Southeast Europe

Montenegro – quick travel guide

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Recent popular “cheaper” European tourist destination, known for beaches and mountains.

Most foreigners know Montenegro for its beaches. Nearby Balkans know Montenegro for its mountains as well. I much prefer it for the mountains. Perhaps Montenegro was a cheap alternative 10-20 years ago but its certainly caught up now. If you want cheap, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Nonetheless, it’s still worth visiting if even just to see something new. The vibe is somewhat similar to Croatia and Serbia depending on where you go.

A week to see main sights. But 2 weeks is you really want to understand the beauty of its nature.

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Kolasin – quick travel guide

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Fast-growing tiny mountain town famous for summer nature and winter ski getaways.

One of Montenegro’s best kept secrets. Small, cozy, friendly but vibrant and with many nature things to do. Highly recommended to have a car or else you’ll use expensive to get anywhere. Having locals to hangout would also be helpful since they’ll know many things well.

A weekend is a enough time but I stayed here 2 weeks and loved every second of it.

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Athens – quick travel guide

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Big city metropolis of Greece. Full of historic sights and chaotic crowded city centers.

Even though Athens population is only 4 million compared to much bigger Roman cities (like Rome), it’s very densely populated. While you won’t find the stereotype Greek beach destinations here, you’ll definitely find a cool hip metropolis full of great food, hip bars, nightlife, shopping, and endless choices of apartment buildings with city skyline views. In short…a very authentic urban Greek city life experience.

Athens is a love it or hate it. Comes for 2-3 days to check out the historic sites and museums and eat well, then leave. Or if the busy city life attached instantly to you…well then, you can sit out here for months!

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Greece – quick travel guide

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The famous country of ancient mythical gods and present-day picturesque beaches.

Greece to me is a mix between Italy and Turkey. And in so many ways. Culturally, historically, architecturally, ethnically…it’s a mix of the Italian Mediterranean vibes of Turkish Arabian influences. Personalities of the people are also a bit similar to me…something between Italian warmth and Turkish fire/sassiness. Pricewise, it’s also in the middle of those 2.

I haven’t spent enough time to really know all about Greece but can suggest you look carefully at why you’re going. I think back in the days, Greece was considered as a cheaper beach alternative to Italy. Today…if you’re really looking for a cheap beach destination, maybe Montenegro or Albania is for you. Greece is indeed still cheaper than Italy in general but not like it used to be. But if you know that what you really seek is specifically Greek culture and greek things, then yes of course…go to Greece.

Greece needs a minimum of 5-7 days. So you can do a couple days in Athens (seeing historic stuff), then check out the beach life on some islands. If you wanted to do more, 10-15 days should be solid to see a variety of places.

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Cluj-Napoca – quick travel guide

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Probably my favorite Romanian chill city. Beautiful, good mid-size.

Cluj is a beautiful small-mid city, and I definitely prefer it over Bucharest (which is also cool and vibey). Cluj just seems more convenient and properly sized, it’s also a university town with lots of young folks and affordable housing. Bucharest offers much more nightlife options and more areas to hang out, also more upscale style type of places.

But overall, there’s very little tourist value here. And if you’re looking for fun exciting unique things to do and see, Cluj may seem boring or not having any unique quality.

2 days would be enough to see all tourist things and live the chill life of eating and hanging outdoors.

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Timisoara – quick travel guide

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A cute, colorful, small Romanian city…that’s beautiful and not too small. (But it is small).

Enjoy the nice vibes, eating and drinking outside. Walking around the beautiful old town. 2 days would be the right amount to enjoy it.

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Bran Castle (aka Dracula Castle) – quick travel guide

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Tips and recommendations for going to Bran Castle and general info about it.

Bran Castle, along with Transylvania region, is a massive tourist attraction in Romania. Just about anybody going to Bucharest or Romania will probably think of stopping by Brasov (cute town) in the Transylvania region and along with it Bran Castle (aka “Dracula Castle”) and Peles Castle.

Personally…unless you have A LOT of time to spend in Romania, I would absolutely skip this castle. It’s small, lame, not as pretty as Peles Castle…and not worth the time lost that you could have spent in a prettier and more eventful Brasov. I did a day trip to Brasov in late November and would have much rather spent the precious daylight hours walking around Brasov than wasting it getting to and back from Bran Castle. If you got only 3-4 days in Bucharest, and dedicating 1 day for Brasov (and half that day for Bran Castle)…I definitely wouldn’t do it. Spend that day in Brasov instead, or a mountain town somewhere, or go to Peles Castle if you definitely want to see any castle.

