Kimkim Trip Reviews for Romania

I speak as the organizer of this bespoke trip to Romania. My late partner Linda was battling pancreatic cancer when she asked me to take over the arrangement of this trip to her native Romania. I think she wanted this trip in the works to have a peak experience to look forward to if she survived, and to give to her friends and family if she did not make it. Unfortunately, she passed away before the trip -- instead departing on another trip we are all signed up for eventually. Linda chose Romania because her paternal ancestors emigrated from there to Detroit, Linda's birthplace. Linda had been to Romania before to explore where she came from, but she felt she had missed some important experiences, among them the painted monestaries and particularly the village of Mihoveni, near Suceava in Bukovina, her ancestors' home. Irenne as the travel planner for Secret Romania did a wonderful job of asking me what we wanted from the trip, adding experiences that we did not know to ask for, and putting together all the logistics needed to make the trip successful and enjoyable. (Along the way, she was amaziningly patient and good-natured with all of our questions and requests.) Our guide Florin, was extremely knowledgeable about all things Romanian along our route, plus being patient, warm, and kind. Our driver Bogdan was excellent -- our safety and comfort were clearly his highest priority. Before the trip I was not sure that I would have chosen a trip to Romania as my top destination. But once I got there and experienced the history, the culture, and the people, I realized that this was a chance of a lifetime to experience an extremely beautiful country and an extraordinary culture. Our trip culminated with the opportunity to spread some of Linda's ashes on the lovely flowers in the garden of the church that played such an important role in the lives of Linda's forbears. All in all, six stars on a five star scale. The trip of a lifetime thanks to kimkim and the staff at Secret Romania.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Dukat

Gura Humorului, Suceava Romania

Comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Sighisoara Binderbubi - Hotel & Spa

Sighisoara

Comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Continental Forum Bucharest

Bucharest, Romania

Comportable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near everything we wanted to see.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Armatti

Brasov

Comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sonnenhof

Suceava

Comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sighisoara to Bucovina with the Red Lake and the Bicaz Gorge

Romania

The Bicaz Gorge was spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Bucharest to Brasov with Peles Castle

Romania

Peles castle was like a mini-Versaille, but ina more spectular setting in the mountais.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Zarnesti Cliffs and Bear Watching

Romania

Seeing the bears in their natural environment as a treat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Viscri and Sighisoara

Romania

Loved the UNESCO World Heritage aspects of this wonderful places.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Discover Bucovina

Gura Humorului

The painted monasteries were unique and amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit Suceava

Romania

The village life and buildings museum was very informative. The city fortress, destroyed by the Turks and now beng restored, was impressive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit Mihoveni

Suceava

This was a very specific add-on in response to a request. We wanted to see the Ciofus' and other related families' graves in the local cemetary -- and to spread some of our beloved Linda's ashes in the church flower garden. Linda made me promise, and Irenne as planner, Florin as guide, and Bogdan as driver make it happen. A promise made, a promise kept.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very comfortable Mercedes minibus, expertly driven.

Free time in Bucharest

Bucharest

The museum regarding Romanian history, especially the communist period and the revolution against that government, were fascinating.

Quality of Experience

Our trip guided by Florin and driven by Bogdan exceeded my expectations by far. It couldn't have been better.

Activity Reviews

Transfer from Bucharest to Brasov with Peles Castle

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zarnesti Cliffs and Bear Watching

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Viscri and Sighisoara

Romania

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sighisoara to Bucovina with the Red Lake and the Bicaz Gorge

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Bucovina

Gura Humorului

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Suceava

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free time in Bucharest

Bucharest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Mihoveni

Suceava

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Bucharest city tour

Bucharest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The ten days in Romania was planned well ahead when my friend Linda was alive and hoping to join her family looking for its Romanian roots. We were sad not to have her with us but the spirit of celebration of her life remained with siblings, cousins and friends. Our guide Florin was phenomenal with his knowledge, experience, flexibility and friendliness. We had a great bus and driver, Bogdon, for our group of 11. We saw the highlights of Romanian castles, churches and history villages on the way north to visit the Ciofu ancestral home parish. Wonderful trip and a pleasure to meet Linda’s cousins and spend time with her siblings.

