On peut trouver du caviar en Pologne puisqu'il s'agit d'un produit de luxe international...
Mais j'ai l'impression que tu cherches plus precisement du caviar russe vendu a la sauvette dans le celebre marche noir du stade de Varsovie.
Ce marche est quotidien et regroupe plus de 10.000 revendeurs venus de Pologne et de l'ex URSS.
Il se tient dans le quartier de Praga, sur la rive droite de la Vistule, sur le gradin superieur du Stade du Dixieme Anniversaire (Stadion Dziesieciolecia). Il faut descendre a l'arret de tram du Carrefour George Washington (Rondo George'a Waszingtona), et suivre la foule sur le chemin montant vers la porte du stade.
Il y a la des Russes qui vendent des boites de differentes marques russes de caviar. Je n'en ai jamais achete car je n'aime pas ca. Je n'en connais donc pas la qualite. Attention: le caviar clandestin est dans le collimateur des douanes europeennes en ce moment.
On peut aussi y acheter, outre des fringues de mauvaise qualité, de l'artisanat et des livres russes, des armes et uniformes de collection, les derniers logiciels, jeux videos, et autres succès du hit parade musical et cinematographique polonais et mondial sous forme de CD's et DVD's pirates à des prix défiant toute concurrence...
Sinon, pour le caviar, tu pourras aussi en deguster dans cet etablissement de luxe de la Place des Trois Croix:
"Ale Gloria" Strefa Gourmet (la Zone du Gourmet) de Magda Gessler.
Dom Dochodowy3,
Plac Trzech Krzyzy
00-535 Warsaw, Poland
Tel +48 (22) 584 70 80
Fax +48 (22) 584 70 81
e-mail: alegloria@alegloria.pl
Mes amis polonais m'ont toujours demandé d'être prudent à Praga. J'y suis allé plusieurs fois car j'adore l'endroit, et il ne m'est strictement rien arrivé.
Le stade est la capitale des trafiquants en tous genres. Les flics font semblant de faire des rondes, mais il suffit qu'on les aperçoive pour qu'on recouvre la camelote illégale d'une couche de frippe, et ils font semblant de ne rien voir...
Bref, le lieu n'est pas sans risques, c'est évident, mais si tu te tiens bien, si tu restes parmi la foule, si tu prends tes photos discrètement, si tu fais attention à toi, tu risqueras au pire de te faire arnaquer, surtout si tu ne connais pas un mot de polonais ni de russe.
Je ne sais pas ce que tu appelles un vrai marché traditionnel.
Il y avait autrefois dans le quartier de Kolo (nord ouest) un fabuleux marché d'antiquités, des armes anciennes aux vieux livres en passant par les meubles, la vaisselle, les images et statues pieuses, les décorations militaires, la numismatique, la philatélie, les vestiges soviétiques, nazis, juifs, napoléoniens...
Je crois savoir que ce marché a malheureusement été déplacé en province.
Si tu ouvres tes yeux d'enfant, le voyage commence au seuil de ta maison
Je ne veux pas jouer les troubles fêtes, mais il faut garder en tête que l'excès de caviar en guise de souvenir peut être répréhensible par la douane (il faut aussi respecter la chaîne du froid lors du transport)
Cela dit, je ne veux surtout pas jouer le rôle du moralisateur (dans ce domaine, je suis d'ailleurs mal placé 😛)
« Le paradis n'est pas sur la terre, mais il y en a des morceaux » Jules Renard
merci encore a tous les deux !!
nalesnik apparament tu es polonais ou tu connais tres bien varsovie !! je pars le 19 JANVIER pour un week end seulement de trois jours !! pour en profiter au maximum !!
ou me conseille tu d aller manger (j aime tous les styles du resto populaire ou jamais aucun touriste n a mis les pieds au resto un peu plus chic (vu quand france je n ai pas les moyens peut etre que la bas ce sera plus abordable),
ou faire des achats (wodka, produits polonais, etc ...),
y a t il un grand centre commercial dans varsovie?