But if you insist…here’s how you get to Bran Castle!

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Romania – quick travel guide

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Central eastern Europe’s most “Latin” country. Warm friendly attitudes, diverse terrain, meat-heavy foods.

I think visitors are drawn to Romania for different reasons. For some because they’re already hovering near the east, like in Hungary Poland Slovakia or Croatia…and they figure why not? Others because they want a cheap country. Some are curious about Transylvania and Dracula pop culture things. Others still because of other reasons.

I think you can travel through the main parts in 2 weeks. But to see actual Romanian things (like actual landscapes and not just touristy stuff), you need more like 3-4 weeks.

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Bucharest – quick travel guide

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Chill gritty city in Central Eastern Europe. Something like Belgrade but with more Latin vibes.

The capital city of Romania…chill, mysterious, surrounded by Slavic countries but they are more Latin. Life here seems good, chill, happy, low-cost. It reminds me a lot of Belgrade. Similar dark-polluted buildings and warm people, cozy food. If you like Belgrade, Bucharest feels quite similar.

3 days is enough to see the highlights, add 1 or 2 more to visit other towns and mountain stuff.

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Serbia – quick travel guide

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War-torn country with great vibes, low cost of living, and nice people.

Come see the charm of this cheap fun Slavic country. Really underrated and not a shock to see why many people chose to relocate here. Don’t worry, it seems English is spoken in enough places.

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Belgrade – quick travel guide

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Eastern European hub with war-torn buildings, and many hidden Slavic cultural charms.

Belgrade (and probably Serbia in general) is a totally underrated city. At first glance, it seems to be a small ugly-ish city without much going on. Not only are the buildings destroyed by war, they’re also covered in a layer of dark dirt from the coal pollution (burned during winter months). Sure, Belgrade is really cheap compared the rest of Western Europe. But it also isn’t as picturesque or grand as other European cities. None of the colorful charms.

Many people say Belgrade’s true beauty lies underneath its ugly surface aesthetic. That a subtle and hidden charm exists and when found, becomes a favorite charmy little city.

So did I find Belgrade’s hidden beauty?

At first, no. I saw only its surface aesthetic of being ugly and small. Buncha flat land spreading across a plain waterfront with boringish unfinished castle wall structures. Belgrade was only intended as a stopping point to Turkey and onwards I continued to Turkey with no desire to linger in Belgrade for any longer.

However when I came by the second time. I stayed in a different neighborhood and met locals who showed me around. Then I LOVED it. Super nice vibe, unpretentious, friendly personable people (especially if you know locals). Super clean nice Saint Sava church. Weird disco light building that shines every night. Nice food and bar scene. The city is super chill but also lots of party and nightlife for whatever mood you’re in. Now that I found its beauty, I’ll do my best to convince you that it DOES exist.

Main highlights can be done in 2 days, but you could also fall in love and live here without getting bored.

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Istanbul – quick travel guide

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Super fun and exotic city with a wide mix of many cultures (European, Asian, Arabic, probably other stuff too).

Istanbul and Turkish people/culture are such a trip. For me being an American with lots of experience in Western Europe and South America, Turkey was really exotic, energetic, fiery fiesty. The Istanbul vibe is something right in between a big cold metropolitan city like New York or Paris but with the feistiness of South Americans. Again, they are not outwardly warm and friendly but are feisty.

Maybe you expected a hyper-Muslim culture here and there is but it’s only part of Turkey like this where people are super religious and women all covered up in traditional headwear. Most Turkish (especially the new generation) curse, drink, party in clubs, and engage in all kinds of obnoxious “Western debauchery” like you would find anywhere else. Long story short, Istanbul is as much a party place as any other. Don’t be afraid that you’re stuck in some overly religious prison ground.

There’s enough craziness here to last you a solid month of fun but you could see the main points in 3 days. I definitely recommend 4-7 days so you can relax and not feel like you’re always stuck in an anxious taxi. The pace of life here seems fast and crazy so try to find time to slow down. If you have more time, there’s a handful other worthwhile cities in Turkey to visit as well.

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