Post–conference tour
Masuria: Europe’s Natural Treasure
We invite you to discover the extraordinary region of Masuria. Masuria is unquestionably one of Poland’s most beautiful provinces, often referred to as the Land of a Thousand Lakes. This unique corner of Europe will delight you with its extraordinary biodiversity, crystal-clear lakes, vast forests and picturesque waterways.
The region boasts unique natural beauty, including crystal-clear lakes, extensive forests and rich fauna and flora. The Route of the Great Masurian Lakes is the ideal place for lovers of sailing, canoeing and resting on the water. Masuria is a region with a rich history and culture, home to numerous monuments, museums and souvenirs from the past. It is the ideal place to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of the city with its peace and quiet.
Masuria has been home to various nationalities for centuries and this has shaped the unique culture of the region and enriched Polish cultural heritage.The Great Masurian Lakes Trail is the region’s undoubted jewel in the crown of Masuria. As you cruise along its waters, you will admire unspoilt nature, meet numerous species of birds and, in the evenings, admire the starry sky.
The Masurian forests are home to a plethora of animal species, including red deer, roe deer, wild boar, elk and wild horses.
Masuria is not just about nature. It is also rich in history and culture. The region has been at the heart of many significant events that have shaped the fate of Poland. Masuria is a special place for Poles and is a symbol of freedom and independence.
Discover Masuria with Interpret Europe!
Provisional programme:
14 April
14:00 Departure from the conference venue and a bus drive
19:00 Dinner in Masuria and overnight stay.
15 April
09:00 Site visits with coffee break and lunch
16:00 End of the tour and return to Warsaw in late evening hours
Costs: €140
This includes transport, guided site visits, lunch, coffee break, dinner and accommodation in single rooms.
Post–conference tour
Bran Castle and Brașov music tour
15 May 2023
12:45 – Departure from Sighișoara
15:30 – 17:00 – Visit to Bran Castle and tea / coffee break
17:00 – 19:00 – Concert at the fortified church in Țara Bârsei
19:00 – 19:45 – Concert at the Black Church, Brașov
20.00 – Dinner with wine tasting in Brașov
16 May 2023
9:30 – Departure to Sibiu airport (arrival to Sibiu airport at cca. 12.00).
9:30 – 11:30 – Brașov guided tour (optional for those who depart on their own later)
Fee: 86€
includes the entire programme, transportation from the conference venue to Sibiu, entrance fee to Bran Castle and dinner/ wine tasting.
Accommodation is not pre-arranged and/or included in the fee.
Programme:
Bran Castle (Romanian: Castelul Bran; German: Schloss Bran; Hungarian: Törcsvári kastély) is located in the central part of Romania and in the south-eastern of the historical region of Transylvania, at the border withanother historical region, Wallachia. The castle is well known as Dracula’s Castle, because of its association with the fictional character in Bram Stoker‘s Dracula. The castle is now a museum dedicated to displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Marie of Romania. We will start our tour discussing how the castle became the ‚must see’ of Romania and how this is perceived at a local level.
After coffee and traditional tasty snacks, we will embark on two very special experiences, dedicated to music as an interpretative medium, aiming to connect the present and the urban citizens with the architectural heritage and local communities around the city of Brașov. Musica Barcensis is a festival, organized by the Forum Arte Foundation, that every year colours the cultural life in the fortified fortresses of Burzen Land / Țara Bârsei. The concerts and events of this festival bring a breath of joy to the evangelical fortified churches in the Brașov area in the summer months. All of them become meeting places, refuges loaded with history and legend. The first session will take place in one of the fortified churches from the Saxon (German) villages around Brașov and the second one will take place in the Black Church.
The Black Church, Biserica Neagră in Romanian (German: Schwarze Kirche, Hungarian: Fekete templom), stands in the city of Brașov in South-Eastern Transylvania. It was built by the Saxon community in Gothic-style between 1383-1385 and 1480. The Black Church is the most important house of worship in the region which belong to the Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession in Romania. It has the biggest bell in Romania (weighing six tones) and the richest collection of Anatolian carpets from the 15th to 17th centuries outside Turkey. A Lutheran service is held each Sunday for the small German community in the city and for the rest of the time the church is open to visitors as the most visited museum in the city of Brașov.
Such a special evening will end suitably with a wine tasting in Brașov’s charming city center. The last part of the post-conference tour will begin on Tuesday morning with a one hour tour of Brașov (German: Kronstadt; Hungarian: Brassó; Latin: Corona), the second most visited tourist destination in Romania. The tour will include a short stop at a small, but innovative museum that uses diverse interpretation techniques, Casa Mureșenilor Museum Brașov.
