We check out of our hotel this morning and continue our sightseeing of Kyiv with a tour of Pecherska Lavra (Monastery of the Caves), an active monastery founded in the 11th c. and center of Christianity for Kyivan-Rus. Its complex of churches reflects a unique Ukrainian baroque style which is only surpassed by the beauty of the newly reconstructed Uspenskyj Cathedral (1998), destroyed by Soviet mines in 1941. The labyrinths of the “near” and “far” caves hold over 115 burial niches containing remains of St. Antoniy, Nestor the Chronicler, and many religious and political leaders. World-renowned Scythian Gold treasures are exhibited within its walls.
Lunch in a local restaurant and transfer to airport for an afternoon flight to L’viv.

Situated in the western part of Ukraine, L’viv, the “City of Lions”, is its heart and soul. Founded in the 13^th c. by King Danylo Halytckyj, it was named in honor of his son Lev (Leo). Through centuries of Polish, Austrian and Soviet occupation, L’viv was the gateway to “the East”, but with independence in 1991, L’viv is finally free to develop its own Ukrainian identity. Highlights of the first city tour are Rynok, the 15-16^th c. city square, the Dominican Church, Armenian Church Complex, the Chapel of the Bojim Family, the Armenian Quarters, the Opera House and L’viv University. St. George’s Cathedral, the stronghold of Western Ukraine’s Catholic Church, is our final stop before lunch in a local café. Remainder of the day and dinner under own arrangements.

Today’s tour is to Shevchenko Haj, an open air museum with an active Bojko Church and replicas of Western Ukraine’s Lemko and Bojko villages dating back to the 18^th c. This “village” is a popular Sunday outing for L’viv residents. We continue to Lychakiv Cemetery to view graves of Ivan Franko, Solomija Krushelnytcka, Volodymyr Ivasiuk, Oleksander Tysovsky and many others.Lunch under own arrangements. Afternoon free.
Evening Folkloric Dinner at a specialty restaurant.

Today we join our touring coach for a drive through some of the most enchanting Carpathian villages.  We pass through Rohatyn  and see the statue of Roxolana.  It was here in 1520, the Tartars abducted a local girl called Nastia Lisovska and sold her into the harem of Sultan Suleiman II.  She eventually became his wife and was known as Roxolana.  We drive through Ivano Frankivsk, the industrial capital of this oblast. before arriving in Kolomyja, famous for its master-ceramists and woodcarvers.  Lunch in a local restaurant, and guided tours will take place at the Hutsul Pysanka and Woodcarving Museums.  We continue to Chernivtsi for dinner and overnight.

This morning we drive to Kamianets Podilsky (obl Khmelnytcka) for a tour of a feudal era fortress (11-16^th c.) with military architecture consisting of towers, a Turkish Castle Bridge and medieval fortification structure. UNESCO declared the old city a World Heritage Site because of the high concentration of preserved architectural styles. But the real "wow" of this museum city is the immense canyon that completely encircles the old city. Time permitting we will see some of the 25 active churches and maybe pass by the city’s largest industrial enterprise – vodka factory. Lunch at a local café, and we return to Chernivtsi for a short city tour before dinner.

Today we leave Ukraine and arrive at the Romanian border – Siret - in the afternoon. There we’ll meet our guide for Romania.  From Siret we’ll drive to Sucevita, a very nice town with an idyllic landscape. Dinner at hotel. Time permitting, a short walk through downtown Sucevita.

