Je suis en train de brosser à grandes lignes la structure de mon voyage estival et...ben, ya des noeuds. 🤪
Exposition du (premier) noeud :
Je trouve chez un ...euh... je ne sais pas ce que c'est... un "revendeur" (? appelons-le comme ça) une jolie petite voiture juste comme je veux à retirer à Erzurum Airport Domestic arrivals-Erzurum Airport-Erzurum, chez National. Bon ! parfait !
Sauf que, si je plante provisoirement là mon "revendeur", et que je vais sur nationalcar.com, histoire de vérifier que tout va bien, disparition de la possibilité de retrait à l'aéroport, c'est Erzurum-downtown et rien d'autre...
A mon avis, rien que de très normal ; une agence en ville, et un guichet, sans doute partagé, ou juste une possibilité de livrer le carrosse à l'aéroport.
tu as réservé une voiture chez National qui s'est engagé a te livrer la voiture a l'aeroport. Et toi quand tu vas sur le site de National, il n y a pas d'option de livraison a l'aeroport, c'est cela?
si tu as demandé a etre livrer a l'aeroport par tel ou par mail, ils vont se deplacer pour te satisfaire. il n y a rien d'anormal
Je n'ai pour l'instant rien réservé du tout, j'observe les possibilités.
Et si la possibilité de retirer une voiture national à l'aéroport d'Erzurum apparait chez certaines agences qui "revendent" du national, je ne la retrouve pas sur le site même de national. Qui en plus me prétend qu'à l'heure d'arrivée de mon vol éventuel (8 heures et des poussières le soir) CLOSED LOCATION.
Disons que les TRY sont (re)devenues des TL. C'est pareil, ça désigne la devise en vigueur.
OK merci. (vu les différences de cout du conducteur supplémentaire -du simple au triple, je pensais que cela pouvait correspondre à deux états différents)
Non, je ne vais pas utiliser le pont d'Istanbul.
Toutefois, il y a sur mon parcours envisagé (plus ou moins, parce que je trouve que j'ai vraiment beaucoup dérivé vers l'ouest, par la faute d'un peintre flamand 🤪😏) un gros bout d'autoroute : le tronçon Hopa-presqueSamsun version max, ou en version un peu raccourcie Hopa-Ordu (là c'est presque sûr). Ca vaut le coup de prendre cette carte ?
un gros bout d'autoroute : le tronçon Hopa-presqueSamsun version max, ou en version un peu raccourcie Hopa-Ordu (là c'est presque sûr). Ca vaut le coup de prendre cette carte ?
Ben écoute, sur mon ébauche de carte m...ique (celle du LP), la voie qui longe la mer Noire est représentée comme la Istanbul-Ankara ou l'Osmaye-Tarse et la légende est "autoroute". Après je ne sais pas. Pas encore 🙂.
Hum... je ne m'offenserai pas de ce rire inexplicable ...
Oui, nous aimons conduire, et de toutes façons entre les deux villes, à ce jour, je n'ai touvé que des Mus.
15% de la même chose en Italie peut-être...
Ben, comme la location de voiture est 150 % de ce qu'elle coûte en Italie, ça pourrait commencer à équilibrer un minichouyat.😉🙂
Une fois à Divrigi, l'étape suivante serait Kemaliye. 50 km... à vol d'oiseau. 😏
Une dernière question (pour aujourd'hui) : si sur Ggl map, il y écrit "yolu" tu crois que c'est une garantie de trouver de l'asphalte ? (parce qu'ainsi j'arrive à Arapgir et puis... euh...😄)
Ben écoute, sur mon ébauche de carte m...ique (celle du LP), la voie qui longe la mer Noire est représentée comme la Istanbul-Ankara ou l'Osmaye-Tarse et la légende est "autoroute".
