No visa required for US citizens (as of Oct 2025) for a short tourist stay.
Get some cash out at an ATM in town as there were a few times I needed it, including paying for my hostel.
Download Yandex Go as that will work as your uber around town. I also used it to get to/from the airport and it was very reasonable.
I felt very safe walking around.
CITY: CHISINAU
HOW LONG: 5 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at the best hostel in Chisinau, it’s even in the name: Hostel Amazing Ionika 🙂 When looking at reviews this is was the only highly rated hostel listed on hostelworld so it made the decision easy. It was great! I love this size of hostel: big enough to have a some potential new friends, but small enough to feel cozy and easy to meet people. Pretty immediately upon arrival, I met 6 other backpackers and we formed a little group for our week here. We explored during the day & had dinner together each night. Also, random side note, but it was the most incredibly traveled group I’d ever met. I think the average number of countries been to by the group was 80 countries, which is wild. One South African guy had been to 150 countries!!! Anyway, there was good wifi, a kitchen, curtains & personal plugs on the bed. One note: they only accept payment in cash. Overall it was a great stay & I’d recommend!
WHERE TO EAT:
Here are my fav restaurant spots:
La Șezatoare – Great, authentic local Moldovian food in a cool atmosphere. I tried plăcintă which is like a filled pie (I chose cheese stuffed!).
Little Napoli – Yummy pizza right around the corner from the hostel! It was so good & easy that we went twice.
There are two main day trips visitors to Moldova go on:
Transnitstria – officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), is a self-proclaimed breakaway state that is internationally recognized as part of Moldova. It is a de facto independent territory that declared independence from Moldova in 1990 and has its own government, currency, and military. Transnistria is known for its unique Soviet-era atmosphere, with landmarks, infrastructure, and cultural elements from that era still present. I booked this tour through my hostel & it was excellent! We got to see lots of Soviet era monuments, buy local stamps, & see beautiful churches. We also had a meal at a Soviet Cantina. Of note, some countries list this location as Level 4: DO NOT TRAVEL, but we had no issues. You do need your passport as they see it as an international border. They won’t stamp, but instead give you a slip of paper that is required as you leave so don’t lose it. Pro tip: Don’t bring any cameras (only your phone).
Monasteries & Wine Cellars – Moldova has some of the largest wine cellars in the world as well as some beautiful monasteries. I had planned to do this until last minute some of the guys in my group decided they wanted to do an overnight in Ukraine, & I decided to join them. It was an incredibly eye-opening experience & I’m glad I went.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
My time in Moldova ended up being quite the adventurous week! Between Moldova itself, visiting the autonomous region of Transnistria & my overnight in Ukraine all while hanging with some of my most traveled new friends, I had some of my memorable experiences. I will say that Moldova won’t go down as one of my favorite countries & I wouldn’t say you need to add this to the top of your bucket list. But overall I had a great week!
BUDGET FOR 5 DAYS IN MOLDOVA:
Accommodation: $119 ($24 per night) – this included double paying for accommodation one night (hotel in Ukraine + my hostel back in Chisinau)
Food: $108
Activities: $115
Local Transportation: $58
Miscellaneous: $35 (insurance for Ukraine + postcards/stamps)
Total: $435 (Daily average: $87)
Transportation to next destination: $200 (Flight to London + flight to Jersey)
I stayed at Hostel N1 and it was such a strange vibe. It’s known as the Rules hostel because on their site, it lists all the VERY STICT rules you must adhere to. Despite this, it has great reviews so I decided to give it a go. The rules that were listed, in general, were reasonable. No drinking at the hostel, quiet hours MUST be respected, no outside guests, etc. Overall, it’s like I can’t complain about it because the hostel was clean, safe, beds were comfy, and the kitchen was well stocked. But there were two main issues I had. None of the staff, including the owner, spoke English. Obviously while traveling I encounter folks who don’t speak English, which is completely fine given I am the one in their country where they don’t speak English. However, when you are running a tourist establishment like a hostel, it was very bizarre to have to communicate via Google translate all the time. I also would say they weren’t the friendliest volunteers & workers I have ever encountered. In the end, it wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but it did contribute to a weird atmosphere, which takes me to the second point. Because of all the rules (even though they weren’t unreasonable), I think everyone in the hostel felt like they were walking on eggshells all the time, which led to further weird vibes in the hostel. It just didn’t end up being all that social, & when I finally did have a group of folks eating in the common room with me around 9pm, we were told to be quiet multiple times (even though quiet hours weren’t until 10pm). Like I said, it just was a weird vibe overall. Not warm & friendly. The one friend I made & I concluded that if you are an introvert, this might be your dream hotel! Regardless, I don’t think I would stay here again. 5/10 (since the facilities were still pretty good & the location was great).
WHERE TO EAT:
Boom Burgers and Booze – I have been trying to mix in more red meat into my diet since the anemia diagnosis. This spot did not disappoint! Burger was delicious and the fries were some of the best I have ever had.
Keba – I don’t normally have bars to recommend because I never go out, but Alex (new British friend from the hostel) convinced me to get a drink with her. I am a sucker for twinkly lights and this bar was full of them. Such a cute spot!
Keba
WHAT TO DO:
In continuing my kick for trying to remain active on the trip, I decided to join a gym in Bulgaria, which was kinda fun. The gym had locations in each of the cities I was going to so it was perfect. It was only $90 for the month (and since I was in Bulgaria for 12 days, it was a daily cost of $7.5) so I was pretty happy. I think I went about 12 times so it ended up being incredibly worth it.
I did a walking tour and it was pretty interesting learning about the incredibly long history of Sofia and how it was under so many different regimes/empires of the centuries. It’s incredible how all around the city, you can still see the different layers. You’ll see ruins from the first settlements, with the roman empire layer on top of that, then the Soviet buildings on top, and modern buildings next door. They shared that every time the city tries to build a new subway line or dig deep for a new building, it gets very delayed because they inevitable find more ruins and have to stall building to deal with it. Pretty cool!
