Testimonials

Please find below some of the feedback received from past clients, regarding the quality of their travel experience. Many of our clients, even though they may not have sent us a testimonial, have agreed to provide reference on the quality of our services. If you want to get in touch with any of them before booking a trip with us, please get in touch

Hi, Vlad …there really isn’t anything more I could say to do differently or otherwise in the future. I was very happy with how the trip turned out and your input was invaluable. Everything went as I had hoped and with a private tour one doesn’t generally hit too many snags or surprises. I would definitely keep suggesting that travelers visit the gypsy family. The whole gypsy experience — including our interlude with the coppersmiths and seeing some of their homes — was the most insightful part of our trip. Also, though we are very particular about our accommodations, etc. the homestay in Vadu Izei was terrific. I know that it’s far but if someone has extra days Bucovina is worth every minute. Like I said in my earlier e-mail, I expect that we will plan a trip to Bulgaria in a few years. I’ll keep in touch.

—————————————————————————-  M/M Valera, traveled to Romania in October 2011

Hi Vlad,

I really enjoyed the trip, and Isabella was wonderful. I think it was the perfect mix of guided tour and time to explore on my own. And your company really made the whole trip very comfortable.

Isabella was very, very knowledgable and did a very good job. I learned quite a lot both about Romania and eastern Europe. And because we are pretty close in age we were easily relatable. I cannot say enough good things about her.

———————————————————Ms. Elizabeth Brand, traveled to Romania in September 2011

Vlad,

In regard to pre-trip planning and attention to detail I would mark your organisation as Very Good.

The trip itself was excellent and an eye opener when compared to what the Lonely planet and others have been describing. I will be sending a report to Lonely Planet asking that they amend their latest edition dated 2010 as it is very wrong on many parts especially about stray dogs, toilets and Roma problems.

Firstly our guide Isabella ; a wonderful young lady very well educated, knowledgeable, excellent people skills and her English was first class. As a Blonde driving a Bucharest registered car she received little or no courtesies from other drivers but impressed us both with her driving skills good nature and ability to safely get from A to B. My wife and I were amazed that within a few hours she could clearly understand our Scots accent especially as we were the first Scots she had as personal clients. Her depth of knowledge in regard to Historical, geographical, demographic, political and current affairs in regard to Romania was superb. I cannot praise her highly enough.

Our Itinerary was very good and gave us a good cross-section of the country both rural, village and towns. Bucharest was Bucharest another city produced by Soviet Planning but worth a visit just to emphasise the alien constructions and practices of the communist period.

The accommodation and food was excellent as was the places Isabella chose to use as lunch/coffee break stops. All very clean good toilet facilities and nice staff. You of course are well aware of the only fly in the ointment Passiflora Hotel. For what seems to be a relatively new establishment we were not impressed on our arrival. Among the small establishments this was the only place that we did not instantly take to. There was an air of unkemptness about the public area, the restaurant was dirty, table clothes stained and badly in need of changing. The booking mix-up worked out for us in that Cassa Humor was the opposite clean, lovely staff who obviously took a pride in their professions, good food and an excellent location. We would certainly advise you use this establishment when best Western Gura Humorului is not available.

We both agree the trip was good value and an excellent taster of the delights of this wonderful part of Romania. We learned a lot, saw and did a lot and most importantly had fun while doing so and are looking forward to our next visit.

Thank-you to you and your staff for a trip which will be memorable for all the right reasons.

———————————————– Jimmy and Freda Waugh, traveled to Romania in September 2011

Thanks for asking for feedback, and most of all for facilitating a wonderful experience in Bulgaria for us. Thanks as well for the wine and goodies in Varna.

I would truly say that seeing Bulgaria with a private driver/guide is the perfect way to do it. We have traveled extensively in Europe and in many other parts of the world both independently and with groups and feel that in Bulgaria having a private, customized tour is ideal.

Tom did a great job. His car was comfortable, his ability to provide logistics and organizational support was flawless. He knew how to maneuver Bulgaria’s roads and traffic masterfully whether in urban traffic or less than idea rural stretches. He knew how to gauge keeping quiet or providing commentary and for a full week of togetherness with someone you don’t know that is important. His personal reflections, and life story were as important to our experience as learning layers of complex Bulgarian history. He was cheerful and helpful and very willing to be flexible. Providing a sidetrip to visit his father in his summer home was a nice personal extension that added to our experience and feel for the life of the people.

