It was actually built for a film called Life is a Miracle, but was left to thrive after the movie ended. Heading to Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia (Tirana – Podgorica – Belgrade) in April/May 2020. Ein Balkan Road Trip ist eine sehr gute Entscheidung! Les 10 pays d’Europe les moins chers pour faire un road trip. The Seven Rila Lakes are near the Rila Mountains. ... We patterned our trip with Topdeck Travel's Balkan Itinerary but removed some places we did not want to see, and added a few more stops we are interested in. In this Balkan road trip blog I will tell you some tips, things to know, where to go, things to do and of course show you the best Balkan itinerary for 3 weeks crossing through all the 8 countries. Hi Syahirah, the trip mentioned in this post is actually a combination of three different trips. We are also inspired by Souvenir Chronicles about driving around the Balkans by car and they were very nice to answer our initial questions about driving a rental car around this area. Beware of vignettes (taxes) on your Balkans road trip. Plitvice Lakes National Park is perhaps the most visited destination in Croatia but is totally worth the visit because it is spectacular. Even though we have our own camper van, we did most of our road trips in the Balkans with a rental car. If you see the suggested route map for this road trip through Balkan countries, you will notice that you can do this trip in many different ways. And definitely a great destination, not just for a road trip! Visegrad is a riverside town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. En octobre, j’ai réalisé mon rêve : faire un road trip en van et rien de mieux que de partir vers les lacs et montagnes du sud de l’Allemagne You will need to check with the car rental company first. EU Balkan countries will likely not be a problem, but I’ve heard some car companies won’t allow their cars into certain countries or your insurance will be void, etc. 44 . You simply cannot enter Kosovo and then Serbia. There is a wooden village in Mokra Gora and is called Drvengrad. I’ve also had friends rent a car in Macedonia to bring into Kosovo from a local renting car “company” — more like just a random Macedonian man with an extra car! Accommodations offer a great value in most of the Balkans. From Kotor bay, drive towards the North Montenegrin Mountains and stay for a few days in Zabljak, which is inside Durmitor National Park. This avoids the off chance that a grumpy Serbian border guard may later say that you overstayed your Serbian visa as you don’t have an official Serbian border stamp. But don’t miss the hidden gems tucked away in the Balkans. We got a pretty good deal on the vehicle. Dubrovnik was definitely too crowded though, as was Plitvice National Park. Et il y a ceux pour qui voyage doit absolument rimer avec aventure, coins de nature sauvage et heureux imprévus. It rained on the 8th morning of our Balkan camping road trip but it didn’t stop us enjoying an easy boat ride out to the Elaphite Islands of Koločep, Lopud and Šipan. You can head to Macedonia Square to see the statue of Alexander the Great, walk on Skopje’s stone bridge, check out Kale Fortess and see how Porta Macedonia shines at night. Ok, bus snacks are our big tip for riding buses in the Balkans, but it goes just as well for a Balkan road trip. Tara River Canyon near Zabljak and Durmitor National Park, Montenegro. San and I found a small fishing village that is just at the start of the Kotor bay and is called Denovici. It is one of the most popular countries in the Balkans peninsula. Of the 12 countries of the Balkans, it’s quite a mishmash. You may also arrive hours late due to inexplicably awful traffic jams. 1) If your rented car doesn’t have an EU number, make sure your rented car has a green card, else you can’t cross the border. We couldn’t find a good option for the Balkans but will check out Flexiroam the next time. It is called black but the water is bluish-green and clear. In both these places, we had our own gardens, kitchens and living rooms. Seek out Bulgaria’s own pink lake, just a short drive from Burgas Airport. You might as well buy your own car for the price they’d charge for that. 12 jours de road trip en van camping-car et en famille (Croatie) Sandrine est une maman voyageuse qui fait découvrir le monde à ses enfants pour les éveiller à la nature et aux autres. Long road passing Lake Jablanica 1h15min (possible small detour via Lake Rama - is this worth doing? Before you start planning your road trip through the Balkons, please read some important tips that are at the bottom of the post. Countries like Italy, Turkey, Slovenia and Greece are not 100% geographically in the Balkan Peninsula. We love nature, adventure and road trips. Other countries charge tolls (such as Serbia) rather than a comprehensive vignette system. I was blown away by the beauty of the places I visited. That said, grocery prices are high compared to the standard of living, comparable to France or the UK and definitely more expensive than Germany. The weather and climate in the Balkans can vary quite a bit from one place to the next. We're currently traveling around Europe with our baby in our camper van. We are from South Africa and travelled extensively. I’ve heard stories of some border guards crossing out