ou aller boire un verre le soir ?
quels sont pour toi les meilleurs affaires a faire sur place?
quoi visiter en priorite et mettre de cote certains endroits moins interressants pour ne pas trop perdre de temps
en gros si tu peux me concocter un petit programme melangeant visite, gastronomie, shopping, (par contre j ai beaucoup envie de me rendre au stade que tu m as dit)
quand au marche traditionel je parlais d un marche type de fruits et legumes
si je te parle securite c est que je pars avec ma femme!!! pour toi varsovie est elle une ville sure? peut on se promener tranquille tard le soir dans le centre ville ? ou vaut il mieux prendre des taxis ?que me conseille tu?
merci d avance !!
Je ne suis pas polonais, et je me refuse à te prendre par la main à 100%. Je ne le ferais que si je te guidais sur place.
Tu feras un premier effort de découverte en allant piocher dans la liste disponible à ce lien pour choisir toi-même ce qui t'intéresse le plus:
http://voyageforum.com/voyage/pologne_week_end_varsovie_hotel_visites_janvier_D859556/
Je te conseille d'aller manger dans un bar mleczny (milk bar). Il s'agit de l'établissement typique fréquenté traditionnellement par les travailleurs et employés polonais, et qui offrent une cuisine roborative correspondant exactement à ce que le Polonais moyen mange chez lui. Ces établissements ont failli disparaître sous les coups de boutoir des McDO & autres Pizza Hut, KFC, ou... Fleury Michon, mais au bout de 10 ans de capitalisme, les Polonais se sont rendus compte de ce qu'ils perdaient, les milk bars ont commencé à refleurir, et les gens ont cessé de sourire quand on en cherchait un.
N'ayant pas mis les pieds à Varsovie depuis 3 ans, je ne sais si la renaissance des milk bars a été aussi forte qu'à Cracovie. Il y en avait un de très bien près de la Barbacane, juste à la sortie du pont-levis, qui s'appelait justement Barbakan. On commençait à trouver des cafeterias offrant le même type de menus dans le centre du côté de la Rotunda (rotonde), autour du rond-point central de la ville (kilomètre zéro des routes polonaises) au carrefour des avenues du Maréchal et de Jérusalem (Aleja Marszalkowska & Aleja Zerozolimskie).
Après, il y a toutes sortes de restos plus chics dont tu trouveras les adresses dans Warsaw in your pocket, disponible chez tous les bons marchands de journaux de la ville, pour un prix ridicule.
Le resto le plus réputé et le plus cher est U Fukiera (chez Fukier) sur la place de la Vieille Ville. On le reconnait à son dragon.
Il y a plusieurs grands centres commerciaux, notamment autour de la Rotunda. L'équivalent de la FNAC est Empik, sur Marszalkowska, pas loin de la Rotunda. L'équivalent des Galeries Lafayette est Arka, rue Chmielna. Mais la Pologne c'est comme le Far West: tout change à une vitesse inouïe et il y aura des tas de choses nouvelles que je ne peux même pas imaginer, construites depuis 3 ans: centres commerciaux, cinémas multiplex, supermarchés en banlieue ou en ville (il y avait déjà Leclerc, Auchan, Leroy Merlin, Norauto, Lidl, Géant...)
Je ne sais vraiment pas pour le marché. Je peux demander à mes amis varsoviens. Moi, je vais à Lidl et Leclerc avec eux.
Tu trouveras largement de quoi prendre des pots dans la vieille ville. Pour un café original aromatisé Pozegnanie z Afrika (dans Nowe Miasto, rue Freta) et pour un thé équivalent Same Fusy (dans Stare Miasto, entre la Place de la Vieille Ville et la Barbacane).