There is much to see in Bulgaria and we enjoyed the amount of time that we had, even though there was a lot of driving and time in the car. Our favorite was Plovdiv, and if there was a day we would have eliminated it would have been the day north of Varna to see Kaliacre Cape and the Balchik summer palace & gardens, though we did enjoy them. I feel that the itinerary you planned was very good and covered many important and varied sites.

If anything could be improved upon it would be to provide more information regarding the History of Bulgaria and to try to weave that into themes to tie the sites we visited to historical and cultural contexts. That is a big task with a country with such a complex past. A recommended reading list that your guides have also read might provide a common framework for exploring the history. A couple books we read included Birds Without Wings (Louis De Bernieres), Sailing From Byzantium: How a Lost Empire Shaped the World (Colin Wells), and Street Without a Name: Childhood and Other Misadventures in Bulgaria (Kapka Kasabova). Guides can’t be expected to know everything and Tom did a great job, but having an even richer historical grasp and a passion to share that past is just icing on the cake so to speak.

Thanks for the great experience! Hope your new family member arrives in the best possible manner. It was a treat to meet you and your wife!

——————————————————-Ann & Bruce Willis, traveled to Bulgaria in August 2011

We had a fantastic time – our guide and now our friend Isabela was wonderful- the country side just mind blowing and my new home Peles just jaw dropping. I personally could spend 2 nights on each place especially Sighisoara and Sibiu!!

Thanks for helping make this an unforgettable trip. I am and will continue to tell people to go to Romania!

—————————————————      Ms. Stephanie deChellis, traveled to Romania in July 2011

Hi Vlad and Zoe,

The trip was brilliant!

Toma was a fantastic guide, very knowledgable and willing to answer all of our questions. He was very patient while Rebecca and I spent ages at archaeological sites and yet his time-management was perfect, as there wasn’t any site that we felt like we didn’t have enough time at, which is probably a reflection of the organisation and preparation before the trip.

The accommodation was brilliant, all the hotels were in convenient locations. To be honest, I’m used to staying in very low budget places and while it was great to have swanky hotels for a change, I wonder if cheaper hotels might bring the overall cost down.

Other than that, I have nothing but enormous praise for the whole trip. It certainly doesn’t hurt that Bulgaria is one of the most amazing countries I’ve visited, I only wish we could’ve had more time.

Thank you (and Toma) for a brilliant adventure. Next time we’ll do it at a more leisurely pace and include Romania as well.

———————————————————Mr. Richard Murphy, traveled to Bulgaria in July 2012

Dear Vlad and Zoe,

My wife and daughter and I had a great trip. Thank you so much for your concern and professionalism throughout the entire process. Your operation was first rate from our initial planning phase right through to the completion of the trip. Stoyan was a wonderful guide and a great driver. I really appreciated his help in dealing with a medical problem that occured during our stay in Varna.

I cannot think of any aspect of the trip that I would change. It was as it was billed. We thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful Bulagarian landscape, cities and people.

Once again, thank you for all your help.

——————————————————–M/M Tom Medeiros, traveled to Bulgaria in July 2011

Dear Vlad,

Thanks for arranging such a great trip for us to Romania. We were so pleased with the very inclusive itinerary, all the hotels and cannot say enough good things about our great guide. Mihai was so accommodating, answered all our questions and answered again when we missed something. He is extremely knowledgeable and, with great patience, put up with the antics of two teenagers. It really was a wonderful journey for us. Romania has so much to offer with it’s history and fabulous scenery. You should advertise more in the US, we didn’t know what we were missing. We would be most happy to recommend your company to anyone contemplating a trip to Romania.

—————————————————Carol and Larry Fresh, traveled to Romania in July 2011

Hi Vlad,

We really enjoyed the tour. Sorin was a fabulous guide – if you have to spend 6 days in a car with someone you just met, Sorin is your man!

