Romanian painted monasteries in the Carpathians

Maramures - Suceavita - Iasi - Neamt - Clujc

Time:4-11.8.2012.                                                                                         

Duration:  8 days and  7 nights.
Route: Helsinki - Budapestt -  Maramures - Gura Humor - Moldovita - Dragomirna - Suceava - Iasi - Neamt - Clujc - Budapest - Helsinki.

Flights: Malev Hungarian Airlines (Time table changed 2.1.2012)

Saturday: 4.8.2012. Helsinki 10.50 -  Budapest 12.10

Saturday: 11.8.2012. Budapest 17.15 -  Helsinki 20.35

Price   1 390e/person

• accommodation is dbl rooms:  guest house Bella Doina in Maramures 1 night, hotel Roata, Gura Humor 1 night, monastery hotel in Dragomirna 1 night, Metropolitan hotel in Iasi 2 nights, monastery hotel in Neamt 1 night, hotel Agape, Clujc 1 night, breakfast and 1 meal / day,
• city tour in Cljuc,  
• tours in Maramures, the cemetery of Happy people, farms, handicraft people, wooden churches like  Bogdan Voda,
• painted convents of Voronets and Humor, 
• guided tours in convents of Suceavita and Moldovita, icon atelier in monastery of Dragomirna, Voronets and Humor,
• city tour in Iasi, Patriarhcate, Getatuia and Golia monasteries, wine tasting, concert, 
• guided tour in the monastery of Neamt, the grave of St Paisi Velitskovski,
• Agapia convent and Sihastria monastery, the grave of Cleopa Ilie, Secu and Sihla monasteries,
• flights Helsinki-Budapest - Helsinki,
• all transfers Budapest - Romanian - Budapest,
• local guides and specialists,
• tour leader from Finland, 
  
  

Hotels

Guest house  Bella Doina  in Maramures is a small and cosy accommodation having a delicious kitchen and very friendly atmosphere. It is in the village called Vadu Izei by a small beautiful river. Accommodation is like  in a family in double rooms in the house where the heart is the kitchen and dining hall. 
www.viaromania.eu

Pension La Roata -hotel locates in Gura Humorlui, around 30 km from Suceava just in the centre of a small town. All the rooms have fasilities including internet. There are restaurant, bar, bike renting and laundry in this hotel. www.agoda.com/europe/romania/gura_humorului/pension_la_roata_hotel.html

Dragomirna monastery hotel  was built just outside the monastery beside its main gate.  It is around 15 km Suceava city toi the North. Accommodation is in dbl room, where bathroom is in the hall.  www.dragomirna.ro/home.html

Moldovian Metropllitan hotel locates in the center of Iasi city. There are 40 beautiful rooms in this hotel with all facilities. In the hotel there is a restaurant and cafe. www.mmb-cazare-iasi.ro

Monastery hotel in Neamt locates just beside the monastery. It belongs to the monastery and is kept by brothers. The rooms have beds, toilet and shower. The rooms are cosy and clean and the hotel is in very peaceful surroundings. www.orthodoxphotos.com

Hotel Agape in Cluj locates in its historical center. The hotel was renovated totally having now 60 rooms with all fascilities. Www.hotelagape.ro/en/

Itinerary

Saturday 4.8.2012
At 08.50 meeting the group and tour leader at Helsinki airport.  At 10.50 flight to Budapest arriving at 12.10. The bus is with a guide will meet the group and drive via Hungarian to Maramures in the North of Romania. Check in at Guest House Doina with dinner.

Sunday 5.8.2012                                                                                                          Breakfast. Tour in Marmata Sigheti including the vsit Happy Cemetery. The tour continues to Bucovina. On the road there are very nice villages with old wooden churches and a lot of beautiful houses decorated with colourful paintings outside. Lunch in Maria´s house who is famous of beautiful handicraft. Possible to buy them as well. Arrive in the evening to Gura Humoului where overnight at the hotel  Pension La Roata with dinner.  

Monday 6.8.2012          

After breakfast depart for Voronets monastery which was painted in 1570´s. Its paintings are the best preserved of all wall paintings outside the churches. The main theme of these paintings are the same in all the monasteries,  but there are some specialities in all of these. On the south wall there are akathistos to Our Lady and the Life Tree of Jesus Christ. In addition in many monasteries there are the Siege of Constantinople and paintings from Old Testament.                                                                                                                  From Voronets the tour continues to Humor monastery (15 km) where the paintings on the south wall have been preserved very well.                                      In the afternoon we go on to Moldovita convent around  30 km  from Vama to the north. The convent has been totally renovated and is one of UNESCO destinations. This is also painted in the 16th century during the time of Petru Rares, the famous Romanian King.  Here is one of the best conserved painting of the Life Tree of Jesus, which consists of many tiny pictures forming one colourful painting.  Also the Feasts of Our Lady and the siege of Constantinople have been very  well presented in Moldovita. In the east end of the church there is the painting of many layers starting from the  paradise on the top coming down via the birth of Christ to Apostolic time and the great spiritual fathers of the world.                                                                                                                      From Moldovita we continue via Suceavita convent to Dragomirna. In Suceavita convent has one of the famous painting  called "Ladders" which describes the road to the Heaven based to the holy writings of St John from Sinai.  Also there is the painting of Last Judgement which is very well preserved.
In Dragomirna overnight at monastery hotel with dinner.

Tuesday 7.8.2012
After breakfast we go on to Suceava town having lunch or coffee break and some free time for shopping. Drive to Iasi, to the center of Romanian Orthodox church. On the way we visit Probota monastery, which was reconstructed by the help of UNESCO and Romanian state in 1996 - 2000. The monastery has been painted both outside and inside. In the evening arrive at Iasi for overnight and dinner at the hotel.

Wednesday 8.8.2012
After breakfast we visit the Patriarchate and Iasi town. In the afternoon we visit Getatuia monastery, which was built in the 17th century and is very well preserved. They made wines here which is possible to taste here as well.              In the evening drive to Golia monastery for dinner and concert.

Thursday 9.8.2012
After breakfast the tour continues to Neamt, where at first visit Agape convent which is famous of their handicraft and icon painting. Again we continue to Sihastria monastery known of the spiritual leader Cleopa Ilie who was buried here. After visiting Secu and Sihla monasteries we arrive at Neamt, where check-in at monastery hotel. In Nemat vesper before honouring the relics of Paisi Velitskovksi. Dinner at the hotel.

Friday 10.8.2012
After breakfast liturgy at the church. There is a good shop in the monastery. In the afternoon drive over the mountains to Cluj, where overnight at Agape hotel with dinner. 

Sunday 11.8.2012                                                                                                          After breakfast a short tour in Cluj and drive to Budapest to Hungarian. At 17.15 flight to Helsinki arriving at 20.35.