Papaki4wheels - campervan-trip in Europe March 30th-July 15th 2026
We started by taking the Horten-Moss ferry and drove to Malmö, Sweden, where we spent our first night in the car before catching a ferry to Świnoujście, Poland, the next day.
It was a loooong ferry crossing—a vessel primarily for long-haul drivers, with little in the way of "comfort."
After arriving in Świnoujście, we drove for half an hour to Kamminke Hafen, a small and rather deserted spot (it was the off-season), though there were two other camper vans there. As we continued south, we drove past Pinnow, a lake featuring some strange "dead tree trunks" sticking up out of the water.
One fun and unusual (not in Norway) thing we saw in Germany was Easter decorations as in colorful eggs hanging from bushes in people's gardens 😊.
We discovered on the very first day that the watertank couldn't hold any water; it all just drained right back out. The drain plug wasn't sealing properly. After trying a caravan shop near Berlin first, we managed to get the replacement part at a second shop in Elstra (northeast of Dresden) 👍. We thought the problem was solved, but the water kept draining out anyway 😢. Kai will surely find a solution 🤞.
We later discovered that the water heater has a safety valve that opens when the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celcius. It drains the entire water system, including the fresh water tank. Once we closed that valve, the problem was resolved 👍.
We then found a farm that offered a few campervan spots. With a view of a field full of horses and a beautiful full moon, we had a lovely place to stay 😊.
In Dresden, we found a campsite in the city center — a parking area with access to electricity and toilet disposal facilities, yet featuring an open area leading down to the Elbe River, with the Old Town—including the Frauenkirche and the Dresden Hofkirche (Cathedral of the Holy Trinity)—situated directly across the water.
The cathedral is built in the 18th-century Baroque style.
We enjoyed a lovely first day that included shopping, some strolling, lunch by the Elbe, and beer and wine in the sunshine at a beer garden.
The next day was raw and cold, but we still managed to get our the bikes (the ones from our sailboat) and take a ride along the river, covering a total of 10 km. In the evening, we went on a dinner cruise on the river.
The next day, we crossed into the Czech Republic; Kai had found a car park—or rather, a choice of them (there were several options)—located at the top of a ski lift, 1,230 meters above sea level. There was snow there 😏—not on the road itself, but people were skiing on the slopes. It was cold and miserable, with fog, rain, and wind, so it was lovely to sit inside a warm car 👍. We cooked a good meal and relaxed with a good book.
The next day, we drove on to Karlovy Vary and the Grandhotel Pupp. This hotel had been on our "bucket list" for at least 15 years, ever since we saw the movie *Last Holiday* 😊. We stayed there for two nights.
It was a real treat, featuring a very nice room, a spa, massages, and dinner in the main dining hall.
Karlovy Vary is the Czech Republic's second most visited tourist city after Prague and is famous for its "healing" springs. A number of water sources with varying mineral content supply several public baths, and there are numerous fountains and taps where one can drink the natural mineral water—believed to prevent or even cure ailments. An open colonnade—a central landmark in the city—features water from more than ten different sources.
Karlovy Vary is named after Charles IV, the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia, who founded the city in the 14th century. Home to numerous hot springs, the city grew into a spa resort during the 19th century and became a popular destination for the European aristocracy and other celebrities.
The Karlovy Vary porcelain spa cup from the Czech Republic is a vintage piece that showcases the beauty of traditional Czech design.
And the city is beautiful 😍
"Becherovka" from Karlovy Vary, is currently the best-selling herbal bitter liqueur; it is then hardly surprising, that it is often referred to as Karlovy Vary’s "13th spring." Approximately 8 million liters of "Becherovka" are produced annually and exported to nearly 40 countries worldwide.
After a delicious breakfast, we checked out and drove to Prague. We parked the car and took the local *tramvaj* (tram) into the city center. We crossed the Charles Bridge (naturally 😏) and walked to the Old Town Square, home to the famous astronomical clock (*Pražský orloj*). The clock is over 600 years old; it was partially destroyed—including by the Germans during WWII—and has undergone countless restorations.
We then continued on to Mladá Boleslav, where we camped in a parking lot near the stadium/park; the next morning, Kai—in collaboration with former colleagues—had arranged a visit to the Škoda factory. It was a guided tour (with a private guide just for us) where we saw parts of the car manufacturing process and viewed the vintage sports cars (housed in a separate, locked area), before learning the history of Laurin & Klement/Škoda, from 1895 to the present day—starting with the first bicycle, moving on to motorcycles, and then the various models leading up to the current lineup. The guide was extremely knowledgeable, making the tour very interesting 😊.
We then drove towards Kutná Hora and the Sedlec Ossuary—"the bone church." It is a church where pyramids and even a chandelier have been "built" using the skeletal remains of between 40,000 and 70,000 people. In the 15th century, it was important to be buried near the church—specifically in a "hall"—but this space eventually filled up, and the skeletons had to be moved to the church's "crypt" (which had to be below ground level). It is unclear who started creating the bone sculptures, though legend suggests it might have been a blind monk... 🤷♀️.
