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Culture and Belief in Romania

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Dates
8 Jun
20 Jun
2026

Romania’s history of belief reflects a rich blend of ancient, Christian, and folk traditions. Pre-Christian Dacian spirituality, centered on nature and deities like Zalmoxis, merged with Roman and later Byzantine Christianity, shaping the Orthodox faith.

Over centuries, pagan customs intertwined with Christian rituals, creating unique folk practices, festivals, and superstitions. Influences from Slavic, Ottoman, and Western cultures added further layers. This fusion of ancient and sacred beliefs defines Romania’s enduring spiritual identity and cultural heritage.

Experience Romania’s spectacular unspoiled countryside and rustic medieval villages, glorious painted churches, excellent food and wine and an eclectic ethnic mix.

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Reference:
ROM0626-1
At a glance
What you need to know
Type of tour
Cultural
Profession
Theological History
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Nights
12
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Countries
1
Tour grade
Moderate
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Remaining places
0
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Dates and places

Itinerary at a glance

2
Bucharest
Tuesday
,
9
June
Faith and Fire: Byzantium Beyond Byzantium. Orientation of Bucharest's most impressive buildings and monuments, including Constitution Square and the Parliament Palace, the Palace of the Patriarchate, Stavropoleos Church and Antim Monastery, which was moved to survive demolition during the Communist Era. Visit the Village Museum, an open-air museum showcasing rural life.
3
Bucharest / Curtea de Arges / Sibiu
Wednesday
,
10
June
Bones of Kings and Stones of Faith: The Birth of Romanian Holiness. Drive to Curtea de Arges to visit the Cathedral and the Princely Court. The former Romanian Royal Family is buried here. Visit Cozia Monastery, one of Romania's most ancient churches featuring well-preserved frescoes, relics of worship and architectural styles that combine local and Byzantine motifs. Continue to Sibiu.
4
Sibiu
Thursday
,
11
June
The Devil’s Architect: Faith, Fear, and the Gothic Imagination. Full day visiting the Saxon traces of Transylvania; the fortified churches of Richis and Biertan. Arrive in Sighisoara, the birthplace of Vlad Țepeș (Dracula) and visit the Citadel of Sighisoara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore its winding cobbled streets on a walking tour, with a tour of the Clock Tower.
5
Sibiu / Alba Iulia / Jidvei / Cluj
Friday
,
12
June
Fortified Faith: Lutherans, Catholics, and Orthodox under One Sky. Visit Alba Iulia, one of the oldest settlements in Romania. Visit its famous citadel and baroque gates, St Michael Catholic Cathedral and the Coronation Cathedral, built to commemorate the reunion of Romania with Transylvania in 1918. Wwine tasting in the Renaissance-style Bethlen Castle. Continue to Cluj Napoca.
6
Cluj / Maramures (Sighetu Marmatiei)
Saturday
,
13
June
The Half-Dead and the Holy: Death, Humour, and Hope in Romanian Life. Depart Cluj and drive to the Merry Cemetery and its gravestones with ironic epitaphs. Visit the Maramures Village Museum, the Memorial to the Victims of Communism and the Resistance, located in Sighetu Marmației, in a former prison. It serves as a poignant tribute to those who suffered under the communist regime in Romania.
7
Maramures (Sighetu Marmatiei)
Sunday
,
14
June
Wood, Word, and Wonder: A Gospel Carved from Wood. Explore Maramures, where life seems to have stood still for hundreds of years. Attend a service in a local church and visit Leud, one of the most traditional villages in the province and its beautiful wooden churches. In Bârsana visit a large monastery. Enjoy a typical lunch at a local guesthouse before visiting the Rozavlea Wooden Church (1717).
8
Maramures (Sighetu Marmatiei) / Bucovina (Voronet)
Monday
,
15
June
Holy Irony: Faith, Humour, and Survival under Communism. Drive to Bucovina, stopping at the Heroes Monument just outside Moisei. Continue over the Pasul Prislop, the highest mountain pass in Romania. Visit Pasul Prislop Church with views over the Rodna and Maramures Mountains. Explore the colorful traditional village of Ciocănești and visit the Painted Egg Museum. Arrive in Voronet.
9
Bucovina (Voronet)
Tuesday
,
16
June
Mountain Monasteries and the Idea of Landscape as Theology. Full day Painted Monasteries Tour of UNESCO World Heritage listed sites, including Dragormina, a stunning example of medieval architecture, and Sucevita, famous for its exterior frescoes. Continue to Humor, a small monastery with unique Byzantine paintings. Finish at Voroneț Monastery, known as the “Sistine Chapel of the East."
10
Voronet / Lacu Rosu /Prejmer / Brasov
Wednesday
,
17
June
How Romania’s Geography Shapes its Soul. Depart Voronet and travel to Lacu Rosu, a red natural dam lake. Enjoy a short stroll along the lake. Continue to Prejmer and visit its church fortress, one of the most important medieval historical monuments in Transylvania. Arrive in Brasov, one of Transylvania’s most atmospheric towns.
11
Brasov
Thursday
,
18
June
Saints, Shadows, and the Gothic Soul of Europe. Visit legendary Bran Castle, linked with Dracula but rooted in real medieval history. Walk through the medieval heart of Brașov Old Town, visiting Council Square and the Gothic Black Church, named for its charred appearance after the Great Fire in 1689. Continue to Sforii Street, the narrowest street in Europe.
12
Brasov / Sinaia / Bucharest
Friday
,
19
June
Landscape as Liturgy: The Thinking about Place in the Carpathians. Depart Brasov and head into the Carpathians, stopping at the fairytale Peles Castle for a tour. Continue to Sinai and stop at the serene Sinaia Monastery. Lunch at leisure and then continue back to Bucharest. Farewell dinner at a traditional local restaurant.
13
Bucharest
Saturday
,
20
June
Check out of the hotel after breakfast.
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Tour map

Plot your journey

2 nights Bucharest - 2 nights Sibiu – 1 night Cluj – 2 nights Maramures (Sighetu Marmatiei) – 2 nights Bucovina (Voronet) - 2 nights Brasov – 1 night Bucharest

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What to expect

Tour highlights

Exlplore the painted monasteries from Dragormina to Sucevita
Sucevita Monastery, Bucovina

Mountain monasteries and the idea of landscape as theology. Enjoy a full day experiencing the Painted Monasteries, a UNESCO World Heritage listed site, as a prayer in the landscape.

The landscape, architecture and culture of Maramures, where time seems to have stood still for centuries.
Visit the Rozavlea Wooden Church, Maramures, which dates back to 1717

The Rozavlea Wooden Church is distinctive for its tall tower and sharply pitched roof. Inside, you’ll find beautiful, vivid interior paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Explore the Saxon traces and Gothic stories within Sibiu
Sighisoara, the birthplace of Vlad Țepeș (Dracula), in Sibiu

Take a walking tour through the medieval heart of the town, visiting the Citadel of Sighisoara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Beautiful landscapes

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Tour exertion grading

Is this tour right for me?

Moderate
Level 3

Some walking between destinations, more time spent standing, and increased travel distances. Requires a reasonable level of fitness.

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If you have some questions about this particular tour, you can contact the Jon Baines Tours team by phone or email.

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