Bucharest: the City, its Sorrundings and the Mountains (3 days) (Cultural Tour , Wallachia,Bucharest)

Day 1 : Băneasa BBU / Otopeni OTP Airport (Bucarest BUH) – BUCHAREST
You take the car at the airport in Bucharest OTP / BBU (Bucharest) and leave towards the city, having teh rest of the day to explore the city, its avenues, old palaces and elegant churches.

DIRECTIONS: As you exit the airport, turn to the left, following the E60 road into the city.
 
SIGHTSEEING :
Take this day to walk through the city which was once nick-named the little Paris. As all other cities, Bucharest has its own legend ; this one says that its founder was a shepherd, Bucur, which built a church and settled here with his family. Bucharest finds itself half teh way between the Danube and the mountains, and it evolved on the trading routes between the West and the East. The Wallachian court moved here from Curtea de Arges and Targoviste, and the local fortress was developed, among the others, by Vlad the Impaler. Later on, in the 18th and 19th centuries the city evolved, with many craftsmen streets and elegant residences being built, as well as with an intense trading life, which resulted in the many caravanserais and merchants existing here. As more and more Romanians started to study abroad, the Western incluences came over and many elegant houses or palaces were built, especially in the end of the 19th, respectively in the beginning of the 20th century. To make contrasts even sharper, the communist rules left its traces on teh city too, with the many square apartment buildings, as well as with teh second biggest building in the world that was developed in the city.

Places to see :
The Palace of the Parliament, the second largest buildign in the world, started in 1986 and nowadays hosting the Parliament, as well as many international events
Cotroceni Palace, former royal residence and actual residence of the President (visits by appointment only)
The Royal Palace, nowadays hosting the most important art collection in the country, recommendable especially for Brancusi’s sculptures, as well as for the religious art collection or for the Romanian impressionists. (closed on Mon, Tue)
The old churches in the city, of which the most interesting can be Antim, Stavropoleos, Curtea Veche or Cretulescu.
Cantacuzino Palace, nowadays hosting George Enescu Museum.
The Metropolitan Cathedral, the meart of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
The Romanian Athenaeum, an elegant classical music concert hall with excellent accoustics. (concerts on Thu and Fri from September to late June)

LODGING
Hotel Opera
Str. Brezoianu nr. 37, Sector 1
Bucarest
Tel.: +4-021-3124855
http://www.hotelopera.ro/
From University Square turn to the West, along Regina Elisabeta Avenue, and, just before the Mc Donald’s (on your left), turn to the right, along Ion Brezoianu Street; the hotel lies 200 m. later, on your left.

Day 2 : BUCHAREST – Ploieşti – Bărcăneşti – Câmpina – Comarnic – Posada – Izvorul Rece – Sinaia - BUCHAREST
Today you can leave to Sinaia located in the valley of the Princes, Prahova Valley. The escapade begins 100 km farther North, where you meet the legendary Carpathians. They form a natural border between 2 traditional provinces: Wallachia and Transylvania. You will follow Prahova Valley, one of the most frequented tourist roads in the country because of the splendor of its mountains, the emphasized colours of the vegetation, the wealth of the flora and the wildlife. 

DIRECTIONS: From the city head North, heading for Ploiesti / Brasov.  Just before entering this city, turn to the left, avoiding the city and follow the signs towards Brasov / Sinaia. When reaching Sinaia, take the road going through the town centre (lightly to the left as you go).
 
SIGHTSEEING:
Câmpina: The castle of Iulia Hasdeu.  In 1888, Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu a renowned scholar in all Europe built a "temple of spiritism", a result of the advice he was supposedly given during spiritism seances by his deceased daughter (a promising poet, which died at the age of 19).
Posada:  The cynegetic  museum, where one can admire the wildlife of Romania
Sinaia: Peles Castle, one of the most beautiful castles of Europe, former summer residence of the kings of Romania. There is also Pelisor Castle nearby, decorated in a different style by Queen Maria of Romania. Attention : Peles and Pelisor castles are closed on Mon and Tue, and also they might be closed for annual restoration from November 1 til December 15.
Sinaia : Sinaia Monastery

LODGING
Hotel Opera
Str. Brezoianu nr. 37, Sector 1
Bucarest
Tel.: +4-021-3124855
http://www.hotelopera.ro/ 
From University Square turn to the West, along Regina Elisabeta Avenue, and, just before the Mc Donald’s (on your left), turn to the right, along Ion Brezoianu Street; the hotel lies 200 m. later, on your left.

Day 3 : BUCAREST – Sitaru Monastery – Căldăruşani Monastery – Mogoşoaia Palace – Bucharest Airport Băneasa BBU / Otopeni OTP (Bucharest BUH)
Return the car to the airport
You can use this day to explore medieval Wallachia. You will visit two monasteries built in Byzantine style, as well as a palace built by Prince Constantin Brancoveanu in his own style, blending in the Baroque with Oriental influences, and following a Byzantine structure. One can also have lunch on the palace grounds before the flight out of Bucharest.

DIRECTIONS
You leave the city direction Ploieşti / Braşov and, before entering Otopeni (just before the bridge), you turn to the right, towards Constanţa / Urziceni / Slobozia; you follow Bucharest’s ring and exit it to the left, towards Ştefăneştii de Jos ; in this village and also in Dascălu, you continue straight, towards Grădiştea. In Grădiştea you turn to the right, towards Fierbinţi-Târg. In the next village, in Sitaru, in the village centre turn to the left, towards «Manastirea Sf. Nicolae». There are about 2 km. on an unasphalted road. The monastery lies in the forest. Return to Sitaru and turn to the right, towards Grădiştea, continuing in a straight line towards Moara Vlăsiei / Baloteşti. Before Moara Vlăsiei, turn to the right, towards Căldăruşani / Lipa / Snagov. After passing on a bridge, take the narrow road to the right, towards Căldăruşani Monastery. After visiting the monastery, return to the main road and crossing, then towards Baloteşti. In Baloteşti turn to the left, towards Bucharest, and not much later, turn to the right, towards Corbeanca / Buftea (after the headquarters belonging to Zapp and Prisma). In Buftea turn to the left, towards Bucharest and the next village is Mogoşoaia. Pay attention through the village, look for the signs pointing to Palatul Brancovenesc (to the right). After the visit, turn towards Bucharest and, when meeting the city ring (just before a MOL gas station and after passing under a bridge, turn to the left, direction Constanţa / Urziceni / Slobozia. Then turn to the left, towards Ploieşti on E60 (for Bucharest Otopeni - Henri Coanda OTP), or to the right, towards Bucharest on E60 (for Bucharest Baneasa – Aurel Vlaicu BBU).

SIGHTSEEING
Sitaru Monastery (The Monastery of St. Nicholas – Balamuci) is one of the most picturesques monasteries in Wallachia, bearing frescoes on the exterior walls, similarly to those at Voronet Monastery in Bukovina.
Căldăruşani Monastery was built in 1638 by Matei Basarab, which also built Curtea de Arges Monastery. The frescoes here date from the 18th century. One of the greatest Romanian painters, Nicolae Grigorescu, made some of the icons exhibited here, at the age of 17.
Mogoşoaia Palace was built in 1698-1702 by Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu in Romanian Renaissance style (Brancoveanu style), a combination of Venetian and Ottoman styles. The palace was renovated in 1920 by Martha Bibescu, which spent on restoration most of the money made with her books. The palace was a favored place of meeting for famous politicians and for the elite of the 1930s.