ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE 16 days

ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE
From bustling Bucharest to picturesque rural
villages seemingly lost in time, all the way down to
oriental Istanbul and the scenic Black Sea Coast, there
is something for the sightseer in everyone. Riding
two of Europe’s best roads - the majestic Carpathian
Mountains’ Transfagarasan Road and the equally
challenging Transalpina - and then snaking through the
astonishing Rodophe Mountains and Greece all the
way to Turkey, there is something for every rider.
Join us as we motor through verdant hills and lush
farmscapes dotted with ancient castles and painted
monasteries, experience mystical Istanbul, relax on
some of the best sandy beaches in Eastern Europe
and explore incredibly biodiverse Danube Delta, best
preserved of Europe’s deltas.
2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli
campaign, where Turkish and Allied Australian and
New Zealand soldiers fought in the WWI. For that
reason we have opened a new date, Sept 10 - 25,
during which we will stay in Gallipoli for two nights
rather than one, to have more time to visit all the
sights and memorials from the war.
TOUR MAP
Sibiu
Sighisoara
Brasov
Tulcea
ROMANIA
Pitesti
Bucharest
SERBIA
Veliko Tarnovo
Sofia
ALBANIA
GENERAL OVERVIEW
DATES in 2016
2014
June26
May
16 -- June
July 01
10, June 13 - 28,
June 14 - 29,08Sept.
September
- September
10 - 25 23
or any time May - Oct for Self guided tour.
COUNTRIES
Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey
TOUR STARTS / ENDS
Bucharest, Romania
REST DAYS
3; Sibiu, Gallipoli,
Istanbul 2x
Istanbul
ROUTE
Mileage: 2.800 km (1.800 miles)
Daily rides: 250 - 330 km (155 - 210 miles)
The whole tour runs on asphalt.
HIGHLIGHTS
Riding in in
Carpathian
Carpathian
Mountains,
Mountains,
Brashov,Brashov,
Sighisoara, Sibiu, Transfagarasan
Transfagarasan Road,
Road,Istanbul,
Istanbul,
Gallipoli, Transalpina, Black Sea
ACCOMMODATION
Comfortable, very
very nice
nicehotels,
hotels,often
oftenthe
the
best
best
in in
the area, mostly four star.
DAY BY DAY
HUNGARY
BULGARIA
Plovdiv
MACEDONIA
BLACK
SEA
Kavarna
Nesebar
Istanbul
GREECE
Gallipoli
CULTURE
16
13days
days / 11
14 Riding Days
ROADS
TURKEY
LANDSCAPE
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
1: Arrival to Bucharest
2: Bucharest – Brasov
3: Brasov – Sibiu
4: Rest day in Sibiu
5: Sibiu - Pitesti
6: Pitesti - Veliko Tarnovo
7: Veliko Tarnovo - Plovdiv
8: Plovdiv - Gallipoli
9: Gallipoli - Istanbul
10:Rest day in Istanbul
11:Rest day in Istanbul
12:Istanbul - Nesebar
13:Nesebar - Kavarna
14:Kavarna - Tulcea
15:Tulcea – Bucharest
16:Flight home from Bucharest
ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE
16 days / 14 Riding Days
ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE TOUR DAY BY DAY
Day 1: Arrival to Bucharest
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 4: Rest day in Sibiu
Welcome to Romania!
Your guides will welcome you at the airport and take you to
the hotel in Bucharest. If you arrive early, you’ll have some
time to relax or do some sightseeing before the welcome
briefing. Bucharest is definitely worth seeing. Due to city’s
elegant architecture it was once known as the “Paris of the
East”. Major highlights include Old Princely Court, Parliament’s Palace, Stavropoleos Church and many more. At 5 PM
we’ll meet for an introductory briefing. Welcome dinner will
be held in a fine restaurant where traditional Romanian cuisine is complemented by the lively Romanian folk music.
Day 2: Bucharest – Brasov
Today our motorcycle adventure begins. We will
first wind our way north
through Bucegi Mountains towards Peles Castle, a masterpiece of German
new-Renaissance
architecture, considered
by many one of the most
stunning castles in Europe. Transylavania’s symbol Bran Castle is next. Surrounded
by an aura of mystery and legend, Bran Castle owes its fame
to the myth created around Bram Stocker’s Dracula. We’ll end
today’s ride in the town of Brasov, fringed by the peaks of the
Southern Carpathian Mountains and resplendent with gothic,
baroque and renaissance architecture.
Sibiu was the largest and wealthiest of the seven walled
citadels built in the 12th century by German settlers known
as Transylvanian Saxons. Explore Sibiu and just relax in the
lovely city atmosphere. Sections of the medieval wall still
guard the historic area, where narrow streets pass steeproofed 17th century buildings with gable overhangs. Or ride
one of the most spectacular roads of the Carpathian Mountains called Transalpina. The road was built by King Carol II
and rebuilt during World War II by German troops. The road
with the highest point of 2.145m above sea level offers formidable views over the surrounding valleys and mountain
peaks.
