Since I knew I was coming to Croatia to do an EVS, I wanted to do a trip over the Balkans. I traveld there once before, but it was just Bulgaria and Serbia. But this time I wanted a big tour so I convinced three of my friends to see each other in Athens and start the adventure.
However, for arriving there, I must take a plane from Budapest, so I had to add one more city to my tour. Starting my journey from Petrinja, I took the bus to Zagreb and from there a blablacar to Budapest. I felt in love with this city, I didn’t expect so much about it but it is a wonderfull city. Anyway I didn’t have so much time there, so I took two free tours about main stuff and in the night, some beers with my hungarian Erasmus+ friend, who I didn’t see since two years ago. Also before going to the airport, I stoped in Schezeny baths to start my (official) trip relaxed and with energy.
I arrived to Athens and my friends were in the hostel waiting for me. This is a city that I really wanted to come back since I was living there for one year. However the weather was not with us- it wasn’t with us for almost all the trip, only two cities were not rainy, and Athens now is very sad. There is a lot of homeless people and now the situation is worst with refugees also. Very sad sighseeings. After Athens we get a train to Tesaloniki where a friend of mine was waiting for us. There we only spend one day, but is fair enough, good city for living but for tourism this one day is ok! From there we took a bus to Skopje. We were a little bit afraid at the border because of refugees but it wasn’t nothing special, just a border. It is true that with the bus we pass near the famous camp of Idomeni where there is a lot of tents and with the rain it has to be very hard conditions of life. Thinking about it later, we thought that maybe we should stay there for helping one or two days, but maybe some other time.
Then we arrived to Skopje, we didn’t expected that it is such a beautifull city. Also the people was very nice and we made some new friends! After this we took the longest bus, from 5 pm to 6 am, Skopje-Budva, and we saw a little bit of Budva with our big bags on the back and two hours later we went to Kotor, where we had the hostel. Kotor is a very nice place with the fortress and the citadel, but for us, the people there in Montenegro is arrogant. They look at us as bad people just for walking in tracksuits and they weren’t nice to us all with. Then we left out Dubrovnik because we didn’t have time (So I have to come back!!), but we passed with the bus through it in our way to Mostar. Mostar is another city which I love. It is beautifull and with the history impregnated in its walls. Amazing! Next stop was Sarajevo, also with a lot of history, but I have to confess that I was expecting more about it. It was raining and snowing and maybe because of that I didn’t enjoy it as I should, but anyway, another city to come back! And finnally last stop, Belgrade, for me the capital of Balkans (I don’t want to offend anybody, but for the city and people I think it is). There we stayed in a friends house who did the role of a guide in the day and in the night. And it was sunny! In the last stop, but something at least.
In general this trip was very good and I enjoy it like a kid. I reccomend it to every volunteer because it is a trip that you can adjust to your needs. I mean, I spend a lot of money, but because we did a “sir” travel, eating very well, staying at privates rooms, taking buses… This trip you can do with much less money by hitchaiking and using couchsurfing and also you can make your own route. What I don’t reccomend is to prepare it. Just know your starting and finishing points and go to the adventure! Because this area will destroy everything that you plan. Welcome to Balkans!!