Bonjour Catherine,
la route qui longe la mer noir est une nationale et non une autoroute
entre erzurum et kemalie la route est très bonne (relativement au reste du réseau turque), de meme entre kemalie et elazig. si t'es interessé, j'ai récupéré pas mal de docs sur le coin grace aux élus locaux.
il faudra faire un joli detour car pas de route "tout droit" soit en passant par Gedikbasi (nord) soit par Arapkir mais plus long en distance (sud).
Tu as la légende de la carte ? Parce que le rose très pale et le jaune, associés aux propos sur les chemins muletiers de tatra ce matin, sont un peu inquiètants. (je n'ai pas loué un 4x4)
en passant par le sud ou par le nord, une partie de la route est stabilisée. je te conseille de demander aux personnes sur place sur la praticabilité de ces routes.
Bonjour,
quelqu'un pourrait t-il me dire où me loger à Erzurum pour un prix abordable et sécurisant. Est til poosible de se loger à :
Erzurum ögretmenevi Otel dans le centre ville qui est un hôtel destiné aux professeurs, quand je vais sur le site il m'a semblé qu un particulier pouvait aussi mais mon turc est tres approximatif. Si oui, à quel prix ? Merci de votre aide. Nathaliece
Je n'ai pas de budget mais je ne peux mettre de grosses fortunes, savez vous s il est possible de se loger à Erzurum ögretmenevi Otel et si oui à quel prix sachant que je ne suis pas professeur ?
Merci infiniment pour votre réponse
Merci Michel , je l avais déjà noté mais pensez vous qu'une touriste comme moi puisse y séjourner. j ai du mal à comprendre si j y suis autorisée ou non. Merci de votre réponse
Nathalie
A vrai dire je connais cet hôtel qui est très propre et idéalement situé au centre de Erzurum? Mais je ne savais pas si cet hôtel pouvait accueillir des gens comme moi. Et surtout à quel prix. D'ailleurs pourriez vous me confirmer les prix en euros svp , c 'est bien 15 euros la chambre n est ce pas ?
Selon comment j'interprète la page de cet hôtel, et à considérer que membre de rien, ni prof, vous ne soyez que hôte, c'est plutôt 45 TL.
A mon sens l'offre n'a pas vraiment d'intérêt.
Comme il est possible que vous ne puissiez plus poster ou répondre, je précise ici qu'à mon avis à Erzurum vous pouvez trouver des chambres dans des hôtels tout à fait bien situés, pour environ le même prix, et que personnellement je ne m'embêterais pas avec une "maison des enseignants".
Merci pour vos commentaires. Vous serait-il possible de me fournir trois ou quartres adresse d'hôtel à petits prix au Centre ville d 'Erzurum . Merci beaucouppour que je puisse effectivement comparer avec ce qui est proposé à l'Hôtel des Professeurs
Je n'ai pas ça en tête, mais tout le quartier autour de l'hôtel Polat abrite de nombreux petits hôtels ; le Polat est à 60 TL, mais dans le voisinage on trouve certainement à 30 ou 40.
Ne vous posez pas tant de questions, allez-y , visitez deux ou trois hôtels et décidez.
Vous allez rester longtemps à Erzurum pour vous poser tant de questions ?
Bonjour Michel,
Oui effectivement, je vais rester probablement entre dix et quinze jours ! Mais effectivement, je suis un peu anxieuse et viens de loin. Je ne peux arriver ainsi sans avoir un point de chute ! Merci pour les infos. Serait-il possible d'avoir un plan de la ville et des bus internes à Erzurum. Je dois visiter une école publque dans les montagnes dont je ne me souviens plus le nom ni l'adresse mais on s'y rendait avec le bus numéro 8 ou 9 à partir du centre ville. Merci infiniment pour votre aide précieuse.
Deux semaines à Erzurum...
Bon, pourquoi pas ?.......... 🤪
Il n'y a aucune raison de vous inquiéter ; vous trouverez facilement en arrivant une chambre qu'au moins vous verrez et pourrez négocier tranquillement, sans prendre d'engagements préalables.
