Bons plans en Estonie et traversée à partir de Suède
by Laubouriez
This discussion is in French, the community’s main language.
Original post
Nous cherchons à partir à 5 en Suède pour rejoindre l'Estonie. Parait -il qu'il y a possibilité de faire la traversée en bateau ? Nous partons avec 2 grands ados, connaissez vous des plans aussi plutot ludiques à faire là bas ??
mille merci pour toutes vos suggestions
Laurence
Bonjour,
Oui bien sûr il y a des ferries.... Dont un a même connu en son temps un triste destin.....
http://www.vikingline.fi/routes/index.asp http://www.tallink.ee/en.html http://www.silja.ee/
Ludique ?.... Hum.... Tallinn est une chouette ville, surtout sous la neige, mais le pays en soi n'est pas franchement ludique.... C'est plutôt moderne, souvent high tech même....
Michel
Oui bien sûr il y a des ferries.... Dont un a même connu en son temps un triste destin.....
http://www.vikingline.fi/routes/index.asp http://www.tallink.ee/en.html http://www.silja.ee/
Ludique ?.... Hum.... Tallinn est une chouette ville, surtout sous la neige, mais le pays en soi n'est pas franchement ludique.... C'est plutôt moderne, souvent high tech même....
Michel
Merci Michel pour ces éclaircissements..
laurence
Bonjour,
A 1 heure de Tallin vers l'est, tu as le Laheema Parc. Cà fait très vacances avec des petites (ou grandes) maisons dispersées au milieu des arbres. Tu peux y faire quelques randonnées, faciles pour tout le monde car c'est plat, certaines en bord de mer. Tu dois pouvoir te loger assez facilement sur place et il y a même une auberge de jeunesse. Il faut se renseigner à l'office de tourisme à Tallin, qui est très compétent.
V13
Merci Martine pour cette info...
laurence
Bonjour !
Alors 5 jours en Estonie, voici ce que je vous conseille (j'y ai passé 1 an) : 2 ou 3 journées pour Tallinn, qui est une très belle ville médiévale. A voir : le centre-ville et la colline qui le surplombe (ne surtout pas manquer les points de vue des 2 côtés de la colline), les remparts (pareil, des 2 côtés de la colline). A près, je vous conseille (mais c'est selon les goûts) d'aller faire un tour dans les quartiers "soviétiques" en prenant un tramways, histoire de voir à quoi ça ressemble (Mustamae, Lasnamae ou Kopli). Et bien sûr, il faut aller au marché russe (près de la gare), ça vaut le coup d'oeil. Dans les environs : le monastère de Pirita, le musée à ciel ouvert de Rocca al Mare (je n'y suis jamais allé), le zoo, le palais du tsar (Kadriorg). 1 journée à Pärnu (prononcer pernou), une jolie station balnéaire (un peu mort en hiver, sympa en été). 2-3 heures de trajet en bus depuis Tallinn. 1 journée dans le parc de Lahemaa, sur la route qui mène à St Pétersbourg, à environ 40km de Tallinn (il faut louer une voiture). Si vous y allez, faites les quelques manoirs mais surtout allez vous balader au bord de l'eau, c'est très joli. si il vous reste du temps, vous pouvez aller à Tartu, la ville universitaire, à environ 3-4 heures en bus. Ou, encore mieux, à Riga (5h de bus), qui est une très très belle ville.
Bon voyage !!! Et n'hésitez pas si vous avez des questions.
Yoann
Bon voyage !!! Et n'hésitez pas si vous avez des questions.
Yoann
bonjour,
Nous partons avec un groupe d'ados en Estonie. Nous aimerions avoir des infos très pratiques.
Concernant le change et la monnaie, comment cela se passe-t-il? quelle est la commission prise lors de cette transaction? est-il possible de payer en chèque euros?
Nous recherchons également des photos, images du pays. Est-ce possible de nous en envoyer, de Tallinn, du marché russe, du tram'... Nous serons hebergés sur la ville de Voru, connaissez-vous ce lieu? avez des bons plans à nous conseiller? loisirs, culturels, musicals, sportifs...
Merci par avance, Noëmie
Nous partons avec un groupe d'ados en Estonie. Nous aimerions avoir des infos très pratiques.
Concernant le change et la monnaie, comment cela se passe-t-il? quelle est la commission prise lors de cette transaction? est-il possible de payer en chèque euros?
Nous recherchons également des photos, images du pays. Est-ce possible de nous en envoyer, de Tallinn, du marché russe, du tram'... Nous serons hebergés sur la ville de Voru, connaissez-vous ce lieu? avez des bons plans à nous conseiller? loisirs, culturels, musicals, sportifs...
