Behind the Iron Curtain Group Tour

Fly to Bucharest and transfer to your hotel. If time permits, visit some of Bucharest’s important sights. Check-in at the hotel, followed by a short presentation on Romania’s communist history.
 

Spend the morning exploring the city, visiting Bucharest’s Parliament Palace, built in the 1980’s by order of Ceausescu, and Ghencea Cemetery, where Nicolae Ceausescu, his wife Elena and their son Nicu are buried. Before leaving for Brasov, stop in a canteen mall, formally known as a ‘cantina’, where due to a shortage of food in communist times, people were forced by the authorities to eat in large work style canteens. All the cantinas are now malls, where people freely choose to eat. En route to Brasov, stop to wander around the famous Bran Castle, which is said to have been Bram Stoker’s inspiration for the residence of the vampire count in his famous novel. Overnight in Brasov. (B,L) 
 

A morning walking tour of Brasov will lead you to The Black Church and up Strada Prundului to Piata Unirii. Here you’ll find the beautiful Church of St. Nicholas and The First Romanian School, situated in its grounds. Depart for Birlad for an overnight stay in a soviet inspired hotel. In the evening, meet with a typical Romanian family and discuss how life has changed for them since soviet times. (B,D)
 

Set off today to the Republic of Moldova and to one of Moldova’s well known sights -  Old Orhei, Here, visit the 19th century “Adormirea Maicii Domnului” Church. See the remains of the Geto-Dacian fortress, a functioning cave monastery, and ruins of the old Turkish bath. After a delicious traditional Moldovan lunch in the village, continue to the capital of Transnistria - Tiraspol. Transnistria is a breakaway territory within the internationally recognised borders of Moldova. Although not recognised by any state or international organisation, it is de facto an independent state named the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. The country’s national coat of arms still includes the traditional hammer and sickle and busts of Lenin are everywhere you look. Overnight Tiraspol. (B,L) 
 

Awake in Transnistria and see a communistic-type military parade. Enjoy the atmosphere as families relax and shop in the many small stalls lining the main street and pavement cafes are full with people enjoying local beer and freshly cooked shashlik. In the afternoon transfer to the world-famous wine cellars of Cricova. Here, see an underground city with obscure streets that are carrying the names of wines kept here: Aligote, Riesling, Codru, and Feteasca. The wines from this collection have an old history with bottles over 100 years old. Overnight in Chisinau and enjoy a  special dinner with wine tasting. Overnight in Chisinau. (B,D) 
 

Move on today to another autonomous region of Moldova – Gagauzia. Get a better understanding of the 'gagauz' people at the Museum of History and Ethnography and visit the last living “Kolhoz” - a collective state farm. Lunch will be served in the canteen of this “kolhoz”, where the workers also eat. In the afternoon, cross the Prut river, the border between Romania and Republic of Moldovia, at Cahul-Oncesti. In the evening reach Galati, an industrial city on the Danube, where the jewel of the communist industry was built - the Steel factory. Overnight in Galati in a communist era hotel. (B,L) 
 

Return to Bucharest – the 300km journey will take around 4  to 5 hours and a stop will be made en route for lunch. Spend some time at leisure in Bucharest before attending a farewell dinner (B,D)