Day 1: Cluj-Napoca –
Alba Carolina Fortress – Corvin Castle – Sibiu 

You will be leaving Cluj-Napoca at 09:00, after your guide
picks ypu up at your hotel, and head out of the city towards the south of
Transylvania. The drive to Alba Carolina is a little over an hour. Your first
part of the day is all about discovering the fortresses and the castles in
Transylvania.  

Alba Carolina was built in the early 18th century, as part
of a fortification system created by Prince Eugene of Savoy to provide defense
for the newly conquered provinces of the Habsburg Empire. Besides its cleverly
designed architecture, Alba Carolina does not seize to impress through its
attractiveness.  

The whole complex was built by Italian and Austrian artisans
in 23 years. The walls, slightly
oblique, are made out of from brick and stone by a technique without
unevenness, to cause the cannonballs to ripple. 

One hour away from Alba Carolina is Corvin Castle, one of
the most impressive in Transylvania, and a Gothic masterpiece.  

Its name derives from the name of the one who ordered its
construction, John Hunyadi, and his son, Matthias Corvinus, the King of Hungary
between 1458 and 1490. 

Corvin Castle is split into 3 large areas: the Knight's
Hall, which was used for feasts, the Diet Hall, which was used for ceremonies,
and the circular stairway. All of the halls have a rectangular shape, and their
walls are beautifully decorated with marble.  

Your day will end in Sibiu, former European Union’s Cultural
Capital in 2007 and one of the best preserved Transylvanian cities. Your city
tour includes the Main Squares, together with the Metropolitan Cathedral and
the Bridge of Lies. 

Your guide will take you to your hotel and the rest of your
day is at leisure.  

Day 2: Sibiu –
Biertan Fortified Church – Sighisoara – Cluj-Napoca 

Yesterday’s visit to Alba Carolina and Corvin castle was a
perfect introduction in the defense mechanisms of the Transylvanian
fortifications. Your guide will pick you from your hotel in Sibiu, and drive
you to Biertan Fortified Church.  

The village in which the church was built, was for the first
time mentioned in an official document in 1283. The fortification is perched on
a hill in the middle of the village, making it visible from miles away. The
fortification is one of the biggest and most impressive in Transylvania, built
with double exterior walls, heavy doors and a locking mechanism with 15 bolts
that can be simultaneously activated by one key. 

The highlight of the day is Sighișoara, the only inhabited
medieval fortress included in UNESCO World Heritage Centre, and home to
real-life notorious ruler Vlad Tepes, known as Dracula from Bram Stocker’s
novel.  

The establishment was first dated in the First Century AD,
when the Dacians (ancient inhabitants of the territory of modern Romania),
built the fortification. Later on, in 14^th Century a new citadel was
built, and it still stands, more than 600 years later.  

Walking up the winding cobblestone streets lined with
historic buildings, you reach the Clock Tower, a symbol of the city, from where
you can admire the breathtaking views. The Tower shelters a museum of medieval
weapons and a torture chamber. After visiting the tower you will climb the
three hundred wooden steps up to the Church-on-the-Hill, built in the XIV
century. 

After the fortress tour, your guide will drive you back to
Cluj-Napoca. Your drop-off point in Cluj-Napoca depends on your travel plans
and might be at the airport, a hotel for an additional overnight (not included)
or train station.