Humor shelters five chambers. The middle one (the tomb room) hides a treasure room (tainiţa), which safeguarded monastic riches. On the right-hand wall, a votive painting depicts Bubuiog offering (with the Virgin Mary's help) a miniature monastery replica to Christ, a common motif in the Byzantine artistic tradition. Bubuiog's tomb (1539) is on the room's right side, that of his wife on the left side; above the latter is a painting of his wife praying to the Virgin Mary.
Putna MonasteryMONASTERY
(%0230-414 055; www.putna.ro; Putna; adult/student 5/2 lei, photography 10 lei; h8am-7pm May-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Apr)
Some 28km northwest of Rădăuţi, along a forested road dotted by traditional villages, Putna Monastery (1466–81) was built by Ştefan cel Mare, following his victory over the Turks at Chilia. About 60 monks live here. While Putna lacks spectacular frescoes, its royal inhabitants (Ştefan cel Mare is buried in the tomb room) keep it close to the Romanian heart. The graves of Ştefan's third wife, Maria Voichiţa, their two children, Bogdan and Petru, and Ştefan’s second wife, Maria, are here too.
Putna Museum, behind the monastery, houses one of Eastern Europe's largest Byzantine collections. Treasures include medieval manuscripts and the Holy Book that Ştefan cel Mare carried into battle. The largest of three bells inscribed in Old Church Slavonic outside dates from 1484, and was rung for royal deaths. The price of admission is included in the general monastery entry fee.
Dragomirna MonasteryMONASTERY
(Mănăstirea Dragomirna; www.manastireadragomirna.ro; Mitocul Dragomirnei; adult/student 5/2 lei, photography 10 lei; h8am-7pm May-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Apr)
About 10km north of Suceava in Mitocul Dragomirnei, the 60-nun-strong Dragomirna Monastery was founded between 1602 and 1609 by scholar, calligrapher, artist and bishop Anastasie Crimca. The intricate rope lacing around the midsection of the main church's exterior (and repeated throughout the interior) represents the Holy Trinity, and the short-lived unification of the Moldavian, Wallachian and Transylvanian principalities in 1600.
Dragomirna’s Museum of Medieval Art contains carved cedar crosses mounted in silver-gilt filigree and numerous religious texts. There's also a small shop here where the nuns sell wood and glass icons as well as cheese products. Drive or take a taxi from Suceava (30 lei).
Egg MuseumMUSEUM
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0723-541 643; www.muzeuloualorluciacondrea.ro; Str Stadionului 87, Vatra Moldoviţei; adult/child 5/3 lei; h9am-8pm)
This small, private museum shows off the painted egg creations of local artist Lucia Condrea. Condrea's eggs mix traditional Romanian Easter and holiday motifs with strong Slavic, Ukrainian and folk influences. The 2nd floor has several cases filled with painted eggs from around the world, so you can compare and contrast the various styles and colours.
Daniel the Hermit’s CaveCAVE
(Chilia lui Daniil Sihastrul; %0753-020 678; Putna; h10am-7pm May-Sep)F
About 2km from Putna, this cave contains a wooden table and memorial plaque to the 15th-century hermit and seer Daniel Dimitru. A monk by age 16, Daniel later dug and inhabited this rock cave; his fame was such that Ştefan cel Mare consulted him before doing battle. From Putna Monastery, you can walk to the cave in about 30 minutes. By car, leave Putna village and follow the signs to 'Chilia lui Daniil Sihastrul'.
2Driving Tour
Bucovina Monasteries
Start Suceava
Finish Suceava
Length 231km; eight hours
Bucovina's painted monasteries are Moldavia’s top cultural draw. Dazzling frescoes run from top-to-bottom in churches where monks and nuns follow traditional Orthodox vigils and services. On either a round-trip circuit or organised tour from Suceava, visiting the five most spectacular monasteries is achievable in a day. For a more leisurely tour, and to visit additional monasteries like Putna and Dragomirna, overnight at a rural guesthouse.
Leaving Suceava, take the southwest road for 50km (one hour) towards Gura Humorului village and 1Humor Monastery. Along with elaborate frescoes, this fortified monastery's tower offers nice views.
Continue on the south side of the Gura Humorului road for 10km (20 minutes) to 2Voroneţ Monastery, a spectacular structure known for its unique blue paint and detailed fresco of The Last Judgement.
