When to fly
May-September. Peak in July-August (packed beaches, high prices). Best value: June and September — warm, less crowded, significantly cheaper.
Everything you need to know before you fly
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Search flights to AndorraPractical tips from people who have flown — when to fly, where to stay, local food, beaches and hidden places
May-September. Peak in July-August (packed beaches, high prices). Best value: June and September — warm, less crowded, significantly cheaper.
It's best to rent a car from Tirana — the coastal roads are spectacular but public transport is limited. Most payments are in cash (Lek).
Ksamil (the gem of the Albanian Riviera — small islands and turquoise water), Drymades and Gjipe for wild coves, Dhërmi for nightlife.
Tave Kosi (baked lamb in yogurt), Byrek (filled pastries), fresh sea fish in Saranda, Albanian espresso on every corner.
One of the cheapest destinations in Europe — €30-50 per night in a good hotel, beer €2-3, a restaurant meal €8-15. Worth keeping cash for the villages.
May-October. June and September are gold — beaches open, warm water, attractions open but less crowded and significantly cheaper.
Ferries from Athens (Piraeus) — you must book in advance in July-August. Companies: Blue Star, Hellenic Seaways. App: Ferryhopper.
In Athens — excellent metro. On the islands — local buses + renting an ATV/scooter is common and convenient. Beat taxi app (cheaper than Uber).
Souvlaki/Gyros at a street stand (€3-5), fresh fish at a taverna by the sea, real Greek salad (a whole block of feta!), Tsipouro/Ouzo with snacks in the evening.
World famous — arrive 90 minutes early! Or avoid the crowds in Fira/Imerovigli, which also offer beautiful sunsets.
Oia for luxury and sunsets · Fira for nightlife and budget · Imerovigli to relax with a view of the caldera.
On days when big cruise ships arrive, Fira gets crazy. Move that day to Akrotiri or the black and red beaches.
Paradise & Super Paradise for parties, Psarou for luxury, Ornos for families, Elia for quiet.
Mykonos Town (Chora) for nightlife and the old town, Ornos for families, Platis Gialos for a quiet beach.
Mykonos is very expensive — a bed at a beach club €100+. Have lunch in the inland villages (Ano Mera) — half the price.
The biggest island in Greece. To reach Elafonissi (pink sand beach) and Balos Lagoon you need a car.
Chania (west, a charming Venetian port city), Heraklion (center + Knossos), Elounda (luxury in the east).
Dakos (rusk salad + feta), Sfakianopita (pancake with honey), the best olive oil in Greece, free raki at the end of a meal.
Crusader walls from the period, stone alleys, a knights' palace. 2-3 hours of walking in the best-preserved town in Greece.
Lindos (white village + acropolis + beach), Tsambika (exotic), Faliraki for nightlife.
Symi — a picturesque pastel harbor 1 hour by ferry. One of Greece's least-known gems.
A bike path along the beach in Kos Town. Rental €5/day — an excellent option for full beach trips.
Tigaki (a long beach), Paradise Beach, Kefalos for calm. Less photographed than Santorini but no less beautiful.
Nisyros — an active volcano island! You can go down into the crater. A small ferry for a one-day trip.
Book a boat tour in the early morning hours — less crowded + the best light. You can also visit the Blue Caves.
Laganas Bay is a nature reserve — Loggerhead sea turtles are protected by law. Excellent snorkeling for spotting them.
Tsilivi for beach + couples' nightlife, Laganas for the young crowd and parties, Zakynthos Town for authenticity.
Green, lush, Venetian (not Cycladic). A UNESCO town + aristocratic palaces — a more European atmosphere and less crowded.
Corfu Town for culture, Paleokastritsa for rocky coves, Kassiopi for the quiet north-east.
Kouloura, Agni, Mouse Island (Pontikonisi) — the most beautiful views on the island. A car is a must to get there.
April-October. May and September are best — warm water, cooler than July, less crowded and cheaper.
Rent a car — driving is on the left (like England!). Buses connect the main cities but are less flexible for wild beaches.
Nissi Beach (Ayia Napa, parties), Fig Tree Bay (Protaras, families), Lara Bay (Akamas — sea turtles, wild).
Halloumi on the grill, Meze (15+ small dishes), Kleftiko (oven-baked lamb), Commandaria (the oldest wine in the world).
Cheaper than the Greek islands. €50-80 per night in a mid-range hotel, a taverna meal €15-25. Supermarkets offer excellent value.
April-June and September-October. Summer is very hot (38°C+), winter is cold. Spring/autumn is ideal.
e-Visa online $25, approved in 3 days. Official site: evisa.gov.az (not expensive middlemen!).
Excellent metro (₪2 per ride), Bolt/Uber available. Renting a car is recommended for trips outside the city (Gobustan, Yanardağ — the burning mountain).
Plov (rice with meat and dried fruit), Qutab (filled flatbreads), Dolma. Black tea with jam — the national ritual.
The old town (Icherisheher, UNESCO) is free to walk through. Baku Boulevard — a free seaside promenade. Local meals $5-10.
May-October. Peak June-September. Winter is cold but skiing is excellent at Tsaghkadzor.
Visa-free — 90 days. Just a valid passport — easy and simple.
In Yerevan — cheap metro (₪2). Marshrutka (minibuses) cover the whole country. Renting a car is convenient for the beautiful routes.
Khorovats (meat on fire), Lavash (UNESCO), Khash, Churchkhela. Armenia — the cradle of the world's wine (Areni-1, a 6,100-year-old winery!).
Geghard (UNESCO, a monastery carved into the rock), Garni (a Roman temple), Lake Sevan + Sevanavank Monastery — all an hour from Yerevan.
April-October for warmth. November-December for the magic of Christmas markets. January-March is cheapest and great for the spa waters.
The oldest metro on the European continent — fast and cheap. A day ticket ₪10. The BKK app for live tracking.
District V (Belváros) for sightseeing, District VII (Jewish Quarter) for nightlife (Ruin Bars), VI for the opera and shopping.
Goulash (not a soup! it's a ragout), Lángos (fried bread with garlic + yogurt), Chimney Cake, sweet Tokaji wine.
Always pay in HUF (forint) — better rates than EUR. Tourists get ripped off in deals. A ~10% tip is expected.
May-October. Batumi for summer (Black Sea), Tbilisi in spring/autumn, Kazbegi in winter for skiing in clean air.
Free — 90 days! Just a valid passport.
Marshrutka is cheap and covers the whole country. The Tbilisi metro is ₪1.50 per ride. Bolt is available in the cities.
Khinkali (plump dumplings — a must!), Khachapuri (cheese bread — the Adjarian one looks like a boat). Georgia — the home of ancient wine (8,000 years).
Kazbegi (Gergeti Trinity Church on the mountain), Mtskheta (UNESCO, the ancient capital), Svaneti (wild mountains, medieval towers).
May-October. July-August is peak summer + tourists. June and September are the sweet spot — warm, pleasant water, less crowded.
Excellent buses between Tivat-Kotor-Budva (€3-5). Rent a car for mountain trips (Durmitor, Lovćen) — amazing views.
Sveti Stefan (the icon), Jaz Beach for a long beach, Mogren in Budva. Less crowded than Croatia — the same sea, half the price.
Cevapi (kebab), Njeguški pršut (an exceptional smoked prosciutto), fresh seafood in the Bay of Kotor. Excellent Vranac wine.
Our Lady of the Rocks (an artificial island with a church), Lake Skadar (border with Albania), the small and romantic town of Perast.