Si tu lis mon profil, tu verras que pour moi, les meilleures affaires se situent du côté de la documentation, mais je te conseillerai de regarder les bijouteries, pour voir si l'ambre est encore abordable (ça augmentait chaque année). C'est la "pierre" typique de la Baltique (même si les plus beaux exemplaires se vendent près de la mer). Ta femme serait peut-être enchantée d'un beau collier en ambre, d'une belle broche, ou de simples boucles d'oreilles.
Question sécurité, si tu écoutes les Polonais, Varsovie est une horreur. On vend même une carte postale Warsaw by night illustrée par une tête de mort. Je n'ai pour ma part jamais eu à me plaindre. Une fois, j'étais dans le métro assez tard, et de jeunes quillards faisaient un peu de bruit dans le wagon (surveillé par des micros). A la station suivante, des flics sont montés et ont fait sortir ces jeunes innoffensifs qui avaient bu un peu de vodka. On imagine mal une telle discipline à Paris.
Dans le "centre" qui est à lui seul immense, il n'y a normalement pas de problème.
Tu n'auras qu'à demander à ton hôtelier les lieux à éviter, car, encore une fois, tout change à Vitesse Grand V en Pologne.
Je n'ai jamais pris le taxi à Varsovie, sauf urgence, ou alors très tard, après le dernier bus. Les Polonais t'expliqueront qu'il faut s'assurer que le taxi est bien homologué. Le nom de la compagnie et le numéro de téléphone doivent être inscrits en gros sur le véhicule, mais parfois ça ne suffit pas, et seul un Varsovien sait vraiment si ce n'est pas un pirate arnaqueur.
Le réseau de bus, trams, et métros est largement suffisant et pas cher du tout pour un Français, quoi que tout augmente. Si tu te rends en banlieue, les bus privés qui démarrent de Marszalkowska et Zerozolimskie sont plus rapides et moins chers que les bus publics, avec une ambiance un peu Far-West.
PS: munis-toi du guide de conversation Polonais des éditions Berlitz, ne serait-ce que pour apprendre à compter et comprendre les menus des milk bars.
Si tu ouvres tes yeux d'enfant, le voyage commence au seuil de ta maison
Le Routard n'a rien compris à la Pologne, le Routard ne comprend rien à rien... 🏴☠️
Par pitié: Lonely Planet, et un bon plan de Varsovie. Les Polonais éditent un modèle très pratique sous forme de livret relié par une spirale. 😎
Lis déjà ma liste (et les conseils des autres intervenants) au lien que je t'ai indiqué, et fais-toi ta propre opinion sur l'essentiel... Après tu me poseras des questions si tu veux.
Si tu ouvres tes yeux d'enfant, le voyage commence au seuil de ta maison
La ville moderne, reconstruite en style communiste après la guerre, et qui se transforme peu à peu en arbre de Noël capitaliste. J'ai uniquement mis des photos du "centre", avec la borne du km zéro, le Palais de la Science et de la Culture, les vieux immeubles rescapés de 1944 (l'un d'entre eux abrite le Fotoplastikon), les nombreuses galeries commerciales (il y en a même une au pied du gratte ciel stalinien, je l'avais oublié, et une autre sous la Gare Centrale), la Rotonde qui est le lieu de rendez vous pratique dans ce quartier (entre le bus jaune et la pub géante rouge), les gratte-ciels plus modernes de Zerozolimskie (le premier abrite l' Hôtel Marriot, le Crédit Lyonnais, Lot...), un taxi, un gros bar mleczny de la Galeria Centrum, un curieux "bar français" qui n'a de gaulois que le drapeau...
Si tu ouvres tes yeux d'enfant, le voyage commence au seuil de ta maison
La ville ancienne (qui se compose de la Vieille Ville/Stare Miasto et de la Villeneuve/Nowe Miasto), reconstruite à l'identique des années 50 aux années 70. La reconstruction a redémarré après la Chute du Mur: par exemple, de 1996 à 1999, Bouygues a reconstruit l'Hôtel de Ville (Ratusz)
Au centre, la Petite Sirène, symbole de Varsovie.
