Have you ever travelled to Eastern Europe?

I am from the USA and have visited Eastern Europe serveral times. I have had 5 trips to Romania and on one of those I also visited Budapest and travelled to Western Europe (Italy and Austria). I have also had other trips to other Western European cities (London & Paris). I have enjoyed all the locations. I would say Eastern Europe was very nice and I hope to go many more times, both to Romania and other countries. In Romania the people were very warm and hospitable. People I barely knew would invite me to their homes for meals, drinks, or even to stay and avoid hotel costs. One time some friends and I were even allowed to stay at the apartment of a friend of a friend of a friend, when they were not even home. I visited mostly in Transylvanian cities where the atmoshpere is relaxed and while I don't know the official statistics, I would guess that their crime rates are not any higher than simillar sized western cities, maybe even less. Many of the women I know there don't worry at all about walking about late at night alone in a medium sized city (around 300,000 pop.) Visits to small villages are also interesting.. and it is not uncommon to see horse drawn carts on main roads along with cars. I would guess in the large capital city (Bucarest) that the crime is higher, but so it goes in large Western cities where you have to know the bad areas from the good. The prices were very good, even when the dollar was weak and while the luxury overall can't compare to the West, I did visit a few hotels that could be classified as 'luxury'. The local foods are also very good and hearty, and the produce is usually local and fresh. Transylvania has many interesting cultural and historical sites. With their location they have been under the rule of many different cultures which all have combined into theirs. Oh and as a note, Budapest Hungary -- a large city was also very beautiful and interesting, and has hotels that compare favorably to the west for luxury and amenities. Overall I would recommend Eastern Europe as a destination.

no. i havn't .sometimes i want some times i don't. i like china more.

Eastern Europe is much cheaper to travel in than Western Europe. The first of its countries I visited was Hungry when I was 18 years old at the time I needed a visa. Since then most Eastern European countries don't require a visa from visitors from my home country. I shared a private room with another traveler in the home of a local family. The prices there were so cheap, accommodation, food and transport. The sights were amazing and I saw such beautiful buildings. In my twenties I went to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. Wow! I had an excellent time and prices were still a bargain. In my thirties I went to Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia. That was a budget trip but was one of my most enjoyable traveling experiences. I also went to Bulgaria and Romania. That trip was so lovely and fantastically enjoyable. My disabled son was born two years ago and when he was a year old I took him to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. That was a superb time. The crime rate is medium and I have been to much more dangerous places like Israel and Los Angeles. Funnily enough the worst event that happened to me took place in the Maldives. I did see youth throw something in Budapest and it unfortunately hit a traveler so that was sad. He was having fun and it wasn't meant in a nasty way. At the border of Romania and Bulgaria I saw some smuggling going on. I suggest Budapest, Prague, Dubrovnik, Brasov and Krakow as being stunning cities to visit.

Yes, I went to Romania (I think) many years ago on a skiing holiday for a week. While the facilities weren't as good as say Switzerland or Austria it was fascinating to see the culture. As the last response says, the people tend to be friendly and quite lovely, though as anywhere else, it will never be 100%! Especially when there is the chance of the tourist dollar/ pound! One unusual thing that happened was I met a bunch of policeman and woman on holiday; they were a little shy of admitting this fact to me, but like anyone else, they had their more personable side! Another thing I remember, was this fellow woman guest at the hotel I was staying at. She complained to the holiday representative about how cold she was. The hotel anxious to please, cranked their heating up. I felt a little sorry for the hotel, as I didn't think the hotel was that cold. Knowing how poor the country was and smelling the oily fumes from a heating system running at it's maximum, I formed an impression that this woman was a little spoilt and that the hotel were very obliging; maybe this woman should have been told to dress-up a little more warmly!