I’m not sure I’d spend a night in Sighisoara if I had it to do over again. The hotel was really run down – toilet kept flushing unless you jiggled the handle, power outlet was loose and worrisome, etc. It was an interesting place to visit, but perhaps the three Saxon towns could be covered in two nights.

But the itinerary was interesting, the pacing good, the car comfortable. I’d recommend it, Balkan Trails, and Sorin highly to anyone who inquired.

—————————————————M/M Daynard, traveled to Romania and Bulgaria in June 2011

Dear Vlad

The tour exceeded our expectations. Our tour guide, Mihai, was outstanding. He was very knowledgeable, resourceful and flexible. We could not have asked for a better guide.

We also appreciated the accommodations and the opportunity to meet people in the bed & breakfast places.

All in all we had a wonderful time and we certainly plan to return

Many thanks for your planning and for the extraordinary guide.

—————————————————Sheryl and Dov Kadmon, traveled to Romania in June 2011

We enjoyed the holiday so much, and sing our praises of Sorin Crupa our wonderful guide, who made the whole holiday most interesting and enjoyable with his extensive knowledge, it has left us wanting more in the future.

I have just discovered a wonderful book, which I wish I had read before our journey, and recommend it to anyone who is interested in Romania. = “Along the Enchanted Way” by William Blacker, who spent several years living in Romania from 1991 until 2008, documenting his life in a tiny village and living amongst the gypsies, also documenting the changes that occurred during that time.

—————————————————- Ms. Patricia Wale and Mr. Ivor Jones, traveled to Romania in June 2011

Dear Vlad,

I wish to thank you for the wonderful vacation we had. Everything (almost) was better than expected. Sorin was the perfect guide, always ready to help and always ready with a story or explanation of the places we visited. The B&B and the small hotels people were extremely friendly. Even the weather cooperated!

I might do this again next year, with my wife and other daughter.

Once again, many thanks.

——————————————————–Mr. Dorel Friedman, traveled to Romania in May 2011

Hi Vlad,

The trip was great! The itinerary you I put together worked out perfectly, and won accolades from everyone we talked to. Mihai went above & beyond the call of duty, and of course the country itself is beautiful. I will be recommending Balkan Trails & Romania to my clients!

——————————————————Mrs. Carol Durling, traveled to Romania in May 2011

Hello Vlad,

Just an email to express my thanks and delight for a wonderful tour of amazing Romania.

My guide Mihai, who spoke perfect english, was kind, pleasant, and had a seemingly endless supply of facts, information and skill, not only on the fantastic architecture, but also on the delicious cuisine,which i thoroughly enjoyed.

I ticked every box, and more on my tour, when i asked Mihai would it be possible to see the resting place of Nicolae Ceausescu, within a short period of time he had found it,maybe this could be included on this tour in the future?

I can highly approve Balkan Trials to anyone.

I will never for get my trip to Romania, so many great memories.

Many thanks, Mihai, and all at Balkan Trials.

———————————————————Mr. Gary Cordner, traveled to Romania in April 2011

We thoroughly enjoyed our Romanian tour and had a great time. You were so responsive to our wishes that it made the tour very personalized. Thank you, Thank you! Valentin was such a marvelous driver/tour guide that we are completely spoiled with his attention. Don’t think any other company could do the job. The ability to adapt and respond to our needs made the trip most enjoyable. To say nothing of the little treats Valentin kept surprising us with. Gave us the chance to try some of the local pastries and special dishes of Romania. He found some unique restaurants thru his many contacts that were really great. Plus his knowledge of the history and sights was amazing. If didn’t know the answer he looked it up on the spot! Technology can be very useful.

The hotels you chose were fine. Did appreciate the help with luggage since most don’t have elevators. Our only concern was ability to do some laundry at reasonable cost. Don’t know if there just aren’t public laundromats in Romania. But this is a very minor detail.

The lunch with the gypsy family was a standout and great experience. One of our best memories. Glad you were able to include this. Certainly enriched our experience.

Our trip was quite a eye opener for us into what Romania is like and what you and your country have been through for the last 60+ years. Confident that the future will improve and your people certainly deserve it.

