Next month, I'll be spending two and a half weeks in Europe.

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>>1253755
Well it's a big bloody place with not the best infrastructure in places, so bear that in mind. That being said there's so much cool shit, for places though i'd recommend maybe kotor or durmitor regions in montenegro, dubrovnik and rest of croatian coast, mostar and sarajevo in bosnia. That way you can hit some of albania and greece on the way up, tirana is supposed to be very nice, as is meteora and vikos gorge in greece, which would all kind make a nice line on the way to zagreb.

>>1253841
Any places I should definitely skip?

>>1254319
Kosovo

Bulgaria except few notable places

Albania if you don't have a lot of time

Visit Belgrade, holy fuck i didn't expect to have a blast there but it was very nice

>>1254325
>Visit Belgrade, holy fuck i didn't expect to have a blast there but it was very nice

What did you do? Serbia was one I was on the fence about but I keep hearing things about Belgrade. And what are the notable places in Bulgaria?

Right now, I'm thinking Greece > Macedonia > Serbia > Bosnia & Herz. > Croatia.

>>1254335
During my Balkan trip, I enjoyed Montenegro and Albania the most. Montenegro for the scenery and history (the old city of Bar, Ulcinj and Ada Boya, a fabulous beach/island on the Albanian border), Albania because I stayed for free with this hilarious Albanian pop singer and his producer.

>>1254359
*Ada Boyana

>>1254359
>Albania because I stayed for free with this hilarious Albanian pop singer and his producer.

How'd that happen?

>>1254448
After camping out at Ada Boyana we went up the road to hitch a ride into Albania. The pop star was in a big ass SUV with his family and producer and picked us up on the Montenegrin side because he "could tell we were not Albanian". We stopped in his home village where his family (only the singer and producer spoke english) cooked us some BBQ. Dropped the family off and took us Tirana. They learned we hadn't made arrangements anywhere so insisted we stay with them. The producer lived next to the British ambassador so it was pretty nice. We stayed for three nights and watched all his music videos. He was very narcissistic but also kind. It was great.

>>1254449
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c_M6zVng4Q

His dream is to perform at Eurovision.

>>1254449

Damn, I hope I run into something that neat. Would you have liked Albania if that hadn't have happened?

Anyone else have any ideas as to what to see/how long to stay at each location?

Visit some islands while you're in Greece. It's a wonderful place. Women are beautiful and the food is delicious.

>>1254319
dubrovnik is a tourist trap, go to makarska instead

>>1254471
I definitely would have. Tirana is a nice city. I went to all the national museums. Art and history museums are generally the attractions I visit and enjoy most everywhere, and Albania's were the best I visited. Skopje (I was there on a Monday so museums were closed) is also really cool. Crazy, gigantic communist era statues everywhere in that city. It's a great place to wander around. Lake Ohrid (Macedonia) is supposed to be amazing. I didn't make it, a fact which I regretted as I encountered people in Greece and Turkey who showered me with stories about how great it was, how the hostel owners take people out on a boat for a jaunty booze cruise. As for Greece, Thessolaniki is, in my opinion, the best city after Athens. Very different. More Byzantine and Ottoman and less ancient, if you're in to history.

>>1254603
Skopje is also in Macedonia, desu.

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>>1254335
CRO > B&H > Montenegro > Albania > Greece > BG

Thank me later.

Macedonia is the definition of skippable. It's literally the diet coke to Bulgaria's coke.
In BG see Sofia and Plovdiv as a minimum. Rest is up to interests. Ask me more.

Belgrade is meh-tier. Alright if it's your first time on the Balkans. It's cheap, shit alcohol, cheap, shit women and cheap, shit music clubs.

>>1254648
It is. I wasn't very clear in that post, just rattling of different Balkan tips. But to the oregano point, the chance encounter definitely made Albania way more enjoyable. In my opinion still worth the visit. The whole southern Serbia, Montenegro, northern Albania area is very beautiful. Nice rolling hills (being from the Rockies I couldn't call them mountains), rivers etc. Some countries are easy for hitchhiking (Serbia, Montenegro), some are near impossible (Albania, Macedonia).

>>1254587
>makarska
It has a nice beach, but is nothing more than a cheap resort for bosnians/slovaks/poles. It's pretty shitty, Dubrovnik is fun for one or 2 days

>>1254657

I have to arrive in Greece and leave from Croatia, does that fuck things up?

As far as interests, I like art and culture but also just want to experience the local flavor, if that makes sense? Like good places to walk around, eat, shoot the shit with people.

Also, places to drink and get laid without paying for it would be nice.

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>>1254709
GR>MK>Albania>Montenegro>B&H>CRO
Sadly it skips BG because it's too much off your Adriatic route.

I think your best bet of hassle-free sex is Albania. Try being as foreign as possible and spend more time there.

>>1254712
Define "hassle". Are girls elsewhere realistically unobtainable?

Also I haven't looked into Montenegro or B&H too much, what's the must see/do stuff there?

>>1254709
As a burger you'll probably have better luck with the ladies than Europoors. That's my experience, anyway. Having lived in Europe for two years I was shocked to find in the Balkans a place where people liked you for being a burger. I was traveling with my girlfriend, and we were propositioned as couple in Montenegro (granted it was at a nude beach / party) and in Serbia.

>>1255102
I'm a burger, but I'm brown (latino), does that work against me? Or will they assume I'm arab or some kinda gypsy?

Bumping.

How's the English around these parts?

>>1253755
I think it'd be foolish not to try Budapest if you're so close.

Zagreb imo is the most boring of the balkan capital cities, but I haven't been to albania and also Zagreb loses points because there's so many better places on the coast to visit.