This time, we spent the night at a private micro-farm in a small rural town named Hlinsko.
We had "planned" to drive to Żywiec in Poland, but what were we actually going to do there? Plans can change—and as sailors know, they change all the time 😊.
Instead, we drove to Vienna; it was overcast, cold, and drizzly there, so our city visit was brief. We just took a short walk from Karlsplatz to the pedestrian zone, stopped by a cool Australian pub 👍, and then headed back to the campsite for dinner.
Our next destination took us into Slovakia and through Bratislava. Right in the middle of the city, I (Monica) lost my internet connection, so we drove by "feel/intuition." We managed to head in the right direction, and eventually, we were able to use Kai’s phone and Google Maps to get back on track. It turned out my phone had overheated; it just needed to cool down a bit, and after toggling roaming off and on, the connection was back. We had picked Piešťany as our next stop—a campsite right by a reservoir. We stayed there for two nights and spent the day getting some physical activity: we cycled around the entire lake—14 km of walking and cycling paths—with a "pit stop" along the way 👍.
We were heading northeast, and Kai had found a spot near the Tatra Mountains with hot springs: Thermal Springs Kalameny. We drove there via small local roads; we had been avoiding highways everywhere, and the roads were generally good.
The water in the hot spring was 33 degrees—lovely, though I (Monica) felt it could have been a little warmer 😏. Many locals were using the site, and we were given permission to park there overnight.
We continued driving through the Tatra Mountains towards Lomnický Štít—the second-highest peak in the range at 2,634 meters above sea level. A gondola lift (which we wanted to take) runs up to the observatory there—a weather station that transmits data to the hydrometeorological institute every hour.
During the construction of the lift, porters had to climb up with the initial cable to begin the work—a single span of 900 meters 😮. The gondola lift was completed in 1940.
Porters still operate in the Slovak mountains today, carrying supplies—loads of 80–100 kg—on their backs to mountain huts accessible only on foot. "Rainerova Chata" is the oldest hut in the Tatras; it had fallen into ruin over 30 years ago but was restored by Peter, who carried everything up there himself! The final leg of the route covers 1.5 km.
We hiked to this hut—an 8.5 km round trip. It was a wonderful hike through beautiful scenery, with parts of the trail still covered in snow.
After the hike, we drove to Lomnický Štít, where we had planned to take the gondola to the summit; however, when we went to buy tickets, we discovered that at this time of year, it was only open on weekends 😢. We found a campsite that wasn't fully open for the season yet, but we were allowed to stay there for the night.
Kai did some checking and decided, "Let's take a drive through the mountains and into Poland" 😊.
The area of Poland we visited wasn't particularly interesting, so we headed back toward Slovakia. We drove toward Bardejov, a town with parts listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We took a short walk inside the town walls before driving on.
It turned out to be a day involving quite a bit of driving, but Kai found a wild camping spot just outside a small place called Kamenica—a location that hopefully offers good hiking opportunities. We’ll see tomorrow 😏🤷♀️.
Yes, Kai found a nice hike to a peak called Sokolova Skala 👍. The trail wound its way steeply up to the summit. A bit of a "Papaki-style hike" 😜.
At the top, there was a large rock—or section of the mountain—with a "window" in it.
On the way down, we met a very friendly guy named Kamil; we chatted with him, and he even stopped by our van on his way home.
Our next destination was Suchá Belá—a 3.7 km gorge with an elevation gain of 420 meters. We balanced on logs and rocks, waded through the stream (water levels were low), and navigated steps carved into the rock face, wooden ladders and bridges, and—not least—ladders climbing straight up steep cliff faces. It was an exciting, challenging, and fun experience—though it certainly left us tired! 😊
A campsite employee drove our bikes up to the end of the trail, so it was great to be able to ride or coast part of the way back down. We did have to walk a bit, though, because Kai chose the "wrong" cycling route for the descent; we really should have had mountain bikes rather than folding touring bikes. 👍😜
In Banská Štiavnica—Slovakia’s oldest mining town, where both gold and silver were once extracted—we took a short stroll through the streets and did a bit of shopping. The Old Castle dates back to the 14th century and was later converted into a fortress; it was subsequently invaded by the Turks.
After a long day’s drive, we arrived at Lake Balaton in Hungary. It is the largest lake in both Hungary and Central Europe, measuring 79 km in length and 12.7 km in width. It has an average depth of 3.52 meters, reaching a maximum depth of 12.5 meters.
We stayed there for two nights before moving on. We couldn't stay too long in any one place, of course, but we did manage to fit in a bike ride and some time soaking up the sun outside the car, complete with table and chairs 😜.
We had fixed plans for dates in Budapest, but since that was still a while off, we made a spur-of-the-moment decision to take a trip to Slovenia 😅. We had never been there before—nor had we "planned" to drive there—but plans are made to be changed.
Slovenia is a beautiful country and the cleanest one we’ve seen—there was absolutely no litter anywhere 😮. In the towns, the gardens are well-kept, and even the areas facing the road are beautifully maintained with flowers and shrubs 😍. A local told us there is a "competition" among neighbors to have the nicest garden, and children are taught about littering and the climate in school 👍.