I also did a day trip with 4 other solo travelers from the hostel to do the Rila Monastery + 7 Lakes hike. I originally wasn’t going to do it, but Alex had signed up so I extended my stay at the hostel one night so I could join her. I am so glad I did! Definitely a highlight from Bulgaria. The monastery was beautiful but obviously the hike was the more exciting part. WOW OH WOW did I miss the mountains. It felt so incredibly good to be in the crips mountain air, hiking past beautiful lake after beautiful lake. Even just eating a sandwich on the trail felt like a bit of home (aka like being at my cabin in Tahoe). There was also just this really lovely vibe around going hiking with 4 other solo female travelers (representing the US, Australia, Germany & the UK) who otherwise wouldn’t have met. It was one of those moments where I am really grateful I get to do what I’m doing.
Rila MonasteryAdding powdered sugar to the famous donuts Donuts with a viewRila MonasteryStarting the hike with a chairlift to the trailheadFirst up, lunch at the baseThe five solo travelersFirst of the 7 lakesSnack with a viewMeg with a viewSo tempting to go for a swim (but that’s prohibited)All the tiny tents!Post hike beersLovely view on the way downHappy girlies!
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
I really liked Sofia! I honestly felt like I could live there. It was so easy to walk around, felt incredibly safe, and had a real charm to it. Also helps that it’s so cheap.
CITY: Plovdiv
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
This had to be one of my favorite hostels I have stayed at: Hostel Old Plovdiv. When I arrived they had my name on the whiteboard welcoming me! Then they promptly told me to drop my stuff and head outside in the backyard with them to hear about the hostel & Plovdiv over their homemade lemonade. It was so cute & sweet. The building was incredibly old and it was decorated to maintain its antique vibe. No bunkbeds – all the beds were cool old Victoria looking beds. Cozy atmosphere and it was very easy to meet people. I actually ran into a girl I had met in Kosovo a few weeks prior. Beds were comfy, AC in the room, breakfast was available for a few euros, & location was great. 9/10 would stay again.
WHERE TO EAT:
Rahat Tepe – this spot was recommended by the hostel for some good local Bulgarian food with a view. On a beautiful sunny day that was a bit cooler, it would be great to to sit outside at this restaurant. Unfortunately when we went, it was SO hot outside so we sat inside near a window, which luckily meant we still got a pretty good view overlooking Plovdiv. Food was great + service was lovely.
Green Library– As per usual I am always on the hunt for a smoothie bowl in these hot months. Green Library had a few fabulous smoothie bowls to choose from and I tried a few since I managed to drag friends from the hostel and we split two both times I went.
Savi– Delicious gelato! They even had a peanut butter flavor 🙂
Rahat TepeGreen LibrarySaviView of Plovdiv from Rahat Type
WHAT TO DO:
Plovdiv is a very pleasant town to just explore on foot. I did a walking tour but honestly it was so hot and the guide wasn’t great that I ended up bailing half way through. Given the heat, we decided we needed to find an activity that was indoors & in air conditioning so we landed on going to a movie. I ended up seeing Barbie for the 3rd time – and still LOVED it 🙂
It’s fun walking around the old town, but I liked the Kapana area better. Really cute walking streets and it has a fun, bohemian, trendy vibe. I also found a woman wearing the same dress as me! We got so much joy out of the exchange and chatted for about 30 min 🙂
Old townKapana at nightSunsetTwinning!
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Other than the heat, I loved Plovdiv. Overall just a cute city to walk around and enjoy.
CITY: Burgas
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
Despite being a major city on the Bulgarian seaside, there were no hostels. Very strange. I ended up deciding to just book an apartment with two twin beds. An Aussie I met in Plovdiv joined me for two of the three nights so that helped lower the higher cost of the apartment. It was so nice to be able to cook and spread out my things a little.
Cute little home for 3 nights
WHERE TO EAT:
I mostly cooked while in Burgas! Such a treat 🙂
WHAT TO DO:
Burgas is a seaside town so the main activity is to head to the beach! I enjoyed walking along it for an afternoon, maybe with an ice cream cone in my hand 🙂
Cute walking street in BurgasBeach time in Burgas
Beyond that, there are many cute smaller towns that are worth day tripping to. Dan (the Aussie) and I headed to Nesebar, with our one day together. It’s an easy one hour bus ride away. Nesebar is an UNESCO ancient city (dating back to 6th century BC), referred to as the “Pearl of the Black Sea. Lots of cool ruins & a beautiful little beach for a dip in the sea. Sometimes it’s hard to go swimming while being a solo traveler since you don’t have anyone to watch your stuff, so it was a treat to be with Dan. We took turns taking our first ever swims in the Black Sea!
Unique architecture in NesebarClassic old wooden structuresRuinsFirst swim in the Black SeaBeachBoat turned restaurantIce cream with a viewNesebar
Sozopol is another great day trip option, but I didn’t have time to get there this trip.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Burgas itself didn’t blow me away. Felt like a bigger city with minimal charm, but it just happens to be near the sea so it becomes a “destination”. In hindsight, I would’ve rather stayed in a cuter smaller seaside town.
CITY: Sveti Vlas
HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I had planned to head to Varna as my final stop in Bulgaria, but after realizing that it was just another big seaside town AND ironically, even more importantly, there was no gym location there, I decided to go Sveti Vlas (I did a cross search of where gym locations were near the beach haha). Sveti Vlas is just past Sunny Beach (a very touristy beach town), so I liked that Sveti Vlas was a slightly more chill option. Once again, there were no hostels, but coming off the apartment, I was inspired to just do another stay like that. This airbnb was PERFECT. It was part of a resort complex, so there was a pool & restaurant (but I just cooked the whole time because the kitchen was so fabulous). The place had a laundry machine which was a treat. Most importantly it was a 5 min walk to the gym & 7 min to the beach. It felt like a mini staycation, but in a resort town. So kinda like a vacation, but I am in the middle of long vacation so who even knows what’s happening hahaha.
WHERE TO EAT:
I cooked the whole time so no recommendations.
