Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Romania in the Fall (1st Time)

Stu

thanks for the lovely pictures.

We toured with Compass Travel Romania last year

www.tours-of-romania.com

It was one of our best private tours ever. After comparing their programs with three other companies we decided in their favor. Their strong points are out of the ordinary itineraries and the selection of tour guides. It is my understanding they work with the very best on the market. Ours was just a wealth of information, drove carefully, spoke clear English and answered all our questions. The best part were his insights and personal life experience he shared with us. The chemistry worked great right off the bet.

Right after we booked the tour Compass sent us a reading list. That helped us better understand the people and places. The book by Prof Quinlan was outstanding.

Should you particularly be interested in Maramures, then Compass is your best bet. Their program there is even more complex than they describe it. For instance the two hour walk in the village where we stayed provided a unexpected one to one experience as we got to talk to local and were invited to their homes (which by the way these days never happens in the US). The home we used as a base for the two nights there was comfortable while the hosts went out of their way to accommodate us. We sat together for dinner and kept conversing well after that.

The area of Bucovina is equally rewarding although stretches are longer. We have seen four of the fresco monasteries in one day and felt we saw a lot. Both Maramures and Bucovina require a car a guide.