From here, head west and then northwest (35km, 45 minutes), passing through Vatra Moldoviţei for 3Moldoviţa Monastery, a pretty place known for its frescoes The Story of Jesus’ Life and The Siege of Constantinople.
Backtrack to Vatra Moldoviţei and continue northeast on a winding mountain road, peaking at 1100m at 4Ciumârna Pass, dubbed ‘Palma’ (a giant human-palm statue stands here). You'll find great views, refreshing breezes and local vendors selling crafts and natural products.
Continue northeast for 10km to 5Popas Turistic Bucovina, an excellent lunch stop (it also has a hotel). Local forest mushrooms are used here in traditional sauces for chicken and pork dishes, and in hearty soups.
Another 4km north is 6Suceviţa Monastery, with paintings including the Ladder of Virtues and The Genealogy of Jesus.
Travel 6km on the road back to Suceava to pass through Marginea, known for its unique black pottery, available at 7AF Magopat Gheorghe, where potters work on traditional wheels from Monday to Saturday. On the return to Suceava (50km, one hour), don't forget tiny 8Arbore Monastery, whose smaller scale allows for a closer inspection of the beautifully preserved internal frescoes.
KNOW YOUR MONASTERIES
You don't have to be an art snob to wow your friends with monastery fresco facts. While each monastery is different, they share many common motifs. Inside the churches, for example, check out the facing wall in the main altar room to see an image of the church's patron or builder (and his family) offering the church to god. The exteriors almost always depict some version of a ladder to heaven.
While the monasteries usually depict similar stories and images, the differing preservation qualities mean that some monasteries are more strongly associated with a particular colour or image. The following need-to-know details help to keep things straight.
Arbore Monastery
Representative colour: green
Famous fresco: Scenes from the book of Genesis that adorn the western exterior wall
Humor Monastery
Representative colours: red and brown
Famous frescoes: The Annunciation, The Life of St Nicholas
Voroneţ Monastery
Representative colour: blue
Famous fresco: The Last Judgement
Moldoviţa Monastery
Representative colour: yellow
Famous frescoes: The Siege of Constantinople, The Story of Jesus’ Life
Suceviţa Monastery
Representative colour: green
Famous frescoes: The Genealogy of Jesus, The Ladder of Virtues, The Story of Moses' Life
4Sleeping
Pensiunes and guesthouses have sprung up in all of the towns and villages where the monasteries are located. Good places to hunt include Gura Humorului, near the Humor and Voroneţ Monasteries, Putna and Suceviţa. Along with the guesthouses, homes with cazare (accommodation) signs abound.
Pensiunea EmiliaGUESTHOUSE$
(%0743-117 827; Str Bercheza 173, Suceavița; r per person 80 lei)
The most appealing local pensiune in Suceviţa, Emilia has charming rooms and is 500m up the road from the village, opposite the monastery.
Pensiunea AgaGUESTHOUSE$
(%0740-613 901; House 165, Putna; r with shared bathroom 70-90 lei)
Right outside Putna Monastery, Pensiunea Aga has 10 rooms, with those in the main house the best. No English spoken; breakfast 15 lei.
Ieremia MovilăGUESTHOUSE$
(%0230-417 501; www.ieremiamovila.ro; Str Suceviţa 459, Suceviţa; s/d/tr 100/120/180 lei; paW)
This modern place has nice rooms with great bathrooms, balconies and wi-fi. Some rooms have monastery views. The on-site restaurant is decent.
oCasa BunicilorGUESTHOUSE$$
>
(%0747-512 291; www.casabunicilor.com; Str Chilia 22, Mănăstirea Humorului; s/d 120/180 lei; pnaW)S
A piece of paradise in an isolated spot north of Humor Monastery. Guests sleep in restored traditional Bucovina houses. There's an excellent restaurant and plenty of horses and goats for the kids to play with. To find it, drive north from the monastery along the main highway for 3km, and watch for a signposted turn-off to the left.
Pensiunea MuşatiniiGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0744-503 536; www.pensiuneamusatinii.ro; Str Mănăstirii 513a, Putna; s/d/apt 120/160/220 lei; naW)
This large, modern place in the centre of Putna has the village's best rooms. There's a sauna and on-site restaurant.
La RoataGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0230-230 400; www.la-roata.ro; Str Wurzburg 21f, Gura Humorului; s/d/apt from 160/200/290 lei; paW)
This collection of detached guesthouses is 500m west of the Gura Humorului town centre. It offers spacious rooms, a restaurant and kid-friendly attractions like a playground and table tennis.
Hilde’s ResidenceGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0230-233 484; www.lucy.ro; Str Şipotului 2, Gura Humorului; s/d/ste from 200/240/300 lei; paW)
Among Gura Humorului's more atmospheric and pricier guesthouses, long-established Hilde's has nine uniquely designed rooms; it's just off the village's main road. The on-site Romanian restaurant is good too.
Casa DoamneiGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0752-111 859; www.casa-doamnei.ro; Str Voroneţ 255, Gura Humorului; s/d from 120/160 lei)
On the Voroneţ road (500m after the train tracks, 3.5km before Voroneţ Monastery), this guesthouse has stylish wooden furniture, balconies and nice bathrooms.
Pensiunea CrizantemaPENSION$$
(%0230-336 116; www.vilacrizantema.ro; Str Mănăstirii 284a, Vatra Moldoviţei; s/d half-board 150/190 lei; pnW)
Near the Moldoviţa Monastery, this rustic eight-room place has cute, smallish rooms (bathrooms are simple), some with monastery views.
5Eating
Stand-alone restaurants are few and far between on the roads that connect the monasteries, though sizeable towns like Rădăuţi and Gura Humorului have a decent selection. Hotels and pensions normally cook for nonguests as well.
Popas Turistic BucovinaROMANIAN$$
(%0230-417 000; www.popas.ro; Str Movileștilor 305, Suceviţa; mains 18-35 lei; h7.30am-10pm)
The perfect spot to grab a well-prepared lunch of traditional Bucovinian cooking near the Suceviţa Monastery. Specialities include cabbage rolls with polenta and trout wrapped in pine, among others. Dine outside in a camplike setting in nice weather. It also offers overnight accommodation in four villas, and it's possible to camp as well.
WORTH A TRIP
RăDăUţI & MARGINEA
Side trips from the Bucovina monastery trail include Rădăuţi and Marginea.
Rădăuţi is a small market town with Moldavia's oldest church, the mid-14th-century Bogdana Monastery (Manastirea Bogdana; GOOGLE MAP ; %0230-563 005; www.bogdana.ro; Str Bogdana Vodă 4-6, Rădăuţi; h8am-7pm May-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Apr), built by Prince Bogdan I, which is also the mausoleum for eight early Moldavian rulers and their families, including Bogdan I, Latcu, Roman Muşat and Ştefan I.
Rădăuţi's square, Piaţa Unirii, features a multidomed cathedral. Opposite, the Museum of Bucovina Folk Techniques (%0230-562 565; Piaţa Unirii 63, Rădăuţi; adult/child 5/2 lei; h8am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat & Sun) is Moldavia’s oldest ethnographic museum and displays over 1000 items, including regional pottery.
Tiny Marginea, 9km west of Rădăuţi, produces a unique black pottery, made with a technique dating to neolithic times. Here AF Magopat Gheorghe (Black Pottery Workshop; %0745-922 949; www.ceramicamarginea.ro; House 1265, Marginea; h8am-6pm Mon-Sat) displays and sells these items, and showcases the last traditional potters in action.
This area also has remarkably good guesthouses, many signposted, catering to all budgets. In Rădăuţi, Gerald's Hotel (%0330-100 650; www.geraldshotel.com; Str Piaţa Unirii 3, Rădăuţi; s/d 380/420 lei; paiW) is among Moldavia's nicest hotels. It's loaded with business-class amenities, like a fitness centre and elegant bathrooms adorned with dark-wood furniture, plus a restaurant and bar. Rădăuţi is also blessed with Antique (%0230-560 011; www.restaurant-antique.ro; Al Primaverii 12, Rădăuţi; mains 20-50 lei; h9am-10pm; W), one of Bucovina's best restaurants.
8Getting There & Away
From Suceava, trains run to Gura Humorului (7 lei, 70 minutes, five daily), near the Humor and Voroneţ Monasteries. Bus and maxitaxi services include Gura Humorului (10 lei, one hour, 19 daily) and Rădăuţi (8 lei, 45 minutes, 13 daily). To access Putna, five daily buses make the trip from Rădăuţi (7 lei, 45 minutes).
From Câmpulung Moldovenesc, regular maxitaxis pass through Gura Humorului (7 lei) on their way to Suceava (14 lei).