Oui Michel, deux semaines, je n'y vais pas pour visiter pour raisons familiales. Cette école se trouve pratiquement en bout de la ligne 8 ou 9 dans les montagnes. Je me souviens que l on passait devant un complexe d'habitations de policiers et l'on prenait une grande voie avant de s'enfoncer dans la montagne. Un plan de la ville et des lignes de bus me seraient tres utiles.
Remerciements
Vous devez avoir le nom de ce village, non ? Dans ce cas vous demanderez.
Un plan des lignes de bus, j'ai un peu essayé de trouver sur internet, ce n'est pas très facile... En tous cas je ne trouve pas.
Vous avez un plan d'Erzurum dans les guides comme le Lonely Planet, et bien sûr sur Google Maps.
Bonsoir Michel,
malheureusement non, je n'ai pas le nom de ce village, cependant, le bus 8 ou 9 passe devant TOKI KONUTLARI YILDIZKENT PALANDOKEN, quand nous sommes à cet arrêt (en provenance du centre ville d'Erzurum, peut être saurez-vous avec cet info me dire de quel bus il s'agit), le bus continue sa route sur un ou deux arrêts et nous arrivons à cet école publique en retrait de la route en bad de la montagne, il y a dix minutes de route à partir de cet arrêt. Si cela vous parle, vous serait-il possible de me donner le nom de cette école, l'adresse et une photo si possible, une adresse email de cette école serait la bienvenue aussi. Avec tous mes remerciements (je sais que je demande beaucoup ) mais inversement si vous avez besoin d'info sur Paris, je suis là ! Merci encore !
Si cela vous parle, vous serait-il possible de me donner le nom de cette école, l'adresse et une photo si possible, une adresse email de cette école serait la bienvenue aussi. Avec tous mes remerciements (je sais que je demande beaucoup ) mais inversement si vous avez besoin d'info sur Paris, je suis là ! Merci encore
Je crois que vous en demandez beaucoup, et surtout je ne vois vraiment pas pourquoi vous auriez besoin de tout ça, puisque selon vos indications vous savez pratiquerment comment y aller.
Hélas non Michel, je serai incapable d'y retourner seule et mon turc est assez approximatif, c'est pourquoi je m'angoisse à l'idée de ne pas pouvoir me débrouiller sur place. J'essaye donc de réunir le maximum d'info afin de ne pas me perdre sur place. Mamémoire me joue des tours, je ne sais même plus quel bus il me faut prendre !!!! J'ai eu la chance d'assister à des cours dans cette école et le souvenir de ses enfants est encore très présent en moi, je tiens absolument à les revoir, malheureusement, je n'aurai personne pour m'y mener cette fois.....Je serai donc livrer à moi-meme ! Alors s'il vous est possible d'éclairer ma lanterne, je vous en remercie infiniment !
Est-ce qu'on pourrait me suggérer une bonne agence locale à Istambul pour effectuer un voyage de 15 jours environ en Turquie. Je vais arriver en Turquie vers…
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I'm currently planning a trip to Cyprus for late October. I have a few questions:
- I plan to visit Nicosia, Paphos, and Ayia Napa. What do you recommend in Ayia Napa?
- Is it easy to get around by bus from one city to another? Or do you have any private drivers to recommend?
- Do you have any hotels to recommend?
Any tips or advice is welcome!
Thanks in advance
Bonjour j'hésite entre ces deux destinations si on va en Crète on ira plutôt dans la région de La Canée et dans le sud qui a l'air plus sauvage sur 10 jours en voiture ça devrait se faire, si nous allons à Sardaigne on n'a pas trouvé le coin encore où on pourrait aller nous aimons bien marcher nous baigner bien manger nous avons 10 jours pour fin septembre et nous préférons qu'il n'y ait pas trop de foule cette année en mai nous sommes allés à Minorque et on a beaucoup aimé marche très belle plage nourriture sympa pas trop de voitures
Bonjour,
Je cherche un transfert privatif pour relier l’aéroport d’Istanbul au centre historique Serkeci, quelqu’un connaît t’il une compagnie, j’en ai trouvé plusieurs :
Getyourguide,
Istanbultour24.fr (plus interessant car ils proposent des transferts A/R moins chers
Si vous avez utilisé un de ces services, j’aimerais avoir votre avis
Merci d’avance
Hi,
I'm looking for info on the Pristina–Skopje bus route.
