Dear World Travelers,

Romania, an oft-misunderstood country, is steeped in legend. This 12-day cultural tour starts and finishes in Bucharest. It includes a large part of cultural and historical Romania. We’ll visit southeast Saxon Transylvania and the peaceful rural area of Maramures. We’ll witness magnificent scenery traversing the Eastern Carpathian Mountains to Moldavia to explore the Orthodox Romania’s masterpieces, the stunning Painted Monasteries of Bucovina in the far northeast. See the over 1,000 photos taken by David Lewis on our 2011 tour at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dslewis/sets/72157627389360122/.

During this out-of-the-ordinary experience, besides visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites as shown on our map below, we’ll partake in a fascinating taste of real Romania and its people. Activities to enjoy include a wine tasting, an organ concert, an egg painting demonstration and Romanian folk dance. Most of all, we meet the people in their villages, in their weekly animal market and as guests in their homes. Romania is an interesting amalgam of various distinct cultures—Orthodox Romanian, German, Hungarian, Roma (gypsies) and direct descendents of the Huns—the Szekler.

On this carefully designed trip, you will delight in sumptuous meals with local delicacies and be entertained with folk dancing and music. What a joy to hear Enesco’s Romanian Rhapsody performed on home soil.

The tour is based on land only rates. If you wish, we will coordinate flights on an individual basis using the best-discounted fares. As we always say, what is best for you is best for us. The tour includes extensive sightseeing, most meals, luggage handling, special features and performances, water on the coach and with meals, and even tips for the guide, driver and porters. You’re sure to appreciate reading pre-trip study material to help prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

This tour is combinable with the Seven Wonders of Bulgaria (June 3 - 13, 2012), Macedonia Mosaic with Lake Ohrid (May 28 - June 3, 2012), and World Heritage Sites of Albania (May 20 - 30, 2012). Call 1-800-762-4216 for a full brochure of any of these tours.

Please let us hear from you by February 10th and join our small group of no more than 15 travelers as we bring to life the colorful Legends & Traditions of Romania!

Gwen Erwood

President, Travel Concepts International