One last note on Valentin’s care. When he put us on the train he handed us a complete care package of food and drink for our journey. Thanks to his wife for the special Easter bread (with Turkish delight), dyed eggs, fruit, chocolate bunny and hot tea plus iced tea. It was so above and beyond the expectations of a tour guide that he will always be one of the highlights of our trip.

So many thanks for all you did and a hearty recommendation for Balkan Trails!

——————————————-Deanne and Wendell Langman, traveled to Romania in April 2011

We were very impressed with the helpful suggestions and immediate email responses to all our inquiries when we arranged an independent mid-April 2011 15-day tour of Bulgaria and Romania with BALKAN TRAILS.

The itinerary, accommodation, transport, sightseeing arrangements and driver-guides were excellent. Both Tom (Bulgaria) and Isabella (Romania) spoke perfect English and were very safe drivers. They were absolutely professional with imparting information and ensured we participated in local experiences, a highlight being the Easter Sunday Orthodox Church service and traditional festive dancing in a rural village.

Their restaurant and menu suggestions were spot-on too. They always checked that the accommodation matched the reservation requirements. On that score, we were particularly impressed with the location, friendly staff and comfort of the 3-4 star hotels chosen by BALKAN TRAILS tour operator, Vlad.

It was great to meet Vlad in Varna and receive a cheery “welcome” telephone call from Vlad’s wife, Zoe, when we arrived in Sofia. Such personal attention to detail throughout our journey was very much appreciated.

Romania and Bulgaria have an extraordinarily long and interesting history and a wonderful variation in scenery and architecture especially viewed under spring weather conditions. We have no hesitation in recommending BALKAN TRAILS.

—————————Vanessa and Richard Arndell, traveled to Bulgaria and Romania in April 2011

Dear Vlad,

Thank you very much for organising such a wonderful holiday in Bulgaria. Stoyan was an absolute gem. He was more like a friend than a professional tour guide! He even agreed to join us for dinner on most nights and was able to guide us about the various Bulgarian dishes and wines. On two days, my wife was eating only vegetarian food. Stoyan took the trouble to find pure veg. dishes for her, and she had no problems at all. Wherever else we have gone in Europe, “vegetarian” for some strange reason includes eggs and choices are very limited!

The tour itself was excellent. The House of Humour at Gabrovo was brilliant. We even saw a proper circus at Veliko! In the UK, circuses are no longer allowed to have animals. The dinner with show at Plovdiv was a bit of a let down, though the food itself was very good. However, this was more than made up by the Folk Dance Show we saw on the last evening in Sofia. This was really excellent. Etara, Shipka pass, Thracian tomb, Rila Monastery, – we have come back with so many lovely memories.

The hotels were very good, especially Boyarski at Veliko. Alafrangite at Plovdiv was very clean and immaculate, though the owners were a bit like charcters out of “Fawlty Towers”! The first night at Niky in Sofia was very good. The room and the breakfast were excellent. The same hotel on our way back was disappointing. The room was being renovated, and smelt of paint. There was no tea or coffee sachets in the room. The breakfast was just about tolerable. Since it was only for one night, it did not really matter.

All in all, we have had a memorable holiday. This was due in large extent to the thoughtfulness and care taken by Stoyan and you. I would have no hesitation in recommending Balkan Trails to friends and colleagues. In fact, I am sorely tempted to go back again in the near future.

———————————————————————- M/M Subir Sen, traveled to Bulgaria in April 2011

My wife and I just returned from a two week tour in Bulgaria and Macedonia, with most of the time in Bulgaria. It was a superb travel experience. The country of Bulgaria is beautiful, the people are friendly and welcoming, the historical sites are well maintained, the archeological ruins and artifacts are magnificent, the accommodations are excellent, and the cuisine is delicious.