Can you leave from the main bus station in Pristina?
I’ve also heard about a bus station near the theater...
If anyone has details, I’d love to hear them—thanks!!!!
We want to book our tickets to visit the Acropolis site and the associated museum. For these reservations, we need to specify entry time slots.
For the Acropolis alone: the first slot is at 8:30 AM.
For the museum: 10 AM? 11 AM?
We like to wander around, so here’s our question: if we haven’t finished exploring the site after 1.5 hours, is it possible to go back in after leaving the museum?
We’ll be buying tickets from the official websites—audio guides are mentioned. Any feedback on those? On sites like Get Your Guide, the prices are much higher with the audio guide included, but does that mean better quality?
Hello,
We're heading to Istanbul from October 7th to 12th. I’d love to do a dinner cruise on the Bosphorus on a more intimate boat (no show) with a private table and alcohol (wine, since it’s a birthday dinner). Could anyone recommend a reliable company (I’m not looking for a private yacht either) that organizes this kind of evening?
Thanks in advance,
Hi, I’d like to buy a ticket to go to Terezín from Prague using the Pid Litacka app, but I don’t know which zone to get the ticket for. Thanks for your help! 😊
Hi there,
After booking an Airbnb last January for this summer’s vacation in Sarajevo... My "host" canceled our reservation without any reason—this has never happened to me before.
Of course, now it’s impossible to find a place to stay at a "normal" price in Sarajevo with parking...
So we’re falling back on the capital of the Republika Srpska, Banja Luka, which had already crossed my mind before I booked Sarajevo.
I already have quite a few ideas in mind, without having dug too deep into the region yet.
But if anyone has already been there and has suggestions? Even for restaurants—I’m all ears!
And even if it’s not right next door, I’m planning to spend a day in Sarajevo!
Hi, I’m going to Turkey for 3 weeks. I’ve heard that you can’t book through Booking.com once you’re there and that everything has to be reserved in advance. Is it true that Booking.com doesn’t work in Turkey? Thanks to anyone who’s already been or is there—if it’s true, how do you handle bookings?
I’d love to get your opinions and advice on a destination.
It’s actually for my 19-year-old son who wants to go to Greece with his cousin, who’s the same age.
They’re looking at leaving on October 24th for 7 to 10 days.
For their trip, they want gorgeous beaches where they can swim, beautiful typical villages and historic cities, stunning landscapes, but also lively spots for their nights out. In short, they’re not just going there to laze around—they want to make the most of it...
But here’s the thing: will the weather be too iffy at that time, especially for swimming?
Also, would Crete be the best choice for what they’re looking for?
Then, a travel agent suggested Tenerife instead because of the weather at that time of year—he said the climate there is the same all year round. But will they find landscapes and beaches as beautiful as in Crete?
Hello!
I’m planning a trip to Greece in May or June 2027. We’re independent travelers.
We’ll rent a car after our stay in Athens and book accommodations through Booking or similar sites.
What do you think of this itinerary? We’re taking our time (beach and swimming if the weather allows in May—is the water too cold?)
Athens, 3 days
Nafplio, 3 days (Mycenae, Epidaurus, Archaia)
Mystras, 2 days or Monemvasia, 2 days (Laconia peninsula)?? Dilemma between the two
Return trip from the Peloponnese via the Rio-Antirrio bridge
Nafpaktos, 1 night
Arachova, 2 days (Delphi, Osios Loukas Monastery)
Return to Athens and departure
Is it crowded in May or June for visits to archaeological sites?
Thanks for your suggestions or corrections!
