14-Day The Best of The Balkans Small Group Tour from Bucharest to Budapest

It has been a little over a week since my husband and I have completed our tours with the company Trip2Ro. As we reflect upon it and dream of the magnificent sites we saw, we realize even more how much we enjoyed this trip and how it affected our lives. We learned so much about a part of the world we knew almost nothing about. The history of the Balkans, and Romania, (the two tours we took), is so intriguing. We are a married couple in our mid 70’s. Yes, there were a few things we were unable to do, but having the opportunity to see this part of the world more than made up for that. As it was, it turned out that we had a private tour with Alex as our guide. He was excellent, being very knowledgeable about the areas we covered. He was very kind to figure out an itinerary that worked for two older people, and always quick to assist me on cobblestoned hills. The area we covered was huge. We never would have seen it all if Alex had not been a fast driver in order to get us to our daily destination. He can be an aggressive driver, but I always felt he was very competent with his driving skills. I cannot imagine trying to do this on one’s own. We passed through many passport control stops. We took the 5 day tour of Transylvania, out of Budapest. After about a 3 day break in Bucharest, we set out on the 14 day tour of the Balkans. The little break in between allowed us to do laundry in Bucharest. (We recommend Fourwood Laundry, where the woman manager launders your clothes for you, if you wish, and folds them, and speaks English!) The hotels provided by Trip2Ro were always in very convenient and safe locations. The quality varied. Some were elegant, and a couple were 2 stars, but nothing to complain about. The ones that were owned by small families were a pleasure, in that it allowed us to meet the people of the area. All provided very large buffet breakfasts. We have no complaints about the food. It was very good, and we liked being introduced to foods that were new to us. The Balkans have not yet been discovered by Americans. This is the time to take this trip if you are interested in this area. I thoroughly recommend it. I also recommend the tour company, Trip2Ro. It is so much better than being on a coach bus with a large group of tourists.

This tour offered by Trip2Ro was a wonderful mix of the beauty, history, and flavor of 10 countries, offered during our preferred time span of about two weeks. The tour guide was from Romania but spoke English well enough and tried very hard to meet the needs of us 5 tourists. The van was new and had AC. We never felt unsafe, even though we traveled some very narrow, twisting mountain roads. People were very friendly everywhere. The food and beverages were tasty and economical. The 3* and 4* hotels were very comfortable and generally close to the heart of these old cities. The included breakfasts offered several choices. Our small group generally had similar ideas, so we were sometimes able to change plans for the day to better fit our wishes. We appreciated not making all the frequent "coffee" stops the big tour buses do, so that we could get to our destinations sooner. There is a fair amount of walking up inclines and on uneven surfaces, but we are in our 60's and had no problems. If you enjoy mountain vistas, beach strolls, waterfalls, caves, as well as historic forts, cathedrals, monasteries, castles, palaces, and town squares; this tour is for you! We highly recommend this tour company, as they delivered all they promised promptly, safely, and with great interest in each tourist loving the Balkans.