Romanian Wine Tasting

Romania’s Dealu Mare wine region makes this an appealing day trip for anyone who wants more than city sights. From Bucharest, you ride into the sub-Carpathian hills, visit LacertA and Budureasca wineries, and taste more than 10 wines along the way.

I like the easy format: round-trip transportation and a professional escort are included, so you can focus on the wine instead of driving. I also like that the two stops have different jobs, with LacertA explaining production and Budureasca showing you how to taste properly.

The main drawback is the length. This is an eight-hour outing, and lunch is not included. Snacks come with the tastings, but you should plan for a full morning and afternoon without expecting a restaurant meal as part of the price.

Key points to know before booking

• Two wineries, two different lessons: LacertA focuses on wine production, while Budureasca teaches tasting etiquette.
• More than 10 wines included: The tasting sessions give you a broad introduction to Romanian bottles rather than a single sample.
• The Dealu Mare hills are part of the appeal: The calm sub-Carpathian setting gives the day a slower pace than Bucharest sightseeing.
• Guide Eugen may be your escort: He is specifically noted for useful information, stories behind the wines, and help throughout the day.
• Small group size: The maximum is 15 people, with a minimum of three required for the tour to operate.
• Lunch is your responsibility: Snacks are included, but a proper midday meal is not.

Leaving Bucharest for Dealu Mare

The experience begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Gray Line Romania meeting point near University Square, at Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta 9-5. Pickup and drop-off are offered at select central Bucharest hotels, but the stated meeting point is the detail to rely on when planning your morning.

The trip uses a comfortable, air-conditioned minivan. That matters on a wine outing because you are not trying to manage rural directions, parking, or the question of who will drive after the tasting. You can sit back and watch Bucharest give way to the quieter sub-Carpathian hills.

The group can reach 15 people, which is large enough to provide company but still more manageable than a full coach tour. The minimum is three participants. If that number is not reached, the operator will contact you with alternatives.

You should allow the full eight-hour window. The wineries are not a quick add-on to a city tour, and the point is to give each cellar enough time for commentary and tasting. This works best as a dedicated day outside Bucharest, not as something squeezed between morning sightseeing and an evening reservation.

LacertA Winery: start with how Romanian wine is made

The first stop is LacertA Winery. Here, the emphasis is on the history and production process of wine. That makes this a useful opening stop, especially if you know little about Romanian wine beyond the name of the country.

A winery visit can be much more satisfying once you understand what you are tasting. At LacertA, the guide’s commentary helps connect the bottle in your glass with the work behind it. You can expect the discussion to focus on how wine is produced and on the story of the cellar, rather than simply moving from one sample to the next.

The setting is part of the experience. The tour takes you out among the Dealu Mare hills, where the atmosphere is described as calm and relaxing. If your ideal wine day includes open views and a break from traffic, this setting gives the outing much of its charm.

The exact order of the cellar visit and tasting may vary, but wine tasting is included. Snacks are also part of the food offering. They are useful for making the tasting more comfortable, though they do not replace lunch.

I would pay attention during the first tasting session even if you are mainly there for the scenery. Learning the basic production story at LacertA gives you a better frame for the second winery, where the focus shifts from making wine to tasting it.

Budureasca Winery: learn the manners of tasting

The second stop is Budureasca Winery. Here, you work on the etiquette of wine tasting. That may sound formal, but it is practical. Knowing how to approach a glass, what to notice, and how to compare wines can make a tasting less intimidating.

The value of this stop is that you are not expected to arrive as a wine expert. The outing is designed to teach you as you taste. With more than 10 wines sampled across both sessions, you get enough variety to notice differences rather than treating every glass as the same.

The tastings may also include contact with the winemakers or winery staff. Guide Eugen is specifically praised for sharing stories connected to the wines and for providing useful information and assistance. If Eugen is leading your group, expect the commentary to be an important part of the day, not just transport between two cellars.

Budureasca gives the day a good second act. LacertA explains the making of wine, while Budureasca helps you understand how to approach the finished product. The two visits are similar enough to form a clear theme, but different enough to avoid feeling like the same tour twice.

Do not expect a wine course with technical certification. This is an accessible introduction, built around conversation, cellar visits, tastings, and snacks. It suits curious drinkers who want to learn a little while enjoying the setting.

More than 10 wines, with snacks but no lunch

The included food is simple: wine tasting and snacks. That is enough to support the tasting sessions, but the absence of lunch is one of the most important practical details in the booking decision.