Hi there,
Our first trip to Greece as a couple. We're planning to spend 7 days in Greece from August 30th to September 5th. We'll reserve 2 days for Athens at the end of the trip. For the remaining 5 days, we want to visit an island—any recommendations? Thanks for your tips and details, we really appreciate it.
Hi,
What tips can you give me for dealing with a car rental scam attempt in Lithuania?
In our case, it’s the Avis-Budget agency in Vilnius trying to scam us.
We rented a car at Vilnius Airport for 2 weeks on July 28, 2019, to return it in Tallinn on August 11.
We brought it back on August 11 at the airport, in perfect condition, and with a full tank at the gas station right by Tallinn Airport.
On the parking lot, the receptionist’s booth was closed. So we had to leave the car in the lot and go to the counter inside the airport. The person at the counter told us their colleague had gone for lunch!
But they refused to come out and do the inspection with us because they were alone at the counter.
They told us we could leave and that everything was fine!!!!
Two days later, we got an email from Avis-Budget with two invoices saying the car was damaged—scratched on both sides—and charging us for a full tank of gas. That’s two bills totaling 800 €!!!! Coincidentally, the deposit was 900 €!
It’s clear this isn’t over!!
Have any of you been through the same nightmare? How did you handle it?
Thanks in advance!
I’m spending 2 weeks in Crete in September and will need a rental car.
I usually go with Europcar, but comparing their offer to what Aegean Rentals has, I see Europcar is charging no less than 400 € more for the same car and similar insurance!
I’d love to hear if others have experience with Aegean Rentals, and if so, whether it was a good one?
Hi,
We’re heading to Greece in early October and will be staying in Kineta, north of the Saronic Gulf, and renting a car.
Is it feasible to visit Acrocorinth, Mycenae, Nafplio, and Epidaurus in a single day?
Thanks for your recommendations!
Hi there!
I’m sharing our itinerary for May/June 2027—23 days. This is our first time in Greece, so we’re starting with the must-see spots. We’re planning another trip later to explore the north, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, and some islands.
- Athens, 4 nights
- Corinth area, 2 nights (Heraion of Perachora, Canal, Acrocorinth)
- Nafplio, 3 nights (Mycenae, Epidaurus, Methana peninsula)
- Gefira, 2 nights (Monemvasia)
- Areopoli, 2 nights (Mani). Maybe add an extra night and stay on the peninsula??? Based on my calculations, the Mani loop is about 100 km—doable in a day, but it’d be a quick trip.
- Sparta or Pikoulianika, 2 nights (Mystras)
- Dimitsana, 2 nights (Lousios Gorge, monasteries)
- Olympia, 2 nights (via Lagkadia?)
- Delphi or Arachova, 3 nights (via the west coast, Galaxidi bridge) (Delphi, Hosios Loukas Monastery)
- And back to Athens.
This is just a rough draft for now. We’re planning to stay in hotels or book through Booking.com. What do you think? Thanks for your feedback and suggestions!
Over the past twenty-five years, I’ve traveled the roads between France and Moldova a good ten times, sometimes via Central Europe, other times via the Balkans.
It was while traveling like this—what I call "hitting the road the slow way"—that I realized something simple: our neighbors' neighbors are very clearly our neighbors too. And that’s not insignificant.
After a break of a few years, I’m planning to hit the road again in September, this time heading to Kosovo, crossing through Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro.
Having gotten a bit older, I’ve no intention of rushing—no need to speed ahead of the music! 😄
I’d rather take my time.
I’m not looking to see everything, but to soak in the atmosphere of the places, always leaving room for the unexpected and for encounters.
I’m especially drawn to culturally immersive, authentic, and welcoming regions: lively villages, backroads, preserved landscapes, markets, local festivals, traditions that are still very much alive... and, why not, a few offbeat, forgotten, or slightly secret spots.
If any of you know Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, or Kosovo a little, I’d love to hear your suggestions for itineraries, stops, backroads, homestays, village festivals, or local contacts, for example.