Slovenia is a major producer of hops, particularly known for the Styrian Goldings variety, which is used by breweries all over the world.
We headed toward Bled, stopping in Kranj to buy some sanitation supplies for the car. From Kranj, we followed the GPS and drove—and drove, and drove—up and down, around bend after bend; it was even more intense than Trollstigen. After a while, I started to feel like it was taking a long time, and there were no signs pointing to Bled. Hmm... 🤔
I checked again, and—oh no! 😱—it turned out there were two places with the same address, and naturally, we had driven towards the wrong one; we were now just 50 km from Italy. 😳😩
The mood was a bit tense for a while, but then we headed in the right direction—more ups and downs and bend after bend... that added an extra 3–4 hours of driving. We didn't cook dinner that day; instead, we had a meal at a restaurant 👍.
In Bled, we had tickets for Vintgar Gorge, a river gorge where the walkway was completed back in 1893.
It wasn't as demanding as Suchá Belá, but it was very beautiful 😍.
There were walkways spanning a total of 1.6 km, followed by a lovely 4.5 km hike through the forest and along the valley side back to the visitor center, where we caught a shuttle bus to the parking lot. Lots of trout in the river 👍.
Before driving south towards Ljubljana, we took a trip to Lake Bled, a major tourist attraction. In the middle of the lake lies an island featuring a castle. The lake also serves as an international venue for rowing competitions.
Ljubljana—the City of Dragons—is a very beautiful city, featuring plenty of green spaces and a canal that winds through the Old Town. We had a lovely day, stopping at various restaurants and taking a boat trip along the canal. We struck up a conversation with a couple, Stella and Milan, at the restaurant and enjoyed a pleasant evening. We were invited to their home, and it ended up being a very late night 😏.
It was only a three-hour drive to Zagreb, Croatia, so that became our next destination the following morning.
We made only a brief stop in the city.
Near the parking area, we saw a large building under construction—a skyscraper? 🤔
This tall structure looked very out of place amidst the low, old buildings. As we walked on and rounded the next building, we saw that it was actually the cathedral undergoing renovation.
Construction of the cathedral began in 1102 and was completed in 1217; it has been undergoing restoration since 1987—an impressive undertaking that was damaged again by an earthquake in March 2020. One of its two spires collapsed. The cathedral had previously been rebuilt after collapsing in an earthquake in 1880.
After Zagreb, we drove on to Hungary and back to Lake Balaton. We stayed there for two days and went for a lovely (and quite strenuous) hike—including 430 steps—to the top of Badacsony Hill. The descent was tough too, but there was a "watering hole" at the end of the trail, followed by a nice restaurant offering great views of the vineyards and the lake. A glass of local white wine and warm bread with four different dips really hit the spot 👍.
In the evening, we ate at a very local restaurant—goulash soup and pork with potato pancakes.
Our next destination was Budapest, where we had booked a campsite for three nights. We had also booked a "beer spa" experience at the Lukács Baths. There, we sat in huge wooden tubs filled with wonderfully warm spring water infused with three ingredients used in beer—hops, bath salts, and spices—while enjoying unlimited beer and, of course, water... 😀.
Day two was dedicated to sightseeing in Budapest. We started by taking a chairlift up János Hill (Jánoshegy) and then continued on the *Gyermekvasút*—the Children’s Railway. The children were very diligent and focused in their work; at every station, they greeted one another—from the station master to the conductors.
The railway was built for propaganda purposes during the communist era. It played a significant educational role: preparing children for active, creative work by training them as new recruits for the national railway system.
Only the best children, aged 10 to 14, could participate in the training, and they had to pass rigorous exams before entering service.
While that specific role has largely disappeared today, the children still find it a unique experience.
So, what kind of work do the children do on this railway? They sell and validate tickets and distribute guidebooks about Budapest along with other essential information. Naturally, the work is always supervised by adults. Here, the children learn how to behave respectfully, handle money, and develop a sense of responsibility for others.
Along the banks of the Danube, in the heart of the city, stands a powerful and tragic Jewish memorial. It commemorates the Jews who were shot by the Nazis during World War II and thrown into the river 😢; however, before being shot, they were forced to remove their shoes—so the Nazis could sell them 😮😡.
The Dohány Street Synagogue is one of Budapest's most remarkable landmarks and the largest synagogue in Europe. Built in the mid-19th century, its striking Moorish-style architecture, rose windows, and twin towers make it stand out in the city's historic Jewish Quarter.
On April 29th, before our scheduled experience in Budapest—*The Swan Lake* at the State Opera—we enjoyed a lovely hike in the hills behind the campsite. We hiked and "scrambled" up an elevation gain of 300 meters to the summit (and then took the chairlift back down).
The Hungarian Royal Opera House in Budapest was built in 1875 and is world-renowned for its magnificent acoustics and the decorative work of artists from that era, such as Károly Lotz, Bertalan Székely, Mór Than, and Alajos Stróbl.
isn't the kind of cultural outing we usually go for, but this... wow—it defies description. And what a magnificent building! 🤩
After two and a half days in Budapest, we drove towards Hortobágy National Park—the largest protected area in Hungary and one of the most expansive plains in Europe.