8Getting Around
Public transport is sporadic in these parts, requiring hopping around and backtracking. Infrequent buses and maxitaxis service towns and villages in the region. See the website www.autogari.ro.
WORTH A TRIP
CâMPULUNG MOLDOVENESC
Situated at 621m, placid Câmpulung Moldovenesc dates from the 15th century. Known for logging, fairs and outdoor sports, it's an excellent base for exploring the painted monasteries and for hiking the Rarău Massif, 15km south. In winter the town transforms into a modest ski resort – there's a short 800m ski slope with a chairlift.
There are dozens of pensiunes along the main highway and around the town. Try to book in advance over summer weekends, when the town fills up with hikers.
Dor de Bucovina (%0723-523 083; www.puravidahostels.ro; Str Simion Florea Marian 8; s/d 80/100 lei; W) is a simple, well-maintained guesthouse off a quiet side street 1km east of the centre. Eden Hotel ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0230-314 733; www.hotel-eden.ro; Calea Bucovinei 148; s/d/ste 150/200/340 lei; paWs) is an oasislike complex with hotel-, chalet- and bungalow-style rooms. It’s well furnished, with large bathrooms with hydromassage tubs.
There are a couple of decent restaurants near the town centre. Q'usine (%0752-502 948; www.facebook.com/qusine2016; Str Dimitrie Cantemir 14; mains 25-40 lei; h11.30am-11.30pm; W) is an unexpected touch of sophistication. The innovative, industrial decor is softened by exposed wood beams and cushioned Eames chairs. The menu offers a nice selection of steaks, lamb and duck. The location is two blocks north of Str 22 Decembrie (the town centre).
Regular maxitaxis run throughout the day to Suceava (14 lei) via Gura Humorului (7 lei), departing from a small station along the main road, Calea Bucovinei, about 100m east of the central square at Str 22 Decembrie. The tiny train station is situated 1km west of the centre. Daily services include several trains to Suceava (12 lei, two hours), two to Iaşi (60 lei, four hours) and one to Bucharest (90 lei, 90 minutes).
Rarău Massif
Rarău Massif refers to a modest (the highest point is 1651m) but dramatic outcropping of the Eastern Carpathian Mountains that rises to the south of Câmpulung Moldovenesc. The massif is accessible by road or hiking trail from May to October, with the most popular trails leading south from Câmpulung or from the neighbouring village of Pojorâta, 5km to the west. Highlights of a hike or drive here include unusual limestone rock formations, most notably the beloved Lady’s Stones (Pietrele Doamnei), and dramatic vistas over steep, deep-green valleys.
2Activities
Hiking is far and away the major activity here. There's also a modest ski run that operates from December through March most years. If you have your own wheels, it's possible to drive near the top of the massif.
Hiking
Hiking is the main activity in these parts and several marked trails to the peak at Cabana Rarău and further on to the Lady's Stones fan out from Câmpulung and Pojorâta. Cabana Rarău is also accessible on foot from the southern side, starting in Chiril village. From Câmpulung, figure on about four to five hours to the top at a moderate pace, following one of two main paths (one marked by a red circle and the other by a ye
llow triangle).
From Cabana Rarău, a signposted trail (30 minutes) leads to the foot of the Lady’s Stones. Several crosses crown the highest stone, a memorial for those who have died climbing here. Views from the top are superb. A trail marked by red stripes and red triangles (five hours) leads from the cabana to the Slătioara Forest Reservation. From here another trail (red triangles) leads to the Todirescu Flower Reservation.
Driving
By car, the drive to the top at Cabana Rarău (15km) takes about 30 minutes along the superb Transrarău highway (marked as Hwy DJ175B). The Transrarău begins in Pojorâta, 5km west of Câmpulung (look for signs to 'Rarău'). From Cabana Rarău, it's possible to continue by road another 10km south to Chiril village, from where you can return to Pojorâta, or proceed onward to Vatra Dornei, 24km to the west. Note that winter conditions can close the road from late October to April.
2Sleeping & Eating
There are a few scattered mountain lodges near the peaks that allow for a more leisurely assault on the top. The best facilities are offered at the base station shelter Cabana Rarău. Be sure to arrange sleeping in advance to make sure there's room. There are plenty of guesthouses and private rooms in both Câmpulung Moldovenesc and Pojorâta.
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