.  It is a place where unique traditions are still kept as centuries ago and Christmas time is one of the r...

Day 2  23rd of December

You will start with a visit to probably the only happy cemetery in the world called the Merry Cemetery. Its crosses are decorated with lively colors and some funny poems about the life of the deceased.

Then you will travel to Sighetu Marmatiei where you will le...

Day 3  24th of December

You had some time to get used to Maramures so it’s time to start acting like one of the locals! In the first part of the day you will enjoy a horse-sledge ride through the village and countryside.

Then, as every “maramuresean” does on Christmas Eve, you will pr...

Day 4  25th of December

On Christmas Day you will delight yourself with a traditional festive lunch prepared by your hosts.

Then you will find out why Maramures is called “the land of the wooden churches”. You will visit some of the beautiful small churches, made entirely of wood, whi...

Day 5  26h of December

Today you will be introduced to the beautiful nature of the Carpathian Mountains. You will have a ride with the only narrow-gauge steam train in Europe which is still functional today. The train takes you to spectacular landscapes of mountains and valleys. In the hear...

Day 6  27th of December

The best story in Sovata. Our story tour will start with Bernady Gyorgy Mansion, a sumptuous villa for those times, built in romantic style. The construction work began in 1930 and the idea belonged to the then mayor of Targu Mures, Bernady Gyorgy. The building is mad...

Day 7  28th of December

After breakfast, prepare for a trip to Praid salt mines.

A cure with mine salt? Praid salt mine is the perfect place, far from the Sovata resort at only 10 kilometers away! Located in the Gurghiului Basin, in Harghita County,this salt mine is one of the largest...

Day 8  29th of December

We leave Sovata early morning and head towards Sighisoara. In our way, we will stop at Lake Sfanta Ana, the only lake of volcanic origin in Romania, near Tusnad, about 150 kilometers from Sovata. The lake water, fed only by rainfall, has a high purity, similar to that...

Day 9  30th of December

Today you will enjoy a day trip and travel east towards the neighboring counties of Hunedoara and Alba.

Hunedoara is home to Romania’s most important Gothic architectural monument, Corvin Castle. Don’t hesitate to cross the long entrance bridge and find out the...

Day 10  31st of December

This day will be fully dedicated to discovering Sibiu and its captivating attractions. A charming town exuding a bohemian atmosphere where you will spend the next days of your Christmas and New Year’s holidays in Romania.

You can stroll through the Old Town to ...

Day 11  1st of January

As most shops and attractions are closed on the first day of the year you can choose to spend the day relaxing or walking along the beautiful streets of the town. If you wish for a more active day you can travel to Paltinis, a famous area amongst sport lovers where you can ski or ride a bobsled or just have a walk in nature. Accommodation in Sibiu.

Day 12  2nd of January

You will drive from Sibiu towards the Fagaras Mountains and then take a cable car up to Balea Lake, where the ice hotel is built every year. The hotel has everything one would expect from such a place: rooms or igloos decorated with furniture made entirely of ice, sof...

Day 13  3rd of January

In the morning you will say farewell to your ice room, descend the mountain and head to Brasov, a medieval city surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains. On the way there you may stop in the village of Prejmer, home to the largest fortified church in Transylvania. In Br...

Day 14  4th of January

In the morning you will go to Zarnesti to visit the Libearty Bear Sanctuary, a place where formerly captive bears are now kept in safe conditions. You’ll be able to observe them in their natural habitat and find out their moving stories.

Next on your itinerary ...

Day 15  5th of January

On the last day of your Christmas holidays in Romania you will leave Brasov and travel to Bucharest, from where you will take a flight back home.

Want a tailor-made trip instead?

Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:

  • You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
  • Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Design custom trip

Dates & Availability

Price From $2,345
Price per day$156
Last Updated: 12/8/2023

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Eastern European Experience.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Travelstride Gift Card
One card, thousands of extraordinary trips
Gifts Card

Eastern European Experience Reviews & Ratings

4.4/5  Great
Excellent
6
Great
0
Average
0
Disappointing
0
Terrible
1
Write a Review

Other Eastern European Experience Reviews

C

Carrie

Feb 2020

Eastern European Experience Company Reviewsby Eastern European Experience

Thank you Eastern European Experience!

"After being presented different offers in the hotel we decided to book with this company at the recommendation of our receptionist Alex. We were picked up in a bran...

M

Michael

Feb 2020

Eastern European Experience Company Reviewsby Eastern European Experience

Theo was fantastic!

Our day with Theo was fantastic! He is an excellent driver with lots of knowledge about the history of Romania. He also appreciated the importance of Vlad/Dracula fo...

A

Andrei

Aug 2022

Eastern European Experience Company Reviewsby Eastern European Experience

Tour cancelled/moved, no refund

Watch out! We booked tour with East European Experience a tour of the Bucharest Parliament Palace. They cancelled/moved the tour without informing us, so we wasted ...

Write a Review

Travelers also viewed

Tour Operator

Eastern European Experience

none
View Profile

Eastern European Experience started in 2009 as a small family run business and grew into a larger company providing travelers world wide with amazing travel experience all over Eastern Europe exploring unique and cultural enriching itineraries.

Our tours are created by us, based on our experiences and using places were we like to go with our families & friends. This is how we can offer to you first hand knowledge and expertise about the area. All our tours are guided by a handful of carefully selected fully licensed local guides with great experience working for us so you when you are on a tour you have the chance to find out more about the country you are traveling in from every aspect of it.

We like to make sure that you will have great experiences while traveling and what better way to discover a country than by and with its locals. All of our tours are taking you through villages and unbeaten paths so that you meet the local people and craftsmen, the real heart of Eastern Europe. We always like to say that we are in the business of creating great memories not just tours, so join us in exploring a unique part of the world filled with history and legends.

About Travelstride

Find your perfect trip

An epic selection of pre-planned trips on every continent, for every style. Thousands of itineraries from over 1,000 trusted travel companies.

Save time

Use simple search and comparison tools to easily find the best trip. Don't sweat the logistics — travel providers plan for you.

Save money

Book directly with the operator. See inclusive packages for the best values, and get access to amazing deals.

Travel confidently

Read unbiased user reviews, pick the operator that suits your needs, and connect with them directly.

Logistics

What's excluded

    • Single supplement for hotels

Accommodation

,All hotels are located in central locations
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

14 x breakfast, 2 x lunch, 2 x dinner, New Years Eve Festive Dinner

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
Trip ID
easter-MaChEaEuEx

Become a member

(it's free)
  • Save up to $700 per person
  • Access members-only specials
  • Personalize trip recommendations
Sign up and save
Top Tour Companies on Travelstride:
All 1,600+ companies >
Sign in to reveal savings up to $700 per person!