Planning to return to Belarus in mid-August, I just realized that since last September, Poland has reopened several border crossing points, and for buses, this means connections like Białystok-Grodno.
Several bus company routes, like on infobus.eu, take between 3 and 4 hours.
Trains from Warsaw to Białystok take about 1.5 to 2 hours.
This has the advantage of allowing comfortable train journeys with minimal time spent on a bus.
Also, the Terespol-Brest border might have shorter queues if you still prefer a Warsaw-Brest bus.
Note that another route to Minsk, if you have a paper Russian or Belarusian visa, is the Kaliningrad-Minsk train. It’s long—around ten or eleven hours—but you can lie down and sleep. An option if you fly into Gdańsk and then take a short bus to Kaliningrad.
There are also Belavia flights from Minsk to Kaliningrad, but they’re expensive. The route is scenic:
In any case, this adds a few more options compared to what’s been available over the last four years.
Hi there.
I’d like to know what the daily budget is for Greece in December. I’ll be landing in Athens and staying there for a week, then heading to some other islands—I don’t have a set itinerary yet. Also, I’ve heard that in December, or early January, the temperature is around 11–16°C. Is that accurate?
Finally, does anyone have a good recommendation for a cheap but clean hotel near the tourist sites? I don’t need a TV or any other extras. Also, is Greece gay-friendly?
I’d like to know the opening hours of physical stores between Germany and Austria, and between Austria and Slovenia, that sell the PAPER STICKER toll vignettes that still exist for 2026—non-digital ones. I don’t think they’re open 24/7, and I can’t find the info anywhere.
Thanks
Hi there,
We’re planning a 3-week trip in late September with our camper van to explore Bulgaria and Romania.
What routes would you recommend, starting from the South?
Is there an option to take a ferry in Italy, and is it worth it?
Thanks for all your tips!😊
Hi there, we’re a young couple and we’d love to go to the Blue Eye (Syri i Kalter) between today (26/06/26) and tomorrow (27/06/26).
Is anyone heading there and could give us a ride? We’re super friendly!
Thanks so much!
We're back. It's still a bit tough to get precise info, so here's a quick trip report!
A good starting point is Shkoder, a really pleasant city. You can easily explore Shkoder itself in a day or two.
Two accessible spots: Valbona and Theth.
In both cases, local travel agencies in Shkoder or online offer round-trip or one-way access packages. Super handy, especially for Valbona.
Valbona and Theth are both very steep! There aren’t many easy hikes for less sporty folks (like me!).
Valbona: The highlight is the amazing 2.5-hour boat ride across Lake Koman. There are day trips from Shkoder, but you’ll only get a short tour of the lake. The best option is to do the full crossing—so spend a night in Valbona (or two if you want to hike in the valley) and return.
Theth is deeply nestled in the mountains. The village at the end of the valley, which is a dead end, has lots of hotels, but they’re pricey. Other hostels are scattered along the mountainside road, but it’s a steep climb down to the village or to the start of the two easy hikes (waterfalls and the Blue Eye). For us, it was a one-hour descent (and ascent!). It’s fine if you have a car; otherwise, keep an eye out for a taxi (cheap) or try hitchhiking—it works really well.
Access from Shkoder to Theth is through an agency. The road is in great condition, and you can also rent a car for 2-3 days in Shkoder. If we did it again, that’s the option we’d choose.
We didn’t do the trek and returned to Shkoder each time. I can’t speak to its difficulty, but we were there in late May, and even experienced hikers had given up because of heavy rain and snow.
Hope this helps! It’s a stunning region you shouldn’t miss.
We’re a Canadian couple, both 77, and we’re already planning our vacation for fall 2027.
Timeframe: mid-September to mid-October... dates are flexible, and we might stay even longer.
Initially, I had planned this itinerary:
Athens (3), Naxos (4), Paros (4), Santorini (4), then a flight to Istanbul (7–10 days!!). This would let us maximize our flights and experience another culture.