These plains are home to a group known as the "csikós" (Hungary’s mounted herdsmen). They are traditional horse herders from the Puszta—the Great Hungarian Plain. Often considered Hungary’s answer to the American cowboy, their traditions date back to the Middle Ages and are deeply rooted in Hungarian pastoral culture.
The csikós are closely associated with Hortobágy National Park and the area surrounding Debrecen. They are responsible for raising, training, and tending to semi-wild horses—particularly the Hungarian Nonius breed, which is part of a national park breeding program aimed at genetic preservation. Although the tradition of large-scale horse herding has declined, csikós culture lives on through demonstrations and the preservation of traditional horse breeds within Hortobágy National Park.
We stayed overnight at Mátai Ménes, the largest farm in the area, home to over 250 horses.
The next day, we left Hungary and its terribly bumpy roads 😡 (where did the maintenance money go... easy quiz?), and drove excitedly into Romania.
It is quite "dangerous" to have preconceived notions about a country. I’m not entirely sure why, but I—Monica—had formed an image of the country as being in poor condition and rife with poverty 😢.
That turned out not to be the case; we were pleasantly surprised by the apparent "prosperity" of most people—with generally well-maintained houses and gardens—and, not least, the quality of the roads 👍, which were a godsend after the poor roads in Hungary.
We covered a long distance that day and camped in a backyard in Deta; there weren't many amenities, but there was a shower and a flush toilet 😊, and we had the place entirely to ourselves 😀.
Our next leg involved driving toward Serbia, but staying on the Romanian side and following the Danube.
The Djerdap Gorge, home to the Iron Gates, is a dramatic 100-kilometer-long canyon where the Danube cuts through the mountains between Serbia and Romania.
The area is characterized by steep mountain walls rising up to 300 meters above the water. It is also known for its rich history, offering a chance to experience both Roman ruins and beautiful scenery—including the gigantic rock relief of the Dacian king Decebalus (Rex Daciae) near Dubova. Dacia corresponds to modern-day Romania; the Dacians fought against the Roman Empire and held them at bay.
Băile Herculane – Almost every country has its own unique bathing culture, but nowhere in Southeast Europe is it more prominent; this is Romania’s answer to Budapest.
Legend has it that the mythological god Hercules rested in this valley and bathed in the thermal waters, giving the town its name. Fact or fiction, it is historically documented that Băile Herculane was a favorite bathing spot for Roman emperors and, later, the Austrian Empress Elisabeth ("Sissi") and Emperor Franz Joseph.
The Romans established the town of Ad Aquas Herculis. Excavated stone carvings reveal that visiting Roman aristocrats transformed the town into a Roman leisure center. Six statues of Hercules dating from that era have been discovered. A bronze replica of one of them, cast in 1874, stands as a landmark in the town center.
Our next destination was Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle), but it was a bit of a drive, so we made a stop along the way. Kai had found the only campsite within a 3–4 hour driving radius, and if we hadn't experienced the middle of nowhere before, this certainly was it. The route started on a local paved road, turned into gravel, and eventually became a muddy track leading to a small fishing lake with a few cabins.
There was just one employee, his dogs, and us 😳. There were toilets and showers, sure, but the building had mesh screening on the ceiling that was absolutely covered in insects... yikes! 🥺
The night passed without incident—no unwanted visitors 🤪—and we drove on toward Bran Castle the next morning.
Transylvania, known as "the land beyond the forest," is a historical region in central Romania, surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains. We drove along winding roads, up and down, crossing several mountain passes—the highest reaching over 1,250 meters.
Transylvania is inextricably linked to many terrifying legends—none more infamous than the one depicted by Irish author Bram Stoker in 1887: the legend of Count Dracula (Vlad Țepeș). "Dracula" means "son of the devil."
Bran Castle—"Dracula’s Castle"—is a 650-year-old fortress that also boasts a more pleasant history: the story of "the most beautiful queen of Romania," Queen Marie of Romania—Her Royal Highness Marie Alexandra Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Princess of Great Britain and Ireland. She never actually lived there, but she would visit Bran Castle for a few weeks in the summer to unwind.
Incidentally, the castle is very beautiful inside, featuring many magnificent rooms spread across several floors—well worth a visit!
We also visited Brașov, where we got to taste Dracula beer after a brief sightseeing tour.
Our next overnight stop was at Alpin Ranch Guesthouse and Camping in Zărnești.
The owners—Constantin and his wife—were absolutely wonderful. They served coffee and croissants in the morning, drove us to the Bear Sanctuary, and afterwards took us up to their "cabin," which was actually a guesthouse still under construction. There, they prepared and served a hot lunch for us and three other couples: one Italian, one German, and Fiona and Dave from England.
They charged only 15 euros per person for this, in addition to the cost of accommodation 😊.
Before lunch, we went for a walk to see one of the filming locations for the movie *Cold Mountain*, starring Nicole Kidman. Constantin, the campsite owner, had apparently even lent a horse for the shoot 👍.