WHAT TO DO:
Go to the beach 🙂
I spent a lot of time catching up with friends over FaceTime, going to the gym, reading by the pool, cooking & doing trip planning since that is never ending haha.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
I am not sure I can really speak to Sveti Vlas since I almost just treated it as regular life, which meant I didn’t explore too much. But overall I adored my time here. A much needed rest!
Dinner from my deckTreadmill with a pool + beach view – not bad5 min walk from the apartment
BUDGET FOR 12 DAYS IN BULGARIA:
Accommodation: $487 ($40.50 per night)
Food: $124
Groceries: $137
Activities: $68
Health: $100 (gym membership)
Local Transportation: $140
Total: $1,072 (Daily average: $89)
Transportation to next destination: $178 (Flight to Lithuania)
I stayed in Skopje for one night before going to Ohrid and one night after (before flying to Egypt). Weirdly I had health issues while staying at both (some related to the hostel and some not haha)
First night, I stayed at Hi Skopje. This was very far from the city center and it was quite a hike to get there on foot. If you are here just one night and either arriving or leaving by bus, I would recommend staying at Shanti instead (only a 10 min walk from the bus station). Hi Skopje was fairly basic (beds had plugs & curtains), but had a cute golden retriever & some great hammocks outside. Thank god for the hammocks because at 3:30am I woke up with my legs & arms being so incredibly, painful itchy so couldn’t sleep at all. I finally got out of bed and just called my mom (thank god for the time difference) in the hammock outside. Finally got a hold of a doctor who told me just to get antihistamines (spoiler alert it was not an allergic reaction, but more on that later). This was obviously not the hostels fault, but I just didn’t have a great stay here. The host also got slightly snarky at me when I asked some questions (but I was just not feeling well so needed some help). Overall, this place wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. 6/10
Highlight of the hostel
My last night in Macedonia (after Ohrid) I stayed at Shanti Hostel. The beds had curtains & plugs. Smallish kitchen. Little patio outside to sit & chat. Not enough bathrooms. Did have AC. Great location. The people working there were LOVELY. They even let me keep some stuff there while I am in Egypt (I am returning for one night before going to Bulgaria). However, sadly I did wake up at 2:30am to itchiness on my arms & hands…. and sure enough I quickly found 3 bed bugs in my bed 😦 Such a bummer since I had just gotten over the previous health issue while in Ohrid. Also I was leaving for the airport at 5:30am so I decided to just get up and out of the bed/room. I spend the next 2 hours meticulously inspecting everything in my bag and every clothing item to ensure no bed bugs got into my bag. So frustrating! Despite this, I would actually stay here again… and in fact I am as I mentioned, just in a different room this time haha. Bed bugs are bound to happen while staying in hostels for 18 months and when I told the hotel they responded perfectly & said they would refund my stay as well as spending the whole day inspecting the room & working with a outside team to rid the room of them. I thought they handled everyone appropriately, so kudos. 7.5/10.
Where to eat:
I didn’t spend much time in Skopje so the only restaurant I went to was Markt Kitchen. It had yummy salads, avocado toast, and you guessed it, smoothies! It was great to get some eggs + a smoothie in the AC after walking around in the heat of the Old Bazaar in Skopje.
What to do:
I really only had an afternoon here so I chose to just walk around and see all the crazy, large, ornate sculptures & statues as well as the Old Bazaar. It’s really strange how many incredibly large statues there are around the city. It’s like instead of investing money into beautifying the city with greenery, they decided to funnel all the money into over the top sculptures.
The other two main things to do are visiting the caves at Matka canyon & going to the Millennium Cross (with views of the city). If you have time, add these to your list!
Overall Thoughts:
The theme of not loving Eastern European country’s capitals continues with Skopje. I’m glad I only had 2 nights here in total & they are were frankly necessary as it’s a transit hub. I don’t think you really need to spend much time here.
CITY: Ohrid
HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at two hostels, both fabulous in different ways:
Old Town Hostel Ohrid – Wow – this might be one of my favorite hostels of the trip! Sadly I was just too sick to enjoy it much. The beds had curtains, plugs, personal light & a shelf. Great wifi. Cozy space downstairs to read or lounge. Outside had a picnic table under the shade where people tended to gather and meet one another. Staff were INCREDIBLE, especially helping me navigate my health issues, including visiting a doctor. They also organize activities, including some dinners, which were great for meeting people. It’s also in the perfect location, just one street off from the main walking area of town. This place ALWAYS books up, so don’t be afraid to just book this as soon as you know you are going 🙂 10/10
View from my room at the hostel in Old Town!
Robinson Sunset House– as I mentioned, Old Town books up, so I was only able to snag 2 nights there. After I moved to Robinson Sunset House, which has a very different vibe. While Old Town is very social and in the heart of Ohrid, Sunset House is a 15 min bus ride out of town along the lake, and is a tranquil little paradise. Both were fabulous, but make sure you are okay with being out of town with more limited access to town. Although it was very easy to grab a bus or hitchhike into town (I did both). That being said, the family who runs this hostel are incredibly chill, almost too chill. Like I had to track them down to pay because they were no where to be found. Another backpacker checked me in and showed me to the room because they were no where to be found. While comical, and while it all seems to work out in the end, it’s slight too laid back given this is still supposed to be a hostel. The room was very basic and clean. Had an ensuite bathroom. Best part of this hotel was by far the views. It’s perched up on the hill so sunset is dreamy. I loved hanging in the pool & the hammocks. Truly this place is special. 8.5/10
Dreamiest hostelPool!Laundry with a viewHostel at golden hour
Where to eat:
All these places are in Ohrid:
The Lion – Another backpacker recommended this place to me. It was delicious! Classy vibe and slightly nicer than the normal backpacker dinner spot. Also right along the water front. Great spot for a drink + dinner.
Fruit box – Are we even surprised at this point that I sought out a smoothie spot haha. I went here so often that the people knew my order by the end 🙂 Luckily it was about a 3 min walk from Old Town hostel. The smoothies were dynamite & the customizable Chia pudding was perfection. This is the a great breakfast, lunch or snack spot.
Bros. Burgers– Honestly one of the best burgers I have had. The fries also had a really yummy seasoning on it. Don’t miss a dinner here!
