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Halloween in Transylvania (Southbound)

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Halloween in Transylvania (Southbound)

Was From $ 2,645 AUD
Now From $ 2,380 AUD
Sale!

Description

Even without its bloodcurdling myths of Dracula, werewolves, haunted castles and curses, Romania is the perfect atmospheric place to spend an eight-day trip in October. You’ll be introduced to the beauty of ancient Bucharest, the haunting mythology of Sighisoara and the nostalgic atmosphere ot Bran Castle (aka Dracula’s castle) in Brasov. Take a daytrip to the Hoia Forest, steeped in legend and ghost stories and dress up for a party after sundown with your fellow travellers. For a spine-tingling adventure this spooky season, don’t look past Transylvania… mwahahaha.

Trip Name
Halloween in Transylvania (Southbound)
Last Updated
1970-01-01
Days
8
Capacity
16
Highlights
  • Visit the 12th-century town of Sighisoara – the birthplace of Count Dracula (allegedly). Things are about to get medi-evil.
  • Break out your scariest costumes for a spooky Halloween party, where haunted tunes will echo through cobweb-covered corridors and lanterns will light up the foggy night.
  • Protect yourself against devils and demons with a visit to the Turda Salt Mines – a fascinating museum and underground amusement park showcasing the history of salt in the region.
  • Take a daytrip to the spooky Hoia Forest, known for ghost stories, UFO sightings, strange trees and questionable photos showing things unseen to the naked eye. You’ll meet with a local guide for a 4-hour hike packed with legends.
  • See the traditional Saxon village of Viscri for some traditional Romanian hospitality and some finger-licking home-cooked food.

Itinerary

ITINERARY CHANGES Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It's important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, political unrest or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. Your group leader or local representative will keep you up to date with any such changes once your trip is underway. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES A selection of optional activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. This isn't an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only for some of what might be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance fees only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability, and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When it's recommended that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let your group leader or local representative know you are interested at the Welcome Meeting and they can assist. Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and group leader or local representative are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that contravene our Responsible Travel policies are also not listed. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your own discretion and risk.

Day 1 - Cluj Napoca
Buna Ziua! Welcome to Cluj Napoca – the unofficial capital of Romania’s Transylvania region. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight to meet your trip leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive early, you might like to explore this 2000-year-old city on foot or hit up the famous Piezisa Street for a drink.
Day 2 - Turda Salt Mines / Cluj Napoca
This morning, visit the Turda Salt Mines – a former salt mine converted into an underground amusement park. Maybe hire a rowboat, go bowling or visit the museum showcasing salt mining in the region – the options are endless! Salt is thought to be a protective tool against all sorts of evil beings and legend has it that if you pour an unbroken line of salt across the entranceway to your house, vampires and demons won’t be able to get in. After your salt mine visit, return to Cluj for a city tour with a local guide. The remainder of the day is yours to explore at your own pace.
Day 3 - Cluj Napoca
Today, you’ll head out for a daytrip to the Hoia Forest – a famous haunted forest with reports of ghost stories, apparitions, faces identified in photos and UFO sightings. Over the years, locals and tourists report anxiety and the feeling of being watched in this forest and the local vegetation features strangely shaped trees and charring on tree stumps and branches. The forest became famous in the late 1960s when a military technician took photos of a UFO above Poiana Rotunda (Round Meadow). If you’re lucky, the forest may even be covered in mist! After a short transfer from your hotel, you’ll meet with a local guide for a 4-hour hike within the forest, along gentle hills and valleys. Listen to the legends and visit the Round Meadow where the first UFO was sighted. After, head back to your hotel for a free afternoon.
Day 4 - Sighisoara
Travel by train through pastoral fields and untouched Saxon towns to the 12th-century town of Sighisoara. Medieval Sighisoara is likely to seduce visitors more than any other place in Romania. The town is famed as the birthplace of Vlad Dracul III, better known as Vlad the Impaler, the ruler of Walachia province from 1456 to 1462 and whose name was the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s iconic Count Dracula. Walking through the town is like taking a trip back in time to the medieval age, and it’s easy to image streets crowded with vampires, evil counts, wolves, peasants riding through the untamed countryside on horse-drawn carts and crooked old men doddering along the narrow streets. Head out with your leader for a quick orientation walk, then spend the rest of your day exploring in your own time.
Day 5 - Viscri
After a free morning in Sighisoara, you’ll travel to Viscri – this small Transylvanian village was originally inhabited by Saxons from the Luxembourg area, and the whole scene is picture-postcard rural. This idyllic village of red tiled roofs is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, virtually unchanged for 900 years. After a home cooked lunch at the house of a local family, you’ll visit the town's fortified church (thought to be the oldest in Transylvania), and learn about the Sock Project, which supports the local Roma community. Continue to the 13th-century city of Brasov in the afternoon. Also known by its German name of Kronstadt, this town flanked by mountains and city walls was once a major medieval trading centre.
Day 6 - Bran Castle/Brasov
No trip to Romania would be complete without a visit to the famous Bran Castle. The castle was built by the Saxons in 1382 to defend the Bran pass against the invading Turks. With its fairy-tale turrets and whitewashed walls, it's far from menacing and spooky, but is undeniably impressive, sitting on a high cliff top and surrounded by pine trees. After, return to Brasov for a guided walk around town, checking out the ornate churches, townhouses, old city walls and squares surrounded by gingerbread-roofed merchants' houses. Visit Brasov's main attraction – the gothic Black Church (Biserica Neagra), which took its name from its blackened appearance after a fire in 1689.
Day 7 - Bucharest
This morning, travel by train to Bucharest. Often called the 'Little Paris of the Balkans', Romania's capital is known for its Belle Epoch architecture, thumping nightlife and communist sites. Meet your local guide for a private tour of the city, starting with the recently restored Old Town of Bucharest, then some of the more significant sites of the revolution of 1989, which culminated in the ousting and execution of communist leader Ceausescu. Visit the huge Piata Unirii – one of Europe's largest squares – and the Ceausima – Bucharest's 12-storey Palace of Parliament. The palace is the second largest building in the world, after the Pentagon. The former dictator ordered the construction of this monster, a building of staggering scale and opulence that includes 1100 rooms and 4500 chandeliers.
Day 8 - Bucharest
With no further activities planned, your trip ends today and you can depart your accommodation at any time. If you want to stay longer in Bucharest, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation. If you have some extra time, why not take one of the daytrips offered by Urban Adventures. Check out urbanadventures.com for more information.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
26-10-202502-11-2025AUD $ 2,380-
27-10-202503-11-2025AUD $ 2,380-
29-10-202505-11-2025AUD $ 2,380-
30-10-202506-11-2025AUD $ 2,380-
31-10-202507-11-2025AUD $ 2,380-
30-10-202606-11-2026AUD $ 2,960-
31-10-202607-11-2026AUD $ 2,960-

Accommodation

Hotel ( 7 nights)

Transport

Train,Private vehicle,Taxi

Map