One of the primary reasons this was such a positive experience was the tour company we used, Balkan Trails. We first learned of this company through Fodor’s, and all the reviews we read gave the company high ratings. It is a relatively new and small company, specializing in group and individual tours of Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia. However, the company was able to arrange a Macedonia segment of the tour for us, working through a partner company in that country. We have traveled extensively (70+ countries) and have utilized the services of tour companies for many of our trips, including group tours and independent tours. In all of our travels, however, we have never worked with a tour company that is more professional and accommodating than Balkan Trails. The owners and managers, Vlad and Zoe Trestian, had been involved in the tourism business prior to opening their own company and they therefore bring a wealth of experience to their work. They are very “hands-on” and deal directly with their customers. From the beginning of our planning with this company we received highly personalized attention and quick responses to our questions and concerns. Early in the tour Zoe met with us to personally welcome us to the country and to make sure plans were to our liking. Our baggage was delayed by one day (thanks to Air France) and, although Vlad and Zoe were in no way responsible for this delay, they left a complimentary bottle of wine and flowers in our room to compensate for this inconvenience. Zoe and Vlad also called us several times during the tour (including the Macedonia portion) to make sure things were going well. We have never before experienced such personal attention from a tour company!

In our initial correspondence with Balkan Trails we stated that “Insofar as possible, we want to experience the “flavor” of each country–the local culture, the people, the cuisine, and the history. We are not keen on spending much time at resort areas such as beaches, but prefer to focus more on the types of experiences mentioned above. As to accommodations, if possible we would prefer to stay in family-run, or boutique, hotels that offer en-suite baths and breakfast. Also, wherever possible, we would like for these to be in close proximity to the city center, or historical areas.” Our desires were met completely. The accommodations that were arranged for us were outstanding and the locations could not have been better. Also, the types of experiences that were planned for us gave us an opportunity to experience the country fully and to leave with a good understanding and appreciation of the history, the culture, and the people of Bulgaria.

The guide for our Bulgaria trip was a key contributor to the success of our experience and the enjoyment of our tour. Toma Georgiev has been engaged in the tour business for twenty years. Needless to say, he knows Bulgaria like the back of his hand and seems to take great pleasure in introducing his clients to his country. He was also very forthcoming in addressing our questions about Bulgaria’s history, politics, economics, cultural traditions, cuisine, etc. Toma also understands how to be responsive to his clients’ needs and wishes, patiently answering their questions and structuring the schedule to meet their individual tastes. It is for good reason that he has been described in Frommer’s as a “super guide.”

In summary, we strongly and unconditionally recommend Balkan Trails. If we were to visit other countries served by this company, we would look no further for a tour company. We would immediately contact Vlad and Zoe, fully assured that they would arrange another wonderful travel experience for us.

———————————-Gail and Frank Raymond, traveled to Bulgaria and Macedonia in April 2011

Vlad,

We can honestly say that this segment of our tour was superb from beginning to end!

In the beginning, your timely returns to my queries, flexibility in modifying the tour to suit our interests and schedule, and walking me through the “pay pal” procedures . . . made the organizing and payment experiences almost the easiest we have experienced.

Our guide, Sorin, was punctual in contacting us and provided us with a caring and attentive tour, beyond our expectations. From his careful and skillful driving to the very interesting and detailed explanations of the sights, histories, and cultural influences . . . we felt very fortunate to have had him as a guide! I have taken the liberty of attaching a “cc” of this message to him.

Seldom, in our extensive travels, have we had such a positive experience! A very heartfelt thanks to both of you.

———————————————————Colleen and Dave Collett, traveled to Romania in April 2011

Hello Vlad

Thanks for your e mail.

To be honest we cannot think of anything that could have been done differently or better.

Valentin was an excellent guide who was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions, he joined in really well and his command of English was faultless.

We throughly enjoyed the trip and I have remarked on this on Trip Advisor. We saw all that we wanted to and more (thanks to Valentin) who was most helpful and punctual.

The trip to the Gabors was really interesting and fascinating and although neither of us could speak each other’s language – again Valentin was around to translate – we felt very welcome and they were most friendly people. It was a very good inclusion to our trip.

To end feel assured that we shall recommend the trip and your company to any of our friends who wish to visit Romania.

———————————————————-M/M Tewksebury, traveled to Romania in April 2011

Hello Vlad,

We just wanted to thank you for the 3 trips we booked at your company, we enjoyed all of them!! We did from Bukarest some day-trips,the Bulgarian-Tour to Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi, the Transylvanian-Escape-Tour, and the Bukarest-City-Tour with Snagov-Monastery in the end.