There were also tons of cute little stands that had desserts at night – not sure if that’s just because there was a festival going on though. I had some gelato and a waffle stick covered in chocolate that was so delicious.
What to do:
SWIM IN THE LAKE! Also just enjoy being in the sun & walk around the lake front. There’s a beautiful church to watch sunset from. But truly the main things is to slow down, read by the lake and then cool off with a dip in the water. My favorite kinda place.
The other main thing I did was finally go to the doctor 😦 After waking up in Skopje with the itchiness & starting to take the antihistamines (per the tele-doctor’s instructions), I didn’t really start to feel better (still was itchy + really exhausted) & my joints started to feel incredibly swollen & stiff (which I had never felt before). After getting past the American anxiety of having to go to a doctor and not know how much of my net worth I will have to shell out, the owner of the hostel told me to go to a clinic a 5 min walk away and that it would likely cost $30…So I trudged over and was seen immediately & had blood drawn. They told me to return 3 hrs later to get my results! I couldn’t believe how easy it all was. I went & treated myself to a smoothie from Fruit box before heading back to the clinic. While waiting in the clininc for the doctor to read me my results, I admittedly started to get very scared/nervous/sad/defeated/homesick and began to silently cry. Feeling sick in a foreign country with no one familiar to lean on is not fun!! I was verging on a mini anxiety attack, when a sweet Macedonian grandmother sat next to me noticed and in broken English began chatting with me. She snapped me out of the panic spiral I was heading down and I am eternally grateful for this kind person. She probably doesn’t even know how much I needed the distraction in that moment. Soon after, I saw the doctor, and with the help of a nurse to translate, it was revealed that I was very anemic & had low red blood cells. They said the itchiness is from the anemia & the stiff joints were from all the antihistamines I was taking that weren’t actually treating anything. My friend said maybe all the smoothie bowls are taking a toll, but regardless it was a huge relief to finally know what was going on, and that it wasn’t anything more serious. With my new iron pills in hand, I was already starting to feel better… Oh the joy’s of traveling!! Also, the two doctors visits, the blood draw & a 2 month supply of iron pills cost me $75. Healthcare outside the US is a dream.
Sick Meg
Overall Thoughts:
Despite feeling quite unwell while here, I still loved it! I just wish I could’ve spent more time swimming & meeting fun people at the hostel. I truly would’ve been happy to spend another week here. Hopefully I get back here at some point in my life!
Sunset from the beach in front of Robinson Sunset House
BUDGET FOR 6 DAYS IN North Macedonia:
Accommodation: $98 ($24 per night)
Food: $82
Groceries: $15
Health: $83
Local Transportation: $73
Miscellaneous: $5
Total: $362 (Daily average: $60)
Transportation to next destination: $250 (Flight to Cairo)
I stayed at Oda Hostel – overall a very good, basic hostel. Probably the best bet in Pristina, but nothing overly special about it. There was an area with couches that we used late at night to listen to a bunch of folk songs & singalong to them. The bed had curtains + a plug + a light. Bathroom ensuite. Good location + wifi was decent. Not overly social outside the room, but luckily I met a fun trio from the UK when I arrived in my room so had a blast exploring with them the entire time we were in Pristina.
The Squad: Louie, Sol, & Connor
Where to eat:
I swear to god every restaurant & cafe in Pristina was so flippin’ cute. I wanted to go inside each one. Fairy lights were everywhere and the insides were so adorable & cozy. Our favorite dinner spot was Soma Book Station. Food was so yummy, but cheap. Felt like a fancy meal but us backpackers could easily afford it haha.
The star of the show was Green + Protein. As we all know, I am in constant search of smoothie bowls and this place delivered. They also just had so many yummy (mostly) vegetarian options, between salads, bowls, wraps, and more. We went here probably 5 times hehe.
Our fav spotOne of the many Green + Protein smoothie bowls I consumed
What to do:
After doing so much sightseeing the previous few weeks, I had planned to have a chill couple days in Kosovo and go see Barbie!! Randomly the British trio also independently suggested doing this, so I extended my stay in Pristina so we could all go together the next day. The main “site seeing” thing the boys wanted to do was go see the Bill Clinton statue haha. We took our photos before heading to the mall to see Barbie. With some time to kill, we grabbed food, did some window shopping, and went bowling. Barbie was INCREDIBLE and I am obsessed. Beyond that, it was incredibly lovely to have what felt like a very normal weekend that didn’t look all the different to what I might do at home.
Bill is a local heroThe making of an Instagram postBarbie was a hit!Bowling in Kosovo“American” donuts on the streetA older man from CA bought us a bottle of wine 🙂Night scene in Pristina
Overall Thoughts:
While the city isn’t the most beautiful and there isn’t much “to do,” I really enjoyed walking around. In the evenings, the city really comes alive (after the heat subsides a bit) and everyone is out at cafes soaking up catching up with friends. Also, the restaurant scene was wayyyyy better than I imagined it would be. Lastly, English was widely spoken & I was incredibly impressed. It made it very easy to travel here.
CITY: Prizren
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
Ura Hostel – definitely stay here while visiting Prizren! It’s a delightful hostel with excellent facilities. Beds had a curtain, personal plug, & shelf for all your stuff. Rooms were very quiet & there was AC. Lots of cute spots to sit & read or socialize in the common areas. I didn’t cook so can’t speak to the kitchen facilities. Wifi wasn’t the best, but I was able to make a few calls.
Where to eat:
Noja Kuhzine – I ate here both dinners. It might be one of my favorite restaurants of the trip!!! Unbelievably delicious local, fresh vegetarian food. It is a crowd favorite for good reason. The chef came out and offered us something not on the menu since folks in our group had already tried everything on the menu. SO fun and cool. I could keep going, but basically if you ever find yourself in Prizren, just go here.
Cheesy pasta + Cheesy French Toast – can’t explain how good both wereDinner #2My favorite new drink: Rose water
Best Ocakbasi– I had a decent breakfast here. Tried the local breakfast special. Nice, big restaurant with good people watching.
