アントン・デンデマルチェンコと行くティラスポリ必見ツアー - プリドネストロヴィエ

Anton's tour is, in fact, a tour, contrary to what he may tell you in messages. You do see the sights of Tiraspol, but truly through the perspective of somebody who lives there. If you want history of Pridnestrovie, this tour, as other reviews say, is not for you, but Anton really does make this clear from the offset. We got longer than the advertised amount of time, as well as a lift from Chisinau from the amazing Dima, with stops in Bender to show us the highlights on our way to Tiraspol, allowing us to see both cities in one trip. You will see a couple of things with Anton's name on; furthermore Anton does every now and again try to sell his tours or transfers to other tourists you may run into (we had this in the souvenir shop). That is my only one gripe at all, as I think whilst we are on the tour, the focus should be the current clients, not future ones, however overall not enough at all for this tour to be any less than five stars. Anton is an overall great guide, and his insights are so incredibly interesting this is worth every penny.

The tour with Anton was both completely unique and very personal. Anton couples his experience of growing up in the area with his insight into Pridnestrovie’s past, present and future.

The universe finds you in the depth of your trust, and not in the peak of your fear. I was afraid of a reality that wasn't real! I trusted Anton and now I have a different perspective on many subjects. He is a dreamer of modern times who works tirelessly in a country that, officially, does not exist. Forget the conventional Chișinău guides who cross the border and parachute daily to recite the same facts researched on Wikipedia. Anton is a true Renaissance man who perfectly blends daily work with art, poetry, music, and the creation of brilliant tours. He offers an experience of sharp and deeply balanced sarcasm about the multifaceted history of the USSR and Pridnestrovia, serving the good, the bad, and the wonderfully absurd. Keep in mind: if you choose Anton, he will mess with your head and force you to think completely outside your comfort zone. You will not leave this experience the same person you entered as. If you are looking for an incredibly reliable historian and a deeply authentic guide, look no further.

The tour with Anton was a truly unique experience. He doesn’t just show you the main sights of Tiraspol; he gives you an insight into what it is actually like to come from and live in an unrecognized country. What I really appreciated was how Anton made sure every question was answered, whether through his own experience or by asking local people and translating their responses to give me different perspectives. This made the experience feel very genuine and personal. He showed me some of the best and most interesting places in Tiraspol, while also explaining the history and everyday life of the region. It never felt like a standard “official” tour where you simply walk from one monument to another and hear a rehearsed story. Instead, it felt like exploring Tiraspol with someone who genuinely knows and understands the place. The tour was incredibly informative, interesting, and eye-opening. If you want to understand more about Tiraspol and what life is like in Pridnestrovie, rather than simply seeing the tourist sights, I would definitely recommend Anton’s tour. Absolutely worth your time!

I booked 2,5 hours with Anton. It was a brilliant experience getting to know things about Tiraspol and the country that doesn’t exist. Anton is not doing the usual boring walking tour, no, time with him is refreshing and the talks go much deeper than What you get in the usual walking tour with nothing but numbers out of some history book. Twice I had a question and he just asked some random people on the street for their answer/opinion and he translated everything really well, even people being asked enjoyed his way of doing it. Tiraspol is not about buildings from the good old days, it’s the stories Anton tells you and where and how he does it. In the end I arranged another 2,5 hours for the following day and again, it was just great! Thanks Anton, I will come back and I am already looking forward to spend time with you again in Tiraspol.

We spent 4 hours with Anton getting to know his home. Don’t expect a traditional tour with history and facts, Anton does it his own way and tries to give you a feel of everyday life in Pridnestrovie.

