Bonjour,
nous partons en couple voyager en roumanie ce mois d aout. Nous comptons dormir la plupart du temps en tente.
Nous voyageons sac a dos et essayons d alleger au max les sacs, on se demandait donc si les duvets sont necessaires,
vu la temperature estivale... un drap suffirait il? nous avons des duvets sarcophages assez importants et chauds...
j'ai juste peur que si nous campons dans la montagne la temperature nocturne soit trop basse?
aussi: nous cherchons des endroits ou ecouter de la musique tsigane (festivals, bars etc...)
notre trajet peut etre defini en fonction de ca, la seule chose que nous avons prevu pour l instant est d arriver a bucarest
et surement se diriger vers la transylvanie.
il est plus prudent de prendre un duvet, les plus jolis secteurs sont les montagnes a 2000 m, les temperatures sont fraiches le matin, risque de pluie.cette annee est particulierement instable au niveaux de la meteo.les orages sont frequent en montagne, le camping est libre(sauvage)dans ma region(sud carpate)il y a quelles que villes avec des terains de campings amenager.rimnicu-valcea, horez, calimanesti, govora-baile.et de belles randonner a faire a pied de quelleque heures a plusieurs jours.pour la musique rom, il y a un vilage tres renommer a 60 km de bucarest clejani.mais je ne suis pas specialiste sur ce sujet je laisse repondre d'autres amis 😉 a toi thierry. amitier shadock.
Merci Shadock de me passer la main, mais pas mieux 😏 C'est toujours la question, des villages roms et des lieux pour rencontrer des roms, je connais et c'est vraiment pas un problème, par contre pour la musique c'est plus difficile. Un rom en France m'a parlé de son village qui se trouve entre Fâlticeni et Pascani dont toute la population est musicienne (et roms). Je veux m'y rendre à mon prochain voyage en Roumaine, mais pour l'instant je n'es pas le nom précis de se village. Si j'ai des infos...
j'ai oublier un detail qui a son importance depuis peut il y a une recrudescence des attaque d'ours ne vous isoler pas en montagne, ne laisser pas de nouriture a proximite de votre tente munisser vous d'une bombe lacrimogene, (au poivre de cayene)en italie je ne sais pas ou vous pouvez trouver ce produit .peut etre dans un magazin specialiser en rendonnee en montagne.cela existe au canada pourquoi pas en europe aux dire de mes amis quebecois c'est efficace a 7 m sur des grizzlis
il y a des endroit appeler cabane sorte de refuges dans les mont bucegi, fagarasi, parang.les autre je ne sais pas?n'esiter pas a les utiliser ou de vous grouper avec d'autres campeurs vous apprecirez la gentillesse des roumains bon sejour daniel
Bonjour,
Si vous vous rendez dans les montagnes il faut impérativement prendre les duvets.
En ce qui concerne la musique, j'en ai écouté en Transylvanie, mais ça ne ressemble pas aux musiques tsiganes qu'on entend en France : c'est plutôt des musiques roumaines et hongroises. J'en ai écouté dans quelques bars à Cluj-Napoca (par exemple, l'année dernière, tous les mardis il y avait des soirées avec des musiques traditionnelles dans le bar Autograf ; je ne sais pas si c'est toujours d'actualité) ainsi qu'aux alentours de Cluj-Napoca, dans le village de "Palatca" (ou "Magyarpalatka" en hongrois ; dans ce village il y a plusieurs groupes dont Palatka Band, qui sont assez connus). On m'a dit aussi que dans la plupart des villages hongrois de Kalotaszeg (une region à quelques km à l'ouest de Cluj-Napoca) il y a de bons musiciens. Fin août (17 à 22) il y aura un festival international de guitare à Cluj.
Plus au nord, j'ai rencontré des musiciens dans le Maramures (à "Desesti" et à "Salistea de Sus" où, malheureusement, je n'ai pas rencontre Ionu lu Grigore; à ce que j'ai entendu, il y a des musiciens dans la plupart des villages de Maramures). Je sais que le troisième dimanche d'août il y a un festival de musiques traditionnelles (Hora la Prislop) à Prislop, à l'est de Maramures, mais je ne m'y suis jamais rendu. Normalement, au cours du mois d'août il y a pas mal d'autres festivals dans le Maramures, mais je ne connais pas les dates.
En fin, de côté ouest des Monts Apuseni le style musical change. J'en ai écouté à la foire annuelle de Negreni (Targul de la Negreni en roumain). Mais puisque la foire c'est le deuxième week-end d'octobre...