The Bear Sanctuary is home to 130 bears now living in freedom after years of captivity—whether in circuses or as exhibit animals.
Some of the bears ended up there because they became a "danger" to humans after being fed "for fun," leading them to venture too close to human settlements. Wild animals and humans do not mix. Many tragic stories, but also some bright spots for the animals now in "freedom."
We "adopted" the bear Timka for a year 😊.
We stopped in Bucharest to get two new tires for the car before driving to the far north of Romania—towards the Ukrainian border. At the closest point, only the Danube separated us from Ukraine.
We found an unfinished campsite where the owner, Sorin, let us park in his garden. He came over and gave us two goose eggs, six regular eggs, and a bottle of fresh goat's milk 😊. Like many others we met, he had been to Norway and had even worked at a shipyard in Ålesund; the company also has a shipyard in Tulcea. The next day, we were given a bunch of spring onions, too.
It’s great meeting local people like that 😊.
He also arranged a boat trip for us in the Danube Delta. It was a special experience—fun to see so many different birds, such as herons, lots of pelicans, and even several white-tailed eagles—but the lunch we were served wasn't particularly good 😏. The soup was okay, but the fish in it was almost inedible 😕; however, the "doughnuts" for dessert were delicious 😋.
The Danube Delta (Romanian: *Delta Dunării*) is the Danube's estuary area on the Black Sea, covering approximately 4,178 km² of Romanian and Ukrainian territory. The delta has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1991 and is considered the best-preserved delta in Europe.
The Danube Delta is first mentioned in written sources by Herodotus, who describes the moment the Persian fleet entered the delta after having been stationed at Istros (Histria) by the Sinoie Lagoon from 515 to 513 BC. Herodotus explains that the Danube was divided into five river branches before flowing into the Black Sea.
All in all, it was a great trip—in total 200 km from Tulcea to the Black Sea and back again 👍.
We drove on to Eforie and checked into a hotel (it didn't cost much more than a campsite 😏) and enjoyed the spa and massages at a fraction of the price found elsewhere—two 50-minute massages for 1,000 NOK (approx. 100 $ )👍.
Our next stop was Bulgaria, specifically Nessebar. The town is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and is over 3,000 years old. It was originally a Thracian settlement called Mesembria.
We left Bulgaria and drove into Turkey—country number 13 so far. It was a long and drawn-out process - exiting the EU, followed by thorough checks of passports, vehicle insurance documents, and the car and luggage. Everything was in order, and we were able to continue our journey on good roads 👍.
We stayed overnight at a so-called campsite and were almost certainly overcharged—we weren't quite in "Turkey mode" yet 😏.
Our next destination was Gelibolu, on the European side. We rented a car there, and the following morning, we drove across the world's longest suspension bridge, which features a main span of 2,023 meters. Our goal was the ancient city of Troy—a place that had been on Kai’s bucket list for many years.
Troy was the site of perhaps the world's most famous war, around 1250 BC, pitting Agamemnon (a Greek) against Priam (the King of Troy).
Paris (Priam’s son) lured Helen—the wife of Agamemnon’s brother—away to Troy. The war lasted for years and involved Achilles, Odysseus, and other great Greek warriors and kings. The Greeks emerged victorious after tricking Priam’s warriors into bringing a massive wooden horse—filled with elite Greek soldiers—into the citadel: the "Trojan Horse."
Recent archaeological findings align well with Homer’s accounts of the war and Troy.
Istanbul was the next stop. It was clearly a major city—there was so much traffic on the roads in and out, even though we were only heading to the outskirts.
The next morning—May 17th—was time for some city sightseeing.
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the "Blue Mosque"), Hagia Sophia (museum/church), the Galata Tower, plus plenty of walking around the narrow streets 👍.
In the evening, we went on a Bosphorus evening cruise, which included a three-course dinner and a local folk dance show. It wasn't easy to see much on shore, but it was a lovely way to wrap up our visit to Istanbul.
On May 18th, we headed west and into Greece. If we thought getting through passport control and checking into Turkey was a hassle, it was nothing compared to entering Greece. It took us two hours!!! to get in, but we finally made it 👍😊.
We spent the first night camping by a beach bar; the owner said it was fine for now, though we would have been fined once the season officially started.
Dennis arrived on May 21st for a long weekend, so we had scouted out a parking spot in the city beforehand and decided it would work. We picked him up at the airport and drove into the city center for some sightseeing and dinner. The parking spot worked "okay" the first night—it was hot and noisy, but we did manage to get some sleep 👍.
Later, we found a nice campsite south of Thessaloniki, right by "the first finger." We stayed there for two nights. We played games on the beach, and Kai went for a swim (his first of the trip).
Dennis and I (Monica) thought it was too cold 😜.
It was really lovely having a visitor 😍.
After driving Dennis to the airport, we continued west towards Pella. Here was the birthplace of Alexander the Great, another one on Kai's "bucket list" - check ✅.
Afterwards we drove towards Ioannina and camped in a spot outside a school, by the football field. We were treated to a fantastic sunset there.
This was another spot recommended by people via the Park4night app. It’s a really handy app that has been a huge help to us.
