The tour includes a visit to a glass making factory, meeting a gypsy coppersmith family, spending an afternoon at a sheepfold and capturing some of Romania’s imposing architectural monuments.
- Shoot the second largest administrative building in the world, Bucharest’s Palace of the Parliament
- Capture the beautiful mountainous area around Bran
- Photograph medieval monuments in Biertan and Sibiu
- Spend an afternoon at a sheepfold, learning about this traditional occupation
- Get insight into the Roma culture by visiting and photographing a family of coppersmiths
Day 1
The tour starts in Bucharest, Romania’s capital. After arriving at the airport you will be transferred to the hotel in the heart of the city.
Afterwards you will have the opportunity to shoot from outside the Palace of the Parliament, a monumental building that holds the record of being the second largest administrative building in the world.
Accommodation in Bucharest.
Transfer time: 30’
Day 2
In the first part of the day we will visit the interior of the Palace of the Parliament. As you wander through the luxurious rooms you can admire the display of crystal chandeliers, marble, wood essences, mosaics and stained-glass windows, the work of the best Romanian artisans.
We will leave behind Bucharest and head towards Transylvania. We will stop in Bran to shoot the famous Bran Castle from a distance. Its spectacular location, perched on top of rocks and surrounded by a deep green forest, makes for wonderful landscape photography. During the inside visit you will get to learn the truth about Dracula’s legend and admire the beautiful decorations made by our queen.
The rest of the afternoon will be spent in the mountains near Bran. This will be a good opportunity to practice your composition skills and take advantage of various elements such as traditional houses, winding dirt roads, wooden fences and barns. You will also have a sunset shoot here.
Accommodation in Pestera.
Drive time: 3h 30’
Day 3
Pestera Village is one of the best spots for admiring the Carpathians, between the Bucegi and Piatra Craiului Mountains. We will wake up early for a sunrise photo shoot in the mountains, after which we will travel to Sibiu.
On the way we will stop for a visit to a glass making factory, where people use an old glass-blowing technique to obtain the shiny objects. You will get to capture all stages of the process, from the glass’s raw form as sand to its final, polished shape. Even the British Royal family has benefited of some of the glassware hand-made here.
The second part of the day will be dedicated to urban photography, as we will spend a few hours exploring Sibiu, a charming medieval town, with plenty of historical building, eye-catching roofs, tall defensive towers and a prevalent bohemian atmosphere.
Accommodation in Sibiu.
Drive time: 3h 30’
Day 4
Biertan is a picturesque village, set on a hilltop in a valley, having traditional houses and a magnificent Fortified Church built by the Transylvanian Saxons. We will spend the first hours of the day photographing it from one of the nearby hills (and we’ll get up really early to get there).
Following the shoot at daybreak, we will visit a Roma family who still practices a craft passed down from generation to generation. The man is a coppersmith and you will get the chance to capture him at work and together with his 4-generation family.
In order to learn about the traditional way of life in Romania we will spend the afternoon at a sheepfold. Not only will you get to experience first-hand the life of shepherds, but you will also photograph them tending their sheep and hopefully milking them.
Accommodation in Sibiu.
Drive time: 3h 30’
Day 5
On the last day of your Spring Photo Tour in Transylvania you will wake up once again for a sunrise photo shoot, this time in the area around Sibiu called Paltinis. Being a famous winter resort, the landscape is dominated by tall mountains, but as you travel through the area you might also see farmers working the fields or shepherds walking with their sheep.
You will spend a few more hours exploring the cobbled streets of Sibiu, after which you will be transferred to the airport from where you will take the flight back home.
Drive time: 2h
This is a cultural tour which focuses on photography by putting you in contact with interesting locals and also planning visits around interesting events and the good times of the day to take pictures. This means that on some days you might wake up early for sunrise or stay up late for sunsets and the blue hour, it is up to each participant though.It also means that the tour plan is flexible and can be changed depending on weather conditions and photography opportunities found on the way.
Besides the planned visits at places of interest and people we’ve also planned time for 2-3 stops/day as we drive around the countryside as there are always unplanned very interesting photo opportunities, especially focused on people. It will be the tour guide who will make the call where and when to make those additional stops.
This tour is not meant to be an intense photography workshop with non-stop shooting, editing and image reviewing. The pace will be moderate so you can actually enjoy it as a holiday and learn about the culture you are visiting.
- Trip planning and assistance before and during the tour by email and phone
- English speaking tour guide services throughout the program (accommodation and meals are included)
- Accommodation for 4 nights in standard double rooms with breakfast (B) included
- Transfer by 8+1 seats minibus (Renault Trafic, Mercedes Vito, VW Transporter or similar) on the itinerary from arrival at the airport in Bucharest all the way back to the airport in Sibiu on day 5
- Visits to glass factory, gypsy family, sheepfold mentioned in the itinerary
- Entrance tickets, including the additional fees for taking pictures: The Palace of Parliament in Bucharest and Bran castle
Services which are not included in the tour price:
- Meals, except those included above. On average you can pay for a meal 10-15 EUR
For prices, please send an inquiry for details.