I booked the short option with Anton through TripAdvisor and I have decided to give my honest opinion on the excursion. My review is very mixed because the initial contact was very good but on the day itself it felt lacking. Before Initially we had a very good conversation and alignment through WhatsApp. Anton was really helpful and gave me good answers to my questions. He clearly asked what my expectations were for the day and he also provided instructions on how to get there with the shared van from Chisinau. He was however writing me several times to find more people for the excursion. Start As we agreed I kept sending updates to Anton about my location and expected arrival time. We agreed on a cafe and he sent me Wi-Fi information so I could contact him when I was there. I had to wait over 30 minutes for him to get there, which felt like an incredible waste of time seeing as I had limited time in Tiraspol. We then started walking to the tank and Anton suggested to take photos of me. Instead of my own camera, he kept suggesting to take photos of me with his own phone. I was quite uncomfortable with this, but he still kept trying to take photos with his phone. I clearly told him that I don't like him to take photos of me with his phone and I don't give permission for him to post me on his Instagram page. His reaction was quite surprising to me as he was pushy and challenging me on why I did not want him to post photos of me. After this we met an American man on the street and Anton again tried to sell his tour to this man right at that moment. I was already a little bit skeptical and uncomfortable, so I tried to clarify with Anton what his plan was for the day. He was really vague about it and did not really want to answer ("one step at a time"). The day One of my wishes was to buy the typical plastic coins. Anton brought me to an antique souvenir shop that was on my list to try and find them. I told him that I preferred walking because distances are not that far but he really insisted on driving. Once we got in the souvenir shop he yet again tried to sell a tour to other tourists in the shop. I also overheard him talking with another person where they were discussing that Anton gets a commission from this souvenir store from every purchase. I felt like he was not focused on me, but instead on selling a tour to other tourists. This put me in a very awkward position, where yet again I was waiting for him. I told him that I want to go to the bank that I found online, because I'm sure that they sell official plastic coins and I can also exchange my money there. He was really hesitant initially and told me that it's better to just buy it in the souvenir shop (because obviously he gets a commission here). We yet again took the car to drive to the bank. Every time we enter the car Anton told me to be quiet for 5 minutes because he cannot drive and talk. To myself I was wondering why do we drive and not walk then? In the bank we met to Dutch people and yet again Anton tried to sell a tour to them. This made me feel horrible, because I paid money... yet he tries to sell tours to other people instead of focusing on his client. Once we got outside, I asked him about an overview of the country and some general history. Anton hesitated a little bit and then had a very childish reaction and voice. He told me that he doesn't know anything about it because he did not live during that time. After asking repeatedly he did provide some very basic information. One highlight was a conversation we had with an older man that was talking about his life and childhood, and also his own opinions. Anton started the conversation with this man and also translated proactively for me so I could understand him. I did get a very negative and awkward vibe due to Anton trying to sell doors and due to unfunny "jokes": Leninland, plastic people. Ending of the "tour" The ending of the door felt very rushed and incomplete. I had the feeling that there was still much more for me to see and we could have done it in the time we had. We ended the trip at a secret viewpoint which turned out to be the top floor of a private residential building where we just trespassed. Conclusion Overall my experience was very unprofessional behavior in combination with vague answers. I feel like I have lost a lot of time due to the car and due to waiting for Anton and I feel like it would have been better for me to just have a list of all the highlights and do it myself. I do think that it was great that I don't put translate for me. I also ended with the feeling that I missed a lot of information that proper tours do provide.

Anton was a very good and inspiring guide, a reflecting guide ,not on a guide in tradizional way. Speaking very directly and openig his heart about what it means to live in an onrecognized country.. The distance between guide and guide persons disapperars and it becomes part of the experience. Very recomanded. Adriano

I had a great experience on this tour. The pick-up was smooth and well organized, and everything felt easy from the start. I was genuinely surprised by how much there was to see and explore, and there were so many interesting insights along the way that gave me a much better understanding of the place and its history. The whole day had a really relaxed and enjoyable vibe. The food recommendations were also great, and we ended up having a really nice dinner together. Overall, it was a very memorable experience and I would definitely recommend it. A big thank you to Anton and Dima for making the day such a great experience!

We really loved this tour and would highly recommend it, especially because of Anton. He was incredibly friendly, open and easy-going from the very beginning. The atmosphere was so relaxed that after a short time it honestly felt like we were spending the day with a friend rather than going on a typical guided tour. What we really appreciated was how flexible Anton was. He adapted the whole day to our interests and wishes, so it never felt like we were just following a fixed tourist itinerary. We could ask anything, stop to talk, explore different places and simply enjoy the day at our own pace. One of our favourite parts was meeting and talking to local people from different generations. Everyone was so kind and open, and we had some really nice conversations. We never felt like we were just tourists — people talked to us naturally and seemed genuinely happy to share their experiences with us. That made the whole experience feel much more authentic. Anton also shared lots of interesting stories and personal insights that made Tiraspol much more interesting than simply seeing the main sights. It was a really pleasant, relaxed and memorable day. We came back from the tour feeling that we had not only seen Tiraspol, but actually experienced a little bit of everyday life there. Thank you, Anton, for such a great day! We would definitely recommend this tour and would happily do it again.