Autour, de bas en haut: la Place de la Vieille Ville, la Poste (derrière les 2 soldats), une façade d'un immeuble de la renaissance, la Place du Château, le salon de thé Same Fusy (Rien que des Herbes), la Colonne de Sigismond & le Château Royal, la Barbacane.
Ensuite, dans le coin inférieur droit, c'est la Villeneuve: la rue Freta, le café Pozegnanie z Afrika (Souvenirs d'Afrique/Out of Africa) et la Place de la Villeneuve.
Je me suis trompé: le bar mleczny de la Barbacane s'appelle en fait Pod Barbakanem (Sous la Barbacane)
Si tu ouvres tes yeux d'enfant, le voyage commence au seuil de ta maison
D'abord, il est connu comme le "marché russe", mais cette appellation est trompeuse. Il y a bien (encore) quelques marchands russes et surtout, pour les amateurs, un nombre incalculable de reliques diverses de l'époque soviétique (bustes de Lénine, intégrale des oeuvres complètes du même Lénine ou de son camarade Staline, chapka à l'effigie de l'armée rouge, et j'en passe...). L'usage de la lange russe pourra donc vous être d'un certain secours, mais désormais, le français ou l'anglais sont très bien représentés dans ce marché, grâce à la présence de nombreux vendeurs Africains (francophones ou anglophones). Eux donnent davantage dans la contrefaçon de vêtements, de chaussures, etc.
Avec les russes comme avec les africains, il va de soi que le marchandage est roi.
Vous trouverez à peu près tout sur ce marché, y compris des denrées alimentaires (j'ignorais pour le caviar, dommage 😕 : il faut sans doute demander car il n'est pas sur les étalages), des lames de rasoir, des outils de bricolage, des fringues, des dvd piratés (là aussi, c'est sous le manteau), etc, etc...
En cas de petit creux, il y a moyen de se restaurer sur place pour une poignée de zlotys.
Sur le plan sécuritaire, je n'ai pas eu de problème le jour où j'y suis allé. Evitez le samedi et le dimanche, où la densité de la foule peut-être propice à toutes sortes de manip'. En semaine, c'est plus tranquille - et, loi de l'offre et de la demande oblige, les marchandages sont plus faciles.
Je voudrais savoir en quelle année tu y es allé, et qui l'appelait "marché russe" (targ rosijski? bazar rosijski?). Tous les Polonais que je connais l'appellent "stadion" (le stade)
J'y suis encore allé en 2003, et, en effet, il y avait déjà des Noirs francophones, mais une immense majorité de vendeurs venus de l'ex-empire soviétique et de Pologne.
La police doit être plus regardante qu'avant (Union Européenne oblige???), puisqu'à l'époque, on se contentait de recouvrir de vêtements les disques à l'approche d'une patrouille, et on les réexposait au grand jour dès qu'elle avait disparu.
Si tu ouvres tes yeux d'enfant, le voyage commence au seuil de ta maison
J'ai vecu a Varsovie de 1995 a 2002 et je suis alle plusieurs fois au Stadion. Une fois accompagne de mes enfants venus me rendre visite de Belgique. Comme nous parlions francais entre nous, j'ai ete repere par des malfrats. Ils etaient cinq ou six. Ils se sont arranges pour me coincer entre eux, et m'ont prestement depouille de mon portefeuille. Par chance, je n y place jamais d'argent ni de papiers importants. Donc mefiance sur le Stadion, que les touristes appellent Marche Russe. Ce marche est enorme et a ses plus belles heures, employait 60.000 personnes! Il est en forte diminution depuis l'entree de la Pologne dans l'Union Europenne, car les Ukrainiens et Bielo-russes doivent maintenant avoir un visa pour entrer en Pologne. Auparavant, ils faisaient la navette sans aucun controle.