That’s a lot of ferries, though... I’ve already cut out Milos.
Our second option would be to stay 2 x 15 days on two different islands, but I’d still keep Istanbul as our next destination... or maybe 30 days on one island that offers the chance to take day trips to other islands where the ferry ride is no more than 2 to 2.5 hours. For example, Naxos to Paros only takes 30 minutes. We could return the same evening or stay overnight.
Naxos seems like the best option!!!
For Istanbul, of course we want to do a day cruise on the Bosphorus and see Hagia Sophia. If we stay 6–7 days, what would be the other main attractions? Are there any points of interest we can reach by local bus?
Hi there!
We bought our tickets to Greece at the end of November 2025, and let’s just say the geopolitical climate has really taken a turn since then with the war started by the United States against Iran. Not to mention all the other conflicts happening around the world 😕... Anyway!
Our flight from Montreal is on May 1st, and I was wondering how things are currently being experienced in Greece.
We were planning to rent a car and had already booked accommodations on three Cyclades islands!!
The oil shortage is also worrying us...
If you could share some insights on this, that would be great!
A little trip report from an 11-day journey to Albania at the end of April 2026, with two friends in their early sixties and beyond...
Our route: Berat, Gjirokastër, Himarë, Tirana
Here are some opinions, tips, and great deals to share:
Flight Round-trip Beauvais-Tirana: Ryanair, 260 € with checked baggage (20 kg) and seat selection. Flight was fine and on time. 2h 30min flight.
Exchange: 1 € was worth 95 lek in April 2026. We were advised to exchange in the airport hall at the Illiria counter (98 lek outside the security zone), saying we wouldn’t find a better rate. However, the exchange rate was 93 lek for 1 euro, while in the city it was 95...
Car rental at Tirana airport for 9 days via Booking.com: 144 € (56 € for the car rental and 88 € for optional full insurance deductible waiver).
Wheego agency: the car was fine, but be careful when signing the contract—they tried to convince us that the insurance taken through Booking didn’t cover everything and insisted we take their own insurance for 250 €... We refused.
After reading about driving in Tirana, instead of starting our trip by visiting the capital, we decided to head straight to Berat upon arrival and return the car at the end of the trip to explore the city on foot. This turned out to be a great choice!
Accommodations: All our stays were booked via Booking.com. Everyone prefers to be paid in euros and in cash—they mention this when booking.
Berat: 2-hour drive from the airport.
Accommodation: Vila Arben Elezi: 135 € for 3 nights with breakfast and private parking. The room was decent and clean but a bit dark, located slightly below ground level near the parking. However, the breakfast on the rooftop was excellent, especially with the stunning view of the "city of a thousand windows." Great location.
Berat was our favorite—there are lovely walks through the different neighborhoods on both sides of the river, each with a very different vibe. The citadel visit is also fascinating, as it’s like a small town within the fortress.
The walk along the river is pleasant, with plenty of restaurant choices. Other restaurants in the old town are also very nice. The White House Restaurant, on the first floor along the road, is good and offers a great view of the Gorica district.
Gjirokastër:
Accommodation: Te Ajdini Guest House: 120 € for 3 nights with breakfast. A private home stay. There’s free parking just before entering the city, a 5-minute walk from the accommodation, which is very convenient since the cobblestone streets are narrow and parking is tricky. Yes, it’s a climb to get to the place, but everything in this city is uphill... The room was bright and clean. Breakfast was very good, hearty, and served in the courtyard with a view of the castle. The guesthouse is a 5-minute walk from the city center (the bazaar) but in a quiet area.
Restaurants: Rrapi and Kujtimi—good and affordable with their little pergolas.
The old town of Gjirokastër is charming but very touristy, with streets packed with souvenir shops and restaurant tables and chairs. Lots of people.
-The bunker visit (near the tourist office) is very interesting: Cold War Tunnel.
