Bucovina means the famous painted churches. Over five centuries have passed since their building, and the visitors from all over the world do not stop wondering about the endurance of the colors and of the splendid dinamic of the frescoes compositions, which have preserved their freshness irrespective of the winds, rains, scorchers, frosts and other hardships passing over them.

The 'Painted Monasteries' are the major Moldavian destination, due to their vivid and animated frescoes on their church walls. Painted  Biblical scenes and other scenes are designed in sequences almost like strip cartoons in order to educate the local people in the Orthodox religion.

There are five major Monasteries:

Humor, founded in 1530, is quite small. Its paintings include ilustrations of 'Siege of Constantinopole', which shows the feelings of the Romanians towards the invading Turks. On other walls there are the 'Return of the Prodigal Son' and the 'Devil amusingly', depicted as a greedy woman.

Voronet, nicknamed the 'Sixtine Chapel of the East' was built by Stephen the Great in 1488 and the vibrant colors of its frescoes were added later. An interesting point is that  the archangels’ trumpets take the shape of the local shepherds’ horn or 'bucium' and the souls doomed to hellfire wear the turbans of the Turkish enemy.

The Sucevita Monastery compound is fortified like a citadel with guard towers on its four corners. Thousands of pictures decorate the church’s walls. We recommend you to look for the complex "Joshua’s Tree" on the southern wall.

Striking red, blue, yellow and brown colors characterise the Biblical scenes depicted around the Moldovita church. Inside the 16th century furniture survives, including Prince Petru Rares’ chair, as large as a throne. Because the Prince is the founder of Moldovita his statue stands outside.

Arbore Monastery was not built by a Prince - that is the reason why it is quite small, it lacks  the high cupola that distinguishes most monastery churches. Its paintins utilise several shades of green. We recommend you to look for the scenes from 'Genesis' along the western wall, since they are particularly lively and graceful.

Other interesting spots in the region: the monastery of Putna, housing the tomb of Stephen the Great and the Saint, the monastery of Dragomirna (a stone carved 'blade').

Thanks to their artistic value they are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

This tour will also lead you to the city of Iasi - the cradle of many historical, religious and architectural monuments and one of the ancient capitals of Moldavia, to Suceava - other historical capital of Moldavia, hosting the  fortressed Princely Court of Stephen the Great, and to the Moldavian Orthodox churches of Neamt county.

By means of transportation, there are two options for this tour:

• travelling by car/van/bus 6 day tour

• fly & drive : This tour will lead you to the city of Iasi - the cradle of many historical, religious and architectural monuments and one of the ancient capitals of Moldavia, to Suceava - other historical capital of Moldavia, hosting the fortressed Princely Court of Stephen the Great, and to the Moldavian Orthodox churches of Neamt county.

See each of these options and choose the one that suits you best !