Our really good English speaking guide Sorin was really great, he explained everything we wanted to know, and Valentin on our Bulgarian-Trip was also great; he even gave me some cooking tips and showed me where to buy the typical Bulgarian spice because I loved the Bulgarian dishes Sorin was a perfect driver, we never felt unsafe on the roads on our trips, which is unusual for me.

First I felt a bit unsure because of the travelling time in early February, but I just can recommand that time for everybody. We had luck and temperatures of more than 13 degrees celsius under blue sky and a lot of sun in Bulgaria, and even in Transylvania`s mountains it was not that cold I expected to be, and the castles were well heated (and of course the car). The best was, there were hardly tourists beside us, no crowds, no waiting at all, that gave us a great feeling!

We will definitively book another tour with you in the future when travelling in those countries again (and I´m sure I will after my great experiences there!!). I will recommend your company to all of my friends and family as well.

Vlad,

We wanted to let you know how much my husband and I enjoyed the Transylvania Escape tour with Isabella. She is a wonderful tour guide, very sweet and a wonderful driver. It was the first time I haven’t been scared to ride in a car since I’ve been here. She made it a very relaxing trip.

She made the trip so interesting and enjoyable. Her knowledge of the area and the history is amazing. Her command of the English language is excellent.

She went out of her way to make it a nice day. My husband wanted to stop at a fruit stand on the way home and she made sure that we found one and then she went with him to interpret what he wanted.

We would recommend her and your company to anyone. She makes you feel like you are old friends. She is truly an asset to your company.

—————————————————————-–Mike & Dana Hunter, traveled to Romania in July 2010

Hi Vlad,

Just a quick note to let you know how much my wife and I enjoyed the Transylvania tour, which was definitely the highlight of our visit to Romania.

Isabela was a fantastic tour guide, she made the tour interesting and seemed to enjoy showing us her country. The restaurant she recommended after the tour was an excellent choice and we thoroughly enjoyed the Romanian meal we had there.

—————————————————————-–Lori & Paul Desmond, traveled to Romania in July 2010

Hi Vlad

We are safely home in Texas after a wonderful experience in Bulgaria.  Thank you for facilitating a trip that we will always remember.  Toma was an excellent guide, always professional, courteous, and well informed. Each of our stops was enjoyable and worthwhile.  Bulgaria has much to offer thoughtful travelers, and Balkan Trails helped to make it a great choice for us.

———————————————————Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Kasten, traveled to Bulgaria in June 2010

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First of all we must say thank you to you Vlad – as they say the first impression is the greatest – for the details, thoroughness and quick response of communication, it shows a great professionalism.  It was also nice to meet your wife Zoe in Varna.  Both of us used to work in the travel industry for many years and we recognise the value of great customer service and professionalism.

Toma (the “superguide” as called in Frommers) lived up to his name. He showed us a side of Bulgaria which our previous group tour to Bulgaria, Macedonia and northern Greece (the one we didn’t book with Balkan Trails) did not show.  We learnt more in one day with Toma than we did in 2 weeks with Explore.  It confirms why we have great reservations in ever booking a group tour again.

The hotel accommodation was second to none and enhanced the trip greatly.  We recommend the hotels we stayed in, especially Boris Art Hotel in Plovdiv and the Musala Palace in Varna because of their style of accommodation and their location.

Our Vidin day tour was also great to show us another part of Bulgaria.  Even though it was a long drive it was nice to get out of Sofia and we would recommend it to those who have extended time in Bulgaria.

The highlights for us in Bulgaria have been -

- The old town of Plovdiv

- Our day trip to Koprivshtitsa

- Veliko Tarnovo

- but number one is the country side and people

We must add that our only disappointment in Bulgaria is the weight we have gained due to the size of the meals!  Nothing that a little exercise won’t fix!