The castle offers a beautiful view of the city.
-Visit to the Ottoman house Skenduli: very well done. Don’t forget to climb the ladder facing a trapdoor in the ceiling to see the roof’s framework—it’s like a forest of beams: impressive!
-The bridge Ura e Ali Pasha: A steep 45-minute climb from the city to the site is worth it, but once you reach the viewpoint (which is stunning), you have to go back down a path to reach the bridge. You can drive to the viewpoint, but parking is very tricky.
Around Gjirokastër:
-Just outside the city: Lake Liqeni i Viroit: a nice, ordinary-looking lake, but at the end, there’s a natural spring making the water crystal clear and a brilliant blue—really spectacular, like photos of Blue Eye near Sarandë.
-Drive to Përmet along the gorges: beautiful viewpoints along the way and lovely countryside.
Himarë:
Accommodation: Vila Kosteli: 120 € for 2 nights with breakfast—slightly overpriced for this type of place but very close to a small beach and not far from the promenade with all the restaurants. Private parking, but very tight (4 cars on a tiny lot along the road). The "sea view" room is a bit obstructed by the building across the street. However, the rooftop breakfast view is beautiful. Friendly staff.
Himarë is a pleasant seaside resort, quite calm (but it was April...). There’s a cute promenade with restaurants along the beach. The castle on the heights of Himarë is worth a visit.
Around Himarë:
-Qeparo is worth a quick stop, but Qeparo village is really worth the detour: a village lost in the heights after a scenic drive up from the coastal road—narrow but well-maintained. Beautiful view from the top and a charming village.
-The Big Bunker and Llogora Panorama: take a right turn several kilometers after Dhermi—a road that climbs steeply from the start... A breathtaking winding road that reaches 900 meters in altitude. The view is stunning.
-Several small villages between Dhermi and Himarë are worth a quick stop.
-Porto Palermo Castle is somewhat disappointing.
Tirana:
Taxi from Tirana airport to the city center: 15 € with electric taxis (Green Taxi, Bee Taxi, Do Taxi).
Accommodation: Hotel Nevi Apartment: 63 € for 2 nights. A private apartment in an older building but very clean and well-equipped, with a kitchen and small enclosed balcony.
Great welcome and contact—the owner even booked a taxi for our departure. Very well located, close to the main square, shops, and restaurants. A small supermarket nearby is perfect for stocking up on breakfast supplies.
The city is lively and dynamic, with plenty of green spaces and promenades. Buildings are popping up everywhere, often with surprising architecture—like a building shaped like a face, a huge golden cube, and many others under construction.
-Sky Tower: at the top, a rotating bar offers a 360° view of the city and its buildings. Drinks are a bit pricier than usual, but it’s totally worth it (6 € for a beer or a glass of white wine, 3 € for coffee). We were there for sunset, and it was amazing! A must-do. Arrive early, as it fills up quickly.
-The House of Leaves: a house used for secret surveillance and interrogations during the dictatorship... A great way to learn about the surveillance systems of that era.
-Bunk’Art 2: a bunker in the heart of the city—very interesting, covering the dictatorship period and its system...
-The Pazari i Ri Bazaar: the new bazaar district. The large hall is worth a visit, but souvenir prices are often higher than elsewhere... The area is nice.
Restaurant: Kastrati Restaurant—a bit like a canteen with lots of traditional dishes. It’s on the first floor of a building. Excellent value for money, and the waitress explains the dishes in French.
That’s a little overview of our trip and my personal impressions!
Albania is a beautiful and pleasant country to visit.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
Hi everyone,
We’re thinking of spending 3 weeks in Crete between mid-August and early September, renting a car, quickly exploring a few spots in the east, and focusing on the west, southwest, and south.
I’m worried about the heavy tourist crowds. Is it really more noticeable than elsewhere in Greece? Is there a way to avoid the crowds without missing out on the iconic places, which I imagine are stunning in Crete? Thanks for your thoughts and experiences!