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Treasures of the Balkans & Transylvania 2026
12 Day Tour from Sofia to Bucharest
Tour Description:
Discover the treasures of the Balkans on this vacation through Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, and Romania. Visit the capitals—Sofia, Belgrade, Budapest, and Bucharest—as well as some of the fascinating towns and cities along the way. Discover Novi Sad, famous for its citadel; Cluj Napoca, the film capital of Romania, and Sinaia, a lovely ski resort town. Sighisoara is one of Romania’s prettiest towns with 11 medieval towers within the city walls, cobblestone streets, ancient houses, and churches. Explore Brasov, a charming Transylvanian town featuring Saxon walls and bastions and an expansive square. Visit Sofia’s Boyana Church, a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Marvel at Peles Castle, a masterpiece of German neo-renaissance architecture built in the 1880s and nestled at the foot of the mountains. It is considered one of the most stunning and romantic European castles. In Bucharest, visit the open-air Village Museum, showcasing traditional village life with a collection of traditional farmhouses, cottages, wind and watermills, and artisans’ workshops from all parts of the country. Last, but not least, visit Bran Castle, built in 1377 with imposing towers and turrets, and once inhabited by Vlad the Impaler—the Count who gave Bran Stoker the inspiration for his novel’s character, the vampire known as Dracula. This Balkans and Transylvania tour is designed for value-minded, savvy travel lovers. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime vacation!
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Dates & Pricing
| Monday 18 May 26 — Saturday 30 May 26 | Starting at $2,599 |  SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 01 Jun 26 — Saturday 13 Jun 26 | Starting at $2,699 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 15 Jun 26 — Saturday 27 Jun 26 | Starting at $2,649 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 29 Jun 26 — Saturday 11 Jul 26 | Starting at $2,649 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 13 Jul 26 — Saturday 25 Jul 26 | Starting at $2,599 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 27 Jul 26 — Saturday 08 Aug 26 | Starting at $2,629 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 10 Aug 26 — Saturday 22 Aug 26 | Starting at $2,629 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 24 Aug 26 — Saturday 05 Sep 26 | Starting at $2,629 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 07 Sep 26 — Saturday 19 Sep 26 | Starting at $2,669 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 14 Sep 26 — Saturday 26 Sep 26 | Starting at $2,669 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 21 Sep 26 — Saturday 03 Oct 26 | Starting at $2,669 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 28 Sep 26 — Saturday 10 Oct 26 | Starting at $2,499 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
Destination & Sightseeing
Destination & SightseeingThe world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, complimentary headsets, private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi. Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!Your Tour Includes:
- Guided sightseeing in Sofia, including Boyana Church, a UNESCO World Heritage site
- Guided sightseeing of Belgrade
- Visit to Novi Sad on the Danube River
- Guided sightseeing in Budapest
- Orientation tour of Cluj Napoca
- Orientation tour of Sighisoara
- Visit to Bran Castle, of Dracula legend
- Walking orientation tour of Brasov with visit to the Black Church
- Visit to Sinaia Monastery and Pele’s Castle
- Guided sightseeing in Romanian capital of Bucharest
Notes:
The Bran Castle visit requires guests to navigate many steps which may pose a challenge for those with physical limitations or reliant on mobility devices such as wheelchairs.
The Bran Castle visit requires guests to navigate many steps which may pose a challenge for those with physical limitations or reliant on mobility devices such as wheelchairs.
MEALS
MEALS ITINERARY
ITINERARYDay 1 ARRIVE IN SOFIA, BULGARIA
Check into your hotel. Take advantage of the CosmosGO app to visit Sofia at leisure. In the early evening, meet your Tour Director and travel companions
Day 2 SOFIA
This morning, join a Local Guide for a city tour that includes the Parliament building, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the National Theater, and St. Sofia Church and Boyana Church, a medieval Bulgarian orthodox church listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 3 SOFIA–BELGRADE, SERBIA
An interesting drive today as you leave Bulgaria and cross the border into Serbia. Continue to the lively capital that takes its name Belgrade (white city) from the fortress built on a white ridge overlooking the city.