the Kosovo stamp… but that may just be rumors. Walk around in the old town and see the Citadel of Sibiu. This helps for sure. Tip: the best time to visit the Balkans as per the Balkan Campers. Like seeing ancient ruins? Your road trip itinerary is great. While you’re in Split, you should also check out the remains of Diocletian’s Palace, which is a UNESCO world heritage site. Basically, the Green Card is a travel document ensuring that you have car insurance applicable in European countries. (Attention : … Sarajevo, where war meets life . This is another great way to see the beautiful Balkan countries, especially if you are a lover of camping, the outdoors, and of course, vintage VW’s! Sofia in Bulgaria – Travel to the Balkans cc0 via Pixabay. We rented our car from the airport in Belgrade, but it is cheaper if you book it online — https://www.discovercarhire.com/?a_aid=DrifterPlanet. Best time to visit the Balkan. There are 3 time zones in the Balkans, which can cause confusions when you cross borders sometimes. If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones series, then most likely you know about Dubrovnik already. For travel insurance, I use World Nomads. You can enter Kosovo from Serbia, no problem. Hi Ruth, Yes the Balkans are truly fascinating and normally it takes more than just one or two trips to cover many of them. Even if you’re not into architecture or history, you will find these aspects of Bucharest interesting. Bulgaria also charges vignettes. The Balkans is a region in Europe including the countries Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, Greece and a portion of Turkey. Vous envisagez de partir en road-trip en van ou en fourgon aménagé à travers la France ? In case you’re looking for a country specific guide, then check out our awesome Croatia road trip itinerary. VW Camper van rental in Slovenia, Croatia and the Balkans. The best place to begin your Romania road trip is, of course, Bucharest. You’ll have to check with your rental car company in Germany to ensure you can take it to all the countries you want to visit. This area has resort destinations like Mamaia or offbeat hippie villages like Vama Veche. Explore our region in the best possible way. We are thinking of doing this in Dec and wish to seek your opinion! The reason why some big cities like Belgrade are here on this list is because you will eventually have to pass through some of them for the ease of route. While the Balkans are cheap in general, road tripping the Balkans is not the cheapest way to travel. I’ve rented with them several times because I love that they pick up and deliver (not so relevant for you seeing as you’re flying into the aiport so picking up there isn’t a problem) but I find their rates very reasonable and them to be very honest. Elle voyage aussi bien en mode sac à dos qu’en camping-car et partage ses escapades pour aider les … 1. Sofia Adventures is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. The entry is €25 – €30 per person or 180 Kunas, which felt a little high because we were on a tight budget. Seven Rila Lakes in Bulgaria – Balkans Road Trip – CCO via Pixabay. This article has everything you need to know about planning your Balkans itinerary for an epic road trip. When in doubt, check! Apart from the historical buildings, you should spend some time in Sofia’s many parks and vibrant cafes. L’itinéraire If you make a purchase through these links, we will earn a little commission at no extra cost to you. We met each other a few years back in a psychedelic music festival. Mostar is famous for its historical bridge, which is Ottoman style. Si vous voulez planifier un trip au Portugal, peut être que cet article peut faire l’affaire. Hello! If you want to properly see the 12 countries of the Balkans relatively in-depth, you will need around 3-6 months. Road trip en Croatie : conseils & remarques. We took the one that is for 18 KMs and did not regret it. Belgrade: Sixt – allows you to take cars into Bosnia and many other Balkan countries, but Albania excluded (perhaps Kosovo as well). Albania is certainly not one of the top countries to visit when you think of “campervan holidays in Europe”. Alerte mail . The Balkans is such a beautiful, diverse region, that I highly recommend visiting! You can also take the Lake Koman Ferry. I’m going to the Balkans next month with my husband and your posts are invaluable. If you have a European SIM card that has roaming in EU countries, it may or may not work in Bulgaria or Romania – I’ve heard varying stories. Good to know about this! You can keep a stash of euros or USD or do what I prefer to do and withdraw cash in small increments during my time in each country. Make a detour to Shipka Memorial Church, not far from Buzludzha. Maybe focus on just a handful of former Yugoslav countries (Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro). It can be confusing to remember the Serbia/Kosovo border rules so here it is again, briefly, to avoid errors. What’s on your Europe bucket list? I am fascinated with the Balkans since I visited a month ago. Another five countries are part of the EU, though only 2 of them are in Schengen (Greece and Slovenia). For example, Slovenia charges vignettes of approximately 15 euros per week for a normal sized car, which is effectively a tax to use their roads.