Lakes and Caves in the Romanian Carpathians

What we are going to see in this tour:
1. Făgăraş was during the Middle Ages a traditional Vlach enclave in Transylvania. The first written document mentioning Romanians in Transylvania referred to Vlach lands ("Terra Blacorum") in the Fogaras Region in 1222.After the Tatar invasion in 1241-1242, Saxons settled in the area. In 1369, Louis I of Hungary gave the Royal Estates of Făgăraş to his vassal, Vladislav I of Wallachia, the territory remained in the possession of Wallachian Princes until 1464. Except for this period of Wallachian rule, the town itself was centre of the surrounding royal estates belonging to the Hungarian kings.
2. The Bâlea Lake is a glacier lake situated at 2,034 m of altitude in the Făgăraş Mountains, in central Romania, in Sibiu County. There are two chalets opened all the year round, a meteorological station and a mountain rescue (Salvamont) station. It is accessible by car on the Transfăgărăşan road during the summer, and the rest of the year by a cable car from the "Bâlea Cascadă" chalet. In 2006, the first ice hotel in Eastern Europe was built in the vicinity of the lake[
3. Lake Vidraru is the greatest artificial lake in Romania, with a length of 14 km. It was created in 1965 by the construction of the Vidraru Dam on the Argeş River. It lies in the shadow of the Făgăraş Mountains. A village lies submerged at the bottom of this lake.
4. Dambovicioara Cave is a 250 m cave situated on the river with the same name atested since the 18th century and the place of several discoveries.
5. Curtea de Arges is one of the oldest cities in Romania. According to tradition it was founded early in the 13th century by Negru Vodă (or Radu Negru), succeeding Câmpulung as capital of Wallachia. Hence its name (The Court). The city is the site of several medieval churches (among them the Curtea de Argeş Cathedral) having been a bishopric since the close of the 18th century. The most important church is the Biserica Domnească (Royal Church) built by Basarab I, completely renovated in 2003-2004. It resembles a stone fortress, connected through catacombs to a guard tower on a nearby hill. Ruins of the Prince's Palace Complex are still visible. It is mentioned in Alexandru Odobescu's Doamna Chiajna. One of the most enduring and famous Romanian legends, the legend of Meşterul Manole, is related to the monastery's construction.

DURATION: full day (8:00am – 8:00pm)

PRICE :
· 175EUr / 1pers
· 100EUR / 2-3pers
· 70EUR / 4-7pers

INCLUDED:
· Car transport
· Tour guidance
· Entrance in museums

NOT INCLUDED:
· Lunch – aprox. 10EUR / person

Bran Castle history

In 1212 the Teutonic Knights built the wooden castle of Dietrichstein as a fortified position in the Burzenland at the entrance to a mountain valley through which traders had travelled for more than a millennium, although it was destroyed in 1242 by the Mongols. The first documented mentioning of Bran Castle is the act issued by Louis I of Hungary on November 19, 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Braşov) the privilege to build the stone citadel; the settlement of Bran began to develop nearby. The castle was first used in 1378 in defence against the Ottoman Empire, and later became a customs post on the mountain pass between Transylvania and Wallachia. The castle briefly belonged to Mircea the Elder of Wallachia. While Vlad Ţepeş did not actually live in the Bran Castle, it is believed he spent two days locked in the dungeon while the Ottomans controlled Transylvania.

From 1920 the castle became a royal residence within the Kingdom of Romania. It was the principal home of Queen Marie, and is decorated largely with artefacts from her time, including traditional furniture and tapestries that she collected to highlight Romanian crafts and skills. The castle was inherited by her daughter, Princess Ileana, and was later seized by the communist regime after the expulsion of the royal family in 1948.

In 2005, the Romanian government passed a special law allowing restitution claims on properties such as Bran, which was seized by the Communist government of Romania in 1948. In 2006, the Romanian government awarded ownership to Archduke Dominic of Austria, Prince of Tuscany, known as Dominic von Habsburg, an architect in New York State and the son and heir of Princess Ileana.

In 2007, von Habsburg put the castle up for sale for a price of £40 million ($78 million). On July 2, 2007, Michael Gardner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Baytree Capital, the New York investment firm which has been retained to create a plan for the castle and to sell it, predicted it would sell for more than $135 million, but added that von Habsburg will only sell it to a buyer "who will treat the property and its history with appropriate respect."

In September 2007 an investigation committee of the Romanian Parliament stated that the retrocession of the castle to von Habsburg was illegal, as it broke the Romanian law on property and succession. However, in October 2007 the Constitutional Court of Romania rejected the parliament's petition on the matter. In addition, an investigation commission of the Romanian government issued a decision in December 2007 reaffirming the validity and legality of the restitution procedures used and confirming that the restitution was made in full compliance with the law.

On January 26 2009 it was revealed that the family had decided not to sell the castle, but instead turn it into a museum dedicated to the legend and history of Dracula.

Brasov Walking Tours

Daily city tours for groups and individuals in: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian, Russian and Romanian.

Price: 5EUr/pers

Duration: 2-3Hours

Tourist points of interest included:
The Black Church (14th century; the biggest gothic monument in south-eastern Europe)
The Council Hall and Square (15th century, 12th century)
The Black and White Towers (15th century)
The gates of the city: Ecaterina's Gate (16th century) and Schei Gate (XIXth century)
The First Romanian School (14th century)
Saint Nicholas' Church (15th century)
The Rope Street (18th century; the narrowest street in south-eastern Europe)

Reservation:
Email: claudia.nedelcu@yahoo.com
Phone: (004) 0727 381 478