Bonjour,
J'ai fait une petite recherche et j'ai trouvé quelques autres infos quant aux festivals des environs de Cluj-Napoca 😉
Au mois d'août (notamment du 17 au 22) il y a plusieurs événements (soirées musiques traditionnelles etc) dans un village ("Sic" en roumain, "Szék" en hongrois) situé à quelques 25 km au nord-est de Cluj-Napoca. Il semble qu'il y a des gens qui s'y rendent pour apprendre les danses traditionnelles de la région de Mezoseg / Campia Transilvaniei (la Plaine de Transylvanie, qui, en fait, n'est pas une plaine, mais un plateau collinaire, mais bon...).
En outre, du 20 au 24 août il y aura le 11ème Festival International de Folklore "Szent István" qui se déroulera à Cluj-Napoca et dans les villages de Vlaha et de Sâncraiu (dans la région de Tara Calatei - en roumain - ou Kalotaszeg - en hongrois - qui se trouve à l'ouest de Cluj - voir wikipédia). Certes, il y aura des groupes de l'Europe de l'est et notamment de la région Tara Calatei/Kalotaszeg - t'as ici une vidéo pour te faire une idée de la musique et des danses de cette région). Pour plus d'infos, je pense qu'il faut voir l'office de tourisme de Cluj-Napoca. D'après ce que j'ai trouvé, c'est surtout à Sâncraiu (un village proche de la ville de Huedin) que les gens vont s'éclater.
A remarquer aussi que les danses traditionnelles roumaines et hongroises de Kalotaszeg et de Mezoseg se ressemblent à se confondre. Certes, il y a des variations et les initiés peuvent faire la différence entre les unes et les autres, mais pas moi 😄.
Je te mets encore quelques vidéos pour te faire une idée des musiques / danses : t'as une danse qui en roumain s'appelle tarnaveana et en hongrois korcsos, t'as ponturi, t'as fecioresc ou legenyes, en fin, t'as des danses en couple.
Re-bonjour,
Encore quelques infos : vers la mi-août il y a un autre festival annuel dans le village de Rascruci/Valaszut (où il y a aussi un château, mais bon, ça c'est un détail...).
Ca ne serait pas mal non plus de prendre le contact avec la Fondation Heltai Gaspar, 18 rue Clinicilor, Cluj-Napoca, tel. (+40) 264590096 ou (+40) 264590811 (en roumain : Fundatia Bibliotecara Heltai Gaspar, Str. Clinicilor, nr. 18, Cluj-Napoca, tel 0264590096 ; 0264590811) car ils organisent nombre d'événements et ils vont pouvoir vous renseigner sur les événements de la région. Puis il y a aussi l'office de tourisme, mais en 2008 leurs services laissaient à désirer...
Merci pour toutes ces indications, je prepare un voyage pour l'année prochaine avec quelques un de mes amis en moto en Roumanie et Bulgarie.
Puis je profiter de ces information sur le logement pour vous poser une question?
Nous pensons arriver par Oradea rjoindre Turda par la route76 , puis Alba IULA par la E81. Ensuite deux hypotheses, soit Sibiu et la fameuse route 7C ou prendre la route 67c, pour rejoindre Pitesti et visiter Bucarest .
Quesl est l'etat de route sité precedement? Combien est t il résonable de prevoir parcourir dans une journée?
Remerciements atous
El Tiger.
Hmmm... pas facile de vous donner LA bonne réponse : un bon nombre de routes roumaines sont en chantier et je suis sur qu'il y aura d'autres chantiers qui vont démarrer jusqu'à l'année prochaine.
DN76-DN75 (Oradea-Beius-Stei-Câmpeni-Turda) : en juillet 2008, un bon segment (20 km? ou plus?) de la route entre Oradea et Beius était en très mauvais état et j'imagine que c'était pareil entre Beius et Stei. Je ne connais pas l'état de la route entre Stei et Câmpeni, mais de Gârda de Sus - Câmpeni à Turda c'était plutôt acceptable et le trafic ne posait pas de pb. Les paysages dans les Monts Apuseni sont très très beaux. L'autre route, que vous ne mentionnez même pas, à savoir la E60 = DN1 (Oradea - Huedin - Cluj-Napoca - Turda) était en très bon état ; quant au trafic, par des endroits et aux heures de pointe il était infernal ; les paysages sont moins spectaculaires, mais toujours beaux.
E81 (Turda - Alba-Iulia) route (relativement) en bon état ; paysage transylvain typique - très vallonné.