Along the way, we discovered that Vikos Gorge was a "must-see"—it is considered one of the world's notable natural attractions and a significant landmark in Greece. With a length of over 10 km, a depth of over 900 m, and a width ranging from 100 to 1,100 m, it has earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for its depth-to-width ratio.
It boasts rich biodiversity, featuring more than 1,700 plant species and subspecies, over 24 types of mammals, more than 50 varieties of trees and shrubs, and 186 different bird species.
We hiked down to the river; the path was very narrow in places, but the experience was amazing 🤩. The hike back up was strenuous, but we didn't hold up the "queue" 😜.
We wanted to visit Nafplio again. It was a bit of a long drive, so we stopped at Nostros Beach Bar (on the opposite side of Patra). It was a pleasant, affordable campsite with good food and drinks, so we stayed for two nights. We spent the day at the beach and did some swimming, too 😊.
While on the beach, we suddenly heard a man shouting that something had bitten him; he showed us a reddish mark on his lower leg. We smiled a little about it but didn't give it another thought. Later, while we were swimming, Kai suddenly shouted, "Ouch, a fish bit me!" 😮. He had a scab on his knee, and the fish bit it off, causing it to bleed.
After Googling it, he discovered that there are fish that bite if you have cuts and/or warts. These fish originate from the Indian Ocean and have invaded the Mediterranean in recent years.
The next morning, we drove towards Nafplio but stopped along the way at Mycenae—"King Agamemnon's palace." We had visited before, in 2019, as it had long been on Kai’s bucket list.
Nafplio is Greece’s first capital—and is said to be the country’s most beautiful city (we agree), even in daylight; we were here back in 2019, though that time it was in the evening 🤩.
We decided we wanted to visit Aegina again—it was from here that we had started our long-distance sailing voyage in 2021, after having already sailed in Greek waters in 2019—so we headed toward Poros.
After an evening on Poros, we took the ferry to Aegina.
It was nice and a bit "home" 😜 to drive ashore on Aegina (we "lived" in the boat on land for 1 month here in 2021).
The first thing we did was check if "the old man" (Nektarios Fournarakos) was still at the shop, but unfortunately, the shop was closed and he had retired. We then drove out to Kanonis Boatyard, where Jordan was surprised and happy to see us. We promised to come back the next day to say hello to Anthony.
We spent the night in a free parking area near the beach and the town of Aegina.
The next day, we stopped by Kanonis to greet a few more people, parked at the adjacent beach for a swim, used the showers at Kanonis, and enjoyed a lovely, relaxing day in the sun.
The next morning we took the ferry to Pireaus and drove northwest again. We stayed overnight at a couple of campsites en route to the ferry we were going to take from Patra to Kefalonia.
Before we took the ferry to Kefalonia, we took a trip to Ancient Olympia in the Peloponnese and saw, among other things, the Temple of Zeus where the statue of Zeus (now destroyed, but said to have been one of the 7 wonders of the world), the building where the statue was made and the temple where the Olympic flame is lit. To this day, the Olympic flame is lit here in a special ceremony before it "travels" around the world, eventually igniting the flame at the Olympic Games. We saw the original Olympic stadium; the first games were held here around 700 BC, and they took place every four years (as they do now) until AD 393, when the Romans banned the games.
Kefalonia is a lovely island, and from there we could visit Ithaca. We found a nice campsite right by the beach and stayed for three nights.
From there, it was a short round-trip ferry ride to Ithaca.
On Ithaca, we rented a scooter and first rode to the Palace of Odysseus (another one of Kai’s "must-sees") before driving along pretty much all the back roads; it is a beautiful, well-preserved island with no mega-hotels—just traditional houses. 😊
We’ve now ticked off "all" the must-visit spots on Kai's Homer’s list of key locations—a "journey of cultural discovery," as Daniel called it 😂.
- Delphi, home of the Oracle Pythia (2005)
- Sparta—home of the greatest warriors and Olympians (2019)
- Mycenae, where Agamemnon planned the war against Troy (2019 & 2026)
- Ancient Troy, where Priam reigned and lost the war—a conflict sparked when Paris stole Helen from Agamemnon’s brother, Menelaus, during the wedding feast (the goddess Athena had made Paris irresistible to Helen)
- Ithaca, home to Odysseus’s palace and the place where Penelope held down the fort for 10 years
- Ancient Olympia in the Peloponnese, where the first Olympic Games were held around 700 BC
- The birthplace of Alexander the Great in Macedonia (Greece)
- Passing Mount Olympus, the legendary home of Zeus and other gods
We’re still missing the sites from Odysseus’s journey, but perhaps another time 😊.
After taking the ferry from Kefalonia to Astakos, we drove along the west coast—up and down, curve after curve 🤪—to Parga. Campsites in Greece have been "cheap" compared to Eastern Europe. This one in Parga—right by the beach and within walking distance of the town’s bars and restaurants—cost just 23 euros 👍.
Next stop – Albania (country no. 15 – having visited Hungary twice).