—————————————————-Shareen and Gavin McMillan, traveled to Bulgaria in June 2010

Hi Vlad,

We arrived home from our 16 day adventure in Bulgaria and Romania with many great photos and memories!  We really enjoyed seeing Bulgarian monastery churches with their extraordinarily colorful murals and icons.  A big surprise to us was the 100 year old ornately decorated Russian Orthodox Church at Shipka, and the Roman theater, stadium and mosaics in Plovdiv. We’ve never seen gold covered cathedral domes or gold burial objects such as those found in 4th C.Thracian tombs.  Entering an original tomb (limited to twenty people per day) was something very different.  The beautiful green countryside was full of red poppies and wildflowers, and the large stork nests  perched on top of poles along the roadside were so unexpected. The rose oil hand cream smells exactly like the real roses along the highway.

Touring the houses once owned in the 1800s by Bulgarian merchants with their carved wood and intricate painted interiors was amazing.   Stoyan, our guide would get a special key to a side room of a  monastery, take us to an unscheduled history or anthropology museum of interest to us, buy a local food treat, or suggest a site to tour that was not included in our itinerary — such the national museum, ethnographic village and the first capital of Bulgaria.

When you, Vlad, met us in Varna we continued our tour with several scenic stops along the Black Sea.  We really liked Histria and Queen Marie’s retreat.   Our biggest adventure, once we entered Romania, was the all day motor boat trip in the Danube Delta with a naturalist; we saw colonies of nesting cormorants, swans and egrets plus lunched at a fish camp. The “Happy Cemetery”, the painted monastery churches, and the wooden churches scattered throughout the countryside are very unique.  Most unusual of all in the northern part of Romania are the colorful home roofs, gates and sidings of tin, carved plaster, and wood.

It was fun to visit to a local village market to see the sale of animals arriving by cart or on foot, tomb stones to buy from a pick up truck, fabric displayed on top of a car, and those delicious roasted sausages you shared with us. This was a great cultural experience along with home cooked meals and an unscheduled visit to a church to hear the elderly Saxon caretaker talk about the art and history of the church.  Not to be missed were visits to various museums,  including the Memorial Museum built to remember those who suffered during the Communist era. Bram Castle is amusing, and Peles Castle is one of the most beautiful castles we have seen in all of Europe.

All the hotel accommodations you selected were very nice and we were so pleased that we often had a view of a river, cathedral or farm field.  Both you and Stoyan are extremely accommodating, pleasant, and very knowledgeable about the history, culture, economy, and politics of Bulgaria and Romania — so conversation was always interesting and lively.  You kept us happily on the go without tiring us out.  We loved it all and came home with an appreciation for the great beauty, variety of things to see, and history of Bulgaria and Romania!  Thank you so much.

—————————————Suzanne & Matt Ryan, traveled to Bulgaria and Romania in May 2010

Keng’s favourite bits were the Danube Delta and the salt mine.  I don’t know about my favourite bits. Definitely the delta and the salt mine, but what about the mini volcano where we could walk around and see all the bubbling mud right there, and what about the bee hives and oil rigs in the canola, and what about the old folk sitting in front of their houses and the horse and donkey drawn carts, and what about Brasov and Sighisoara and Sibiu, and what about the painted churches and wooden churches and the crosses, and what about the castles forts and especially what about the Dacian remains in the dripping green forest.

We’ve told so many people on the cruise and since we’ve been home about the great time we had with you and how great Romania is.

Hello Mr Trestian,

———————————————————Mr. David Hawley, traveled to Romania in 2009 and 2010

Hi there Vlad,
Both my wife and myself were really impressed with the trip. The sights viewed, scenery and architecture were much better than we imagined. A very pleasant surprise indeed. Something we have been recommending to our friends already.

What really made the trip so enjoyable, though, was the guide – Sorin. Very punctual, amenable and easy going we enjoyed his company very much. His command of English was second to none – I think that was one area that we were a little bit apprehensive before going on a trip as in such a small group having a guide with a poor language skills could have spoiled the trip; with all the possible misunderstandings and difficulties with communicating any information. As it happened it was never a problem and my wife, in particular, was enjoying the trip very much. I hope Sorin enjoyed our company as much as we did his )

——————————————————————M/M K., traveled to Romania in July 2009

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Dear Vlad,
The trip exceeded all expectations.  The route you suggested worked well, and our accommodations were quite acceptable.
Given the number of days available to us, I think the itinerary included a wonderful array of things for us to see and experience.  We added Pelisor to the Peles visit, and we were fascinated by the fortified churches of the Fagaras, one of which we visited briefly en route to Sighisoara.  We would also have relished a hike up to one of the hilltop medieval fortresses, but, unfortunately, neither time nor weather cooperated to make that happen during this visit.  Again, on our list for “next time.”

