Hungary, Romania · Architecture

Private five days tour of Transylvania from Budapest

5 Days Round trip from Pickup service provided in Cluj-Napoca. Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Private 5-day Transylvania tour from Budapest
  • 02 Explore Art Nouveau and historic landmarks in Oradea
  • 03 Visit the remarkable underground Turda Salt Mine
  • 04 Discover traditional Rimetea village and its Unitarian Church
  • 05 See Cluj-Napoca highlights including Saint Michael’s Church and Banffy Palace
  • 06 Visit the star-shaped Alba Carolina Citadel
  • 07 Tour the Gothic Corvin Castle
  • 08 Walk through Timisoara’s main squares and Orthodox Cathedral

Discover the architectural and cultural highlights of Transylvania on a private 5-day journey from Budapest through some of Romania’s most characterful cities and historic landmarks. Travel with a professional English-speaking guide as you explore elegant Oradea, underground Turda Salt Mine, traditional Rimetea, vibrant Cluj-Napoca, the star-shaped Alba Carolina Citadel, Gothic Corvin Castle, and atmospheric Timisoara.

This multi-day experience combines heritage, city walks, and regional history with the comfort of private transport, centrally located accommodation, breakfasts, and included entrance fees to the sights listed in the itinerary. It’s an ideal choice for travellers who want to experience a broad cross-section of Transylvania’s architecture, fortresses, churches, and old towns in one seamless trip.

Discover the architectural and cultural highlights of Transylvania on a private 5-day journey from Budapest through some of Romania’s most characterful cities and historic landmarks.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 5 Days
Tour type Private
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Included
Transport Included
Wheelchair access Not applicable
Cities Alba Iulia, Oradea, Budapest, Cluj Napoca, Timisoara, Turda
Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Budapest

Our guide will pick you up from Budapest at 10:00 AM.

Your tour starts in Budapest, where you will be picked up by our guide from your hotel or your requested location.

Oradea

Once in Oradea, you will have free time for lunch, and then you will check-in at a centrally located hotel.

Lunch: At your expense

Although it is almost one thousand years old, Oradea is marked by the Vienna Secession art movement, which influenced most of the main buildings of the city throughout the 18th century. The historical center was completely restored, and you will visit the Black Eagle Palace, built in the early 20th century, and the Moon Church, who got its name from a golden sphere which tells the phrases of the moon. You will also take a trip to the Episcopal Palace, the Moskovits Buildings, and the Oradea Fortress, an impressive star-shaped medieval defense point.

At night, you will take a walking tour through the city center and its public gardens.

Dinner: At your expense

Overnight in Oradea

2
Day 02

Turda Salt Mine

Breakfast: At the hotel

Departure: 09:00 AM

After a delicious breakfast, you will head towards a beautiful town in Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca. But on your way there, you will stop at one of the most impressive underground places in the world, the Turda Salt Mine. In the last 2000 years, over 3 billion tons of salt was extracted, but now the mine was transformed into an underground theme park where you can take a boat ride on the lake, play mini-golf, tennis, and much more.

Rimetea village

Lunch: At your expense

Your next destination is one of the best-preserved traditional villages in Transylvania, Rimetea, the place where the sun rises twice. The village is situated in a picturesque valley surrounded by steep hills and forests, and it is a popular destination for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts who come to explore the nearby mountains and nature reserves. One of the most notable landmarks in Rimetea is the Unitarian Church, which dates back to the 14th century and is a designated historical monument.

Cluj-Napoca

In the evening you will reach Cluj-Napoca where you will spend the night.

Dinner: At your expense

Overnight in Cluj-Napoca

3
Day 03

Cluj-Napoca

Breakfast: At the hotel

Departure: 09:00 AM

Your guide will pick you up in the morning from the hotel and start the city tour. Cluj's history can be traced back to more than two thousand years ago when the Romanian people laid the foundation for a municipality. Your Cluj city tour includes Saint Michael’s Church, built in the 15th century by Matthias Corvinus, one of Hungary's most important kings. After that, your sightseeing tour will continue with other symbolic buildings from the Cluj Old Town, such as Banffy Palace, the Opera House, and Mirror Street.

Alba Carolina Fortress

The tour continues with a short trip to Alba Carolina, the largest fortress in Romania, surrounded by 12 km of walls and built in the shape of a star. Alba Carolina Fortress was successively a Roman fort, a fortress during the Middle Ages and later built in the Vauban style.

4
Day 04

Corvin Castle

Breakfast: At the hotel

Departure: 09:00 AM

Corvin Castle is 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 broad 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.

Timisoara

Lunch: At your expense

Your day will end in Timisoara, the city which will be Romania’s European Capital of Culture in 2021.

The city located in western Romania, near Serbia, is known as „Little Vienna” because of the abundant cultural life, the historical remains, and buildings dating from the 18th century.

Here you will walk through the Timisoara main squares as Union, Freedom, and Victory. You will visit the Orthodox Cathedral, a Neo-Moldavian architectural masterpiece, and Theresia Bastion, one of the old gates of Timisoara fortress.

Dinner: At your expense

Overnight in Timisoara

5
Day 05

Timisoara

Breakfast: At the hotel

Departure: 09:00 AM

After the breakfast and check-out, you will meet with our driver and you will be tranferred to Budapest.

Budapest

You will reach Budapest at around lunch time. 

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Pickup service provided in Cluj-Napoca. 6 cities · 5 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Airport transfers
  • Accommodation for 4 nights in centrally located hotels
  • Professional English-speaking guide
  • Entrance fees for the sights included in the itinerary
  • Transportation with a modern vehicle
  • One lunch with traditional local products
  • Breakfasts

What's Not Included

  • Airline tickets
  • Travel insurance
  • Meals, other than mentioned in the itinerary and alcoholic beverages
  • Entrance fees to monuments/sights other than those mentioned in the itinerary
  • Photography Fees
  • Various expenses such as room service, beverages, personal calls, souvenirs, etc.

Know before you go

  • LIMITED MOBILITY ACCESSIBLE

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Pickup service provided in Cluj-Napoca.
Tour start
Pickup service provided in Cluj-Napoca.
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 5 days finish where they began, in Pickup service provided in Cluj-Napoca..

Watch the tourHQ film Watch the film

Create your own adventure

Can't find the perfect tour? Tailor your dream trip.

  • Tell us your destination, dates and group size.
  • Our travel experts and local guides design a tailored itinerary, just for you.
  • Enjoy your trip with peace of mind, knowing everything is taken care of.
Plan my holiday

Say goodbye to travel stress.