Pour ler caviar : tres mauvaise qualite sur ce marche. Boites metalliques contenant un caviar petit grain tres sec et nageant dans une huile rance....infect!
Par contre au centre ville, quan tu es en face de cet edifice appele Palac Kultury, a droite il y a une espece de halle ( entre Palac Kultury et Marszalkowska) ou tu peux trouver du tres bon caviar en petits pots de verre de 30 grammes, a un prix tres raisonnable.
Il faudrait parler du caviar à l'initiateur de cette discussion.
Je me suis toujours rendu seul au Stadion, avec des fringues peu remarquables, ne m'exprimant qu'en polonais. C'est peut-être pour ça que je n'ai jamais eu aucun problème.
Si Marché Russe est un terme employé par les touristes, cela m'explique pourquoi je ne l'ai jamais entendu.
Si tu ouvres tes yeux d'enfant, le voyage commence au seuil de ta maison
Oui sorry j'ai clique sur REPONDRE dans le dernier message lu, mais il est a supposer que l'initiateur du fil le verra, non?
Je n'ai jamais eu de probleme au Stadion non plus, sauf cette fois ou la presence de mes enfants m'obligeait a parler francais a haute voix.
Sais tu comment s'appelle cet endroit dont je parle, pour le caviar? C'est entre Palac Kultury et Marszalkowska, avant c'etaient deux batiments au toit arrondi, raye bleu et blanc pour l'un, rouge et blanc pour l'autre, mais cela a ete remplace il y a un ou deux ans par une construction plus permanente?
C'est une discussion lancée il y a longtemps, et si cette personne ne revient pas sur le forum régulièrement, il y a peu de chance pour qu'elle voie la suite de la discussion.
Pour l'endroit dont tu parles, je ne vois pas. Il y avait entre 2000 et 2003 un supermarché nouveau, abrité par un bâtiment provisoire, exactement là où tu dis, entre le Palais de la Science et de la Culture et l'avenue du Maréchal. Ce supermarché s'appelait MARCPOL. On le voit d'ailleurs sur l'une des photos que j'ai laissées plus haut.
Na razie getehemnik 😛
Si tu ouvres tes yeux d'enfant, le voyage commence au seuil de ta maison
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?
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!
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?
Hi there,
we’re heading to Crete from May 8th to 15th, staying at a hotel in Agia Pelagia, 20 km from Heraklion, on half-board, so we’ll be back every evening. What daily itinerary would you recommend? We love hiking and discovering local cultures...
Thanks in advance!!
Hello,
We’re heading to Prague with so much excitement from June 10th to 20th. I’ve got three main questions for those who live there or have visited:
- What are your thoughts on what to pack clothing-wise? What’s the weather usually like at this time of year? We’re a bit sensitive to the cold—we live way down in southern Andalusia and are used to the *calor* 😎... Should we pack rain gear? Are we likely to get a lot of rain (which we’re dreading a little, but we couldn’t choose other dates)?
- I’ve seen there are "passes" for various attractions, museums, and sites, including one that’s valid for 10 days but costs a whopping 160 € per person—that’s an average of 16 € per day. Do you think it’s really worth it? We won’t be spending our days rushing between every indoor site; we also love wandering the streets and discovering things a bit "at random." If we do two paid visits a day, that’ll probably be the max... Can we make it worth the cost with that? Of course, we want to visit the castle and take a boat trip as a minimum. Are the sites included in these passes iconic, or are they more "minor" attractions? Does having the pass help us skip long lines?
- Finally, a question about communication: I speak French, obviously, plus Spanish and English fluently, but very little German (haven’t practiced in ages), and no Russian or Czech at all. My husband knows a few words of Russian, but it’s "Cuban" Russian—about the same level as my current German 🙂 !! Can we still get by without too much trouble? We don’t want to spend 10 days not saying a word to anyone and communicating only with gestures!!