Sorin proved an intrepid guide, full of knowledge about every aspect of the culture and full of energy and enthusiasm for every aspect of introducing visitors to his home.  We learned an incredible amount from him in a way that spliced what we had read with what we were seeing.  He’s a terrific ambassador for your business and the country.  We also thoroughly enjoyed sharing with him a sense of humor about everything from the
sublime to the ridiculous.  Perhaps the best way to sum up our experience is to say that we can hardly wait to start planning another visit, and we’d be thrilled to have Sorin again as our guide.

All in all, your planning enabled a memorable holiday for us. Thank you very much!  We’d certainly like to return to Romania at some point to visit Maramures, Bucovina, and perhaps even the Danube Delta.  We’re also very much interested in the same sort of  introduction to parts of Bulgaria that your provided for Wallachia and Transylvania on this trip.

—————————————————————–Jane Gale, traveled to Romania in June 2009

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If you are looking for a tourist guide in Romania, Vlad is the perfect choice.  Besides his fluent English and his native Romanian language, his wide range of knowledge of Romanian history and culture were outstanding.  But what I think was his greatest asset was his advance preparation and ability to coordinate and individualize our trip and make it be what we wanted it to be and more.  I was looking to visit where my Father was born and grew up and learn more about his family and Vlad took the trouble to find out the hours of Town Hall and his knowledge of the language and culture enabled me to obtain more information than I could ever have gotten myself and in alot less time.  He maximized what we were able to see and do and was willing to go longer days to help us accomplish our goals of the trip within our monetary constraints.  We felt very safe and his arrangements for our accommodations were also very good.  It was a wonderful trip and I will definitely call him again if I visit Romania in the future.  He has even been so kind as to help me with my pictures now that I am home.

—————————————–Marie – Claude Graef and David Reisz, traveled to Romania in May 2009

Vlad,

My wife and I have appreciated your humor and your insights during our week together.

You have a gift for organization, along with a keen sense of flexibility.

We will definitely recommend you to any of our friends who might want to travel to Eastern Europe.

—————————————————————John and Bonnie Rowland, traveled to Romania in 2007

Dear Zoe,

There was so much to love on this adventure through Bulgaria! Dreams are everything for people – they might anticipate this tour for months or a year – and you delivered those wishes so well.

We walk away from the tour now, but we have you and your country in our hearts.

————————————————————–M/M Edwin Kiely, traveled to Bulgaria in 2008

Vlad,
We want to thank you for arranging our tour of Romania. It was a delight and your advice was excellent. Without it we would have wasted time and missed some wonderful experiences. We hope that we can tour Bulgaria some day as well with the help and guidance of you and Zoe.

————————————————————–M/M Jack Leppla, traveled to Romania in October, 2008

We traveled with Vlad to Romania in the summer of 2008. He had been recommended by friends who had been on a River Cruise with him the previous year. We were not clear about the itinerary that we would take, and he was most helpful with setting up a route for us. Setting up the itinerary lasted a few weeks and many emails were sent between us. Many changes were made to the initial plan, and there was no limit to his flexibility and patience.

Once we made it to Romania, it was clear we were traveling with one of the best guides we ever had. Vlad was extremely knowledgeable, caring and had a good sense of humor. We were able to change a few features as we went, and the highlight of the trip was, without a doubt, the Maramures area. Vlad arranged for us to stay in people’s homes. We got to actually see how people lived, their animals and crops, and ate delicious home cooked food. The animal market we visited and the Merry Cemetery were particularly interesting.

We have fond memories of Vlad and out trip to Romania, and we’d recommend him to anybody who would like to get a real insight of Easter Europe. We already have friends planning a trip with him for the summer of 2009.

————————————————————–Ms. Margaret White, traveled to Romania in June 2008

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