Florin and Brogon were fantastic. Florins recommendations were great

Hotel Reviews

Continental Forum Bucharest

Bucharest, Romania

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Armatti

Brasov

Authenticity & Character

I’m

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Sighisoara Binderbubi - Hotel & Spa

Sighisoara

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Dukat

Gura Humorului, Suceava Romania

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sonnenhof

Suceava

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Free time in Bucharest

Bucharest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Mihoveni

Suceava

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bucharest city tour

Bucharest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Bucharest to Brasov with Peles Castle

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zarnesti Cliffs and Bear Watching

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sighisoara to Bucovina with the Red Lake and the Bicaz Gorge

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Viscri and Sighisoara

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Bucovina

Gura Humorului

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Suceava

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bogdon and Florin were both awesome. Florin’s knowledge of Romania was fascinating. All was great. Linda would approve.

Amazing Tour of Romania

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Capitol

Bucharest

Accommodations were clean, staff was friendly and accommodating, restaurant food was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Quaint

Location

Located close to restaurants and attractions.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Air conditioning didn't work well, room was small.

Villa Prato

Brasov

Quaint , staff was friendly and accommodating, excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Sighisoara Binderbubi - Hotel & Spa

Sighisoara

Loved the authenticity, staff was friendly and accommodating. Excellent location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Beyfin

Cluj-Napoca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Republique

Sibiu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden Inn Airport

Otopeni

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bucharest city tour

Bucharest

Our guide Florin was outstanding. Went above and beyond on all excursions. Found unique restaurants.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Bucharest to Brasov with Peles Castle

Romania

Travel was exceptional. Our guide Florin and the lovely Mercedes we had made the trip comfortable. Florin took extra time to make sure our excursions were timed so that we weren't with crowds and could enjoy the activities.

Quality of Experience

Irene at KimKim and Florin are both 5 star performers and would definitely recommend to traveler's for future KimKim adventures.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Florin was and exceptional driver and guide. He was very attentive and made sure we were well informed and taken care of. His local knowledge of the areas and attractions was outstanding. Irene at KimKim was at all times attentive to our needs, she was the best travel coordinator we've ever had.

Transport

Always on time , clean , and comfortable

Bran Castle and Brasov medieval city

Brasov

Florin made sure ou r entry was coordinated so that we had plenty of time to visit without large groups. We were practically by ourselves and could enjoy the attractions thoroughly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Turda salt mine and Cluj

Romania

Unbelievable, spectacular attraction, highly recommend for future travelers.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to the Corvinilor Castle

Sibiu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Viscri and Sighisoara

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Walking tour in the Old Town of Bucharest

Bucharest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the National Museum of History and leisure time in Bucharest

Bucharest

Quality of Experience

⁸

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sibiu to Bucharest with Transfagarasan road

Romania

Quaint town, the churches were breathtaking. Florin coordinated everything perfectly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Welcome to Romania

Bucharest

Our trip was prepared flawlessly by Irenne and the KimKim staff. Our airport pickup worked well even though our flight was delayed. Florin met us on our first day and we enjoyed our introduction to Romania.

Quality of Experience

This was our first time using a private service and we highly recommend the experience. Irene and the KimKim staff are exceptional. Our trip was well planned and we could enjoy ourselves without worrying about anything. Florin our driver/guide was exceptional. He made sure everything was taken care of and our experiences were coordinated so we could enjoy them at a leisurely pace. Florin also added additional personal attention to make our journey comfortable. His local knowledge and suggestions made for a specialized experience. We would definitely recommend KimKim and Florin to future travelers. A definite 5 star experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Goodbye Romania!