Thanks for your valuable tips and opinions.
Hi there!
We’re heading to Crete (Heraklion) as a couple and I’d like to rent a car.
1) Do we need an international driver’s permit?
2) Are rentals super expensive?
Thanks everyone!
I’d like to know how much a meal costs on average in zloty in Poland (Warsaw, Kraków, Częstochowa, Wadowice), and also the price of souvenirs like postcards and magnets—so I don’t end up with too many zlotys left after my 5-day trip to Poland?
I’m just passing through the city very quickly (one afternoon, one night, one morning) and I’d love to see as many must-see spots as possible.
I’ve put together a little itinerary—let me know what you think!
Visit to Varosliget Park
Heroes’ Square
Quick stop in the southern part of Margitsziget (for the photo with the Budapest sign!!!)
Gül Baba Mausoleum and Rose Garden
Fisherman’s Bastion
Church of the Assumption of Our Lady of Budavár
Tóth Árpád stny promenade
Budavar Palace
Freedom Square
Parliament
This is just a first draft.
I still have a few months to tweak it.
hello
I’m looking for advice for a last-minute trip—about 3 weeks (half Montenegro, half Croatia).
I’m traveling solo, backpacker style (low budget, hostels). I’m 40 and love exploring cool spots—cities, beaches, mountains, sports activities, you name it.
I’m torn between renting a car or just going with the flow using buses once I’m there. A car would definitely be more convenient, but it might be pricier—plus, parking (is it paid?) and having to return it to the same place. My plan is to start in Montenegro (flying into Podgorica or Albania) and finish in Croatia, so I’d either need to do short-term rentals per country or one-way.
In Montenegro, here are the spots I’ve noted:
- Ulcinj and Velika Plaža beach
- A side trip to Lake Skadar and Virpazar
- Budva, Sveti Stefan, and Petrovac
- Cetinje and Lovćen National Park
- Kotor / Perast
- Žabljak and Durmitor National Park + rafting in the Tara Canyon
Is 8–10 days enough?
And in Croatia, I’ve got:
- Dubrovnik
- Korčula
- Hvar
- Split + Trogir and Krka National Park
- Zadar
- Plitvice Lakes National Park
- Croatian Istria / Rovinj / Pula
- Zagreb
Around 10–12 days.
Any tips on the stops (adding or cutting some from my list) or transportation options?
I’m heading to Pelion with my partner and then to Chalkidiki around mid-September (from September 12th to 26th). I arrive in Thessaloniki on Saturday evening and plan to spend a day there to check out the market (though it’s marked as temporarily closed on Google??) and, most importantly, enjoy the local food scene.
After that, I’ll head toward Meteora (Sunday evening/Monday), spend a week in Pelion, and then head up to Nikiti to finish the trip (5 days in Vourvourou) and explore the beaches of Sithonia. We’ll also make a trip to Afytos since I think it’s worth the detour.
About Pelion, I’m really not sure where to stay because the distances between Volos and Afissos aren’t straightforward.
I’m looking for a quiet spot but with a little evening activity—like strolling through a village or by the sea. I’ve seen a few suggestions via ChatGPT, but I’m not convinced about the vibe (Milies, Makrinitsa).
Volos is big… but kind of ugly.
We love hiking, spending time in picturesque/typical villages, and, like everyone else, tasting local specialties. As for balancing the trip, I’m open to changes or adjustments if you’ve got any tips—I’d love to hear them, along with any other ideas.
Hi! We’d like to go away for 10 days around May 15th, either to Menorca or Crete—we don’t know either place. We love hiking, unspoiled nature, good food, swimming, and, if possible, avoiding crowds. We enjoy getting off the beaten track. Menorca seems ideal because it’s not far by plane from Lyon, but if Crete is really wilder and more beautiful in terms of landscapes, we can add an extra hour of flight time. Can you help us out? Thanks!