Local breakfast
Gazza – Came here for some dessert with some people from the hostel. They had yummy waffles + juices + good wifi. Also when we walked in they handed us sparkles and cranked the music to celebrate Americans visiting their store. Pretty fun!
Quite the treat
What to do:
The main two things to do are stroll around the main part of the old town + head up to the old fortress for sunset. The rest of my time here I used to catch up on my blog + call some friends 🙂
Main part of townWalking aroundSunset at the fortressPrizrenPrizren by night
Overall Thoughts:
Prizren is definitely the cuter of the two largest cities in Kosovo. I really enjoyed its charming walking streets and the views from the fortress. Overall a very small lovely stop on my Eastern European tour. Highly recommend coming to Prizren if you are in Kosovo!
BUDGET FOR 4 DAYS IN Kosovo:
Accommodation: $49 ($12.25 per night)
Food: $72
Activities: $18
Local Transportation: $20
Miscellaneous: $13
Total: $173 (Daily average: $43)
Transportation to next destination: $10 (Bus to North Macedonia)
I stayed at Balkan Soul Hostel and it was a pretty great hostel. Fabulous location (15 min walk to the bus station, 5 min walk to old town + main walking street with restaurants + shops). The beds were comfy + had storage lockers underneath the bunk beds. Downstairs there was a a kitchen + common area to hang out in. Each night, the hostel organized something for everyone to participate in. One night was a home cooked meal with traditional Serbian food (super yummy) and another night they took us to some silos turned into a bar.
Where to eat:
The star of the show was Ice Box. They had ice cream + toppings but you do the toppings yourself and pay by weight (just like a froyo place). AKA this was my dream. Toppings at ice cream shops are few and far between in Europe so I literally was a kid in a candy store haha. I obviously went twice (the only reason I didn’t go all three nights was their power was out on my second night there due to all the crazy storms).
Acai Mania was also a hit. I had two delicious smoothie bowls from here.
I didn’t have time to go to Milky, but I wish I had tried this dessert/crepe spot!
What to do:
I did the typical things I do when arriving to a city: walking tour + walk around the main part of old town. Nothing felt overly special about Belgrade if I am honest. Some may feel different, but it just didn’t speak to me. There was a cool fortress over the city, which is good for sunset.
My favorite thing I did was take a day trip to Novi Sad. It was an easy 50 min train ride (and the train was high quality) and immediately I fell in love with the Old Town there. The streets & buildings were bursting with color and I just thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I took myself out to a fun brunch spot called Vida, found a bench in a park to spend an hour reading my book in the shade, and drank some lemonade along the famous street called The Dunavska Street, enjoying the people watching. I wish I had spent one night here instead of spending all three nights in Belgrade.
Overall Thoughts:
I think it’s clear that Belgrade wasn’t my favorite. Consider spending time in Novi Sad vs Belgrade. I don’t think I need to visit Belgrade again in my life.
CITY: Bajina Bašta
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at Mystic River House and it was a perfect base for exploring Tara National Park and it’s located a 10 min walk away from the center of Bajina Basta, which is cute for dinner. The hostel was cosy & basic. The backyard with hammocks and seating areas was fabulous. Easy to meet people because it’s a small hostel. I would stay here again. The owners are generous & kind. They organized day trips & activities for the guests.
Cutest backyard at the hostel
Where to eat:
I didn’t eat anywhere notable. I mostly grabbed stuff on the go from bakeries & grocery stores, but there are some restaurants in town if you are here. Bajina Basta is definitely less touristy
What to do:
The main attraction is Tara National Park & Drink River, which is the border between Bosnia & Serbia. You either need a car to explore the park or if there is enough people/interest, the hostel will organize for one of the workers to take you around the park. I was lucky enough to have two Polish guys & a guy from India join me on the day trip. We explored different lakes, view points, a walks, before finishing with a swim! It’s gorgeous!
I also spent one morning kayaking down the Drina River with a guide (turns out he is a semi-professional kayaker and it cost me $30 to have him take me 🙂 ) & we finished with the famous Drina River house. Talk about lakefront views!! It was insanely peaceful and we saw no one else on the river. It was also so interesting seeing the wreckage that still is visible on the Bosnian side (from the Bosnian War).
Overall Thoughts:
Tara National Park was definitely the highlight of my time in Serbia. It was so lovely to get into some nature after being in cities for so long. It was a treat to go swimming in a lake! If you visit Serbia, don’t miss it. Serbia wasn’t my favorite spot, but I am glad I got to experience a taste of it, since I realistically might not be here again.
BUDGET FOR 5 DAYS IN Serbia:
Accommodation: $94 ($18.80 per night)
Food: $73.42
Activities: $59
Local Transportation: $23
Miscellaneous: $28
Total: $276 (Daily average: $55)
Transportation to next destination: $19 (Bus to Kosovo)
I stayed at Retro Hostel, which is located on a quiet pedestrian street about a 5 min walk from the main square in old town. Overall it was a decent hostel, and I think it’s the best option in Cluj. Good wifi, beds had their own socket + light, and there were lockers in the room. Kitchen was pretty small, but if you wanted to cook something you could. Biggest issue is that there wasn’t really a common area to facilitate meeting other people. Luckily I still managed to meet people by cornering them in the small kitchen 🙂
Where to Eat:
Eggcetera – definitely a must visit. Food was delicious and beautiful! I went twice and both times had a line out the door, but luckily the wait wasn’t more than 20 min each time.
Brunch #1Brunch #2
/Form Cafe– I stumbled upon this restaurant the first night I arrived and while I was looking at the menu outside, I noticed a couple waving at me like I knew them. However, given I had only been in Romania about 2 hours at this point, I was quite confused as to how anyone would be waving at me. Upon further investigation, it was the couple who had given me advice on the bus system outside the airport! They invited me to sit down and down them for a drink + food. So fun to have this random run in and it quickly reminded me why I love travel so much!