You should eat before departure or plan carefully around the schedule. The provided information does not specify a lunch stop, a restaurant, or the exact snack selection, so do not assume that a full meal will appear between wineries.

The tasting itself is the main meal-related feature. More than 10 types of wine are included across two sessions, giving you a broad sample of Romanian production. For many people, that is the core value of the tour. You are paying for access, explanation, and guided tasting rather than only for transportation to the countryside.

The number of samples also means you should pace yourself. The air-conditioned minivan and round-trip transport remove the need for you to drive, but the day is still more enjoyable when you treat it as a tasting lesson instead of a race through as many glasses as possible.

What the $107.17 price buys you

At $107.17 per person, this is not the cheapest way to spend a day outside Bucharest. Its value depends on how much you want the structure of a guided wine outing.

The price includes round-trip transportation, a professional tour escort, commentary and assistance, two winery visits, wine tastings, and snacks. It also saves you the effort of arranging separate transport to two rural wineries. If you tried to build the same day independently, you would need to organize a vehicle, manage the tasting logistics, and arrange access at both cellars.

The price is easier to justify if you care about the explanations. You are not simply buying a scenic drive and a few pours. LacertA covers production, Budureasca covers tasting etiquette, and the guide adds context and stories about the wines.

The value is less convincing for someone who only wants a quick countryside excursion or who does not drink wine. The day is built around tasting, and the schedule is long enough that wine is not a small side activity.

A maximum group of 15 helps keep the experience more personal than a large bus tour, though it is not a private tour. The final feel will depend on the group size on your date and on the escort assigned to it.

The guide can shape the whole day

The tour includes a professional escort who offers commentary and assistance. That role is especially useful on a winery day, where the quality of the explanation can determine whether the visits feel informative or merely decorative.

Eugen is the guide name associated with especially helpful information, stories behind the wines, and support during the tastings. If he is leading your departure, his contribution could be a major strength. Still, the safest expectation is that your tour includes a professional escort, not that Eugen is guaranteed for every date.

A good guide does more than translate the tasting process into plain language. The escort can connect the two wineries, explain what you are seeing, help with questions, and keep the day moving. That matters when the itinerary includes transport, cellar visits, tastings, and a return to Bucharest within roughly eight hours.

The experience is offered in English. That makes it suitable for English-speaking visitors who want the commentary to be central rather than relying on printed information.

Who will enjoy this day most

I would recommend this tour to you if you want a relaxed day beyond Bucharest and enjoy learning through food and drink. It is a good fit for couples, small groups of friends, and solo visitors who would rather join an organized outing than arrange rural transport alone.

It also suits people who are new to Romanian wine. The two-stop structure gives you a clear introduction without requiring prior knowledge. You learn how wine is made at LacertA, then how to approach tasting at Budureasca.

You should think twice if you need a full lunch, dislike long day trips, or want a private experience. The group can reach 15 people, and the tour has a fixed morning departure from central Bucharest.

The minimum age is 18, so this is an adults-only activity. That is worth noting for families planning several days in Romania.

Booking, meeting point, and cancellation details

You can book with a mobile ticket, and confirmation is received at the time of booking. The regular start time is 9:30 a.m. at University Square, with the activity ending back at the same meeting point.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are available at select properties in Bucharest. Because that wording does not cover every hotel, check your pickup arrangement carefully and be prepared to use the central meeting point.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance are not accepted for a refund. The minimum group requirement also matters: if the tour cannot operate because too few people are booked, you will be offered another option or a full refund.

Should you book the Romanian Wine Tasting?

Book it if you want a full day devoted to Romanian wine, with transport handled for you and enough instruction to make the tastings meaningful. The strongest reasons are the two different winery visits, the chance to sample more than 10 wines, and the peaceful Dealu Mare setting.

Go in with realistic expectations. This is not a short tasting near central Bucharest, lunch is not included, and the day takes about eight hours. But if you enjoy wine, countryside views, and clear explanations from a guide such as Eugen, the $107.17 price offers a practical way to reach two wineries without building the day yourself.

FAQ

Where does the Romanian Wine Tasting start?

The tour starts at 9:30 a.m. at the Gray Line Romania meeting point at University Square, Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta 9-5, Bucharest.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are available at select properties in Bucharest. The stated central meeting point is University Square.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately eight hours and ends back at the meeting point.

Which wineries does the tour visit?

The tour visits LacertA Winery and Budureasca Winery.

How many wines are included in the tastings?

Two wine tasting sessions are included, with more than 10 types of wine sampled in total.

Is lunch included?

No. Wine tastings and snacks are included, but lunch is not.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted.