Your Bucharest tour begins in University Square, the geographical and administrative heart of the city, and the scene of titanic street battles between miners and students immediately after the Romanian Revolution. Absorb all that sociopolitical history before taking a short walk to Strada Batistei, formerly known as the 'St Germain' of Bucharest and the site of the old American embassy, now an overgrown testament to different times. This area is famed for its 19th-century Neo Romanian architecture that defines much of the national style.  The first stop will be an exquisite turn-of-the-century townhouse, lovingly restored but with the sense of elegant decay so typical of Bucharest.  Under trees and vines, with grapes dangling overhead, you’ll sample a selection of Romanian entrees (gustari), including goat cheese, cured meat, spring onions, homemade bread, and locally brewed craft beers, and you can relax and absorb the atmosphere of this recherché little hideaway. It is said that while Romanians love the culture and sophistication of urban life, when it comes to food their taste is always for the peasant food (cucina povera) of the countryside, so this peasant platter will be the perfect introduction to Romanian flavours.    To help you digest all those treats, you then make your way to the Armenian quarter. The Armenians were a vibrant and successful merchant community in the 18th and 19th centuries, thanks to their valuable role as 'middlemen' for the Ottomans. Based around the Armenian church, their mahalla (neighborhood) features a spectacular variety of architectural styles from all over Europe and the Ottoman empire, as the wealthy merchants strove to out-do each other in taste and elegance. Classical, Belle Époque, Modernist, New-Romanian, Balkanic, eclectic — this quarter boasts all these styles, including the oldest documented house in Bucharest, which you will visit.   Crossing into the old Jewish quarter, stop for the most famous street-food, covrigi, before heading on further on your Bucharest tour to discover one of the most beautiful and peaceful areas of the city: Mantuleasa. After exploring 19th-century and inter-war Bucharest, stop for an ice-cold Romanian weissbier, in a space that can only be described as art-gallery-meets-bookstore-meets-summer garden, before experiencing the quintessential Bucharest public transport: a short ride on a tram. Rattling along the famous Mosilor Street, you’ll enter into Communist Bucharest, with its regimented blocks and housing projects, as you make your way to the famous Obor Market. This market is the largest and most famous of all the peasant markets in Bucharest, offering every kind of item, food, or service you could imagine, and even some that you couldn’t!   Since you’ll be on the trail of the sights, scents, and tastes of Romanian cuisine, stop for a drink of traditional Romanian palinca (brandy) to prepare the palate. Next, enter the indoor market to sample a range of Romanian cheeses: cow, sheep, and goat. After that, it’s on to the vegetable market, amid a riot of colors and textures, to taste and photograph the fresh local produce.   Probably the most famous and typical of Romanian foods — at least for Romanians — is called mici, which translates as 'little.'  A kind of skinless sausage, these are served with mustard and cold beer, and every Romanian has their own opinion about where and how the best ones are made. But certainly the stall in Obor Market has been known for more than 50 years as one of the temples of mici, and here you will get to try them for yourself! And finally, because your gastronomic adventure would not be complete without a dessert, you grab a sweet Wallachian doughnut, served piping hot, before sending you happily on your way home. 

Discover the best of Bucharest's gastronomy on this all-encompassing food tour. Start your tour with "the snack of communism", a Romanian pretzel and yogurt, the breakfast of choice for communist workers.  Afterward, take a short tram ride to reach Obor Market, one of Romania's largest and oldest markets, this is the best place to discover Romanian food and culture. During your tram journey, admire the architecture and buildings of the Jewish and Armenian quarters of the city. At the market, enjoy a stroll through stalls selling everything from honey and cheese to handcrafted wooden bowls and fresh produce. Visit a well-known stall to sample some traditional Romanian ground meat rolls, washed down with a cool beer. After this experience, take the trolleybus to University Square. As you walk, learn about the most important historical landmarks located between University Square and Cismigiu Park. Finish your tour at a fine dining restaurant where you can taste sweet Wallachian doughnuts called Papanasi, served hot and filled with jam and delicious cream. While indulging, feel free to ask your friendly local guide for tips on what else to eat and see during your stay in Bucharest.

Delve into the culinary culture of Bucharest on a 4-hour walking tour in the Romanian capital. On this private tour, you will immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the old town of Bucharest. Along the way you will get to know some of the most important historical places in the old town, such as Manuc’s Inn, Princely Court, Lipscani Street, and the Romulus and Remus Roman Monument. The first stop will be at a restaurant to try traditional pies. Try some pies and learn why they are such an important part of the Romanian diet. It will be hard to choose one when they all look amazing. After you have indulged in some sweets, it is time for a wine and cheese tasting at Abel's Wine Bar. Try some of the best Romanian wine with different types of cheese.  The famous restaurant Caru Cu Bere will be the final stop. The 130-year-old eatery is one of the historical symbols of Bucharest. Here you will try traditional bean soup with smoked bacon in a bread bowl with onion. Then you can taste mici (skinless sausages) with mustard. End your tour with some papanasi (traditional fried or boiled pastry) filled with jam with sour cream on top. Then you will be dropped off at your hotel, having discovered the real taste of Romanian food.

Escape the hustle and bustle of Bucharest on a full-day sightseeing tour of the salt mines of Slanic Prahova, stopping at a local winery to enjoy a traditional 3 course lunch. You will be picked up from your hotel (or private address) in Bucharest for the 1.5-hour drive north to the small town of Slanic Prahova in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Here, explore the largest salt mine in Europe, now closed for mining but open to visitors. Enter the chambers to experience the unique microclimate, where natural air-conditioning keeps temperatures and atmospheric pressure constant throughout the year. Discover some of the mines 14 chambers and trapezoidal profiles, and marvel at the expanse of the salt walls. Next, enjoy a wine tasting and 3-course meal at a local winery. Savor the flavors of authentic Romanian appetizers, house desserts, and mains such as sarmalute (stuffed vine leaves) and polenta. The menu varies depending on restaurant availability.

Enjoy a magical evening in Romania's charming capital, with a tour through the city, followed by a traditional 3-course Romanian meal. You'll be picked up from your accommodation in Bucharest by your guide and given a map of the city. Then, see the sights of Bucharest lit up for the night. Drive past the formidable Palace of Parliament, Bucharest's Arch of Triumph, and see Revolution Square. Your guide will recount the history of these significant sites as you gaze out at the beautiful cityscapes. After your 1.5-hour city tour, you'll stop at a traditional restaurant in Bucharest. The restaurant will serve up a 3-course meal including water, and usually provide folklore programs during the weekend. You will receive a voucher of RON 70 per person to be used at the restaurant (à la carte). Choose a meal to this value or opt to pay the difference if something more expensive catches your eye. After dinner enjoy a ride back to your hotel if you are finished before 10:00 PM. If you would like to stay longer at the restaurant you must provide your own way back.

Visit the Curtea de Arges Monastery on this 12-hour trip. Completed in 1517, it serves as the necropolis of the Romanian royal family. Continue the drive on a highway that crosses the Carpathian Mountains. Next on the itinerary is cliff-top Poenari Castle, dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. Vlad the Impaler forced many of his enemies and political opponents to work on expanding the castle. Near the castle make another stop to see Vidraru Dam: at 525 feet, it is one of the tallest dams in Europe. A highlight of the tour is a drive on the Transfagarasan Highway. At the northernmost point of the tour, enjoy a short hike near Balea Lake.

Your Bucharest tour begins in the political center of the city, Revolution Square (formerly known as Palace Square), which has witnessed most of the important events in Romanian history. It was from here in 1989 that dictator Ceausescu made his ill-advised rallying speech to a crowd that quickly turned on him, instigating the Romanian revolution. Surrounding the square are several other notable landmarks, including the former Royal Palace, the Athenaeum concert hall, and Athenee Palace, the heart of espionage and intrigue in the years between the wars. And in such a historical spot, it’s appropriate that you have a historical treat. You’ll indulge in a covrig, a daily salty snack for most Romanians that was likely introduced by Hapsburg or German merchants in medieval times.  Next up, you’ll leave the square and head south along Victory Street, named after the spectacular victory of the new Romanian nation in the 1871 War of Independence. However, full unification of the three Romanian principalities did not take place until 1918, which explains why each region has its own distinct character, traditions, and cuisine — like sweet for Moldova, earthy for Transylvania, and spicy for Muntenia. This stretch is also home to many spectacular landmarks of the inter-war period, including the 'Telephone Palace,' Military Circle, and former National Theatre, as well as the beautiful church of Kretzulescu, one of the most famous in Bucharest.  From Victory Street, you’ll head into an older Bucharest, exploring the numerous paths and passageways of the Old Town. This is the heart of medieval Bucharest, the literal crossroads between East and West, where Ottoman pashas rubbed shoulders with Transylvanian princes, and churches and mosques stood side by side. Here you can witness the many diverse influences on Romanian food — the Balkan mici (skinless sausages), the Ottoman sarmale (stuffed cabbage leaves), Russian borscht andciorba (sour soups), and Austro-Hungarian schnitzel. Among the many sights and stories of Old Town are lavish interiors and princely courts, the exquisite calm of an orthodox monastery and the great wooden inn of Hanul Lui Manuc. En route to your final destination, you get a look at the famed People's Palace, the center of Ceausescu’s megalomaniac attempts to re-shape the city, and the second largest building in the world (only the Pentagon is bigger!). Finally, the Bucharest tour will end with a sampling of the culinary specialties at a traditional hanu, or inn, that’s widely considered to be one of the most beautiful in the city. You’ll dig into a three-course meal with platters of local delicacies — giving you a 'taste tour' of the history and geography of the region. It was said that during the time of the ancient Romanians (the Dacians), so much wine was drunk by the people that their leader, Burebista, banned its production entirely. But the supremely inventive Dacians immediately began brewing beer — thus, you’ll have a chance to lubricate your palate with both fine Romanian wines and/or locally brewed beer, just like the Dacians would have wanted!