After breakfast we’ll spend the day in the wonderful area of Bukovyna known as
Maramures, a living museum and an ancient region of Romania, where customs, traditions and the beauty of nature have resisted the erosion of time. The highlights of this day are the three ornamented monasteries which belong to the UNESCO world heritage.
In Sucevita, the paintings are preserved both on the outside as well as on the inside of the monastery. They belong to the Romanian craftsmen of the Moldavian school of painting - Ioan the Painter and his brother Sofronie from Suceava. They have a strong narrative character, and many of them represent scenes taken from the daily life of 16^th century Moldavia.
Moldovita Monastery dates back to 1532, and its construction was supported by the ruling prince Petru Rares (1532-1546). It has, like Sucevita, the aspect of a fortress, with imposing towers and high, thick walls (6m high, 1.2m wide).
According to the architectural tradition set by Stephen the Great, the church has a three-cusped plan, as well as an open porch.
Voronets Monastery, a nun monastery, is probably the most accomplished sample of artistic achievement in Moldavian architecture and painting. The Church has a trefoil form reflecting the medieval Moldavian architectural style, predominantly Byzantine. The monastry is quite impressive by its size. We’ll drive back to the hotel in Sucevita for dinner and overnight.

Today we’ll leave the remarkable area of Bukovyna and drive through the “Dracula Pass” (Tihuta Pass) in Transylvania.
Transylvania lies in the centre of Romania, surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains.
Vlad Tepes - Dracula (1431-1476) was the ruler of Wallachia, one of the Romanian provinces. He was born in Sighisoara (Transylvania). As he was dedicated to honesty and order, he became famous for his brutal methods of punishment. The Romanian word “Tepes” means “Impaler” which refers to his favorite method of punishment: impalement on stakes. He was assassinated in 1476.
Sighisoara is located on both sides of the river Târnava Mare. The old town was built by the Saxons between the 12^th-17^th centuries; included in the UNESCO world heritage, Sighisoara is today an animated European medieval town, whose old edifices are still functional and well-preserved.
During a short city tour you will admire the Medieval fortifications, the Council Tower/ Clock Tower - with a Swiss mechanism and seven figurines carved in wood which indicate the days of the week, the Hill Church (13^th-15^th centuries), as well as the Vlad Dracul's House (15^th c.) where Vlad (Dracula) the Impaler was born.
We’ll have dinner in the “Vlad Dracul” restaurant.

In the morning we’ll depart from Sighisoara in the direction of Brasov, located in the Bârsa depression, at the foot of the Tâmpa Mount (650 m high). During the city tour we’ll visit the following sights: the most famous religious monument of the city, the Black Church (14^th-15^th centuries), the largest gothic church in Romania and within the territory between Vienna and Istanbul. It owes its name to its walls, blackened by a fire set by the Austrians in 1689. It exhibits the heaviest mobile bell in Romania (6 tones), a valuable collection of Anatolian carpets from the 17^th-18^th centuries and an organ dated 1839 with 4000 pipes; the medieval fortification Weavers' Bastion (15^th-16^th centuries), the largest medieval bastion in Romania and the best preserved among Brasov's 7 bastions; St. Bartholomew’s Church (13^th-15^th centuries), the oldest edifice in Brasov, early Gothic style with an altarpiece in the classical baroque style (18^th c.); stately buildings Town Hall (15^th c.) – presently, the Museum of History and Archaeology built in the late Renaissance style combined with Transylvanian baroque elements. After lunch, we’ll drive through Walachia and through the beautiful and wild Prahova Valley. In the late afternoon we’ll reach Bucharest – the capital of Romania. Dinner at one of the traditional Romanian restaurants.

After breakfast, we’ll take a city tour and turn our attention to the Metropolitan Church, which dominates the city from the top of a small hill; the Romanian Athenaeum, Manuc’s Inn with Lipscani, its picturesque and animated commercial area; the gigantic Palace of Parliament built by Ceausescu and the new city district nearby. Finally, we’ll visit the famous Village Museum, where houses, churches, mills and other architectural items from all over the country are displayed.
The University was founded as a superior school in 1864, four years after Iasi University, the first Romanian modern university. In 1864 it included the Law, Sciences, Letters and Palace of Parliament, Philosophy Faculties.
The afternoon is free for own exploration and final shopping. Tonight you will be invited to a farewell dinner with a folkloric program.

Early AM transfer takes us to Bucharest airport for our flight to Frankfurt with connecting flight to Newark.