Travel from Thessaloniki Greece to Bulgaria or Serbia>Albania>Croatia?

Hello!
My husband and I are backpacking (55 & 65L) around Europe for a year and are trying to decide which route to take in the fall when we're in Greece. We'll be based in Thessaloniki Greece for a month until the end of September, then would like to either travel to Bulgaria/Romania/Croatia or through the Balkans up to Croatia. Cyprus would be nice to, but want to keep the travel costs down and a flight to/from there might be not worth it.

We will need to be back on the Iberian Peninsula in December, but are free until then. Wanted to see what the community has done or has Intel on ;). While we are budget travelers, we'd prefer to take either bus or train. Would love to get your thoughts and what you've done.
Thank you!
Kristen

Hello!

This is not a good question. All Balkan countries are interesting. We can't decide for you where to go. We can only help to answer your questions.

So basically you'll have about 2 months(Oct-Nov) which you plan to spend on the Balkans, right?

I see 2 important issues:

1) weather

October is usally a great month to travel, not too hot and not too cold, might be too late for swimming(depending on what water temparatures are you used to), but November can be a lot less pleasent(usually more rainy) especially in the more northern/inland countries like Romania, Serbia. If I were you I'd definitely start in the north and work my way back south.

2) time limit

2 months seems very long but the Balkans has tons to see, especially if you add Romania and Croatia we're speaking of around 10 countries. Would you want to see them all you would barely have a week for each, while you could easily spend 2-3 weeks in the larger ones. And what about Greece itself? Will you travel around Greece before your stay in Thessaloniki?

Here is great website to get an idea of travelling in Southeast Europe: http://www.balkanology.com/

Thanks for your response. I wasn't asking which countries were interesting, as every country in the world is. Since I'll be in Greece for a month prior to the next leg of our travel (based in Thessaloniki, but travelling around via bus, train and ferry) I was wondering if it's easier to travel overland to Bulgaria/Romania/Croatia or to Albania/Montenegro/Serbia/Croatia? Since we're not renting a car, and aren't planning to fly unless necessary, I wanted to get people's thoughts on the best travel routes.

While warmer weather is great, we're okay with rain and snow too. Ideally we'd like to spend a couple of weeks in each country and if there is a great central city to be in, bonus points.

Thanks!

Hello!

This is not a good question. All Balkan countries are interesting. We can't decide for you where to go. We can only help to answer your questions.

So basically you'll have about 2 months(Oct-Nov) which you plan to spend on the Balkans, right?

I see 2 important issues:

1) weather

October is usally a great month to travel, not too hot and not too cold, might be too late for swimming(depending on what water temparatures are you used to), but November can be a lot less pleasent(usually more rainy) especially in the more northern/inland countries like Romania, Serbia. If I were you I'd definitely start in the north and work my way back south.

2) time limit

2 months seems very long but the Balkans has tons to see, especially if you add Romania and Croatia we're speaking of around 10 countries. Would you want to see them all you would barely have a week for each, while you could easily spend 2-3 weeks in the larger ones. And what about Greece itself? Will you travel around Greece before your stay in Thessaloniki?

Here is great website to get an idea of travelling in Southeast Europe: http://www.balkanology.com/

Thessaloniki to Sofia is easily done,there are plenty of buses and a train service,although the train is not as regular as it used to be.
From Sofia,there is a daily bus and train service to Bucharest,and also a train to Budapest which goes via Rumania,but not through Bucharest I think,so may be easier to get back to Croatia,the train doesn't run until Autumn/winter season.
From Sofia there is a train to Belgrade,or buses to Serbia/Croatia,so not difficult to do that way.
The other way through Albania,I am not familiar with,although I don't think it will be any more difficult,but by bus only as I think the rail connections are either not as good or non existent

I was wondering if it's easier to travel overland to Bulgaria/Romania/Croatia or to Albania/Montenegro/Serbia/Croatia?

