With 13,000 villages and 300 cities, with 40% of the population still living in rural areas, Romania is a sanctuary of ancient folklore and ethnography. Christianity came early to Romania, 2,000 years ago, and the Christmas, or the Easter celebrations have since been markers of communion with the Past, the Ancestor, with the Sky and Divinity, with the Future.

December 22

Welcome to Romania!

Welcome in Bucuresti, capital of Romania; on the way to your hotel, take a night tour of the Christmas-clad city.

Overnight in Bucuresti

December 23

Christmas with the Voyevode: Preparations

Drive across the Danubian plain to the foothills of the Carpathians, to Curtea de Arges (The Court on the river Arges) – former capital of Valahia (3 hours).

Visit the Bishopal church, the tombs of the early Voyvodes and of the modern Kings, listen to the legend of Mason Manole and touch the legend with your fingers.

Proceed to Poienari – the historical fortress Dracula.

Arrive in the village of Aref, take your rooms in private farmhouses, meet your hosts. Each such house has a roaring wood-fire in the stove, bathroom and hot water, telephone, color TV, but also sheep and cows, turkeys, geese and hens, pigs, horses, cats. Meet them all. You have become a member of the family.

Lavish dinner on Arefean specialties, all fresh, all Christmas quality, a gastronomic feast.

Overnight in your well-heated room, in the farmhouse.

December 24

Merry Christmas! Sarbatori fericite!

After a hearty breakfast, visit the village (smelling of cookies and roast), the church and the school: meet Arefean teenagers.

You are being assigned to a caroling group (your age) and given a bell, or a cracking weep, also a bag for candies and cookies, apples, walnuts and money.

Rehearsal time.

Lunch in the village.

Sledging time: each of you will get a sledge on the slopes of the hilly village. Steer it clear of fences, hens.

A Time to carol: join your group and start caroling from house to house, heralding the birth of Christ and bidding good crops, good health and happiness to your hosts; they will fill your bag accordingly.

Christmas dinner by the Christmas tree: Sarbatori fericite!

Overnight in Aref.

December 25

The Might of the Voyvodes

After breakfast, visit fortress Poienari and the Gorge of river Arges, then climb (whether permitting) the 1456 steps to the ruins of the fortress, listening to legends of old. And take a Christmas Tree to the top.

Return for lunch in the village of Aref.

Sledging time.

Meet the young of Aref at the local club, learn the step of a folk dance and the verse of a song.

Dinner & overnight in Aref.

December 26

Farewell, Aref!

One last sleigh run, one last Arefean lunch – and this is Good-by time to your new friends and hosts.

Drive back to Bucharest.

Farewell dinner in a cozy restaurant.

Overnight in Bucharest .

December 27

Good bye, Romania!

How about Easter in Aref?

Departure to the airport; departure from Romania. (Time permitting: sightseeing & shopping in Bucharest)

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Logistics:

The land price covers: transfers; transport by minibus; accommodation in Bucuresti (2 nights – hotel) and Aref (3 nights – farm-houses); full board in Aref (4 days) and a farewell dinner in Bucuresti; breakfast on December 22 and 27; festive Xmas dinner; participation in the Xmas festivities, village life; museums in Curtea de Arges and Poienari; sledges; learn the step of a folk-dance, the verse of a song…


Excerpt:
The Company of Mysterious Journeys will penalize the tourists who renounce their bookings as follows (subtracting bank-transfer charges):
1) for cancellation of 30 and more days before the tour start: full refunding (minus banking charges)
2) for 29-21 days cancellation: 30% penalty
3) for 20-14 days cancellation: 50% penalty
4) for 13-7 days or less cancellation: 100% penalty in favour of the CMJ.