After crossing the border, we drove along the coast and had to take a cable ferry—a 50-meter crossing 😜—across the inlet of a lake to... wait, wait... Kai had found an ancient Greco-Roman city here too 👍😂: "The Ancient City of Butrint."
We continued towards Durres, the port city, but stopped in Vlorë, at a beach bar-restaurant where parking was free. We stayed there for two nights. It was lovely to have a day at the beach and swim, but then it was time to head towards Durres and catch the ferry to Italy.
We had so much time that we took a trip inland towards Berat. Berat is one of Albania’s oldest cities, dating back to around 600 BC. The old town "climbed" up the mountainside and it was so nice here that we postponed the ferry trip to Italy by 1 day.
The ferry from Durrës, Albania, to Bari, Italy, sailed overnight, so we had a cabin.
Arriving in Italy by ferry was the easiest border crossing from a non-EU country to an EU country—we were among the first cars to drive off the ferry, and after a simple passport check, that was it 👍.
A Cuban-American we met in Romania had recommended visiting Alberobello, so that was our first destination.
"The Trulli of Alberobello"—the *trulli* (limestone dwellings) found in the southern region of Puglia are remarkable examples of dry-stone construction (built without mortar), a prehistoric building technique still in use in the region. The *trulli* are made from roughly worked limestone blocks gathered from nearby fields. They are characterized by pyramidal, domed, or conical roofs constructed from corbelled limestone slabs.
After wandering around Alberobello, we drove over to the west coast and found a campsite where we stayed for two nights. Not all sites are particularly "luxurious," but we tried to secure the essentials: toilets, a shower (if available), and a place to empty the vehicle's chemical toilet. We had food in the van 👍. This site had all of that, plus it was located right by the beach, so we managed to go for a swim as well.
We then drove to Pompeii and walked through the "city." The city dates back to 900 BC, and it is incredible to see what has been excavated following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
Pompeii was not struck by lava but was buried under six meters of ashfall caused by a pyroclastic flow from the volcano. This meant the city was not destroyed but preserved as a unique testament to life in the Roman Empire, alongside the neighboring towns of Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata. In 1997, these three archaeological sites were designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The eruption resulted in the burial and destruction of the two Roman cities, Pompeii and Herculaneum.
The eruption spewed a cloud of stones, ash, and smoke to a height of 33 km and ejected molten rock and pulverized pumice at a rate of 1.5 million tons per second—ultimately releasing one hundred thousand times more thermal energy than the bombing of Hiroshima.
It is estimated that around 16,000 people died due to hydrothermal and pyroclastic flows.
We then drove north past Rome (having visited before) and found a camper site with a "cool reception/bar"—not much else, but it did have toilets and showers.
Continuing north, Kai found a farm in Tuscany offering free parking in exchange for a purchase from the farm shop (cheese, wine, and olive oil), though there were no other "facilities."
After all, we couldn't visit Tuscany without stopping at a vineyard 😊.
It was a relatively "small" farm, but it had a couple of apartments for rent. The owners were Danish (though not present), and since there were no other guests, the manager allowed us to park there overnight.
The vineyard was small compared to others in the Chianti Classico region, so they focused on quality rather than quantity.
They had approximately 170 acres with 55,000 vines of various grape varieties, which were harvested at different times of the year. The grapevines had to be pruned twice a year—an extra time because they would start to bloom before the last spring frost. Only three people handled this task, in addition to the harvest in September and October. Everything was done by hand! 😮 They produced 25,000–30,000 bottles a year.
We were given a private tour and wine tasting, complete with excellent, informative details about the various wines.
Naturally, we ended up buying some of the wines we tasted 😜.
The estate was 300 years old, and its original owners were the Strozzi family—a prominent and extremely wealthy banking family from Florence. Their conflict with the Medici spanned several decades. After the Medici gained full control of the Republic, the Strozzi family was politically marginalized and driven into exile, though they continued to fight against Medici rule from the outside.
Florence is a city I, Monica, have visited before, but Kai hadn't, so it was our next stop. We found a spot for our camper just outside the city center and walked into town. Even on a Monday morning, it was crowded. We wandered around, seeing many narrow streets and, of course, the Ponte Vecchio.
The Medici family had their own private bridge built above the main one, so they didn't have to mingle with commoners when traveling between their palaces on opposite sides of the river 😏. They also decreed that only high-end jewelry shops could operate on the bridge, sparing them from breathing in any unpleasant odors 🤷♀️.
After walking over 20,000 steps in 30-degree heat, we decided we’d seen enough and drove on toward Pisa.
We managed to tick the Leaning Tower of Pisa off our list, and we also caught the annual "Luminara" festival, held every June 16th.
Each year, over 70,000 candles are lit—with all other lights extinguished—on the buildings along the Arno River, which flows through the city. It was a huge public celebration, culminating in a fireworks display.
It was starting to get very hot—between 28 and 35 degrees Celsius during the day—so we didn't have the energy to do much.
We drove further north, passing through small villages in the Piedmont region.
Everything moved in slow motion; it was too hot for any real activity. Kai went for a bike ride but said it was far too hot.
After driving through the Monferrato area, we stopped at a large outlet mall called Vicolungo.