Bucharest Int. Airport (OTP)

Our last day with Florin and Romania was a wonderful way to finish our journey with KimKim. The museum tour is highly recommended to end your Romanian adventure. Followed up by a traditional lunch that we throughly enjoyed. Irenne was fabulous with coordinating throughout the trip.

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

We recently returned from an unforgettable trip to Romania, and working with Irenne through KimKim made the entire experience seamless and stress-free.

As travelers coming from the United States, we were hesitant about renting a car and driving in a foreign country. Since KimKim had done such an excellent job planning our trip to Norway last year, I reached out again to see if they could help arrange a driver for Romania. I provided Irenne with a rough itinerary, and she took care of every detail. Her communication was outstanding from the planning stages through the end of our trip, and she was always available whenever we had questions.

Our driver and guide, Alin, met us at the airport right on time and accompanied us throughout our journey. We spent our first night in Bucharest, exploring the charming Old Town at our own pace. The next day, we visited Peles Castle and Bran Castle before spending the evening in Brasov. With Alin driving, we were able to rest in the car, check our phones, sleep, etc. He was also a great driver, didn't speed or drive rough, or play loud music.

Alin was exceptional. He never rushed us, encouraged us to take our time at each stop, and even became our family photographer, capturing some truly beautiful photos. His knowledge of Romanian history was impressive, and he shared fascinating insights throughout the trip.

On the third day, we stopped at the Sighisoara Citadel on our way to Sibiu. After arriving, we spent a relaxing evening exploring the city and recharging after several busy days of sightseeing.

One of the highlights of the trip came on Day 4, when my wife expressed interest in visiting Corvin Castle. Alin was incredibly accommodating and adjusted our itinerary, replacing the Astra Museum visit with Corvin Castle at no additional cost. It turned out to be a fantastic decision, as we felt Corvin Castle was the most beautiful castle we visited in Romania.

Day 5 was perhaps the most memorable of all. We drove from Sibiu back to Bucharest via the spectacular Transfagarasan Road. The scenery was breathtaking, and we frequently stopped to take photos of the mountains, lakes, snow-covered landscapes, and even bears. Alin was patient throughout the day, and we never felt hurried. It was the perfect way to conclude our Romanian adventure.

We arrived back in Bucharest in the late afternoon, giving us enough time to enjoy one final dinner in the city before heading to the airport the following morning.

Looking back, I am extremely grateful that we chose KimKim and hired a driver. Romania is a beautiful country, but the distances between destinations can be significant, and driving can be challenging. Having Alin behind the wheel allowed us to relax, enjoy the scenery, take naps during longer drives, and arrive at each destination refreshed.

I highly recommend Irenne and KimKim to anyone planning a trip to Romania. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and commitment to creating a memorable experience made this one of the best family vacations we've ever taken.

Our trip to Romania was amazing! The iterneary was perfect. Irenne did a wonderful job of planning out everything. We were never rushed or stressed. Our guide Andrei was wonderful too. We were filled in with so much information and history on this complex and facinating country.
I would highly recommend kimim and Irenne!

Hotel Reviews

Ibis Styles Bucharest City Center

Bucharest

Nice hotel. Had a little trouble with the AC and the front desk did not answer the phone when I called.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MyContinental

Sibiu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bella Muzica

Brasov

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Capitol

Bucharest

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day trip to the Corvinilor Castle and Alba Iulia Citadel

Sibiu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bucharest to Sibiu with Curtea de Arges Monastery

Romania

Quality of Experience

Under construction

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tampa and Brasov

Brasov

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Brasov to Bucharest with Peles Castle Visit

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Andre was fantastic and very informative about all the locations we visited! His driving was impeccable and if we wanted to stop and take more photos he was always very accommodating! There was so much to see and I appreciated his knowledge, insights and calm demeanor. The recommendations on places to eat by Irene and by Andre were spot on.
Thank you for taking such good care of us! KS

We had an amazing time traveling through Romania. Florin was always very responsive while planning the trip. He created a wonderful itinerary and then was also our guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable and very accommodating. Everything went as expected and I feel like we made a new friend.