Don't forget to check current political climates. Things are not kosher in Belgrade now.

>>1256065

Next to nonexistent unless somewhere touristy or in a big city.

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>>1253755
>Slovenia not included

FINALLY

>>1256277
shhhh dont make them think we care

>>1256065
Most Greeks speak English, as do people in the larger cities in Macedonia and Bulgaria

How safe are Greece and the Balkans? I'm going solo. So far I've only done Japan and northern Thailand solo. Japan is Japan so that doesn't even count, Thailand didn't give me any issues and I never felt in danger

>>1256604
Compared to SEA its safer than a bouncy castle. Especially in tourist areas. And right now, I would say its lot safer than Germany, France, UK etc.
Just be a tourist and enjoy yourself. Don't do anything or get involved with anything stupid.

>>1254712
you mean serbia and croatia?
albania is 70% muslim

>>1258515
Albania is is probably 70% secular. That's people from all denominations. No more religiously restrictive than the Czech Republic. At least that was my impression.

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>>1258515
You REALLY have to try and get into trouble on the Balkans. It's a sleepy corner of the world rocked only by our own squabbles every 50 years or so. Everybody is pleasant to foreigners not because of the cash only but there's some genuinely good people here. This includes even the Muslims in Albania, B&H and Kosovo.

No refugees as they either just pass through or are locked in camps.

story related:
that girl that hitchhiked in a wedding dress got raped after she LEFT the balkans for turkey

In September I will be flying to Balkans(Tuzla) for 10 days. What would be your ideal route/places worth visiting? As a kid I visited Dubrovnik and Budva(and liked it).

>>1256604
Greece is literally one of the the safest countries in Europe. The rest of the Balkans are below average if you walk in less touristy neighborhoods.

>>1254587
Both traps. If you like to chill go to the Zadar-Šibenik area. If you like to party - Hvar, Pag, Rijeka, Pula.
If you're spoiled and pampered, Istra.
If you want to see the non-tourist Croatia, just explore Zagreb and its surroundings (my home actually)

>>1255102
>Europe
>liking burgers
Hahaha

>>1260322
What. Athens is getting pretty sketchy. Probably the unsafest city in the euro zone.

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>>1260322
>50% youth unemployment
>huge debts and crisis
>leftists gangs
>more than average niggers/capita
it's close to a war you dense fuck

rest of the Balkans are actually safe

>>1254657

>shit women
>Belgrade

lmao

did you even open your eyes when you were there?

what's the best way to get to and from Kotor and Budva?

>>1260988
>>1260969

Don't understand why you're memeing, it's still one of the safest countries in Europe

https://www.numbeo.com/crime/rankings_by_country.jsp

OP here. I'm in Greece now. Here are my impressions so far:

Athens was alright, the Acropolis and ancient stuff throughout the city was of course very interesting but the city itself is very rundown. I never felt unsafe, though.

I'm am currently in Paros. I originally was not planning to do an island but I felt the need to after being a little disappointed by Athens. After this I might hit Ios or just head back to Athens to get a train to Thessaloniki.

I think I want my route from there to be Thessaloniki > Mace donia > Montenegro > B& H > Croatia, any one have any recommendations or alternate routes? I don't think I have time for Serbia and Albania.

>>1261315
Probably taxi. But don't get ripped off

There were van taxis back then, you could travel from Bar to Budva for 5 euros, now it's probably a little more expensive

>>1263940

Is there an easy way to get to Budva from Skopje? I'm in Thessaloniki now and found a bus to Skopje. Gonna stay there for a day or two and want to hit Montenegro next.

>>1264127
>Is there an easy way to get to Budva from Skopje?

No. Seriously

Don't even think of going through Albania or Kosovo. Road are BAD

If I wanted to hitch from Croatia to Greece, would it be best to just go straight though the Baltic ?

And is Romania as wild/dangerous as people meme it to be?

>>1264791
>Croatia
>Greece
>Baltic

wat

>>1253755
don't visit Zagreb it's shit.
Best advice is to plan. I've done 4 weeks of europe (Amsterdam to Istanbul) I haven't planned shit but I was in constant stress because I had to move on to get to Istanbul on time. Also looking for hostels all the time, changing valuta I know nothing about, forced to stay in boring cities because I missed the only fucking train.

If I'd do it again I'd make a basic REALISTIC planning. Understand traveling itself is exhausting especially with 12 hr bustrips you are going to have to take in eastern europe.

>>1264791
Why would you go to Macedonia or Bulgaria during the summer are you serious?

Just go Athens>some party Aegean island like Mykonos or Paros>Corfu>Albania>Croatia.

Seriously dont go to Macedonia its a shit country for the summer. I would not reccomend going to Albania either Greece and Croatia are trully the best the balkans have to offer.

>>1264751
>>1265520

OP here. Currently in Budva. I ended up taking a bus from Skopje to Budva. It went through Kosovo and Albania. Really wasn't bad at all.

My breakdown so far:

>Athens
Neat enough but kind of disappointing

>Paros
Beautiful, but the influx of high seasoners hadn't begun when I was there so a lot of the nightlife was dead.

>Thessaloniki
By far my favorite Greek city. Thanks to the anon who recommended it. Cheap, cool people, interesting Byzantine/Ottoman monuments

>Skopje
Can confirm Macedonia sucks. Hot as shit, nothing to do, garish and kitschy town center. A lot of the people I met were cool, though. If I ever return, it'd be just for a day or two and with the sole reason of going out at night and mingling.

>Budva/Kotor
I just arrived in Budva and I really like the look of it. A lot of old tourists though. I'm gonna hang out in Kotor tomorrow and depending on how I feel spend another day in Montenegro or head up to Croatia.