Merci par avance, Noëmie
Bonjour !
Pour la monnaie (la couronne estonienne), un euro vaut environ 15 couronnes. La commission lors de la transaction est raisonnable, me semble-t-il. Je vous conseille d'efectuer le change dans une banque (HansaPank ou Uhis Pank) plutôt quand dans une agence de change, c'est moins cher. Il est bien sûr impossible de payer en chèque euros :-)
Quant à Voru, je n'y suis jamais allé, mais j'imagine qu'il n'y a pas grand chose à faire et à voir là-bas... Mais il est généralement facile d'aller régulièrement à Tallinn ou à Tartu en bus, et les locations de voiture ne coûte pas très cher.
Pour des photos, des infos, faite une recherche sur google, vous trouverez plein de sites, par exemple tallinn.ee ou visitestonia.com.
Quant à Voru, je n'y suis jamais allé, mais j'imagine qu'il n'y a pas grand chose à faire et à voir là-bas... Mais il est généralement facile d'aller régulièrement à Tallinn ou à Tartu en bus, et les locations de voiture ne coûte pas très cher.
Pour des photos, des infos, faite une recherche sur google, vous trouverez plein de sites, par exemple tallinn.ee ou visitestonia.com.
Bonjour à tous,
Nous pensions partir de Stockholm pour nous rendre dans les pays baltes. Avec Ryanair, on peut se rendre à riga et cela reste peu cher, on peut aussi se rendre à Kaunas (chouette nom), mais je ne suis pas sur que cela est beaucoup d'intérêt. Nous comptons partir une semaine là bas, sans louer de voitures, juste en nous déplacant via les bus. Je me demandais si il était plus intéressant (financièrement parlant) de prendre un ferry à stockholm, plutôt que l'avion pour riga ou kaunas. Nous disposons d'un petit budget. En sachant que nous sommes un jeune couple, quel est le plus intéréssant, nous souhaitons surtout voir du paysage, flaner, et visiter les coins les moins touristiques. Merci à vous. Joc
Nous pensions partir de Stockholm pour nous rendre dans les pays baltes. Avec Ryanair, on peut se rendre à riga et cela reste peu cher, on peut aussi se rendre à Kaunas (chouette nom), mais je ne suis pas sur que cela est beaucoup d'intérêt. Nous comptons partir une semaine là bas, sans louer de voitures, juste en nous déplacant via les bus. Je me demandais si il était plus intéressant (financièrement parlant) de prendre un ferry à stockholm, plutôt que l'avion pour riga ou kaunas. Nous disposons d'un petit budget. En sachant que nous sommes un jeune couple, quel est le plus intéréssant, nous souhaitons surtout voir du paysage, flaner, et visiter les coins les moins touristiques. Merci à vous. Joc
Bonjour,
j'aimerais voyager un peu durant mes vacances de Pâques, je me demandais pourquoi pas les pays baltes? Je voulais savoir comment on peut se rendre en Estonie depuis la France, est-ce possible de s'y rendre en bus ou train (surement moins cher qu'en avion...) ou d'y accéder par la Lithuanie pour remonter jusqu'à l'Estonie?
Merci d'avance Johanna
j'aimerais voyager un peu durant mes vacances de Pâques, je me demandais pourquoi pas les pays baltes? Je voulais savoir comment on peut se rendre en Estonie depuis la France, est-ce possible de s'y rendre en bus ou train (surement moins cher qu'en avion...) ou d'y accéder par la Lithuanie pour remonter jusqu'à l'Estonie?
Merci d'avance Johanna
"It's not the places that matter, it's the people"
Bonne idée pour le choix de la destination !
Pour aller en Estonie depuis la France, à part l'avion (entre 200 et 300 euros AR), tu peux essayer Eurolines (bus), mais il faudra compter au moins 20h de Paris à Tallinn ; et ce n'est pas donné non plus, dans les 150 euros je pense, voir plus... Franchement, pour la différence de prix, il vaut mieux prendre l'avion, surtout si tu ne restes pas longtemps sur place. Quant au train, impossible. Sinon tu peux y aller en voiture, mais c'est également très long, et attention à l'enclave russe de Kaliningrad, il faut un visa russe pour y passer (galère), il vaut mieux la contourner.
Y.
Y.
quelqu'un saurait il par hasard combien coute le trajet en ferry tallinn / Stocholm ? le site est en estonien et malgre mes progres dans cette langue je n'ai pas trouve...
Merci d'avance !
Merci d'avance !
"le meilleur moyen de savoir si on est proche d'une personne, est de partir loin avec elle..." les poupées russes.
