Appel à tous ceux qui reviennent de Crète ou Grèce en général!
Nous nous y rendons bientôt pour une semaine (Réthymnon / Panormos).
Voici quelques questions en rapport:Quid des problèmes d'argent/liquide ?Peux -t -on facilement régler par CB ?Prix des location voiture éco et du carburant ?Toute réponse, même partielle à ces questions sera bien venue.
Les cartes bancaires sont très acceptées en Grèce. Il est préférable d'avoir du liquide sur soi pour payer les restaurants par exemple.
Vu la situation actuelle il est sans doute préférable d'arriver avec son argent pour éviter d'éventuels problèmes avec les distributeurs.
Il y a deux ans l'essence était a un prix voisin de celui en France.
Aucun problème aux distributeurs. Ne croyez pas les médias.
Règlement par CB dans les grands hotels, supermarchés et parfois les restaurants mais pas tous.
Location de voiture dans les 40 euros par jour. Essence dans les 1.6/1.70 €
Diesel 1.288 ou 1.34 suivant la qualité
essence 1.664 ou 1.85 idem.
Prix constaté la semaine dernière.
Pas de problème avec les DAB. Par contre les commerçants sont plus réticents car souvent ils ne font pas de facture!!!
les produits grecs sont chers: cuir, Tshirts etc...
Par contre dans toutes les boutiques (même dans celles d'hôtel !!!), il y a des contrefaçons de marques de vêtements (lacoste, hollister, etc...) et de lunettes (Rayban , D&G, kors, etc...) que l'on ne peut acheter qu'en espèces. 9 euros pour les lunettes et 20 euros pour un lacoste (de très mauvaise qualité !!). Il ne faut pas s'étonner qu'ils aient des problèmes!!!! La TVA est passée à 23%.
La raison pour laquelle on doit payer en liquide , est-ce pour que le commerçant ne reverse pas la TVA ? c'est ce que j'imagine en tout cas.
Or les problèmes des grecs c'est justement qu'au sein de l'europe ils n'ont pas joué le jeu.
Ma question, : le prix est-il le même quand on règle en liquide ou en CB ?
Parceque régler un repas en liquide sur un tarif incluant 23% de TVA, faut peut être pas prendre le touriste pour un idiot quand même.
Je veux bien aider les grecs en faisant fonctionner l'économie par ma présence de touriste, mais pas à mes dépends au travers de l'aide qui leur est apportée par les européens.
Je reviens de Crete et effectivement il ni à aucun problème de liquidité. Les problèmes financiers ont fait le choux gras des média occidentaux qui n'avaient rien d'autre à ce mettre sous la dent... Là-bas la vie continue sans restrictions ou tracas apparents au moins pour les touristes. La TVA est passée à 23 % dans les cafés et restaurants mais un % sur des prix relativement faibles engendre en général une augmentation peu significative et les prix restent tout à fait raisonnables.
Le paiement par carte n'est pas très démocratisé car les gens n'ont pas l'habitude.
De plus et surtout, les banques prennent une commission très importante pour les paiements par carte, de l'ordre de 10 à 15% sur chaque montant pour les petits commerçants. c'est la raison pour laquelle ils ne prennent pas souvent la carte sauf dans les gros supermarchés qui font du chiffre ou dans les hotels.
Il ne faut pas voir le mal partout et croire que les Grecs ne reversent rien à l'Etat et ne paient pas leurs impots. Arretez de regarder la télé et de croire ce que disent les médias. Quand on voit la queue pour payer aux impots on se demande où passe l'argent! Parceque oui les impots se paient au guichet ou par carte bancaire pour ceux qui en ont une. Le chéquier n'existe pas en Grèce pour les particuliers. Seules les grosses entreprises en ont.
Sinon pour les tarifs des restos, là encore ne réfléchissez pas comme un Français. En Grèce on commande plusieurs petits plats que chacun se partage, comme les tapas espagnols. En gros compter 10/15 euros par personne.
merci Elenitsa de votre éclairage.
Pas de chéquier pour les particuliers , ça semble insolite pour nous français.