All are relatively easy, but it remains to be seen how the migration issue evolves. If the Turks don't get a visa vaiwer to the EU by October they might suspend the deal with the EU of stopping the illegal migration and EU, especially Greece doesn't look to be better prepared or willing to deal with this situation like last year. If the current trickle of migrants suddenly turns into a flood again(and there is a chance for that exactly around October/November) you can expect difficulties, delays at border crosssings. Follow the news and keep your fingers crossed.

I wasn't asking which countries were interesting, as every country in the world is.

• I wanted to get people's thoughts on the best travel routes.*

So are travel routes. If you don't know where do you want to go, how can we give you advice about the routes?

Ideally we'd like to spend a couple of weeks in each country and if there is a great central city to be in, bonus points.

Good idea to spend a couple of weeks in each country(actually you could spend less in the smaller ones, for example 3-4 days is enough to see almost everything of interest in Kosova and Metohija), but there isn't really a great central city where it would be worth to based and do daytrips.

Thank you! It's looking like we'll catch a bus from Thessaloniki to Albania and spend a couple of weeks there. Then we'll head North through Montenegro into Croatia :).

I thought I had provided my two initial travel routes, though I've expanded below :
Option 1: Thessaloniki Greece to Sofia Bulgari. Sofia to the coast of Bulgaria. Up to Romania and explore, then fly out of Bucharest to W. Europe.

Option 2: Thessaloniki Greece to Albania, most likely staying in Tirana for two weeks. Bus/train north to Shkopa, then across the border to Montenegro. Explore Montenegro for a couple of weeks, then bus/train to Croatia, either Split or Zagreb. From Zagreb Wed fly to Bucharest Romania.

I was hoping here to see if there would be any large issues traveling around these routes, ie the trains aren't working in Albania due to a gas/tax issue (since resolved). We're keeping on eye on the migrant issue and what's happening in Turkey of course! Also seeing what's happening around Macedonia with the current flooding that happenedast night. Thank you for you help!

Both routes are easy and good, but personally I think the Western Balkans(option 2) is more beautiful and exciting(Sorry Bulgaria and Romania!).

There are no issues. The trains in Albania were pretty useless anyway, the only travellers using them were hardcore railfans.

Staying in Tirana for 2 weeks??? Why??? It doesn't deserve more than 2 days. It's a ghastly place with very few sights and it's not useful for daytrips(except by car maybe).

Albania absolutely deserves 2 weeks, but Tirana would not make it to my top 5 or even top 10 places to see in Albania. Don't waste your time in Tirana!

From Albania I would swing over to Macedonia for a few days(Ohrid and surroundings) and to Kosova for a few days. This way you would cover most of Greater Albania. ;-)

Take a bus from Tirana to Prizren/Prishtine, travel around Kosovo and Metohija for 3-4 days than cross back to North Albania to see the Albanian Alps(Valbona, the pass crossing from Valbona to Teth if the weather complies, and/or the ferry across Lake Koman).

Than you can continue to Montengro from Shkodra.

Instead of flying from Zagreb to Bucharest I would take a train to Belgrade, spend some time in Serbia and take a train from Belgrade to Timisoara OR if you still have time south to Sofia to see something of Bulgaria as well, before finishing in Romania.

Thank you! My husband isn't budging from staying in one location for less than a week. With that said, where would you recommend staying in Albania for a week a time? I was thinking perhaps Durres then Shkodra? Really any of these cities would work, as this is the bus we'll be taking into Albania http://www.crazyholidays.gr/F4DCE852.en.aspx

With that said, where would you recommend staying in Albania for a week a time? I was thinking perhaps Durres then Shkodra?>

I'm wondering from where do you get your strange ideas?

I wouldn't stay more than a day in Durres or Shkodra(for Durres even a day seems too much).

I can imagine staying a week in somewhere along the Albanian Riviera, like Dhermi, Saranda.

And perhaps in the Albanian Alps, like Thet or Valbona.

Well considering I said we don't want to be in a location (town or city) for less than a week at a time, we'd want two places to stay in for two weeks.

Regardless, we've chosen to go with Bulgaria to Romania to Serbia. The trip from Thessaloniki to Sofia is shorter and more affordable!

The plan for Bulgaria is as follows: Sofia, Plovdiv, Burgess, Varna & Ruse.

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