City Break Timisoara - the European Capital of Culture 2023

Itinerary:

Day 1

You are arriving at Airport Timisoara (TSR) or Timisoara Railway Station.

Transfer to the accommodation in the city center.

Accommodation with breakfast for 4 nights.

Day 2

After breakfast you will meet the local guide and you will take part to an English-speaking city tour of the European Capital of Culture 2023, where you will visit the most important sights.

Free time in afternoon. You can participate to the cultural events in the city center.

Day 3 – Day 4

Program at your disposal.

You can also join one of our day tours to discover the region of Banat and Transylvania.

Day 5

Breakfast.

Depending on the departure times we will transfer you to Airport Timisoara or Timisoara Railway Station

Pensions to choose from: Pension Nora 3*, Pension Prestige 3*, Pension Yellow 3*

Hotels 3* to choose from: Hotel Ibis 3*, Hotel Boavista 3*, Hotel Central 2*, Hotel Delpack 4*

Hotels 4* to choose from: Iosefin Residence 4*, Hotel Atlas 4*, Boutique Hotel Casa del Sole 4*

OPTIONAL DAY-TOURS

from / to Timisoara

I.

LOCAL WINE TASTING– 3 hours

For this experience, we will leave the city for a short while and drive 23 kilometers (14 miles) to Recaș. Refurbished after communism, the local wine producer that became famous in Romania started its new life in 1991. Today the business has about approximately 1200 hectares of vineyards and counts as the biggest wine company in Romania, the Recaș wineries (in Romanian, Cramele Recaș) are still very much dedicated to tradition. We will take a tour of their headquarters and taste five to six wines, each with a story included, of course. The drive there and back will be done by one of our guides, so you can enjoy a real tasting without any stress.

Included services: English speaking guide, transportation

Price: EUR 75,00 / Person

II.

About the settlers in Banat – 5 hours

An easy tour for a half-day in the Northern Banat. We will find interesting things about the settlers in Banat and we will see beautiful places.

Banat province was conquered by the Habsburg Empire at the beginning of the 18th Century. This province became the private property of the Habsburgs. That is why they start to send colonists massively. Between 1718 and 1772 more than 160.000 colonists were brought here. Most of them were Germans but there were also Romanians, Serbians, Italians, French, and Spanish. Let’s see their villages and find their stories. Here is what we are going to do.

Vinga village – a short visit to the impressive church built by the Bulgarian community;

Arad – a short visit to the city center;

Radna Monastery – the most important pilgrimage place for the catholic colonists in Banat;

Soimos Fortress – if the weather is good and we feel fit, we can hike the hill up to the fortress;

Altringen – visit a cozy German guesthouse. Time for coffee/tea and cakes or lunch;

Charlottenburg – the only circular village in Romania; built by the Austrian administration for the 32 settlers’ families who came here in 1771.

Included services:

Transportation by car/minivan is included. You will be picked up and dropped off at your hotel.
English speaking guide

Price: EUR 72,00 / Person

III.

Hiking in Caras River’s Gorge – 8 hours

125 km from Timisoara, in the National Park Semenic – Cheile Carasului, we can find Cheile Carasului industrial past ended sadly when the communist era ended in Romania. The steam locomotives (Caras River’s Gorge). In order to arrive here we have to pass through Resita

City – the capital of the Upper Banat Region. This city had a glorious produced here 140 ago, can be now find in an open air museum – we’ll visit it shortly.

We continue our trip towards Carasova, one of the 7 villages of Croat ethnics – their ancestors came her from northwestern Bosnia and settled here more than 700 year ago. From here we enter the beautiful Caras River’s Gorge. They are one of the longest and wildest gorges in Romania. The path following the river is easy-moderate difficulty. We’ll see here a lot of karst land-forms like caverns, caves, rock walls, sink holes. Comarnic Cave is one of the most beautiful caves in Romania and can be visited with a local guide, if we make an appointment. From April to October the vegetation, containing many endemic species is an attraction itself.

Included services: English speaking guide + transport

Price: EUR 100,00 / Person

IV.

Beautiful nature – one day trip to Bigar Waterfall and Danube Gorge – 12 hours

A full day in Banat region: almost 500 km in a 12 hours trip. The trip will take us to some beautiful back-roads, most of them the hilly and mountain side of Banat.

First stop will be at Bigar Waterfall. This small waterfall (7-8 m) became famous after was voted the most beautiful cascade in the world, according to TheWorldGeography.com .

Next stop is the Danube, the 2nd largest river in Europe. After crossing 6 countries and 4 European capitals, the Danube enters Romania, but not anyhow: the Danube is forming here, in Southern Banat, its biggest Gorge. This gorge is also the natural border between Romania and Serbia. We’ll visit the most spectacular part of the Gorge – The Iron Gates. The narrowest two sectors are called “The Cauldrons” – and we’ll find out why is this.

Boat cruise on Danube: we’ll visit Decebal’s Sculpture and 2 caves. The cruise is made by a small boat (6-10 pers.) and takes about 40 minutes.

Not included in the price:  lunch, entrance fee for Bigar Waterfall (5 lei / pers.), Danube cruise (30 lei / pers.), entrance fee for Veterani Cave (6 lei / pers.)

Don’t forget your walking shoes, comfortable clothes and your camera.

Included services: English speaking guide + transport

Price: EUR 110,00 / Person

V.

One Day in Transylvania – 12 hours

Transylvania is a magic land. Above all, it is magic by its diversity, then by its history, and nonetheless by its people.

This one-day trip will take you to the southwestern part of Transylvania. First you will see the ruins of an ancient Roman city, then you will witness one of the oldest and stranges churches in Romania. The second part of the day will take you to see a very picturesque Gothic castle, and for the grand finale, the ruins of a Middle Age fortress set on the top of a volcanic hill.

We depart from Timisoara around 8:30. After we cross the Carpathians, we will arrive in Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa – this was the full name of the ancient capital built by Romans at the beginning of the 2nd century after they’ve conquered more than half of today Romania. We will see the ruins of the ancient amphitheater, and the ruins of the city and will visit the small museum holding a lot of the objects excavated here.

The second stop is Densus. Here we’ll visit St. Nicholas’ Church, one of the oldest and oddest in Romania. If the priest is around, we’ll visit the church also inside.

Next stop is Hunedoara, the hometown of Joannes Corvinus (Ioan de Hunedoara). In the 15th century, he was the governor of Transylvania, an important military leader, and the greatest fighter against the Ottomans of his time. His castle is the biggest Gothic civil building in southeastern Europe. We’ll have the opportunity to visit Corvins’ Castle from the council room to the torture chamber. Time for lunch in a nice restaurant before or after visiting the castle.

The last stop is in Deva, to see the ruins of the fortress set on the top of a volcanic hill. The view from the fortress is remarkable.

Included services: English speaking guide + transport

Price: EUR 120,00 / Person

Please note:

All prices for the day-tours are from minimum 2 participants

All tours will be guided in English; for other languages, please contact us

Book this offer!