Ca vaut le coup de faire le détour par Sibiu - c'est l'une des plus belles ville transylvaines. La DN7C (ou "Transfagarasan" en roumain) était acceptable. A remarquer que le versant nord du massif de Fagaras est plus escarpé que le versant sud, donc du côté nord il y a beaucoup plus de virages en lacets que du côté sud. A ne pas oublier que la DN7c est ouverte que de juin à octobre.
En 2007, la DN 67c (ou "Transalpina") c'était un cauchemar : en bonne partie elle n'était même pas goudronnée. A mon avis (bon, je ne suis pas un motard) on peut la parcourir qu'en moto-cross.
Combien parcourir dans une journée c'est au moins en partie une question de choix : voulez-vous vous arrêter voir des trucs dans le chemin ou pas? Par exemple, si vous allez prendre la DN76-DN75, vous allez passer à côté de "Pestera Ursilor" (belle grotte à quelques km de Beius) et de "Scarisoara" (grotte à quelques km de Gârda de Sus - on y trouve l'un des plus grands glaciers souterrains de l'Europe). D'Alba-Iulia à Hunedoara il y a 75 km ; choisirez-vous de vous écarter de votre chemin pour voir le plus beau château de la Transylvanie? Une fois que vous aurez traversé les Carpates allez-vous vous arrêter voir le monastère de Curtea de Arges? Allez-vous faire de tels détours ou pas? Ensuite le choix peut se poser aussi autrement : allez-vous prendre les routes nationales qui sont en bon état et dont les trafic est infernal ou préférerez-vous les routes départementales qui sont souvent dans un état déplorable et donc peu fréquentées? Certes, il y a des régions / départements (tel que le département de Brasov) ou les routes départementales sont très bonnes, mais partout n'est pas pareil. Puis il y a aussi les chantiers : en 2008, entre Sibiu et Brasov il failait s'arrêter tous les 3-4 km à cause des traveaux...
comme pour apuyer mon message deux nouvelles info son tomber ce week-end 4 touristes ce sont fait attaquer par des ours deux francais et deux allemand soyer tres prudents surtout dans la region de brasov ne vous isoler pas et tenez loing de la tente toute nouriture si vous bivouaquer deplacer vous apres le repas planter la tente plus loing les restes de barbecu attire les ours comme du miel. bon sejour la prudence daniel
Etant l'importateur FURYGAN et KENNY en roumanie et pas concequence motard, je ne peux que te donner un seul conseil. Attention au route roumaine. Deja en voiture c dangereux, alors en moto. N'importe quel route ou tu iras tu peux trouver des nids de poule. Donc ne voyage jamais la nuit, et soit super vigilant. Sur ton trajet tu n'as qu'une seule autoroute Pitesti-Bucarest. Moi de Sibiu, je vais a Brasov ensuite Ploiesti et Bucarest, la route est plus belle et sur.
Si tu as besoin de conseil de motard, n'esite pas.
Aucun soucis de logement en Roumanie il ya des hotels et pension partout.
Bon séjour.
bonjour tiger3 je revient d'une excursion de 4 jours sur les routes touristiques de roumanie pour ce qui est de la moyenne il faut oublier?une distance de 350 km jour est raisonable cela represante dejas 7 a 8 heures de routes si tu veux un circuit qui te permet de voir a peut pres tout les belles choses de ce pays, en une bonne semaine. contacte moi sur ce forum .prix des camping , pensions, hotel les moins cher sur le parcours.et les bon resto.amitie daniel
Bonjour tout le monde...
Quel type de duvet conseillez-vous? Nous allons entre autres passer quelques nuits cet été en altitude (modérée certes).
J'ai deux duvets : un petit quechua qui va jusqu'à 15°C (j'ai peur d'avoir froid) et un de montagne (très encombrant, allant jusqu'à -5° avec lequel j'ai peur d'avoir trop chaud...) Faut-il en racheter entre les deux? Que me conseillez-vous?
Merci
bonjour cirpir.j'ai aussi un petit duvet rectangulaire et j'utilse la metode des scouts le sac a viande pour le froid un drap cousu que je glisse dans mon duvet et qui fait isolation pour les grand froid .cela ne tient pas de place et protege bien .
pour exemple 7 degre en norvege au mois de juin et je n'ai pas soufert du froid le pire des fleau est l'umiditee et cette annee en roumanie nous sommes gate. prevoie des sacs plastiques pour garder tes vetements au sec.bon voyage , amitie daniel.
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?