When I attend travel conferences I am always on the hunt for boutique tour companies in unique destinations to build relationships with and create customized travel experiences for clients.
At a recent global luxury travel networking event I met with Cezarina Pomojnicu, Founder & Travel Designer of Romania Private Tours.
Below is a selection of my Q&A with Cezarina to give you an idea of what Romania has to offer travelers.
What type of traveler would enjoy exploring Romania?
Romania is the “surprise” destination for the seasoned traveler who has already walked the beaten paths and is now in search of the extraordinary. By “extraordinary” I don’t mean posh hotels where one can pick their pillows from an extensive choice menu before going to bed, but sensations long-vanished from the modern world, experiences one can only read about in fairytales or history books.
With its rich history, simple but tasty gastronomy, fine wineries and a diversity of landscapes as generous as Italy or France, Romania has a little something for everyone. For nature addicts it has the Black Sea, the Danube Delta and the untamed Carpathian Mountains with their primeval forests and an abundance of wildlife, for architecture aficionados it offers a plethora of medieval castles, Saxon villages, UNESCO Heritage painted and wooden monasteries, for wine lovers it unveils its many millennia-old vineyards that make Romania the 13th largest wine producer in the world, for equestrians Transylvania might be the perfect place to roam freely across unfenced rolling hills, for romance seekers it brings a multitude of romantic manor houses and estates restored to their original glory and for families with kids it’s an unconventional playground where action is always around the corner of the village lanes. Dracula and its castle pale at all the other fun things to see and do while in Romania.
What are the misconceptions many people have about Romania?
One is that Romania is a very poor country where people live in shacks. Another is that Romania is a dangerous place where you’ll robbed if you look away. Less dramatic but nevertheless confusing is that travelers believe that we are all Romani – hence the name of the country – when in fact Romani people only count for 3.3% of the country’s population. And finally, we are thought to be related to Russians, when in fact we are
Latin people speaking a Latin language much like French, Italian and Spanish. With so many preconceived ideas about Romania, no wonder travelers experience an epiphany when they cross the borders into the country.
When is the best time of year to visit Romania?
Romania is truly a year-round destination, and Romanian culture is remarkable in its deep appreciation of all seasons and the customs and traditions they bring with them. Therefore, deciding when it’s the best time to visit Romania depends on which season you enjoy most or what your interests and passions are.
My personal favorite is spring (April & May), when nature is blooming, and life is back on its tracks. The Easter celebrations in Bucovina and Maramures are something you should try once in your lifetime. Painted eggs, traditional costumes and local festivals make this time of the year a magical one.
For mountain hikers or beach bums, summer is their best bet. For photography enthusiasts and wine fans, autumn is when nature gets truly colorful and grapes are ripe and ready to be turned into delicious wines. For skiers, winter is the obvious choice especially when it brings spiced wine and Christmas holidays into the mix.
If one doesn’t fit in any of the above, but cold is the obvious dealbreaker, then Romania is best to be visited from April to mid-November.
How much time should travelers take to explore Romania?
To cover Romania’s main regions and visit the essentials 10 to 14 days would be perfect. To optimize time and minimize driving we suggest flying in in one city and flying out from a different one.
If one has only 7 days to holiday, we suggest concentrating on one main area, for example Transylvania, couple it with Bucharest, the capital,
and a wine region inbetween and get a taste of what the country has to offer. Many of our travelers leave with the urge to return and explore more in the future.
What are some of the unique activities you like to include in your itineraries for first time travelers?
We favor slow travel and immersive experiences with the locals. I truly believe that you get to know a country by having your feet on the ground not driving madly across it. Hence, we try our best to design itineraries with a couple of nights in one place in order to give travelers the chance to soak up the local culture. We always leave them at least an afternoon free, here and there, when they can try a workshop with a local craftsman, milk the sheep at a sheepfold and understand the life of a Romanian shepherd, try their hand in the kitchen and learn a traditional dish, ride a horse or a bike across flowery meadows or simply walk along the village lanes and observe the life in the countryside. There are many candid encounters that make private trips in Romania such a rewarding experience.
What city/town is a must visit in Romania?
I think you should definitely include Brasov/Sighisoara or Sibiu/ Sighisoara combos into your trip. They are examples of medieval settlements that rival some of the most beautiful cities in Western Europe. Do not neglect Bucharest though, which is a complex city that encapsulates best Romania’s troubled history. It is here that sensuous 19th century architectural styles that once made Bucharest “the little Paris”
coexist with cold and impersonal Communist buildings in an indefinable yet obvious way.
As much as the Romanian village disconnects travelers from their fast-paced modern lifestyle, the Romanian cities are buzzing with urban modernity and cultural happenings and they should be included in a well-balanced itinerary.
Will travelers find Western-standard accommodation in Romania or should they prepare themselves to step out of their comfort zone?
This is a common question I read in the enquires I receive, and it is directly connected with the first misconception I mentioned earlier – that Romania is preponderantly a poor country. While it is true that you won’t find a Mandarin Oriental, Belmond or Four Seasons in Romania.
You will still find some standard 5* hotels (Intercontinental, Hilton, Marriott etc.) in the main cities if that is your preferred accommodation type. But what Romania lacks in luxury hotel brands it makes up in boutique accommodations. There are quite a few old estates and manor houses that have been restored and transformed into luxury accommodations with an eye for detail and personalized levels of service.
You will have a chance to experience stays in old traditional houses that have been saved and reconditioned into beautiful guesthouses with great comfort and delicious local cuisine. We tend to favor these types of lodging rather than the standard chain hotels, because they provide a much more authentic experience and because they are committed to sustainable tourism making a low impact on the environment and local culture.
From the Q&A I came to find Romania has so much to offer: breathtaking sceneries, traditional customs, engaging festivals, unadulterated people and locally grown food.
As your travel advisor, we look to work with tour companies such as Romania Private Tours that offer an inside track on Romania’s cultural and gastronomic heritage mixed with some fine, hand-picked boutique properties with just one aim in mind: for you to enjoy the country in an open and friendly atmosphere.
Keep dreaming. We’re here when you’re ready.
Contact Us:
Jamie Jackson: (336) 263-1977 or [email protected]
Luxury Travel Advisor and Virtuoso Wellness Travel community member at Wanderlust Travel Boutique
At Wanderlust Travel Boutique, we will create a truly personalized, hassle-free vacation with a comprehensive itinerary, so you can enjoy an unforgettable experience.
If not now, when?
https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/jamiejackson
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