Roata– The aforementioned couple told me that the dessert I must try before I leave was Papanasi. Given this, while on a walking tour, I asked the guide where I might find the best Papanasi in town. He recommended us to try his favorite restaurant. He had recently celebrated his birthday at this spot. Roata didn’t disappoint. Delicious traditional Romanian food. I went with a German friend I met at the hostel and we tried the Polenta with cheese & pork cracklings as well as the Venison goulash stew. Of course we finished with some Papanasi, which kind of like a donut with sweet cheese + jam.
Venison goulash stewPolentaPapanasi
What to do:
My favorite thing to do was just walk around all the lovely streets in the old town. Most don’t have cars, which makes it especially pleasant. Fabian (friend from the hostel) & I also took a walking tour, which was mildly interesting (wasn’t the best one I had been on). A visit to the Botanical Gardens are a must. My morning runs through Parcel Central were also lovely. Obviously a daily ice cream was also important.
Cluj at nightMorning run through the parkCards + lemonade breakDaily Ice Cream feat Fabian & AliMelting in the afternoon sunCluj during the dayBotanical GardenBotanical Garden
The best thing we did was rent a car to explore the countryside. Fabian and I spent two days exploring the following:
Salina Turda– Part mine, part amusement park. It’s pretty wild. Basically it’s an old salt mine that’s been turned into somewhat of an amusement park. There’s a ferris wheel, a lake with row boats, ping pong tables, & mini golf. You read that right: all that 120m under ground.
Turda Gorge – beuatiful nature reserve. The canyon, formed through the erosion of the Jurassic limestone of the mountain, is 2,900 m long and the walls have heights reaching 300 m. Nice to be able to walk under some trees along a river for a bit. On the drive here, we didn’t see many trees.
Sighișoara – a lovely UNESCO old town in Transylvania. A great day trip from Cluj. It’s not huge, so doesn’t require an overnight stay, but you certainly could spend a night here.
Alba lulia – cool old Roman fortress and it used to be the capital of Transylvania.
Overall Thoughts:
Cluj will always have a special place in my heart. It was the perfect mixture of lovely runs in the morning, meandering the old town streets in the afternoons in search of ice cream, and using the rental car to go on some adventures in the countryside. If you are ever in Romania, Cluj is a must see.
CITY: Sibiu
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at Pangeea Hostel, which is located right off the main square in town – sweet! The hostel itself is nothing to write home about, but it does the job. At $15 per night, I can’t complain too much. It’s quite a small hostel, which I usually like, but there haven’t been too many people to meet as a result. Basic bed, shower & kitchen, but wifi seems to work fairly well. Location can’t be beat, but I might look at other options if I were to come back.
Where to Eat:
Urban Food – Located on a nice little square, it was lovely to sit out front and enjoy the warmth of the day. Food wasn’t anything special, but they had a huge menu so it was nice to have a bunch of different options to choose from.
Lumos – Yummy food + great vibes (hey the sign even said so!). I loved eating here and spent a whole afternoon working on my computer. Lovely, lovely spot!
Meron– Adorable coffee shop and was great to work at while on my computer. Had a yummy iced chocolate while here.
What to do:
I was pretty tired after all the activities in Cluj, so I mostly used my time here to chill. I went on some long runs in Dumbrava Sibiului Natural Park & spent my afternoons in cafes planning more of my trip + updating this blog! It is a perfectly sized town to spend a leisurely few days. I loved wandering through the streets, basking in the warm sun.
Overall Thoughts:
I really liked that all that I “needed” to do while here was explore town. It lifted any pressure of needing to run around and see everything. I thoroughly enjoyed just hanging out and not doing much of anything. Sibiu is very beautiful and I loved seeing all the funny windows that look like eyes, known as the “Eyes of Sibiu“
Don’t the windows look like eyes?!
CITY: Brașov
HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
Zozo Hostel: Wow – this is an incredible hostel from start to finish! The whole hostel has a beautiful Scandinavian mets cabin vibe (does it get better than that?!) and the beds are so comfy. Best part, no bunk beds and the room is so quiet. Randomly there are two queen beds in the 8 bed room (the other 6 are twin beds) and I magically got the queen beds (hallelujah – what a treat). The hostel also has 5 cute little pods in the back that sleep 2 people. This makes for a very small, cozy atmosphere where everyone gets to know everyone. The backyard also has 3 hammocks, which were lovely in the afternoon to be under some tress away from the heat. Also, there was a free breakfast each morning. While it is slightly far from the main part of town, it’s an easy 20ish min walk or 10 min bus ride.
QUEEN BED ALL TO MYSELF 🙂Cutest little room
Where to Eat:
Antreu Focaccerie– This place has the best sandwiches. Holy moly! I got a raclette + prosciutto sandwich and it was divine.
Fresh raclettePost-hike sandwiches
Restaurant Sergiana – Went to dinner with 7 others from the hostel after a walking tour. It’s very close to the main square and serves traditional Romanian food. Great atmosphere + delicious food.
What to do:
There’s so much to do in Brașov. It’s the most visited area of Romania!
Visit Bran castle – While admittedly it’s a slightly underwhelming castle, there’s no way you can go to Transylvania and not see Bran Castle haha. Bran Castle is famous for allegedly spawning the original vampire legend of Count Dracula. but the author of Dracula never actually visited Romania, let alone the castle. We did spend the extra $3 to go through the torture exhibit which was was pretty cool (& CREEPY)
Peles Castle – I actually did not have time to go, but this is supposed to be a far more impressive (albeit less famous) castle in the region.
Piatra Craiului National Park – did a small hike here
7 Ladders Canyon– Easy to get a bus ride to the trailhead and then head up through the forest for a beautiful hike. For ~$10 you can then climb through the canyon through, you guessed it, 7 ladders!
On the ascent to the laddersThe ladders
Hike to the top of Muntele Tâmpa – you can either hike (not a necessarily an easy hike as it’s steep and it was so hot when we were there) or you can take a cable car up! Definitely get to the top as it provides stunning views of Brașov below.
Hike upThe worthwhile views!!!
Overall Thoughts:
Brașov was a delight! Between meeting fun people at the hostel, there being lots to do, all in the setting of a cute town, I really enjoyed my visit here! Brașov is a must on any visit to Romania!