Day 5: Sibiu - Pitesti
Day 3: Brasov – Sibiu
From Brasov we will continue
our journey through mysterious Transylavania. Today’s ride
will be shorter but enjoyable
as we will take small country
roads and ride through the heart
of Romania. Arriving early we
will have time to explore and
relax in Sighisoara, a perfectly
intact 15th century gem with
nine towers, narrow passageways and cobbled streets. A
UNESCO World Heritage Site,
Sighisoara is also the birthplace
of Vlad Dracula, nicknamed Vlad
the Impaler. It was Vlad who inspired Bram Stoker’s fictional
creation, Count Dracula. In the afternoon we’ll head towards
Sibiu, European Capital of Culture in 2007.
Today we ride the famous Transfagarasan Highway that was
declared the best road in Europe by Top Gear Team. Zigzagging through the Fagaras Mountains in Romania, this 100 km
drive is a truly unforgettable experience. Not for the fainthearted, the route climbs up to an altitude of 2.034 meters
and links Transylvania with its neighboring province Muntenia. Passing through dramatic scenery it offers spectacular
views, particularly of the highest peak in Romania, Moldoveanu. On our way to Pitesti we can visit the ruins of Poienari
Fortress, considered by Dracula buffs to be Romania’s ‘real’
Dracula’s castle. From one mystery to another we will end
our day in Pitesti, turbo capitalistic city, with famous Pitesti
prison, well known for its experimental brainwashing techniques.
ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE
16 days / 14 Riding Days
ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE TOUR DAY BY DAY
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 6: Pitesti - Veliko Tarnovo
Today’s ride is going to be fast
as we wind our way through
flat Wallachia, the southernmost region in Romania. This
region is a producer of some
of Romania’s best red wines.
Leaving Romania behind we’ll
ferry across the great Danube
and enter Bulgaria. Veliko Tarnovo, the evocative capital of
the medieval Bulgarian tsars,
is our stop for the night. Veliko Tarnovo is dramatically
set amidst an amphitheatre of forested hills, divided by the
ribboning Yantra River. Commanding pride of place is the
magisterial, well-restored Tsarevets Fortress, citadel of the
Second Bulgarian Empire.
Day 7: Veliko Tarnovo - Plovdiv
As we weave through small rolling hills on country roads Bulgaria seems like an unpolished Balkan jewel. Today we are up
for some mountainous riding. For drama and majestic vistas,
few routes in Bulgaria match crossing Shipka Pass. We’ll stop
in Koprivshtitsa, a unique museum village filled with Bulgarian National Revival-period architecture, cobblestone streets
and and bridges. By the end of the day we reach Plovdiv, vibrant city with innumerable art
galleries, exuberant spirit and
great nightlife. Many Thracian,
Roman, Byzantine and Bulgarian antiquities can be found in
Plovdiv’s old town, the most
being the Roman amphitheatres – the best preserved in the
Balkans.
Day 9: Gallipoli - Istanbul
Taking a short ferry ride we’ll be crossing Dardanelle canal,
a narrow strait, which separates two continents. We leave
Europe behind and enter Asia Minor. Following the southern
shore of Marmara sea we will visit the remains of the ancient Troy, site of the legendary
Trojan War. The story of remarkable Trojan heroes is written in
every language. We continue
our way on the south shore of
Marmara sea, passing Bursa,
former Ottoman city famous for
its traditional baths and mineral
water. Heading towards today’s
destination a ferry will take us to
the other side of the Bosphorus,
meeting the mystic Istanbul.
Day 8: Plovdiv - Gallipoli
Today we head south towards Greece riding through astonishing Rhodophe Mountains. It will be a fast ride with beautiful scenery. We soon leave Greece behind and enter Turkey.
Gallipoli peninsula awaits with 31 war cemeteries as the
great remains of the Gallipoli Campaign during the World
War I, where Turkish and Allied Australian and New Zealand
soldiers are buried side by side. Peninsula is surrounded with
Aegean sea on west side and
Dardanelles straits to the
east. Gallipoli name derives from the Greek
“Kallipolis”, meaning
“Beautiful city”.
Day 10: Rest day in Istanbul
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country’s
economic, cultural, and historical heart of the country. For
nearly sixteen centuries following its reestablishment as Constantinople, it served as the capital of four empires: the Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman Empire. On our first rest
day we’ll visit the historic center, the famous church turned
into a mosque, Aya Sofya, amazing residence of sultans Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, and many more. What a city!!!
ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE
16 days / 14 Riding Days
ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE TOUR DAY BY DAY
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 13:Nesebar - Kavarna
Today’s route coils by the coast as we ride from one coastal
town to another to get some more relax seaside felling. Varna, our stop on the Black Sea coast, is by far the most cosmopolitan town on the Black Sea coast, and a definite highlight
of the region. Baroque, turn-of-the-century and contemporary architecture pleasantly blend with shady promenades
and a handsome seaside garden. We end the day just outside
of Kavarna, in a beautiful newly built resort on the Black Sea
coast. If you fancy golf, you can go for a play on what’s by
many described as the most spectacular golf course in the
world!
Day 11: Rest day in Istanbul
Cruising around the beautiful Bosporus Strait, following a
route that includes views of Istanbul’s top attractions – all enchantingly illuminated at night, is just one of the things on today’s list.You can explore the wonderfully colored Grand Bazar,
sipping Turkish coffee or çay (tee) in the local coffee shops
while observing the street buzz or simply relax in the baths
of hamam. Make sure not to miss the whirling dervish show
or the attractive belly dancers. But most of all, put your taste
buds on alert - the food and the Turkish delights are amazing.
Day 14: Kavarna - Tulcea
Day 12:Istanbul - Nesebar
Leaving behind mystic Istanbul we are heading back to Bulgaria. We’ll be riding trough Strandzha Mountains, passing
some ancient cities and admiring the nature diversity, being surrounded by the lakes, forests and sea. On the way
to Nesebar we can explore the swaths of stunning beaches
and picturesque bays of Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Nesebar’s most distinctive
features are the cobblestone streets, the well
preserved
medieval
churches and the timbered houses dating
back to the 19th century. Soak in the unique
combination of Bulgaria’s ancient culture and
modern life, or hop on
the sandy beach.
Today we leave the Black Sea
Coast behind and ride north.
We can stop for lunch in
Mamaia, Romania’s Monte
Carlo. But we quickly continue to Tulcea in Danube Delta.
The Danube Delta is a marvelous world where water,
fish and birds call the shots.
Here at the end of its long
journey across Europe the
mighty Danube River spills
into the Black Sea creating
4187 sq-km wetland. We’ll
hop on the boat with a local
fisherman and spend the afternoon exploring the labyrinth of canals and desolate
fishing villages of the largest
wetland of Europe.
ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE
16 days / 14 Riding Days
ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE TOUR DAY BY DAY
Day 15:Tulcea – Bucharest
On our last riding day we will first ride west along the Danube to get some more great views of the mighty river and
occasional glance of Ukraine just north from where we ride.
Heading south we’ll ride among lush forests and small hilly
terrain, take the ferry over Danube River once more and head
back towards the Romanian capital. We will arrive back to
Bucharest with just enough time to let you walk around the
city before our farewell dinner.
Day 16:Flight home from Bucharest
Today you will say good-bye to your guides and new friends
as you return home with great memories. Till we meet again
for another great motorcycle adventure!
DETAILED ITINERARY
ROMANIA TO ISTANBUL ADVENTURE
16 days / 14 Riding Days
ROMANIA
ISTANBUL
ADVENTURE
2016 SICILYTO
TOUR
(per person
in EUR) 2016 (per person in EUR)
MOTORCYCLE
Price for the RIDER
Based on sharing
a double / twin room.
Yamaha MT-07
Suzuki V-Strom 650
4.360 €
BMW F 700 GS, F 800 R
Yamaha MT-09 Tracer
4.530 €
BMW F 800 GS, F 800 GT
Honda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin
4.770 €
BMW R 1200 GS, R 1200 R, R 1200 RS
Harley Davidson Superlow 1200T
5.290 €
Ducati Multistrada 1200
BMW R 1200 GS Adventure
BMW R 1200 RT
BMW S 1000 XR
5.480 €
Your Own Motorcycle
3.220 €
Price for the
PASSENGER
3.180 €
Single room
supplement
620 €
Self-guided tour - app 20% discount applies for tour prices above, contact us
Group discounts available.
The 16 day Romania to Istanbul Adventure includes:
•Late model motorcycle with lockable hard luggage and tank bags plus a Third party liability insurance and Comprehensive vehicle insurance.
•Experienced guide on a motorcycle.
•Support van for luggage, souvenir purchases and one or two passengers.
•15 nights accommodation in quality 4**** hotels.
•15 complete buffet breakfasts in the hotel.
•12 dinners, mostly in traditional local restaurants.
•Guided tour of Istanbul.
•Airport transfers on arrival and departure.
•All maps with marked routes for the region being toured.
•Extensive tour booklet.
Not included in the tour price:
•Air ticket, dinners on rest days, most lunches, drinks, gasoline, tolls, personal spending, tips.