Monasteries from a
Moldavian Manor House

Romania

19 to 23 September, 2022

 Leaving the Saxon villages behind us, we travel through territory settled by Hungarian Szeklers and still retaining distinctive elements of its Magyar heritage. Our ultimate destination is Bucovina, the ‘land of the beech forests’. Here, we find ourselves in a distinctively Romanian Orthodox setting of great beauty and tranquillity.

We will stay as the guests of Michael de Styrcea, at the delightful manor house he has painstakingly restored on his family’s estate which was restored to him after the revolution.

Our pace will be deliberately leisured, to suit our unhurried setting. There will be time to read, write, paint or walk in Valeni manor’s parkland, with its rare trees and long views towards the Carpathians, and the wider estate which is rich in wildlife, with deer, wild boar, hoopoes, bee-eaters and Ural and Eagle Owls. Colonies of Swallowtail butterflies are to be found. Here too is thrilling evidence of great antiquity – on the estate are the remains of a Dacian citadel and cemetery, and astonishing ceramics of the Cucuteni culture were discovered here.

We will visit the extraordinary painted monasteries and other remarkable religious foundations. There are many other delightful surprises in store. All our excursions are within two hours’ drive of our comfortable base, apart from one overnight stay to visit the painted monasteries of northern Bucovina. Guests who wish to opt out of any of the visits and stay at Valeni are welcome to do so.

We will be a small group, maximum 12, accompanied by Bronwen Riley. We will be the only guests staying at Valeni.

This tour has been specially designed to start out from the Saxon villages where the Transylvanian Book Festival is held, and to complement its themes. Beginning on the Monday following the festival, an all-inclusive combined ticket is available to both festival and the tour, for £2500, although it is also possible to join us separately.

To find out more, click here.