Gate into BrasovView from the Black Tower
CITY: Bucharest
HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at T5 Social and overall it was a great hostel! Walking distance to old town (15 min), but in a quiet neighborhood. The beds had curtains, personal plugs for charging & the beds were very comfy. I slept great! The best part, however, is the backyard. It’s part bar/part hangout area. Locals mix in with the travelers to create a very social atmosphere. Between hammocks, picnic tables & comfy floor cushions, there were plenty of spots to chill & meet people. If you find yourself in Bucharest, this is the place to stay (but just make sure to book ahead because it’s always full!).
Where to Eat:
I ate at the hostel mostly with groceries I picked up, but I did manage to find a smoothie bowl spot (very on brand haha). Rio Juice Dorobanti was delicious!
What to do:
Given I had just blown through the rest of Romania at a fairly fast clip, I was a little burnt out when I arrived to Bucharest. That coupled with the fact that Bucharest just felt like a large slightly run down Western capital & the insane heat, I wasn’t all that motivated to “do” much.” The two main things I did was walk around a park that had a lot of random sculptures (including one for Michael Jackson) and walked around Old Town. Neither blew me away.
Old TownBucharestMichael Jackson Statue
The only thing I can absolutely recommend and that I truly enjoyed was visiting Therme!! This is the largest spa in Europe and it delivers. I felt like a kid in a candy store! There were so many different pools, big & small, of all different temperatures. There were indoor pools & outdoor pools. There were water slides. There were over 10 different themed saunas, including the Hollywood sauna, which was showing a nature documentary inside. There were over 5 restaurants. I only spent 4 hours here and wish I could’ve spent the whole day. Best part: one day admission to the whole facility is ~$32!!!! Run, don’t walk here 🙂
Overall Thoughts:
I feel like it’s obvious, but I wasn’t blown away by Bucharest. I feel like Romania really shines in its quaint small towns so focus your time there vs Bucharest.
BUDGET FOR 13 DAYS IN Romania:
Accommodation: $287 ($22 per night)
Food: $225
Groceries: $60
Activities: $147
Local Transportation: $110
Other: $20
Total: $846 (Daily average: $65)
Transportation to next destination: $63 (Flight to Serbia)
I stayed at Hostel Miran and it was incredible!! The host, Miran, was an incredibly nice man who was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the region, as he had grown up there and actually lived through and fought in the Bosnian War. I learned so much from him. The hostel had small lockers in each room to store valuables but not big enough to store your whole bag, but I found everyone at the hostel to be very friendly and nice so I wasn’t worried about anyone stealing stuff from my bag. There was free breakfast and often at night Miran would BBQ so there was a free dinner sometimes. They also offered a great tour of the region. Highly recommend this place!!
Where to eat:
This place had free breakfast and sometimes free dinner so I mostly utilized that, BUT the hostel did recommend Hindin Han and I ended up going twice! Once just with Sam, and then once with Sam and three Germans we met on Miran’s tour (more on that in the next section!). Hindin Han was in the middle of the city center overlooking a small stream and was very cheap! Awesome food and alcohol selection.
Accidentally ordered Rakia, which is a rum made in the Balkans. Ranges from 40% alcohol to 90% alcohol. It was quite strong!
SO MUCH FOOD
What to do:
Number one thing you should do is go on Miran’s tour! (even if you don’t stay at his hostel I’m pretty sure you can still go on it!) Miran lived through and fought during the Bosnian War and had some incredible stories for us. The tour took us to an abandoned aircraft hanger utilized during communist occupation in Bosnia, two quaint cities (Blagaj & Pochitelj) and lastly, Kravice waterfalls. Each was uniquely beautiful, but the waterfalls were my favorite because we got to swim!! As we made our way back to Mostar, we were told many stories about the realities of living in Mostar during the Bosnian War. The damage from the war is still very visible in Mostar today.
Entering the abandoned airport hangar
From the inside
Blagaj
Blagaj
Drinking the fresh water
Where two rivers meet
View from the fort of Pochitelj
Up in the old fort
Pochitelj
Kravica Waterfalls
Our new German friend smoked his pipe and read while the rest of us swam in the water 🙂
The aftermath of the Bosnian War
Buildings still in disarray
The other thing that is fun to see while in Mostar is someone jump off the famous Stari Most bridge which is 24 meters (~78 feet) tall! The professional divers will jump once they have collected enough money from tourists 🙂 If you are a tourist, you pay around 20 euros for an hour-long lesson from the professionals and then you can jump! Only around 2,300 people have done it and Miran said they were mostly Aussie or Kiwi.
Someone about to jump!
Overall thoughts:
Mostar was such a pleasant surprise. I honestly had such little knowledge about this region and was thrilled to learn all that I did. Highly recommend visiting this richly historic, beautiful city.
After Dubrovnik, I crossed into Montenegro! This was my first time to this tiny country of only about 700,000 people.
CITY: Kotor
HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at Montenegro Hostel 4U and had very mixed feelings about this place. On the one hand, the facilities were great- Big rooms, big lockers, nice bathrooms, and good kitchen/common area. There were kayaks and bikes available to rent and it was right on the water. HOWEVER, this hostel had the most aggressive organized drinking I had ever seen. I mean it’s one thing for the staff to encourage people to socialize and drink, but it’s another to pressure a kid into drinking so much that he had to go to the hospital. I found the staff to be very sexist and too involved with getting people to drink. When I would say that I was fine drinking water, they seemed to be upset and continually asked me to drink alcohol instead. Despite the aggressive staff, I did meet some awesome people here!
WHERE TO EAT:
The hostel had organized BBQ’s most nights so I tended to join in to meet people, but my favorite restaurant I went to was called Konoba Akustik. They had delicious Cevapi and other yummy food.
WHAT TO DO:
The most important thing to do while in Kotor is hike the old fortress. It’s not the easiest hike (about 1,300 steps straight up the mountain) but the views make it worth it. It was only 3 euros (as opposed to the 20 euros it costs to do the city walls in Dubrovnik).