We had quite a unique experience there: we had parked a bit away from the other cars so as not to be in the way, but the police pulled up alongside us and told us we shouldn't park a campervan there. They said it was too vulnerable to break-ins and theft, so they actually escorted us 😮 to another spot that was more open and had many more cars and security cameras. What a service - thumbs up for Italian local police 👍.
We then drove to Lake Maggiore, a large lake north of Milan. We stayed there for two nights, but since it had become so hot—and the forecast predicted even higher temperatures—we decided to head up into the mountains. The Dolomites were our next destination.
The Dolomites were simply amazing 🤩—what a landscape, and the temperature was pleasant; actually a bit "cold" at night 😜. We stayed at a campsite in Canazei (1,460 meters above sea level) for just under a week, all while reading about the heatwaves further south and west 😢.
The mountains here were majestic, and we enjoyed some fantastic hikes. On the first day, we took a gondola up to 2,380 meters and hiked a total of 9 km in beautiful weather.
The next day, we cycled to the next village, hiked up an elevation gain of about 450 meters, and continued into a valley—covering 8 km that day. We then took a rest day (though Kai went for a bike ride), before taking a gondola up to 1,980 meters above sea level and hiking up an elevation gain of 360 meters. We then took another gondola up to 2,950 meters, where we enjoyed an incredible view of the mountains and went for a walk before taking the gondola down; we covered some more distance on foot before taking the gondola back down to the town—we ended up walking 7.5 km that day as well.
Kai wanted to rent an e-bike for another ride, while I (Monica) was happy to just relax and read that day. The ride didn't last long in terms of time, as the weather turned with rain, lightning, and thunder; after two hours—with lightning striking right near the mountain peak—he returned to the car.
We then left the Dolomites and drove through Val Gardena on our way to Bolzano.
The Autonomous Province of Bolzano-South Tyrol is Italy's northernmost and largest province, forming part of the Alpine region of Tyrol. It was established in 1948. Bolzano (Bozen in German) is the provincial capital, and German is the primary language spoken there.
We had scheduled a service for our car in Bolzano, so we booked a campsite for two nights. While the car was being serviced, we wandered around Bolzano’s old town—visiting a museum and doing some shopping.
At the archaeological museum, we saw an exhibit on "Ötzi the Iceman." His well-preserved, mummified body was discovered in the Dolomites in 1991; subsequent examinations revealed it to be 3,200–3,500 years old (dating back to the Bronze Age).
The next destination was the South of France, but with a stop along the way.
We drove through the South of France quite quickly, stopping for one night in the Avignon area before driving towards Andorra. It turned out to be too long a drive, so we ended up with one more stop.
On the way to Andorra, we were back in the mountains—this time the Pyrenees. Mountain scenery is beautiful 🤩; I think we’re happiest where there are mountains and, ideally, a bit of warmth too 😊🤷♀️.
Andorra was a lovely place, though I (Monica) was a bit unsure about it at first—until we "found" the old town. We only stayed overnight, but on the way back to France, we saw how lovely Andorra is; once you get out of the capital, there are charming small towns with great ski resorts. Andorra is a nice country 👍😊.
Then it was back to France—we certainly weren't finished there yet 😊.
We headed east again, this time towards the Gorges du Tarn. We booked a campsite for two nights and decided to try canoeing on the river—an 8 km trip in a two-seater canoe.
It got off to an interesting start, though: after just 15 meters, we hit the first set of rapids and ended up standing across 😂. We managed to break free without capsizing completely, although Kai had to get into the water to push us around (luckily, it was shallow there).
After that, the rest of the trip went smoothly, navigating both calm stretches and areas with a stronger current—a nice and fun experience 👍.
It had become very hot (40 degrees C - 104 F, on July 7th), and heatwaves were forecast for France—indeed, for all of Central and Southern Europe—so we considered heading north; we still had several days of driving ahead of us to reach Norway.
We first took a trip all the way west to the Dune du Pilat, an area featuring sand dunes tens of meters high. It was fun, but the sand was very warm (on bare feet) 😜.
It had become too hot, so we drove north. We spent two nights in France before driving to Luxembourg. We considered seeing the city, but with the high temperatures it was too hot to walk around, so we continued into Belgium. There, we found a campsite with a café showing the quarter-final match between Belgium and Spain; however, we guessed the outcome, so we left before the end.
We continued north, and our next overnight stop was in Bremen. The campsite manager there put Kai in charge of setting up the projector to show the Norway vs. England quarter-final (we had, of course, watched all of Norway’s matches—on a tablet—up to that point).
We lost the match, but the guys had really been playing well in the World Championship👍😍.
We made good time heading north, and our next stop was a campsite on Funen in Denmark, near the Little Belt Bridge.
We spent our final night in Hirtshals before taking the ferry to Larvik and driving home to Tønsberg.
We’ve had a fantastic three-and-a-half-month trip—visiting 21 countries, driving over 18,000 km, and seeing and experiencing so much.
That’s all for now 😊, and thank you for taking the time to read about our trip ❤️.
Kai Robert og Monica
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