Treasures of the Balkans & Transylvania (6710)

13 Day Tour from Budapest to Budapest

2025 Tour Details View 2024 Tour Details » View 2026 Tour Details »

Discover the treasures of the Balkans on this vacation through Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Visit the capitals—Budapest, Belgrade, Sofia, Bucharest—as well as some of the fascinating towns and cities along the way. Discover Novi Sad, famous for its citadel; Plovdiv, with its picturesque old town centre; Veliko Târnovo, Bulgaria’s capital during the Middle Ages; and Sinaia, a lovely ski resort town. Explore Brasov, a charming Transylvanian town featuring Saxon walls and bastions and an expansive square. Sighisoara is one of Romania’s prettiest towns with 11 medieval towers within the city walls, cobblestone streets, ancient houses, and churches. Visit Sofia’s Boyana Church, a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Plovdiv’s Roman Amphitheatre, one of the world’s best-preserved ancient theatres, and Arbanassi’s Church of the Nativity, built in 1637 and housing an outstanding collection of frescoes. Rila Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a history dating back 10 centuries. 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!

The 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!

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Treasures of the Balkans & Transylvania map

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Buffet breakfasts daily; 4 dinners


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.

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

Check into your hotel. Take advantage of the CosmosGO app to visit Budapest at leisure. In the early evening, meet your Tour Director and travel companions.

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Day 2 BUDAPEST

Budapest is a treasure trove of architectural wonders, from Gothic to Baroque and Neoclassical to Art Nouveau, but also full of history and other surprises, such as delicious food and wines, as well as a multitude of spa establishments built on top of natural hot springs. The Danube River divides the old city in two, making it even more spectacular. Discover all of this and more during the guided city tour. 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.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 3 BUDAPEST–NOVI SAD, SERBIA–BELGRADE

Travel to Serbia. Stop in Novi Sad, capital of the province, built on the banks of the Danube River and famous for its Petrovaradin Citadel, and stretch your legs in the town center. Continue to Belgrade and discover the capital of Serbia on a guided city sightseeing tour.
Today’s Distance: 267 mi/ 430 km

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 4 BELGRADE–SOFIA, BULGARIA

Cross the border into Bulgaria to arrive in the capital city of Sofia. 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.
Today’s Distance: 273 mi/ 440 km

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 5 SOFIA. EXCURSION TO RILA MONASTERY

This morning, discover Rila Monastery, located inside a nature park and featuring vibrant frescoes. Its checkered history goes back to Ivan Rilski, the hermit who founded it in 927. During the long Turkish rule over the country, the monastery became a beacon of Bulgarian culture, and it is now one of the most important sights in the country. Tonight, savor an optional Bulgarian dinner, featuring hearty regional cuisine served with a side of lively folklore music and dance.
Today’s Distance: 130 mi/ 210 km

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 6 SOFIA–PLOVDIV–VELIKO TÂRNOVO

Head eastwards to Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second-largest city, located along the banks of the Maritsa River. Stop here to visit the charming Old Town and the Roman Amphitheatre. Journey northwards through fine scenery over the Stara Planina Mountains to Veliko Târnovo.
Today’s Distance: 190 mi/ 305 km

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 7 VELIKO TÂRNOVO–BUCHAREST, ROMANIA

Today, time to see some of the highlights of Veliko Târnovo, located on the Yantra River. During the Middle Ages, it was Bulgaria’s capital, and still retains some of its most attractive medieval features. Visit nearby Arbanassi, world famous for its house design, a cross between a dwelling and a fortress. The village is known as an architectural and historic reserve and was at one time the summer residence of Bulgarian kings. One of the highlights of the visit is the Church of Nativity, built in 1637. Carry on north to Rousse and cross the Danube to reach Bucharest.
Today’s Distance: 130 mi/ 210 km

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 8 BUCHAREST

Flower-festooned parks, gardens, and wide boulevards shaded by century-old trees contribute to Bucharest’s beauty. 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 today higher with an optional afternoon visit to the massive site of the Romanian Parliament, known today as “The Peoples' Palace,” once the the most extravagant symbol of Romania’s communist era under Ceausescu's dictatorship.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 9 BUCHAREST–SINAIA–BRASOV

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 among the most romantic castles in the world. Only a few more miles to Brasov, a lovely medieval town famous for its town square filled with Baroque architecture and outdoor cafés.
Today’s Distance: 106 mi/ 170 km

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 10 BRASOV

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: 39 mi / 62 km

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 11 BRASOV–SIGHISOARA–CLUJ-NAPOCA

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 Cluj-Napoca, the film capital of Romania.
Today’s Distance: 174 mi/ 280 km

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 12 CLUJ-NAPOCA–BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

Cross the border at Oradea into Hungary and return to Budapest.
Today’s Distance: 292mi/ 470 km

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 13 BUDAPEST

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

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Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With COSMOS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

ZSUZSANNA LUKA

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

“Traveling, researching the history and culture of new places has always been a passion of mine so when the opportunity arose to become a Tour Director I did not hesitate, and I still enjoy it - sharing my knowledge, passion and experience with guests, doing my best to ensure that their trip exceeds their expectations and becomes a wonderful memory. On tour there are travelers from all around the world, so I also learn a lot from them, broadening my horizon with each tour. It is not easy to choose a favorite country or a favorite tour as there is something unique and delightful in every corner of the world, but perhaps the Balkans and Transylvania are closest to my heart, as they are regions I am closely linked to.”

Tour Director - ZSUZSANNA LUKA

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyCosmos site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)


Budapest
Sofia
Bucharest
Brasov

Budapest

Danube Cruise

Danube Cruise

Discover the magic of Budapest on this enchanting Danube River cruise past the city's most famous landmarks!

Price Range: $$

Sofia

Bulgarian Dinner and Folklore

Bulgarian Dinner and Folklore

Enjoy this memorable excursion featuring vivacious Bulgarian folkloric entertainment and a dinner of local specialties!

Price Range: $$

Bucharest

Palace of the Parliament, the People's House

Palace of the Parliament, the People's House

Visit Bucharest's colossal Palace of the Parliament--the second-largest and most expensive administrative building, and heaviest building in the world--on this mesmerizing guided excursion.

Price Range: $

Brasov

Brandy & Bites of Romania

Brandy & Bites of Romania

Visit Palincaria Transilvania in Rasnov to taste five varieties of delicious Transylvania Pálinka brandy, followed by a delicious Romanian feast at a local eatery.

Price Range: $$

 Private Touring

Private Touring: Cosmos European Private Touring enables you to experience all of the attractions, sights and highlights of your selected Cosmos tour as a private experience - delivered just for you and your traveling party. With Private Touring, you'll have your own dedicated Tour Director, your own private transportation and driver, and your own professional local guides. All with greater flexibility in pace and your experience. For your selected tour, there will be additional per-person cost for the size of your party - from 1 to 24. This additional supplement is reduced with each traveler you add to your party. Here's a sample of the additional cost:

6 guests in a party: $2,682*
18 guests in a party: $637*

Contact Cosmos or your preferred travel agent for pricing for your specific party size as well as any other information on Cosmos Private Touring.

*Supplement pricing is per person (USD) and will be added to the standard published price for your given departure date and is based on availability. Supplement price is valid for 2021 travel year. Occasionally some included and optional activities & excursions may be operated with other guests. Additional restrictions may apply. Not applicable for custom groups. No Group allowances or promotions are available on Private Touring. Published itineraries only. Note that blackout dates may exist where the Private Touring option is not available.


The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include International airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Cosmos).