Map: https://www.google.com/maps/placelists/list/1aRQPMvEjuQEShaDCcdbFNwW0ue4
Tue 18 to Fri 21 Jul
Kassel for documenta 14 (++++), my review: http://chrisbeck.de/documenta-14/
Fri 21 Jul to Mon 24 Jul
Berlin for Rundlauf (days of the open door) in Universität der Künste (UdK, Berlin’s finest art university) and the Liebermann Villa next to the Wannsee.
Mon 24 July
Berlin to Thessaloniki, White tower (+/-), evening tour with Giannis from Roman gate to Muslim-Jew Mosque-synagoge and Micropolis (+++) for dinner
AirBnB with Konstantinos (+++)
Tue 25 July
Thessaloniki: morning tour with Giannis from Sophia church back to start, fish lunch in old market with live music, Archeological museum (+++), sunset at Ano Poli
Wed 26 July
Thessaloniki: beach, Byzantine museum, getting to know our AirBnB-flatmate from Syria who works in the EU’s asylum agency
Thu 27 July
Thessaloniki: Roman forum, Mosaic church (+++) in Ano Poli, lunch in Ano Poli, Old port (+++) with photography museum, Thessaloniki to Skopje by bus and train, traditional Macedonian dinner
Fri 28 July
Skopje to Ohrid, two nice monestaries (Saint Jovan Bigorski) in Mavrovo (???) with approachable nuns and nice view, amazing fast food, going for a beer
informal AirBnB for 80€ for 4 persons and 2 nights with wifi, central location, parking
Sat 29 July
Ohrid
Sun 30 July
Ohrid: fish soup, monastery by the water, beach with Techno music next to the foam party, Roman theater and fortress, to Skopje by car
CS with friends
Mon 31 July
Skopje: sleeping out, Disneyland-center, old bazaar, Italian dinner
Tue 1 Aug
Skopje: post office, National museum, lake Matka
Wed 2 Aug
Skopje-Tirana bus
Hotel Europa (++), very good room, with mirror on the ceiling, good breakfast yet no proper advice even on further transport
Thu 3 Aug
Tirana to Shkoder by bus, walk through Shkoder, dinner at Florian’s Guesthouse
Florian’s backpacker (+++) for 23€ in double, wifi, excellent assistance for further trips, getting to know amazing travel companions over a dinner in Florian’s Guesthouse for 5€. Location is not perfect but better than the 1st impression, shared bathroom with cold showers is simple but useful.
Fri 4 Aug
Shkoder to Theth by organised minibus, Blue Eye hike (+++), Lock in Tower (++)
Dritan Tethorja Guesthouse (++++) for 25€ per dorm bed, incl breakfast and dinner, Tel. 0685619086 or 0682449605 with amazing location, the most friendly staff and atmosphere ever, delighting self-grown and made food; camping possible; no facilities in case of bad weather, no wifi, cold showers; atmosphere might change with other travellers.
Sat 5
hike from Theth to Valbona (++++)
Guesthouse in Valbona (++)
Sun 6
Valbona to Shkoder, Marubi photo museum (+++), bus to Tirana
Vila Ada Hotel (+++/-), excellent room, wifi, with breakfast for 40€ for a 3 person room, central, but no advice for travelling
Marubi photography museum (+++), my review: http://chrisbeck.de/marubi-phototheque-in-shkoder-albania
Shkoder to Triana by bus, dinner there
Mon 7
Tirana to Fieri (–) by bus, central square and dinner in hotel
Hotel Green House (+/—, former Hotel Real) was the worse experience of our trip. Good room with wifi despite broken light but no resto despite such promise, big difficulties to organise food, lethargic staff, mostly not speaking English.
Tue 8
Apollonia (++), monastery, to Berat by minibus, organising laundry, dinner with Lorenc
Apollonia (++) is significantly less interesting than Butrint and is not worth the also otherwise ungratifying stop at Fier.
Lorenc Guesthouse (++/–), yet due to his overbooking not in his Guesthouse but in the Hotel of a friend for 23€, good fish in his garden but appaled by his support of Trump and Le Pen. Other travellers confirmed that Lorenc overbooks constantly and is unreliable when providing guidance on bus times, trips etc.
Wed 9
Berat (++++): castle with Onufi museum for icon paintings, amazing views, excellent lunch on roof top with view of garden and old town.
The museum-town of Berat is the most beaufiul place after the valley of Theth and would have deserved another day just to enjoy atmosphere and views further.
Thu 10
Berat to Gjirokaster by bus and taxi (with bus at 8h30 to Levan and from there by taxi since the connecting bus left without us; because 8h bus left full at 7h30 after Chris needed breakfast), meeting Russel and Kathy, Gjirokaster (+++) castle with excellent museum, and upper old town, dinner in iconic steep street
Hotel Sopotni (++) with the charm of old communist times for 8€ per person, perfect location, lethagic staff, shared bathroom, no AC, wifi only of neighbourig resto
Fri 11
Gjirokaster to Përmet by bus, Benja thermal springs and Rafting in Petrum
Funky Guesthouse (+++) for 23€ with excellent room and guidance for thermal springs and rafting (50€ per couple with Polish family of Barbara and Jarek with Adam)
Sat 12
Përmet to Saranda by bus, archeological site of Butrint (+++), meeting Patrick and Nikki from Canada, incl dinner with them by the seaside
XXX Hostel for 30€ (we paid 3000 Leke) in double with wifi, no breakfast
Sun 13
Saranda to Himare, city beach of Himare
Himara Hostel (++), in tent for 7€ per person + 2€ for tent with air matress in a beautiful garden with wifi, shared bathroom and kitchen, incl good breakfast. They offered us a room by mail which we indicated interest but did not clearly confirm. On arrival this was already given to others. Staff changes often, the owner is not always there but can give helpful advice when present.
Himare Kamping would have been closer to the beach and cheaper (1800 Leke for tent for 2 persons) but in the uncozy backyard of a high hotel building with noisy bar and no entrance control.
Gjipe eco camping, directly behind the beach (between Dhermi and Himare on the same road) would have been an interesting alternative that seemed cozy and perfectly situated.
Mon 14
Gjipe beach
Gjipe beach was my favorite compromise of not less people but providing infrastructure of less dense 2 lines of sunbeds (300 Leke for 2) with either umbrellas or square roofs, resto serving grilled fish (1000 Leke) and salads (350 Leke), bar with decent music, public shower. Facilities are some meters from the beach half way into the beautiful canyon behind the beach.
Tue 15
Himarë beach, peddlng to more secluded Filikurit beach
Wed 16
Himare castle, Gjipe beach
Thu 17
Himare to Corfu by ferry, Corfu old town
ferry serice by Ionian was 39€ per person, helpful to avoid the bus to Sarandë but was late (8h40 instead of 8h15 and took much more than the promised 30 mins until 10h10 in Albanian time, 11h10 in Greek time)
AirBnB with Victor, for 96€ in an entire appartment, 1 km/15 min from center of old town, for us with extra serive collecting us and bringing us to the airport
Fri 18
plane from Corfu to Charleroi, shuttle bus to Brussels