Today’s Distance: 245 mi/ 395 km (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 4 BELGRADE
Today, discover more about Belgrade on a guided city sightseeing tour to see the main monuments including Novi Beograd, Ada Bridge, Topcider park, Tito’s Memorial, Parliament House, Terazije and Kalemegdan Fortress. Enjoy some free time to explore more. (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 5 BELGRADE–NOVI SAD–BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Stop in Novi Sad, capital of the province, built on the banks of the Danube River and famous for its Petrovaradin Citadel. Enjoy a stroll in the town center. Continue to Budapest, capital of Hungary, split in two by the River Danube. It is a treasure trove of architectural wonders and history. See the best of both Buda and Pest with an optional cruise on the Danube River, with refreshments and refreshing views of the magnificent Parliament, Fishermen’s Bastion, and Castle Hill.
Today’s Distance: 249 mi/ 400 km (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 6 BUDAPEST
This morning, enjoy a guided sightseeing tour to discover the highlights of Budapest. Admire views of the Opera House, Saint Stephen’s Basilica, Parliament, the Royal Palace, and Matthias Church. Stop to take a photo at Heroes Square and the Castle District. Free time this afternoon and evening to explore more.
(B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 7 BUDAPEST–CLUJ NAPOCA, ROMANIA
Drive through the Hungarian countryside, cross the border into Romania and continue to Cluj-Napoca, the film capital of Romania. En-route to the hotel, see some of the city’s highlights during a panoramic city tour.
Today’s Distance: 292 mi/ 470 km (B,D)
Breakfast Dinner
Breakfast
DinnerDay 8 CLUJ NAPOCA–SIGHISOARA–BRASOV
Stop in Sighisoara, a medieval town with 11 towers within the city walls surrounding cobblestone streets, ancient houses, and churches—one of Romania’s prettiest towns. Legend has it that it is also the birthplace of the notorious Vlad (Dracula). Continue to Brasov, a lovely medieval town famous for its town square filled with Baroque architecture and outdoor cafés.
Today’s Distance: 168 mi/ 270 km (B,D)
Breakfast Dinner
Breakfast DinnerDay 9 BRASOV: EXCURSION TO BRAN
Transylvania is commonly associated with vampires due to the influence of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula, and all the subsequent books and many films the tale has inspired. This morning, depart for Bran and visit the legendary Dracula castle. It was built in 1377 and inhabited by the Wallachian prince, Vlad the Impaler, also known as Dracula. In the afternoon, a walking orientation of the Old Town of Brasov includes a visit to the Black Church, followed by leisure time.
Today’s Distance: mi/ km (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 10 BRASOV–SINAIA–BUCHAREST
Travel to Sinaia in the Prahova Valley. This is a lovely ski resort, almost 3,300 feet above sea level. While in Sinaia, there will be time to visit the Sinaia Monastery and Peles Castle, considered to be among the most romantic castles in the world. Continue to beautiful Bucharest with its flower-festooned parks, gardens, and wide boulevards shaded by century-old trees.
Today’s Distance: 115 mi/ 185 km (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 11 BUCHAREST
The highlight of the included sightseeing tour is a visit to the open-air Village Museum, a unique collection of traditional farmhouses, cottages, windmills, watermills, and artisans’ workshops from all parts of the country. Your Local Guide will show you other places of interest, including the Government Victoria Palace, the Royal Palace, and the Savings Palace. Take your experience to another level with an optional afternoon visit to the massive site of the Romanian Parliament, known today as “The Peoples 'Palace,” once the most extravagant symbol of Romania’s communist era under Ceausescu's dictatorship. (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 12 BUCHAREST
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Accommodations
Accommodations| Sofia | Belgrade | Budapest | Cluj Napoca | Brasov | Bucharest |
Ramada by Wyndham Sofia City Centre
First-Class
Hotel as shown or similar
First-Class
Hotel as shown or similar
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