Walking across the bridge into Old Town
Heading up with Jacob, a guy I met at the hostel
View over old town
Up we go!
The old fort at the top over looking the bay
Old Town
Next up was renting some kayaks with some new British friends (Yay Louisa + Matt!). We spent many hours joking about our mutual appreciation for good butter (butterbaes for life) and Louisa does an amazing valley girl accent so we also had many made up conversations about our alter egos Becca and Ashley! We literally couldn’t even….
Lastly, I decided to do a day tour of Montenegro because apparently with one day tour you can see about 60% of the country. Crazy right?! While I did see some cool things and we went for a boat ride on a river, the tour wasn’t anything special. I probably would’ve preferred to just hang around Kotor.
View over Bay of Kotor
the Mausoleum (the second highest peak of mount Lovcen) where is buried the great Montenegrin ruler and poet Petar II Petrovic Njegos
Cetinje Monastery
River Crnojevica
Budva
Budva
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Despite my hostel being less than ideal, I met some fun people and enjoyed exploring Kotor/ other parts of Montenegro. Kotor and Montenegro in general are so untouched compared to many other parts of Europe. But, slowly it is being discovered. In Kotor, more and more cruise ships are stopping for a visit and surely, it will become a hotspot in the next 5 years.
CITY: Ulcinj
HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at Hostel Pirate and it couldn’t have been more opposite to my hostel in Kotor. It was so relaxing and because Ulcinj is not very big, there wasn’t much to do at night so all the guests would drink beer and just hang at the hostel. I had a great time meeting new people and playing cards. The rooms were nice and the lockers were big enough for valuables. A large guest kitchen and common room were available for use. Also the staff were super awesome, helpful, & generous. ALSO as a bonus there was a Belgian Shepard and the house cat had just had kittens!!!!
WHERE TO EAT:
I mostly cooked my own food while I was here so don’t have any recommendations unfortunately.
WHAT TO DO:
Despite being fairly small, Ulcinj has plenty to do! First up for me was a walk through the old town, which was literally empty (again polar opposite to Dubrovnik). Fun views of the little cove and town below the old town.
Walking through the Old Town
View of Ulcinj
Next was a day trip to ALBANIA!! I went to Shkodër which is near Skadarsko Jezero, a huge lake that is half in Montenegro and half in Albania. I spent a couple of hours exploring the town and went to some castle ruins. Rozafa Castle was built around the 14th century. Definitely cool to walk around the ruins, and it wasn’t really regulated in terms of where you could go, so you can essentially walk everywhere and can climb up all the old walls.
Rozafa Castle ruins
Albanian flag
Ebu Beker Mosque
The best day was my first proper beach day in a while. I ventured out with an American couple I had met on the bus from Shkodër that also happened to be staying at my hostel. First, I went with Tess to a women’s only nudist beach, which is interesting as this is a Muslim dominated area, but we had a very relaxing time. After an hour in the sun we walked 40 minutes along the coast to another beach (14km long!!!) We met up with her boyfriend, Aaron, here. Our hike ended with a treacherous bridge, but we survived! I honestly thought this might be how my life ended (or at least how I ended my trip with a broken leg). After the adrenaline wore off, the three of us enjoyed the breeze and sun rays for a couple of hours.
Views along the hike to the beach
The beach all to ourselves
THE CRAZY BRIDGE
I ran out of time so was not able to do all I wanted to do in Ulcinj, so if you have time definitely explore all the forests and hikes in the area!!
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Ulcinj was awesome!! I barely heard any english being spoken as I walked around and all the locals were so friendly!! There was so much to do and I enjoyed everything I did while here. I would love to come back some day!
I stayed at Hostel Villa Angelina Old Town while in Dubrovnik. I had very mixed feelings about this hostel. The beds were comfy and had individual plugs and lights, which is always appreciated. Small lockers for valuables in the room. Guest kitchen and common room were available for use. BUT the staff were sorta of rude and the staff wake you up every morning. The shower always flooded the entire bathroom, which is gross. The kitchen was quite small so only one person could really be cooking at one time. I would not stay here again.
I did have a nice view from my dorm room though 🙂
Where to eat:
2 highlights for eating: Preša and Dolce Vita. Preša is a cheap restaurant in a sea of overpriced, touristy restaurants in the old town. It’s yummy food and it has tons of options ranging from burgers, traditional Croatian meat platters, salads, & crepes. Came here a few times during my stay in Dubrovnik. Secondly, Dolce Vita was the go to ice cream place. Need I say more?
The alleyway where Dolce Vita lives
What to do:
Dubrovnik has so much to offer in terms of things to do!! The first thing I did was go on a kayaking tour that took us to Lokrum, an island right next to Dubrovnik. I went with a Scottish guy I met at the hostel, George. We kayaked around the island and even visited a cave. After rounding the island we headed to a beach that you can only reach by boat. They provided snorkeling gear so George and I quickly jumped into the cold water to explore!
Grabbing our kayaks
and we’re off!
Exploring caves
Beach only accessible by water
Snorkeling
George!
Heading back to Dubrovnik
After getting back, George and I decided to walk the ancient city walls of Dubrovnik. It was annoyingly expensive, but I thought it was worth it. It provided incredible views, and we went at sunset, making it even more special.
Starting the hike around the walls
Main street from above
Old fort
George and me
City walls
Outside the walled in part of town
Old port
The old roofs
What a unique city 🙂
Next up was a trip up the gondola to an even more incredible viewpoint before hiking down the hill with an American girl I had met at the hostel. You can also just hike up and not take the gondola.
After the gondola ride
On our way down
Other than the more organized activities, you must just wander through the town.
The amazing alleyways
Main square
One of the entrances
Another entrance
George!
Sunset
Outside the walls
Overall thoughts:
Despite being the most touristy place I had been, and by far the most expensive, I really enjoyed my time in Dubrovnik. As I walked around I felt like I had been transported to another time period. Loved being here, but I was SO happy to be here in May and not in peak season. I can’t even imagine what it is like in August, but it would be a nightmare.
The Pursuit Of Travel 