Belgrade to Transylvania: Iron Gates, Timisoara and Sibiu

1. Jour 1 : Arrive in Belgrade

   Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG) to a central hotel

   • Repas du soir
   • Nuit : Belgrade
   Détail du jour 1

   Fly into Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport and transfer to a central hotel. Belgrade sits where the Sava meets the Danube, and the city's layers, from the Roman and Ottoman to the Yugoslav, shape what we see over the next two days. If you land early, walk the pedestrian Knez Mihailova street toward the Kalemegdan fortress. In the evening your guide, once appointed, meets the group for a briefing on the ten days: two countries joined by a land border, one long Danube day, and a steady move east through Transylvania. A welcome dinner is planned at a restaurant in the old centre, to be chosen. Bring a passport valid for the full trip and keep it with you.

   Compris

   • Airport transfer
   • Group briefing
   • Welcome dinner

   Temps libre : Free until the evening briefing

2. Jour 2 : Belgrade: Kalemegdan, Zemun and a kafana night

   Belgrade: the fortress, Zemun on the Danube and an evening in a kafana

   • Petit-déjeuner et repas du soir
   • Nuit : Belgrade
   Détail du jour 2

   A guided walk begins at Kalemegdan fortress, the stone ramparts above the Sava and Danube confluence, then through the old town to the Orthodox cathedral and Republic Square. After lunch we cross to Zemun, a former Habsburg town on the Danube bank with a riverside promenade, a hill tower and cobbled lanes. In the evening we eat in a kafana, a traditional Serbian tavern with grilled meat and live music; vegetarian dishes can be more limited than in many countries and we flag dietary needs early. Serbia is not in the EU, so currency is the dinar. The day is mostly walking on stone and cobbles. Easier option: the fortress and Zemun by vehicle, with fewer steps and no long walk between them.

   Compris

   • Guided walk of Kalemegdan and the old town
   • Zemun visit
   • Kafana dinner

   Activités en option

   • Nikola Tesla Museum (the museum's own site lists Monday 10:00 to 18:00 and Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 20:00; tour times and fees to confirm)

   Option plus facile : Fortress and Zemun by vehicle

   Option plus active : Longer city walk

   Temps libre : Free afternoon

   Activité : Kalemegdan fortress grounds are outdoors. Restaurant and kafana not yet chosen.

   

3. Jour 3 : Golubac and the Iron Gates

   Belgrade to Golubac and the Djerdap gorge, with Lepenski Vir

   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Golubac
   Détail du jour 3

   We drive east along the Danube to Golubac, where a restored medieval fortress of towers and ramparts stands at the entrance to the Djerdap gorge, the Iron Gates. The fortress's own site currently lists opening hours by month, closed on Mondays, and says every visitor buys a ticket that covers the complex and parking, so we plan this day around a Tuesday to Sunday date and confirm the hours for your departure. We take in the gorge from the Serbian bank and plan a stop at Lepenski Vir, known as a Mesolithic site with a visitor centre, if its opening hours allow; those hours are not confirmed. A Danube boat trip is run by local operators and would be quoted separately. Views of rock carvings on the far bank cannot be promised. The road is long, so we state no fixed duration. We overnight near Golubac. Bring layers: wind funnels down the gorge.

   Compris

   • Golubac fortress visit

   Activités en option

   • Lepenski Vir visit, if opening hours allow (to be confirmed)
   • Boat trip on the Danube (run by a local operator; to be quoted)

   Option plus facile : Fortress and a viewpoint only

   Temps libre : Free evening

   Activité : Golubac fortress is currently listed as closed Mondays, with hours that vary by month. Lepenski Vir hours not confirmed.

   

4. Jour 4 : Into Romania: Timisoara

   Golubac to Timisoara via the Serbia to Romania border

   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Timisoara
   Détail du jour 4

   Today we cross from Serbia into Romania by road. Serbia is not an EU member and Romania is, so this is an entry into the EU with passport checks. Serbia's government says the EU Entry/Exit System has applied extra biometric checks to non-EU arrivals since 10 April 2026 and warns of longer waits, particularly in holidays and summer. Rules and waits can change. We have not chosen which crossing to use, and its hours and queue are not known, so we give no crossing time and keep generous margin in the day. Keep your passport in your hand luggage and be ready for questions at the window. After the crossing we drive on to Timisoara, where the afternoon or evening depends on how long the border took. If time allows we take a short walk around Victory Square before dinner on your own.

   Compris

   • Transfer across the border
   • Evening walk in Timisoara

   Temps libre : Free evening

   Activité : Crossing choice, hours and vehicle arrangements not confirmed.

5. Jour 5 : Timisoara

   Timisoara old town and the 1989 story

   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Timisoara
   Détail du jour 5

   Timisoara is a former Habsburg city on the Bega canal, known as the place where the 1989 revolution began. We walk Victory Square, the Orthodox cathedral, Union Square and the Art Nouveau facades of the old centre, and the guide explains the role the city played in ending Communist rule. A visit to a museum or memorial is planned if open. The afternoon is free for cafes, or the river walk. Unlike the last few days, there is no driving today and no packing, so it is a good day to rest. Cobbles are uneven in places but most of the centre is flat. Dinner is free so you can choose your own place. The photo below was taken in April.