The itinerary made by Irenne was amazing, she understood what I wanted, and she made it for me. overall, I am very happy to work with her.

Activity Review

Turda salt mine and Cluj

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Responsive and thoughtful planning process by Florin - we were in constant communication and the details were ironed out very quickly. The local guide Mircea Maftei was one of the best we've had in all our experience with kimkim - very knowledgeable, great english, and above and beyond service.

We just returned from a 2-week tour of Romania and Bulgaria with kimkim. We have traveled to many countries; our favorite style is a private tour with a driver/guide. I contacted a friend from Ukraine (owner of a travel company we used a few years ago), as she has now joined the kimkim team. She directed us to Florin, an expert on Romania. Florin put together a fantastic program for us. We saw most of the highlights of Romania, including. UNESCO World Heritage sites, Transylvania, the Black Sea. The Transfaragarsan Road (and seeing the bears along the way) was also a highlight. Then on to Bulgaria to the "island" of Nessebar, to historic Plovdiv, and Sofia.
Florin is one of the best guides we've ever had! When you are with someone for many hours a day, you want someone who is personable. That is his #1 quality. He was flexible with the program. I can't overstate this enough. When weather appeared to spoil a part of the trip, at Florin's suggestion, we re-molded the entire trip to better fit our needs. This involved quite a bit of replanning and taking on additional expense on his part. Our trip continued without a hitch! He was also very perceptive of our needs, funny, an excellent driver (very comfortable vehicle), knowledgable of the history of the countries, and up on current events. He also has great taste in music for the rides!
The tour was a good value, as well. We asked for 4-star accommodations and received a combination of larger facilities along with boutique hotels, all in perfect locations; walking distance to sites, restaurants, etc.
We are so fortunate to have discovered kimkim. Most of all, Florin, who is very professional and passionate about Romania and his work.

Florin was great. We went on a 9 day tour. Bucharest, Brasov, Sibiu, Sighisoara, Gura Humorului, Sighetu Marmatiei and Cluj. Saw amazing castles and 14/15th century churches. Florin also had a few surprises…we took a cable car up the mountain as it snowed, went in an ice house,stopped at a family owned pottery shop and had an amazing lunch. All the hotels were great and the dinners were delicious. Florin is very knowledgeable in Romanian history…we learned a lot. When we had an unexpected event,our van broke down on a holiday he managed to to get us a brand new van within a couple of hours against all odds,
I would highly recommend Florin to anyone who wants to visit Romania and learn about the countries history and culture and see it’s beautiful sights.

Hotel Reviews

Ibis Styles Bucharest City Center

Bucharest

We stayed two nights at the Ibis Styles Bucharest City Center, which offered comfortable accommodations and a convenient location for exploring Bucharest.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bella Muzica

Brasov

Our one-night stay at Bella Muzica in Brasov was lovely, as the hotel had a charming atmosphere and was centrally located.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sighisoara

Sighisoara

Our one-night stay at Hotel Sighisoara in Sighisoara allowed us to experience the town's unique character, as the hotel was situated within the Citadel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bucharest city tour

Bucharest

The Bucharest city tour was informative and interesting as we visited the Parliament and learned about the history of the city. Although we enjoyed our tour, we preferred the smaller towns to Bucharest.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Brasov to Sibiu with Fagaras Citadel

Romania

Bucovina to Maramures with the Merry Cemetery and the Wooden Churches of Maramures

Romania

We toured the beautifully painted monasteries and unique cemeteries. There were wooden tombstones that were hand-painted.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bucharest to Brasov with Peles Castle, Bran Castle and Brasov walking tour

