A PIECE OF EUROPE

BELGRADE//BUDAPEST//VIENNA//PRAGUE//SALZBURG//ZAGREB

THE IDEA

I have always been dreaming to travel by car in Europe. One morning my dream became “The Idea” with the question remaining: “what if?”. What if I book some hotels, fill my car with gas and start a road trip?

So did I! It wasn’t that difficult, nor so expensive to accomplish such a trip in the end. All you need is a good car, decent English language knowledge, a passport, 10 days and 900€. Everything else was a piece of cake, honestly!

HOTELS

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Hotel Bohemian Garni
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Hotel Bohemian cost me 61€ for one night with breakfast.
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Maison Bistro
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Hotel Maison Bistro cost me 101€ for one night with breakfast.
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JUFA Hotel Wien
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Hotel JUFA cost me 173€ for one night with breakfast.
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MH Suites Palace
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Hotel MH Suites Palace cost me 223€ for two nights with breakfast.
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B&B Schlosser
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Hotel B&B Schlosser cost me 130€ for two nights with breakfast.
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Hotel Anel
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Hotel Anel cost me 97€ for one night with breakfast.

THE TIMELINE

Bear in mind that this is a road trip with quick stops, sightseeing in the city centres and then back home!

Serbia
Tuesday, April 9-10, 2019
Patra to Belgrade, 10 Hours
Start point was my hometown, Patras, and first destination Belgrade. It is the longest trip I have done by car. It was about 10 hours, including stops, tolls and border checks. I stayed there overnight and next morning headed off towards Budapest.
Serbia
Tuesday, April 9-10, 2019
Hungary
Wednesday, April 10-11, 2019
Belgrade to Budapest, 3 Hours
Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities I visited. Something new was to discover around every corner: renaissance architecture, beautiful bridges over Danube and a magnificent castle. To my surprise, my hotel happened to be in it!
Hungary
Wednesday, April 10-11, 2019
Austria
Thursday, April 11-12, 2019
Budapest to Vienna, 2.30 Hours
I don't have a circumstantial opinion about Vienna. It was wrong stopping and staying there. Wait, Vienna is a great city, but not for such a trip. It’s a big, quite expensive city and you need at least 5 days to visit just the basics. My hotel was far from the city center and I payed 8 euros for commuting and visiting just 3 places. To sum up, I wouldn’t recommend Vienna for a budget road trip.
Austria
Thursday, April 11-12, 2019
Czech Republic
Friday, April 12-14, 2019
Vienna to Prague, 3 Hours
Prague! Prague! You must spend 2 nights there, like I did, and you will see more or less everything. The most complete city, the best hotel and, to my luck, free parking in weekends. Prague fulfilled me the most when I saw all this beauty from the castle. I discovered the city in 5 hours on foot, taking photos, eating street food and tasting traditional local deserts. RECOMMENDED!
Czech Republic
Friday, April 12-14, 2019
Austria
Friday, April 14-15, 2019
Prague to Innsbruck/Salzburg , 6 Hours
Innsbruck and Salzburg are my favourite small cities to visit in Austria. I stayed in a small Airbnb apartment in Innsbruck and the day after I visited Salzburg. Each city has a unique beauty, surrounded by the Alps and gorgeous natural green landscapes. Recommended! Next stop ZAGREB!
Austria
Friday, April 14-15, 2019
Croatia
Friday, April 15-17, 2019
Salzburg to Zagreb , 7 Hours
Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. A very peaceful small city with historical buildings and a big Cathedral in the city centre. Check photo above. I stayed here 2 days and explored the entire city 3 times. Don't forget to check the Musuem of Broken Relationships.
Croatia
Friday, April 15-17, 2019
Bulgaria
Friday, April 17-18, 2019
Zagreb to Sofia , 8 Hours
Sofia was the last stop before returning home. A direct trip from Zagreb to Patras was imbossible, so I decided to stay one night in Sofia. Didn't see much, but from my short stay, it seemed to me as an abandoded city with lots of malls, hotels and factories.
Bulgaria
Friday, April 17-18, 2019

CAR AND LUGGAGE

  • 1 Big Suitcase
  • 1 Small Suitcase
  • 3 Backpacks

FAQ

I had 300€ in cash and everything else in my N26 debit card.

I had my (Greek) passport and green card for my car. Nothing else was asked to cross the borders.

  • Greece: Every 50km
  • N.Macedonia: Every 50km
  • Serbia: Every 50km
  • Hungary: Vigniete
  • Czech: Vigniete
  • Austria: Vigniete
  • Croatia: Every 50km
  • Bulgaria: Vigniete

All Tolls could be paid by Debit or Credit Card. No Cash needed.

If you have any further questions, please contact me!

contact me

jason.mavrommatis@gmail.com