Enjoy an epic day trip from Bucharest, following the ancient wine road built by the Romans 2,000 years ago. Re-opened to the public after almost a century of “hibernation”, the road displays beautifully restored manors, cellars, and old monasteries. Along the way, you’ll visit a wine museums, stop for lunch in a traditional manor and enjoy wine tasting sessions at two prestigious wineries, surrounded by the endless vineyards of Dealu Mare, Romania’s most famous wine region. Short history: Romania is a country with a long-standing tradition in winemaking, and the world’s 13th wine producer, despite losing half of its arable lands and suffering a loss of prestige several decades ago, when communists favored mass production over quality. Nowadays, the country has gone through a process of mass restoration, aiming to reclaim its rightful place among the top 10 wine producers. Itinerary description: 1st stop: Bellu Manor Wine Museum Your guide will pick you up from the hotel and drive you to Dealu Mare, Romania's most famous wine region. As soon as you enter the Old Wine Road, you'll stop for a guided tour at the beautifully restored Bellu Manor, a marvel of old Romanian architecture. Built by Baron Alexandru Bellu in the 19th century, the manor is not just a great art collection, but also a wine museum. With a great passion for wine and even owning a sparkling wine factory, the baron stored precious tools in the manor’s great cellar, some of which go back to the 3rd century 2nd stop: Lacerta Winery After learning about the long history of winemaking in Romania, it’s time for some actual wine tasting at Lacerta Winery. Same as Bordeaux and Toscana, Lacerta’s vine estate stretches along the 45th parallel and thus has the ideal climate for producing wines with a rich, complex and silken taste. Lacerta is one of the most modern wineries in Romania, with production techniques based on gravitational principles meant to limit the usage of pumps. You’ll be able to taste 6 types of high-quality Romanian wines alongside small plates of cheese and dry sausages in a fairytale location, surrounded by the endless vineyards covering the hills of Dealu Mare, at one of the most beautiful wineries in the country. 3rd stop: Casa Colinelor - 1000 Chipuri Winery The third and final stop of the day is at Casa Colinelor (Hill House) where the 1000 Chipuri (1000 Faces) Winery is located. Here you will first serve lunch and then tour the property. During the wine tasting, you will admire the beautiful vineyards surrounding the house, and visit the winery and also the cellars. There will be 6 glasses of wine, served alongside typical wine snacks. All the wines come from 1000 Chipuri, one of the most highly praised boutique wineries from the Dealu Mare wine region.

The first stop on your tour invites you to step into the shoes of kings and queens at Peles Palace – the private retreat of Romania’s royal family. The beautiful mountain scenery and elegant gardens built on terraces add even more charm to this majestic 19th-century palace. Inside, everything spells luxury: golden chandeliers, walnut tree carvings, marble fountains, secret chambers and a royal armory. Next, you’ll go even further back in time, to the late Middle Ages. Myths and legends swirl around the massive Bran Castle, a stone giant guarding the passage to Transylvania since the 14th century. Count Dracula and Vlad the Impaler are both associated with the castle. Explore the castle, its outdoor village museum or the House of Horrors. The tour’s grand finale? An epic medieval fantasy, established by the Teutonic Knights during their first decades of existence. We’ll visit the city of Brasov, founded by the knights in 1211 on top of an old Dacian site. Dramatically overlooked by Mount Tampa, the city’s medieval core is a maze of narrow cobblestone streets, craft guilds, fortified towers, gatehouses and medieval decorated inns.

After pick-up, have your first stop at the Village Museum, an open-air reconstruction of the traditional Romanian village. “The architecture of a country is, perhaps, the most accurate expression of its history” (M. Cantacuzino). For many Romanians, entering the National Village Museum is like going back to the childhood days spent in the countryside. For everyone else, this is the perfect place to discover the authentic Romanian village, with folklore elements and buildings originating from all historical provinces. Admire steep-roofed peasant homes, thatched barns, log cabins, watermills, churches, oil presses, road crucifixes, and many more. Then continue to your second stop, a wine tasting. Enjoy traditional Romanian wines, cheese, and dry sausages. Romania is the world’s 13th largest wine producer with over 2000 years of viticulture tradition. It is believed that knowledge of a region’s food and wine is intrinsic to understanding its culture. Thus, the next stop is at Bucharest’s first wine bar, in a century-old manor.  The traditional architecture, elegant interior, the wine bottles displayed like books on shelves, and the local sommelier create a perfect setting for wine tasting. Whether you’re a casual wine drinker or a true connoisseur, you’ll enjoy yourself as you discover the distinctive “terroir” of famous Romanian vineyards like Dealu Mare, where the wine is nicknamed “liquid gold”. Sample local wines, traditional cheese, and dry sausages.