Romania

Our journey from Bucharest to Brasov included visits to the stunning Peles Castle and the famous Bran Castle, also known as Dracula's Castle. The Brasov walking tour allowed us to explore the charming town. Pels Castle was a highlight of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

In regard to our tour to Romania and Bulgaria : February 27 to March 20 2023. It was a most wonderful experience. I enjoyed a lot been able to know in depth two spectacular countries with so many varied activities including views to palaces and castles, roman architecture, spectacular art paintings in orthodox churches, citadels, walking in the snow in the Carpathian Mountains ( for my first time ), rural houses in an amazing life museum, a supper in the home of a Romanian rural family, Romanian wine tastings and even two days in an amazing Black Sea resort ( massages included ) in Constanta. All the credit for the success of this trip was due to Florin Preda, our travel guide ( with the useful attendance of travel guide Bogdan Pistritu ), not only for his excellent selection and modification of activities (due to weather problems), but also for the remarkable sensitivity he always showed to attend our special needs during the tour. You shall always keep his services as a remarkable guide to guarantee the success of KimKim in Romania.
I know this feeling is shared with all group members : Ivonne, Edward, Gabriel and my wife Maria.
My apologies for this late call.

Francisco J. García
[email protected]

We will like to thank our guide Florin for making this trip a fantastic experience. His knowledge, patience, experience, good humor, complacency , punctuality were few of his assets. Everything he planned for us was amazing: Peles Castle, Bran Castle, Brasov City, Curtea de Arges Monastery, the Turda Salt Mine, the wooden churches, the happy cementery, the painted egg museum, Constata and the black sea, Nessebar and the beautiful city of Sofia.
We also appreciate the guide and company of Bogdan Pistritu thanks for together with Florin make this trip inmemorable.
Florin the best guide you can get!!!

Activity Reviews

Day trip to Peles Castel, Bran Castle and Brasov Medieval City

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bucharest to Sibiu with Curtea de Arges Monastery

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day-trip to Sighisoara & Biertan

Sibiu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Turda salt mine and Cluj

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

See Wooden Churches & Merry Cemetery

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Maramures to Bucovina

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bucharest city tour

Bucharest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Bucovina

Gura Humorului

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy a day at the SPA and walking on the beach

Mamaia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience the Magic of Nessebar

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Historic Sofia

Sofia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free day in Sofia

Sofia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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See the Roman Amphitheater in Plovdiv

Bulgaria

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day-trip to Rila Monastery

Sofia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Marvel at the Citadel of Veliko Tarnovo

Bulgaria

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Transport

Raluca, was outstanding she took care of all are needs. She was always there if we needed her. there are really no words to describe how wonderful she is. She made our trip so enjoyable. Our guides where great so knowledgeable, friendly and pleasant to be with. it was a wonderful memorable trip.

Raluca was amazing!!!! She worked so hard for us every step of the way! She put everything I wanted in the itinerary! She helped us when we had a couple of bumps in the road. She took very good care of us and made us felt safe and taken care of! The guides she picked for our tours, Christi and Alexandru were outstanding! They were so knowledgeable and kind! I can’t imagine anyone better!! It was a wonderful, wonderful trip of a life time!!!! LOVED every bit!!

I wish that I could give more stars. Florin is extremely knowledgeable about the area and the history and he takes care of his people. I got very immersed in the culture and met people and we danced with groups of locals and had an amazing trip. Floin literally goes out of his way to show you things that you would not ordinarily see and or do. Second to none experience. Bravo Florin! Bravo!

Our trip to Romania has been a beautiful surprise. We had no expectations but we were totally blown away by the beauty and diversity of Romania. Our guide Bogdan was exceptional in his knowledge and enthusiasm for what has become his dream job. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he strove to fit in so much more than we had anticipated . From Bucharest to the painted monasteries in the north it was an ever changing landscape. Romania should be on everyone’s bucket list. Thank you Florin for organizing our itinerary and our great guide Bogdan