   Compris

   • Guided walk of Timisoara old town and Victory Square

   Activités en option

   • Museum or memorial visit (to be confirmed)

   Temps libre : Free afternoon

   Activité : Museum hours not checked.

   

6. Jour 6 : Timisoara to Hunedoara and Alba Iulia

   Timisoara to Corvin Castle at Hunedoara, then Alba Iulia

   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Alba Iulia
   Détail du jour 6

   We drive east into Transylvania and visit Corvin Castle at Hunedoara, a large Gothic castle on a rock with towers, a long wooden bridge and a courtyard. The castle's own site lists hours only for 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, Tuesday to Sunday 09:00 to 17:00 and Monday 12:00 to 17:00, with an adult ticket at 55 lei, and warns that stairs and access routes can be hazardous for older visitors and anyone with limited mobility. Hours for the rest of our April to October season are not on that page, so we confirm them for your dates. We continue to Alba Iulia, known for its star-shaped Vauban-style fortress and the Reunification Cathedral. The day is long, with a lunch stop on your own. Overnight in Alba Iulia. Easier option: castle courtyard only.

   Compris

   • Corvin Castle visit
   • Alba Iulia fortress walk

   Option plus facile : Courtyard and main rooms only

   Temps libre : Free evening

   Activité : Castle hours for April to September not confirmed; ticket price from 2026 and may change.

   

7. Jour 7 : To Sibiu

   Alba Iulia to Sibiu

   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Sibiu
   Détail du jour 7

   A shorter drive brings us to Sibiu, a medieval Saxon city that was a European Capital of Culture. We walk the Upper Town: the Large Square, the Small Square with its Liars' Bridge, the Evangelical cathedral and the narrow lanes between the towers. The guide explains how the Saxons built the city and how the old walls survive in parts. Cobbled streets and steps are part of the day. The afternoon is free for the Brukenthal museum if open, or for the lower town. We stay two nights in Sibiu, so bags can stay in the room tomorrow. Dinner is not included, but there are many restaurants within a short walk of the old square, and the guide will suggest a few.

   Compris

   • Guided walk of Sibiu old town

   Activités en option

   • Brukenthal Museum (fee to confirm)

   Option plus facile : Upper Town only

   Temps libre : Free afternoon

   Activité : Museum hours not checked.

   

8. Jour 8 : Marginimea villages

   Sibiu and the Marginimea Sibiului villages

   • Petit-déjeuner, repas du midi et repas du soir
   • Nuit : Sibiu
   Détail du jour 8

   The Marginimea is a string of shepherd villages in the foothills south-west of Sibiu, known for sheep farming, stone churches and wooden houses. We drive to villages such as Sibiel, where a museum of icons on glass and a village church are among the sights, and walk through the lanes with a guide. A lunch is planned at a family guesthouse with local cheese, soups and meat. Dinner is a home-style meal in Sibiu. Roads are paved but narrow, and some village tracks are rough. Easier option: village stops by vehicle only. Active option: a longer countryside walk. Which villages we visit, and which families host us, is to be confirmed with local hosts.

   Compris

   • Marginimea village visits with a guide
   • Home-style lunch
   • Dinner in Sibiu

   Option plus facile : Village stops by vehicle

   Option plus active : A longer countryside walk

   Temps libre : Free late afternoon

   Activité : Villages and hosts to be confirmed.

9. Jour 9 : Brasov

   Sibiu to Brasov

   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Brasov
   Détail du jour 9

   We drive east to Brasov, a medieval city under the Tampa mountain, with Council Square at its centre. The guide walks us through the Black Church, the old town and the narrow Rope Street. The drive is moderate, with a stop on the way if time allows. In the afternoon you are free to ride the cable car up Tampa, walk the Strada Sforii or relax in a cafe. Because Brasov sits at the edge of the Carpathians, the weather can change quickly. The hotel is in or near the old town. This is the last full day: a farewell dinner can be arranged, though it is not included, and tomorrow's airport run is early for some.

   Compris

   • Guided walk of Brasov old town and the Black Church

   Activités en option

   • Cable car up Tampa (fee to confirm)

   Option plus facile : Council Square and the Black Church only

   Option plus active : Walk up Tampa

   Temps libre : Free afternoon

   Activité : Black Church and cable car hours not checked.

   

10. Jour 10 : Departure from Bucharest

    Brasov to Bucharest and the airport

    • Petit-déjeuner
    Détail du jour 10

    After breakfast, the group drives south to Bucharest for departures. The road crosses the Carpathians and can be slow, so the transfer is not short and we keep an hour or more of margin in the schedule. Do not book a flight that leaves earlier than the time we agree with you. If you plan a late flight, you may have time for a short walk through Bucharest's old town, a district of covered passages and cafes, before the airport. An extra night in Bucharest is not included and would need a separate quote. Please keep your passport and onward tickets in your hand luggage. We will confirm the pickup and airport times with you in writing before departure.

    Compris

    • Transfer to Bucharest and the airport

    

Faune et météo : Summer daytime highs are typically in the high 20s Celsius, with hot spells in Belgrade and Timisoara, and thunderstorms possible; May and October are cooler and can be wet. The Danube gorge is windy.

• Belgrade2 nuits
• Golubac1 nuit
• Timisoara2 nuits
• Alba Iulia1 nuit
• Sibiu2 nuits
• Brasov1 nuit