Quant à faire la queue pour payer ses impôts , en liquide, au guichet , voilà une pratique qui découragerait plus d'un français (pas trop patients nous autres !)
j'ai hâte d'aller découvrir plein d'autres usages et pratiques qui vont m'étonner, pas seulement dans le domaine des démarches administratives😉
Je ne pense pas qu'en Grèce en tant que touriste, tu vas te poser des questions sur l'administration grecque. Et tu ne vas pas découvrir beaucoup d'usages surprenants, à part la gentillesse et l'amabilité. La plupart des hôtels/gite tiennent un registre et te remettront une facture, même s'ils te demandent de payer en cash. Les commerçants qui acceptent la carte bancaire, te feront certainement une ristourne si tu paye en cash, mais de quelques euros. Je n'ai pas vu de queues au DAB ou dans les banques.
Pour ma part je suis parti avec mon cash, car en Crète, il n'y a pas de DAB partout.
Tu manges très bien pour 20 à 25 euros à deux.
quelques infos sur mes 3 semaines au mois de juillet en pleine "affaire" grec. Les transports étaient gratuits à Athene car les grec ne pouvaient pas payer le bus pour aller travailler les banques etaient fermé et les distributeurs n'autorisaient que 50€/pax grecs/jour De même pour un étranger retirant de l'argent avec une carte non grec on ne pouvait pas sortir plus de 400 € sur la même machine. ce que je comprends car il suffisait de 3 ou 4 touristes pour vider un DAB. Et les grecs qui eux tirent la langue pour sortir 50 € auraient pu ne pas le prendre joyeusement.
Par contre je ne me suis jamais senti en danger au DAB ni observé ni rien. Le grec vivait sa vie et basta....
Tout d'abord je loue le sens de l'hospitalité des grecs surtout dans les iles. Peut être un peu moins sur le continent (mais cela se discute).
Puis leurs facilités avec les langues. Ils parlent tous plus ou moins l'anglais (couramment ou quelques mots mais les grecs feront tous l'effort de te parler en anglais ou en français d’ailleurs....)
Pour la vie de tous les jours maintenant. le cout de la vie est moins chere qu'en France surtout pour la nourriture y compris au restau. Idem pour l’hébergement.
carte de paiement
A part les gros hôtels et certain commerçant, la carte bleu gold infinity n'est pas la bienvenue en Grèce ou beaucoup de choses se font en liquide y compris le plein des voitures. prévoir donc du cache avec soit en permanence.
autre chose : demander une facture, car les commerçants y compris les restau vous donne le prix et "oublie" quelque fois la facture papier (y compris dans un beau restau face à l'Acropole). mais si vous demandez une facture on vous l'apporte sans grogner.
Alimentation
un repas pour trois avec l'ouzo la bière et le jus de fruit pour ma fille : entre 24 € le moins chère (dans un restau local à Nauplie avec salade giros grillade de porc et pastèque) à 48 € le plus chere (beau restau au bord de l'eau à Paros avec une cuisine 2*) ATTENTION : exception pour Santorin qui est le St Tropez local ou la facture a tendance à chauffer surtout si tu veux manger avec vue sur la caldera.....
Hebergement
Hôtel confortable avec piscine voir appartement particulier entre 60 et 80 € la nuit pour 3 avec le petit dej.
Exception pour Santorin ou il faut compter 120 € dans Fira.
Ce qui veut dire que tu peux trouver moins chère en diminuant tes prétentions sur la qualité de l’hébergement.
Petite question à tous les forumeurs de ce site qui ont voyagé en Grèce : C'est moi ou les grecs aiment la literie ferme. Moi qui aime le soft j'ai été servi....
Culture
J'ai trouvé que la visite des principaux sites touristiques de Grèce est beaucoup moins chère que la même chose en France: entré à l'Acropole 12€/pax (enfant - 12 ans gratuit) que tu peux utiliser pour visiter les sites annexes pendant 4 jours.
Transport
le prix des ferrys est relativement correcte. Cela depend de la longueur du trajet et si tu prends un express (NGV, Catamaran, Hydroglisseur) ou un ferry classique. J'ai pris mes billets sur place chez un revendeur de la Plaka.
Essence : aïe aïe, la ça pique un peu les yeux : entre 1,5€ et 1,85 € le litre de sans plomb 95 et entre 1.3 et 1.5 le diesel.
Pas de distributeur d'essence à prix cassé dans les hypermarchés. par contre des stations services partout ou l'on te sert. Et ou les prix varient de 10 à 20 cts/l sur deux stations voisines. donc faire jouer la concurrence.
