I found Rafaella on Synotrip when I search google to plan our family Croatia trip....Read more
I found Rafaella on Synotrip when I search google to plan our family Croatia trip. She responded promptly and I find her professional in her responses which is timely, comprehensive and helpful in providing options to a very rough and basic specification as I knew little of Croatia then. My family is so happy that we have picked her whom has planned the tour and driver services for our 8 days trip in Croatia. Below review by my teenage son well reflect what we all think of her and the driver whom leave us a beautiful memory of the trip. My family and I had an unforgettable experience in Croatia and it would not have left such an impression had it not been for our amazing guide Rafaella (Ella as most call her) and the driver Drazen. Ella is professional, well read and also very approachable and friendly. Our tour was short, only 2 days, consisting of the capital Zagreb and the UNESCO protected Plitvice Lakes. In this short amount of time, she has gained our complete trust as she shows you passionately around this beautiful country like a trusted friend of yours. We personally enjoy tours that are not too technical with heaps of information and rather tours that are conducted through the local's point of view to have the real experience of Croatia which Ella has effectively done. She introduced us to the 'local' way of things and we especially enjoyed our meal at a place which she introduced us where they served authentic Croatian cuisine and Croatian beer freshley brewed from their own brewery. We really wished to have seen more of Croatia with Ella as our guide, her wonderful arrangements (Including arrangements for the driver) made our tour feel personal, customized and leaving a strong lasting impression.
The driver Drazen was also crucial in forging this terrific experience. He speaks decent English, is jovial, friendly and is not afraid to crack a few jokes. He may not be an 'official' guide but the things that he has done for us in the 5 days we spent with him really made us look up to him as one. He was extremely hospitable and we accomplished so much more than we planned for this trip. This is because he drove us around Croatia giving us the astounding sights and some unique information that only Croatians would know of, making the experience truly authentic. For example, he personally approached us asking if we wanted to take a scenic road rather than the faster highway even though he knew it would be a greater challenge for him to navigate the mountainous roads of Croatia. We chose the scenic road and it truly payed off. The sights that beheld us were way more magnificent that what we signed up for. It is only because of a driver like him did we manage to see the best of the lesser seen areas of Croatia such as mountain ranges and wildlife. He even threw in a pleasant surprise as he turned off the highway and pulled over at a farm. I saw a real bear for the first time in my life along with sheep and deer. That was no zoo but rather a farm that only locals know of that welcomes visitors dropping by, we were even allowed to feed the animals, some very happy donkeys and even the bear! Importantly, he is also a skilled driver and can navigate his way around the toughest roads in Croatia with ease; you are safe in his hands. If you are a foodie like me, fear not, as he gave us the best possible recommendations for Croatian food where the locals go and at affordable prices. His hospitality really made us feel at home and we definitely see each other as friends. All in all, Croatia is a beautiful country worth visiting, but made even better for my family with Ella and Drazen showing us around. I am extremely pleased as we saw and experienced so much more than what we signed up for. We feel that you get more than what you paid for, 100% worth it.
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