Eastern Europe

Hi there, we're heading to southern Croatia for nine nights in early September. We land in Dubrovnik and fly out from Split. I’ve already read a lot of discussions on this forum, and I’ll admit I’m a bit overwhelmed... I’d love your advice, because I’m not sure if we should visit the islands of Korčula, Hvar, or Brač (with all the ferry hassles, potential delays, or boarding issues), since we’ve rented a car. Or is the coast so beautiful that there’s already plenty to see without rushing around, and we know we can’t do it all anyway?

At the start of the trip, we’ve planned one night to see the Bay of Kotor, then maybe one night back in Dubrovnik, and after that, we’re unsure.

What do you recommend?

If we stick to the mainland, maybe we could go as far as Krka National Park.

Thanks, and have a great day!

Hi there, I’m planning to wrap up my 3 weeks in Greece with 4 nights on Serifos before a final night in Athens. I’m torn between staying in Faros or near the port in Livadakia... or somewhere else! I’m looking for an authentic spot with a nice beach nearby but still with little restaurants, shops, etc. Something where my daughters and I can enjoy pleasant evenings with a bit of life around us! Any advice—or even a place to stay—that won’t break the bank, obviously! Thanks

Does visiting Albania (combined with Greece) require renting a 4x4? If you have any tips on beautiful routes, we’d love to hear them.

Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone,

I’m lucky enough to be going to Kotor in June as part of a company-organized trip.

I’ve looked into what’s interesting to see, but I could use some information.

1/ Where’s the best spot to get a view of the Bay of Kotor, given that I can’t make it to the amazing viewpoint at the top of Kotor (accessible by 1,400 steps) due to mobility issues?

2/ I’ve heard there are dolphins in the Bay of Kotor… but I can’t find anything about it. Is this true?

3/ I love nature, and I saw that there’s the Canyon and the "Niagara Falls" on the Cijevna River… but where are the best viewpoints to photograph them?

One last thing—are the roads to get there in good condition, or is it better to rent a 4x4?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Have a great weekend, everyone

Hi there! I’m heading to Crete at the end of the month for just a few days. I’d love to know where to go to listen to Cretan musicians—any tips? Thanks!

Hi there, I’ve searched the forum and even the ferry company websites, but I can’t seem to find any ferry route between Amorgos and Folegandros for September (2 people, no car). Does anyone know if this route exists? Could it be too early and the schedules just aren’t posted yet? Thanks for your help! Joëlle

Hi everyone on the travel forum. We’re heading to the Cyclades on May 15th for about a month and we’re debating whether to rent a car on each of the islands we’re visiting. Naxos, Andros, Tinos, Paros, and Santorini—we’ll be staying around 5 days on each. Everything’s booked except for the potential car rental. In your opinion, is it essential, or are public transport options good enough for all or some of these islands? Which companies are the most reliable, and which ones should we avoid (we’ve already had bad experiences with companies that weren’t always very professional). Thanks for your advice!

Hi everyone, do you have any suggestions for a night in Santorini? I’ll be in transit at the end of June, coming from Amorgos to catch my flight back to Lyon the next morning. If possible, what are the transport options to get from the port and then to the airport the following day? Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I’m heading to Athens at the end of June. I’ve planned a day trip to the island of Aegina. That said, I’d love to hear if anyone has gotten around the island by bike or bus? What’s the traffic like there? We’re also considering a scooter, but since we’ve never ridden one before, it’s making me a bit nervous…

Thanks for your tips! 😊

We’ll be spending two nights on Mykonos at the end of May so we can visit Delos. I’m wondering if we can easily find a boat by just heading to the port the same morning or if it’s better to book in advance.

Hi there! 🙂

Our summer destination is set: it’ll be a European loop starting from Auvergne, heading down to southern Croatia and then Montenegro, with a return via Mostar.

We’ll zip down to southern Croatia in two stages (we’ve been as far as Šibenik on a previous trip). Here are our booked stops:

Split – 2 nights Makarska – 1 night (via Sveti Jure) Pelješac Peninsula – 6 nights (day trips to Dubrovnik and Korčula from here – Mljet?) Kotor – 1 night Between Cetinje and Budva – 3 nights (Lovćen, Budva, Lake Skadar from our rental) Near Žabljak – 3 nights (via Ostrog / Mrtvica Canyon, Durmitor National Park) Mostar – 2 nights (via Blagaj)

Back to Auvergne in two stages.

Here are my questions:

- Any ideas for sights, detours, or hikes (no more than 500 m elevation gain and 15 km distance) along this route?

- What’s the deal with crossing borders between Croatia and Montenegro, then Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina? I’ve read that the crossing between the first two countries can take hours in the summer...