Bonjour
Si tu m'envoies le lien du site, je pense pouvoir t'aider. Les prix varient souvent en fonction de la période.
brigitte
Si tu m'envoies le lien du site, je pense pouvoir t'aider. Les prix varient souvent en fonction de la période.
brigitte
Brigitte
Bonjour,
Merci pour ta réponse... Voici le lien vers le site : http://www.tallink.ee/ee/
je voudrais juste une idée de prix pour un plein tarif...
Merci encore!
Merci pour ta réponse... Voici le lien vers le site : http://www.tallink.ee/ee/
je voudrais juste une idée de prix pour un plein tarif...
Merci encore!
"le meilleur moyen de savoir si on est proche d'une personne, est de partir loin avec elle..." les poupées russes.
Bonjour Huffy
Jamais vue un bazar pareil sur un site web estonien 🙂. Bon, je pense que c'est par là : http://www.tallink.ee/ee/tab1/routeTrips/talSto/oneWayTaSt.htm
Le prix est fonction de la période (voir le calendrier plus bas), vert étant le moins cher, rouge le plus cher.
En gros, un aller simple en période verte coute 160 € et en période rouge 216 €. Ces prix sont à multiplier par deux, pour un AR. Ce sont des prix par traversée et par cabine, sachant que l'on peut mettre jusqu'à 4 personnes par cabine.
Donc, par exemple, le tarif le moins onéreux, en période verte, si vous êtes 4, pour un aller retour serait par personne de : 80 €
Ensuite, il y a toute une offre de croisières diverses et variées, avec divertissements à la clé, nourritures, disco, embarquement d'un véhicule etc, que vous pouvez prendre en supplément.
Bon séjour à Stockholm brigitte
Jamais vue un bazar pareil sur un site web estonien 🙂. Bon, je pense que c'est par là : http://www.tallink.ee/ee/tab1/routeTrips/talSto/oneWayTaSt.htm
Le prix est fonction de la période (voir le calendrier plus bas), vert étant le moins cher, rouge le plus cher.
En gros, un aller simple en période verte coute 160 € et en période rouge 216 €. Ces prix sont à multiplier par deux, pour un AR. Ce sont des prix par traversée et par cabine, sachant que l'on peut mettre jusqu'à 4 personnes par cabine.
Donc, par exemple, le tarif le moins onéreux, en période verte, si vous êtes 4, pour un aller retour serait par personne de : 80 €
Ensuite, il y a toute une offre de croisières diverses et variées, avec divertissements à la clé, nourritures, disco, embarquement d'un véhicule etc, que vous pouvez prendre en supplément.
Bon séjour à Stockholm brigitte
Brigitte
Re
Ah, oui, info que je n'ai pas traduite plus haut mais qui peut t'interesser : le site précise que pour les cabines B, les hommes et les femmes peuvent être séparés.
En clair, si tu n'es pas quatre 😉, les cabines peuvent être complétés avec de parfaits inconnus pour permettre à tous les occupants d'une même cabine de bénéficier du meilleur tarif. Dans ce cas, Talink propose la possibilité de compléter des cabines 100% masculines ou 100% féminines
Voilu Brigitte
Ah, oui, info que je n'ai pas traduite plus haut mais qui peut t'interesser : le site précise que pour les cabines B, les hommes et les femmes peuvent être séparés.
En clair, si tu n'es pas quatre 😉, les cabines peuvent être complétés avec de parfaits inconnus pour permettre à tous les occupants d'une même cabine de bénéficier du meilleur tarif. Dans ce cas, Talink propose la possibilité de compléter des cabines 100% masculines ou 100% féminines
Voilu Brigitte
Brigitte
Merci beaucoup pour toutes ces infos, c'est vraiment extremement gentil de ta part.
Meme la dame de l'office de tourisme de Tallinn n'avait pas réussi à le trouver, chapeau!
Merci encore,
En plus tu nous a traduit ca en euros, c'est super!!!
"le meilleur moyen de savoir si on est proche d'une personne, est de partir loin avec elle..." les poupées russes.
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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.
Proof: https://etreounepasetrebretillien.com/2018/03/19/moldova-mea/ 🤓
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.
Thanks in advance for your tips!
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.
The official Polish page: https://granica.gov.pl/index_wait.php?p=b&c=t&v=pl&k=w

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.
The official Polish page: https://granica.gov.pl/index_wait.php?p=b&c=t&v=pl&k=w

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?
Thanks in advance for your replies. Best regards
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?
Thanks in advance for your replies. Best regards
hi
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
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!
Maya and Sullivan
Maya and Sullivan
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.
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?
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!
Thanks!!
Thanks!!
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!
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!
What are the main sights to visit on Rhodes itself or the surrounding islands, and what’s the weather like? We’re leaving on May 18th.
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!