Loc de voiture
comme partout faire son choix sur internet.
compter entre 40 et 50 €/jour pour une 107/C1/Twingo/fox/citygo dans les iles
Compter entre 60 et 80 €/jour pour une 308/golf/megane/astra/focus sur le continent
Chose surprenante : un loueur fait généralement tourner son parc tout les 18/24 mois
Mais en Grèce une loi impose au loueur de changer de voiture tous les 6 ans. Cela evite de se retrouver avec des antiquités pour les clients. Donc on peut se retrouver avec la location chez Avis d'une Ford Focus 1.4 essence, de sept 2009 avec 120 000 km. le loueur respectait la loi.....
Circulation routière
la Grèce détient le triste record européen du nombre de tués sur les routesderrière, la république Tchèque et la Slovaquie. Cela demande donc une certaine attention à la route quand on conduit car pour un grec:
Casque pour les motos: option
Limitation de vitesse pour tous le monde: bus camion auto moto : option
interdiction de doubler pour tout le monde : option
Stationnement gênant voir interdit : option
Utilisation du klaxon pour pousser les touristes qui se trainent devant vous : obligatoire
Utilisation de la bande d’arrêt d'urgence pour laisser passer les grecs pressés : obligatoire
une fois cela intégré on peut se lancer sur les routes.
ATTENTION : à la décharge des conducteurs grecs le réseau routier est dans un état de délabrement avancé quand même. Des trous des bosses des plaques de goudron fondus pour boucher les trous et une signalisation routière horizontale très souvent absente.
ATTENTION 2 : il n'y a que deux autoroutes au sens ou nous l'entendons en Grèce. l'A1 nord sud et l'A2 est ouest avec des tronçons payant et d'autre non
ATTENTION 3 : il y a une nouvelle autoroute entre Corinthe et Patras: elle est ouverte à la circulation et coute en gros 2.5 € tous les 40 km. Mais elle est en construction! tous les gares de péage sont construites et fonctionnent. mais il n' y a qu'une seule voie de circulation. les véhicules se partagent donc la route entre la bande arrêt d'urgence dans un sens et la voie normale de circulation dans l'autre. et les engins de chantier traversent la route voir les ouvriers y travaillent protégés simplement par ces cônes. faire très attention
Ai trouvé facilement, fin octobre chez Hertz à Héraclion, une Nissan Micra pour 20 euros par jour et ce pour 3 semaines. 21 jours pour 420 euros donc. Ai rencontré un jeune couple qui m'a affirmé avoir loué une Fiat Panda pour...11 euros / jour à la même époque. Ai payé par carte.
Nous partons le 15 septembre en Crête et pour 15 jours. Je me suis régalée à lire commentaires et conseils sur le site. Mais, si les conseils sur les lieux à…
Une personne de retour de Grèce vient tout juste de m'informer que les Grecs refusent souvent les cartes de crédit, préférant l'argent cash à la suite de la…
Mon mari et moi serons en Grèce l'été prochain et j'aimerais savoir s'il est facile d'échanger des chèques de voyages en Euro ou s'il est préférable d'avoir de…
D'habitude je voyage avec peu d'argent liquide, j'utilise mes cartes bancaires le plus possible et je retire de l'argent aux guichets automatiques au besoin.…
Nous partons en Grèce le 3 août prochain pour un voyage de 3 semaines dans les Cyclades (Sifnos, Naxos, Santorin et Amorgos), puis 3 jours à Athènes pour…
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?
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
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!
Hi,
I'm heading to Greece via Albania soon. Does anyone have info on transportation from Gjirokastër to Ioannina?
Which company, fares, and schedules—it's not very clear with Google.
I’m just passing through Bratislava quickly (one afternoon, one night, one morning) and I’d love to see the highlights of the city.
I’ve put together a little itinerary—feel free to let me know what you think!
Start at the castle and its beautiful viewpoint
Visit the Baroque gardens
St. Martin’s Cathedral, quick visit
National Theatre
Discover the Cumil statues
Primatial Palace via Hlavné Namestie
Michael’s Gate
Grassalkovich Palace via Obchodna
Walk across Namesti Slobody to head back to the upside-down pyramid
Head down to the Blue Church
Cross the Danube to see Sad Janka Krala, then return via the UFO Bridge
There you go—10 km and a packed day!
What do you think?