Balkans Itinerary
Jan 22nd, 2014, 06:03 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Balkans Itinerary
My friend and I are planning a 6 week backpacking trip around the Balkans and hopefully into Greece and maybe Turkey.
Ideally we would fly into Budapest head down to Zagreb and then along the coast of Croatia. Then up to Sarajevo, and back down to the coast through Mostar. Continue making our way down the coast of Montenegro and Albania (we really don't know what there is to do in Albania but have heard its beautiful). Then fly (if possible/not too expensive) to Athens and spend about a week, week and a half in Greece (no islands for us). Quick jaunt over to Istanbul, then up through Bulgaria, Romania and either dip down to Belgrade or just go directly back to Budapest.
If we could get some ideas or tips on sights and activities in Albania, Bulgaria and Romania that would be great!
Would this be enough time? 6 weeks? We clearly would get a better experience if we spent more time in one area, but don't have any more time. Should we eliminate some destinations?
Any help would be appreciated!!
Ideally we would fly into Budapest head down to Zagreb and then along the coast of Croatia. Then up to Sarajevo, and back down to the coast through Mostar. Continue making our way down the coast of Montenegro and Albania (we really don't know what there is to do in Albania but have heard its beautiful). Then fly (if possible/not too expensive) to Athens and spend about a week, week and a half in Greece (no islands for us). Quick jaunt over to Istanbul, then up through Bulgaria, Romania and either dip down to Belgrade or just go directly back to Budapest.
If we could get some ideas or tips on sights and activities in Albania, Bulgaria and Romania that would be great!
Would this be enough time? 6 weeks? We clearly would get a better experience if we spent more time in one area, but don't have any more time. Should we eliminate some destinations?
Any help would be appreciated!!
Jan 22nd, 2014, 06:22 PM
#2
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,117
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Whether you will have enough time depends on what you want to see and experience. FWIW, I spent 30 days for Croatia + Sarajevo, Mostar, Kotor, and a bit of Slovenia.
On other trips, I thought Budapest worth at least 4 days and Istanbul worth at least 6 days.
IME, the more you move, the less you get to see of the places you visit. Sometimes, the transit is part of the journey, but even when it is, it "costs" time to check in/out, pack/unpack, get to the bus/train/ferry station, etc. And for me, the worst few moments of any trip tend to be those when I first arrive in a different country, because I'm likely to be tired and a bit disoriented and I don't find it easy to switch languages (even the most basic words, like "thank you" sometimes escape me for a while). So although I move around more than many Fodorites, I try to keep crossing borders to a minimum. (Moving across borders within what was once Yugoslavia won't pose many language issues, although you might notice some differences in how these countries have progressed since splitting apart.)
It's a beautiful part of the world - enjoy!
On other trips, I thought Budapest worth at least 4 days and Istanbul worth at least 6 days.
IME, the more you move, the less you get to see of the places you visit. Sometimes, the transit is part of the journey, but even when it is, it "costs" time to check in/out, pack/unpack, get to the bus/train/ferry station, etc. And for me, the worst few moments of any trip tend to be those when I first arrive in a different country, because I'm likely to be tired and a bit disoriented and I don't find it easy to switch languages (even the most basic words, like "thank you" sometimes escape me for a while). So although I move around more than many Fodorites, I try to keep crossing borders to a minimum. (Moving across borders within what was once Yugoslavia won't pose many language issues, although you might notice some differences in how these countries have progressed since splitting apart.)
It's a beautiful part of the world - enjoy!
Jan 22nd, 2014, 08:49 PM
#3
That sounds like too much to me, but the way to find out is to lay it out on a calendar, allowing for the time to get between places. These days I want a minimum of three nights (two days) in a place, but you can get by with two.
You can fly from Tirana to Athens on Aegean, but you if want to go south to Saranda you'd be better off continuing south by bus. Northern Greece is well worth seeing.
You can fly from Tirana to Athens on Aegean, but you if want to go south to Saranda you'd be better off continuing south by bus. Northern Greece is well worth seeing.
Jan 23rd, 2014, 02:56 AM
#4
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,911
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<i>Balkans Itinerary
Posted by: hilaryblack on Jan 22, 14 at 10:03pm
My friend and I are planning a 6 week backpacking trip around the Balkans and hopefully into Greece and maybe Turkey. </i>
It looks like you are more in for the adventure of travel than in seeing anything in particular.
"Backpacking" is undefined. How do you plan to travel - train, auto, thumb? The infrastructure of that part of Europe is not easy to get a grip on, say, not like vagabonding around France, Italy, or Germany.
Posted by: hilaryblack on Jan 22, 14 at 10:03pm
My friend and I are planning a 6 week backpacking trip around the Balkans and hopefully into Greece and maybe Turkey. </i>
It looks like you are more in for the adventure of travel than in seeing anything in particular.
"Backpacking" is undefined. How do you plan to travel - train, auto, thumb? The infrastructure of that part of Europe is not easy to get a grip on, say, not like vagabonding around France, Italy, or Germany.
Jan 23rd, 2014, 04:01 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi, my reccomendation for you is to go from Zagreb to croatian coast (Zadar and Dubrovnik are must visit towns) than to Mostar and Sarajevo. Dubrovnik has bus lines for Mostar and Sarajevo every day. Montenegro has beautiful coast (Kotor, Budva and Old bar), but bad connection with Albania. If you go to Albania go to Kruja and Skadar lake. I do not recommend going Albanias south.
Dubrovnik had (!) direct flight with Athens (check that).
Dubrovnik had (!) direct flight with Athens (check that).
Jan 23rd, 2014, 04:52 AM
#6
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can fly to Athens, or you can continue by car into Northern Greece which I recommend. Athens is beautiful, it has great museums, monuments and city life, it's a Metropolis. Northern Greece is off the beaten track but has so many beautiful places. For example, you can enter Greece from Albania by car, you can visit Ioannina which is the capital if Epirus and a gorgeous medieval settlement. Epirus has fantastic villages and nature. then continue to Thessaloniki which has so many treasures, it was the second most important city of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires after Constantinople, capital of Macedonia, its glorious past can be seen everywhere around the city, totaly recommended. Then continue to Kavala, and then Istanbul.
Nov 24th, 2015, 01:24 PM
#9
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You won't regret giving Serbia some more time though. Maybe eliminate greece and turkey and leave those two for a separate trip?
Like only making a former yugoslavia trip this time, that's still 6 countries with plenty to see.
Like only making a former yugoslavia trip this time, that's still 6 countries with plenty to see.