- Crowds in Croatia: Dubrovnik is apparently best avoided on days when cruise ships dock. I found a site that shows how many ships arrive each day. It says none on Sundays—but is Sunday really accurate? What other places suffer from overtourism? (Before Italian vacation season starts.)

All your suggestions are welcome (just FYI, guided tours, jet skis, jet-set vibes, and quad-bike conga lines are *not* on my wishlist)!

Thanks! 😉

Hi everyone,

We’re planning a trip to Albania. We’ve heard that driving there can be challenging. What do you think? I’m also looking for interesting spots to take black-and-white photos—think local people and typical landscapes in the region. Any places you’d recommend? Thanks a bunch!

Hi there,

I'm trying to plan a little Greek getaway in early summer, and it's a tad complicated—connections from Sitia to Rhodes via Karpathos are only twice a week (and not on the days that work for me!). I gave up on the idea of Kastelorizo, which isn’t that easy to reach either, and replaced it with Symi, which has a daily connection—even several—to Rhodes, where I’d like to spend as little time as possible. I found a boat leaving Symi at 8:15 AM and arriving in Rhodes at 9:35 AM. The ferry to Karpathos leaves the same day at 11:00 AM. That’s 1 hour and 25 minutes to switch boats. It’s tempting because it’s a perfect sequence, but I’m wondering if it’s still a bit too tight.

Do Sebeco Lines’ speedboats arrive at the same port where Blue Star ferries depart? Are they punctual?

Catherine

Hi there,

I’m heading to the Cyclades at the end of May and looking into inter-island ferries. I’m a bit confused because, for example, to go from Mykonos to Naxos, there are 3 ferries leaving at the same time for the same price. So I’m wondering if there are any companies to prioritize (or, on the contrary, to avoid). Thanks in advance for your feedback! 😉

Hi there, we're planning to spend a few days in Corfu and then a week in the surrounding area, and we were wondering if southern Albania is worth visiting. Could we explore it in a week from Corfu? Thanks

Hi there, I’m reaching out for some help planning a short trip to Greece at the end of April with my dad. We’ll be staying for 7 days, flying in and out of Athens, where we’ll rent a car. After quite a bit of research, we’ve decided to explore the Peloponnese, which we don’t know at all. We’ve read that basing ourselves in Nafplio for a few nights and then in Gytheio would be a good way to organize our visits. Here are the main spots we’ve noted so far: Corinth (just the canal, as the rest seems to have little interest based on what we’ve read), Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplio, Monemvasia, and Mystras. Could you help us figure out the best route to take? Are there other places worth considering given the time we have? Thanks so much in advance for your help!

Hi there, My partner and I are planning to visit Paros from June 4th to 11th, 2025. I’ve been reading a lot of conflicting things, so I’m a bit confused. Does Paros feel more like St. Tropez or Porto-Vecchio—overcrowded, too built-up, and has it lost its authentic charm? Are umbrella and sunbed prices on the beach still reasonable? Thanks so much for your input—we’re thinking of heading there in early June with my partner.

Hi there, or γεια σας.

When will the July schedules for Greek ferries (specifically the Prévélis - Karpathos-Sitia route, which I'm interested in) be available?

Catherine

Hi everyone,

This summer, our family (dad, mom, a 17-year-old teen, and an 11-year-old pre-teen) wants to explore Bulgaria and include 4 days in Istanbul during our trip. I’ve got a rough plan, but I’m not sure if it’s doable—here’s what I’m thinking:

Arrival on August 12th in Sofia at 2:00 PM → pick up rental car, visit Sofia. 13th: Sofia → Rila → Sofia 14th: Sofia to Plovdiv, overnight in Plovdiv 15th: Plovdiv to Nessebar (or Sozopol—which is better?) 16th/17th/18th: Exploring the Black Sea coast, based in Sozopol/Nessebar 19th: Bus from Burgas to Istanbul (7-hour trip) 20th-21st-22nd-23rd: Istanbul 24th: Return bus from Istanbul to Burgas. Overnight in Burgas 25th: Burgas → Veliko Tarnovo (Bojentsi) 26th: Veliko Tarnovo to Sofia via Koprivshtitsa 27th: Early flight home

→ In this itinerary, I’ve planned 4 full days in Istanbul. I could reduce it to 3 (since we’ll also spend the evening of the 19th there) and add an extra day to the return trip from Burgas to Sofia, around Veliko Tarnovo/Koprivshtitsa.

My questions: -My 17-year-old son and I are passionate about music, especially klezmer, Romani, and jazz. Any good spots in Sofia, Istanbul, or elsewhere? -Things to do with an 11-year-old kid? -Experiences with the Burgas-Istanbul bus?

Thanks for your feedback!

Hi there, I’ll be in Istanbul from May 8 to 17, 2025. I’ve got one free day. I’m torn between the Princes' Islands or Bursa.... If you had to choose, where would you go??? Thanks so much for your suggestions and opinions.

Hi there, We’re planning to visit Crete during the second half of May and rent a car. A knee issue means we can’t do any hiking anymore, just leisurely walks. Is it realistic to explore the whole island by basing ourselves in two spots—one in the east and one in the west? Could you recommend some nice places to stay that aren’t tourist factories? Thanks in advance for your help with my questions. Best regards.

Hi everyone, I’m looking for the bus days and schedules between Igoumenitsa and Lefkada starting in July. Do you know if they run frequently? On the various websites, the dates only go up to June 30. Thanks

Hi there, I’m looking for some info on these capitals I’m visiting in September and the best way to travel between them, spending 3 days in each city: restaurants, weather, and maybe a French-speaking guide if possible. Thanks.

Hi there! This summer, we're planning a 2- to 3-week road trip in one of these countries!! But despite all the reviews we’ve read on the forum, we still can’t decide... It’s so hard to choose between the Carpathians, Budapest, and Krakow!!! Could you give us some advice based on what you know? Thanks, Karine and Christophe

Hi, I’m traveling to Greece in May and landing in Athens. I need to book a rental car—could you recommend a rental agency? Also, where are the free shuttles that take you to the agency? Thanks for your help!

Hello, My partner and I are planning our first 15-day trip to Greece in June, departing from France. Here’s our itinerary, but I’d love some feedback and tips to see if it’s doable. First week: - Athens (Acropolis, Parthenon, Archaeological Museum, Theatre of Dionysus...) - Nafplio, including a visit to the Corinth Canal, Olympia, the Theatre of Epidaurus, and Mycenae - Delphi and Meteora

Second week: What we’re looking for is a Cycladic island that’s still a bit authentic, with beautiful beaches and maybe crystal-clear water, fishing villages, scooter rides, and—most importantly—no crowds from cruise ships. I’m considering Milos, Sifnos, Naxos... It’s tough to choose! An island that’s well-connected by ferry and also allows for a day trip to another island. Beatrice Anyway, I could really use some help picking the Cycladic island, but also to know if the first week is too packed and, if so, what to prioritize. We’d rather not change hotels every single day. Thanks so much for reading this far and for your reply!

Hi there, We want to go to Greece in May. I have no idea how to plan our 10-day trip. Athens is a must, but after that, I'm lost. We're looking for unusual spots that aren't necessarily touristy but still want to hit the must-see places. We're skipping Santorini given the current events. Thanks so much in advance for your help—it was already super useful for New York!

Hello. We’re heading to Greece from April 19th to May 1st. We were planning to spend 3 days visiting Athens, then exploring the Peloponnese (Mycenae-Epidaurus, Mistra, Lousios Gorge, Olympia, Patras) + Delphi (or the other way around, starting with Delphi—doesn’t matter).

Except I just realized that April 20th is Easter Sunday: no visits to sites/museums in Athens that day... (nor on Saturday late afternoon, as I’d imagined). But Delphi, Mycenae, etc., will likely be closed too (maybe even on Monday the 21st!).

What do you recommend we visit or do? Our trip is mainly focused on archaeological visits (my kids have been looking forward to Athens/Greece for years!).

Thanks in advance! Have a great evening

Hello, We’re heading to Greece in April. We’ll only be in Athens for 2 days (we’re not big fans of big cities) and then doing a road trip to Delphi and the Peloponnese. We wanted to do a guided tour with a guide because our kids are really into ancient Greece. Initially, we were thinking of a guided tour of the Acropolis, but it seems complicated since the only day that works for us is Easter Monday. After some thought, we’re wondering if maybe a guided tour of Delphi would be better? Because the Acropolis already has lots of explanatory panels and is very well-documented, whereas Delphi might not be as much. Also, the only guided tours we found for the Acropolis are at 11:00–11:30 AM, which is exactly when it’s packed, and we try to avoid crowds (we were planning to visit the Acropolis as early as 9:00 AM). What do you think? Thanks in advance! Have a great day

Hi there,

A friend and I are heading to Poland for 9–12 days at the end of the week. We’ll be landing at Kraków Airport. After that, it’s a blank slate with backpacks.

Do you have any suggestions for an itinerary that stays fairly close to Kraków to avoid wasting time on transport? And any great tips for guesthouses/hotels that are as budget-friendly as possible (or the best value for money)? We want to sightsee, party, and maybe hit the beach (probably around Gdańsk?).

Thanks in advance!

LoveAsia89