Private Day Trip to Transylvania: Dracula Castle, Royal Palace, Brasov Old Town

I can't recommend this experience enough. Marius was an absolutely phenomenal guide, and made the trip both informative and interesting. He was a wealth of knowledge on the history of Romania and the Transylvanian region and expertly navigated and narrated through the whole day. This is a longer trip, and Marius was careful and thoughtful, making well-timed stops for us to pick up coffee and use restrooms along the way. Peles Castle was just breathtaking nearly to the level of being overwhelming; no visit to Romania would be complete without a visit to the stunning summer palace of first King Carol I - it is an absolute architectural marvel and having visited dozens of amazing palaces and fortresses all over Europe, Peles has easily secured a solid position in my top three favorites. Driving into the Carpathian Mountains was a lifelong dream. I have been a fan of horror movies my entire life, and while there really are no legitimate direct historical ties to VladTepes and Bran Castle, American cinema's use of the imposing facade of the Transylvanian mountains in countless films cemented them in my mind and it was a thrill to stand before them in person. We stopped for a wonderful authentic Transylvanian meal at a local restaurant within walking distance to Bran Castle where the proprietor brought us pălincă on the house to start off the meal (the best I have had in either Hungary or Romania), and we enjoyed traditional soups, kabobs, steak and peasant potatos; all phenomenal. The highlight for me was the dessert - if you see Romanian Donuts on a menu, order them. Just wow. Bran Castle is more of a typical fortress structure, but nonetheless amazing to visit as the history is palpable. If you are a Dracula fan, there is a bazar before you enter the castle where you can find all manner of Dracula-themed souvenirs, as well as many other locally-crafted items. We culminated the adventure with a stop in nearby Brasov, which has amazing historical significance and is on my list of places to visit independently and stay for a few days; just lovely. In all, we just can't thank Marius enough for taking such good care of us and guiding us on our adventure; my family and I can't wait o return and see more of Romania with him!

I was originally thinking about booking a group tour. But the thought of being in a big bus with a lot of crowds and fighting the line made think that private tour is the way to go, which I'm so glad I made this decision. Toni is a professional, excellent communication. He knows exactly how to optimize the trip to get ahead of the line. In Peles castle, we were basically the first in line, then 10 min later, the crowd from the buses came. It made a huge difference of coming a little early. We basically tour the castle before everyone else. The castle was so beautiful, well worth the trip alone. Next we went to Bran's castle, took a very scenic route through the mountain and valley. Bran's castle is okay in my opinion, a little gimmicky. I'd say spend more time in Peles castle and Brasov. That's the advantage of using private tour, you have the flexibility Then, we went to Brasov, I had a nice meal at the square. Then do the walking tour with Toni, learning about the history and interesting facts of the area. Finally, we went to see the black church. Toni picked and dropped me right at the lobby of my hotel. Talking about the convenience. This private tour well worth the money. Don't be stuck in a bus, go with Toni in personalized tour with local guide!

We had a great time with Toni on two private tours to Transylvania and a city tour of Bucharest. He is very passionate about his country and his information is engaging and enjoyable. He adapted our tours to suit our needs and nothing was too much trouble. His vehicle is clean and comfy and Toni is an excellent, safe driver. Toni is also very personable and a friendly person who ensures that your trips are packed, informative and fun. The information he shares with you is interesting and he does not overload or bore you with dates and other unnecessary information. He has developed PowerPoint presentations on his iPad to illustrate some parts of his tours, which help you to engage and understand. Great job Toni. Thank you.