Discover the orthodox world by living in it

About Tour

We will visit many monasteries, some of them not so well- known, but each of them having something interesting to show. We will see new and old churches/monasteries, we will see that life and tradition didn’t change here since many centuries, that even now the life is almost the same as 1000 years ago. You will overnight in monasteries, you will eat with the nuns and monks, you will talk to them, you can ask any questions you want, and so, by living, hearing, seeing you will understand a little bit of the beauty of the orthodox world, and enjoy living simple, eating well and healthy, and also relaxing your body and soul from the stressful life. It will be NOT an excursion, it will be an EXPERIENCE. May be not so impressive from art and history point of view, but for sure extremely impressive from the experience we will have interacting with local people and people from these monasteries.

Despite the fact that 50 years of hard communism destroyed some of the Romanian churches and monasteries, the fact that Ceausescu in the 80’s had a strong campaign against the church and everything related to it, many of them survived in good or worse conditions and many have been reopened after 1990.

1 st Day

Arrival

Included highlights:

  • Arrival in Iasi
  • Direct transfer to Neamt area,
  • Dinner and accommodation either at Varatec convent (nun) or Neamt monastery (monk).

Included meals:
  • Dinner
2 nd Day

Between monasteries

Included highlights:

Neamt area is one of the most important monasteries/orthodox region in Romania, if not THE MOST IMPORTANT. The jewels of the crown are two monasteries. One is Neamt monastery, to which all important leaders of the Romanian ortodox are linked. The next jewel is AGAPIA and VARATEC, two sister monasteries, convents, having together almost 1000 nunes. You will see what they do in their workshops, how they live and learn about their belief.

  • The Varatec Convent
  • The Agapia Convent
  • The Neamt Monastery
  • The Sihla Monastery
  • The Sihastria Monastery
  • The Secu Monastery
  • Free lunch
  • Dinner with some of the high ranked people in the monastery

Included meals:
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
3 rd Day

Bucovinean Monasteries

Included highlights:

  • Voronet Monastery, said to be the most impressive of them all, as it displays a special colour, the Voronet blue, which is considered an original one, next to Tiziano’s red and Veronese’s green
  • Humor Monastery, renowned for the unique, colourful exterior frescoes on the walls
  • Free lunch
  • Dinner with the nun abbot of Vorona Monastery
  • Overnight in a new monastery, Vorona. The experiences you will have, and the interesting discusions with the nun abbot in Vorona will be one of the highlights of the trip.

Included meals:
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
4 th Day

Discover the monasteries in Iasi region

Included highlights:

  • Visit Probota Church
  • Visit Miclauseni Monastery
  • Lunch at the Micleuseni Monastery with the nun abbot
  • Visit Vladiceni monastery
  • Discover a small Neo-Gothic castle, built by one of the most important noble families in Eastern Romania, Strudza. The Castle was the summer residence of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, famous for unifying two Romanian provinces: Wallachia and Moldavia under the name of Romania.
  • Dinner and accommodation.

Included meals:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
5 th Day

Exploring Iasi

Included highlights:

  • City Tour of Iasi, the most important historical, economic,and cultural center in Northeast Romania
  • The Metropolitan Cathedral,
  • Culture Palace,
  • The Three Holy Hierarchs Monastery, unique architectural masterpiece
  • Same accommodation
  • Enjoy blessed meal at farewell dinner with the abbot in the monastery of Vladiceni
  • Surprise!! We will have the opportunity to hear Byzantine Church music sang by a student’s choir from the Theological University of Iasi.

Optional highlights:

  • Visit of a monastery next to Iasi.

Included meals:
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
6 th Day

Departure home

Included highlights:

  • Departure home

Included meals:
  • Breakfast

What People Say

More reviews ›

Dear Razvan, 

Thank you so much for this fantastic educational trip. Your organisation was perfect, your company / guidance most appreciated. 

And i can say that this trip immediately comes in my top 5 trips ever in my 27 year career. Thanks a lot: fantastic discoveries, fantastic explanations, very good and nice hotels, excellent food everywhere, and so on...

Also specal thanks to Natasha. With her enthusiasm she made us discover Moldova and Transnistria in a fantastic way.

Natalia – is not just the best guide, but a reliable person with whom you never worry about the tour. When we need an English-speaking guide for the program, we never think whom to call. For us the most important thing is to know whether Natalia has possibility for that period. 

Only working with her we are sure that the work will be perfectly done. She knows a lot, the tourists are always satisfied. 

Cristina,

Thanks for providing a wonderful holiday. Your knowledge of your country and languages is incredible. I have enjoyed every minute! Best wishes to you and your family, Bob.