Independent travel around the world. How to travel cheap on your own, tips for beginners and more

How to decide on your first independent trip abroad. Which country to choose in order not to experience problems, have fun and save money. Which countries are the easiest to travel to on your own, if this is your first time.

You are still studying travel agency ads and listen to the manager's revelations on the phone about paradise vacation in Egypt and luxury beaches of Pattaya... You may be ready to switch hotel reservations. Sharm El Sheikh and Antalya to the vastness of the central Turkey; and also, not the most best coast Pattaya with a walk along the evening Beach Road in the company of drunken compatriots to the deserted white beaches of small islands and the atmosphere of the northern provinces of Thailand. I don't know the language! I do not know how to drive! I'm afraid of the unknown in a foreign country! I'm afraid to run out of money! Where to start, in the end, which country should you go to for the first time in the absence of experience of independent travel. Approximately such questions are asked by novice travelers, who are increasingly thinking about cheating on a tour operator and independent organization trips abroad. It is no secret that often, together with a tour package, they have to look at the local garbage dump under the window and fall asleep not to the sound of the evening surf of the waves, but to the sounds of a bulldozer under their window, accompanied by the juicy expressions of local builders.

I analyzed about 50 countries, which I could recommend to go to those who want organize the trip yourself - from the moment of buying a ticket and booking accommodation to drawing up a route... I took 7 main criteria to make it clearer why these countries actually are. I am closer to a 5-point assessment scale, so I will evaluate the criteria according to it. Then, by adding up the scores mathematically, I selected countries. I want to give the result of my research below.

One more point. Why exactly 5 countries? And not, let's say 7 or 10. Because after visiting these five countries, you will practically not care where to go next. You will only be faced with the question of choosing a direction.

So, the criteria by which I studied the possibility of an independent trip by a novice traveler. The order in which these criteria are laid out is random without any hidden meaning.

Visa regime
Language and friendliness of the inhabitants.
Transport accessibility and ease of movement within the country.
Interesting country for tourism in general.
Price level.
Security.
Infrastructure and service

Many, seemingly easy for a country to visit, were not included here according to the same criteria.

Turkey

Turkey visa-free country for Ukrainians and Russians, so welcome ( 5 points)
here they know English and Russian, though only in tourist places, but for the first time this is enough; ignorance of foreign languages in the Turkish hinterland is compensated by the friendliness of local residents and sign language - it helps ( 5 points)
high-quality roads and a developed bus network, airports in key tourist points, proximity to Ukraine, Russia, Belarus (5 points)
tourism is a strong point of Turkey and it is hardly necessary to convince anyone of this (5 points)
Turkish prices do not impress with their low level, but they also do not make you think about the insignificance of your income (4 points)
in Turkey it is dangerous, probably only for long-legged blondes, who, moreover, diligently show their other advantages to local hot guys; everyone else has nothing to worry about ( 4 points)
tourist infrastructure and service are almost European and much higher than in South-East Asia; (5 points)

Total points - 33

How to find budget accommodation in Istanbul

Thailand

visa upon arrival ( 5 points)
v Thailand everywhere they understand basic school English and are fluent in sign language - ( 4 points), since many of them studied French or German at school ...
the organization of internal travel in Thailand is a dream of any traveler. Anywhere in the country can be reached by plane, bus, train, car or water. In addition, all this is fabulously cheap, and information about the traffic pattern is full on specialized forums or on the network. The only "but" - far from our land. That's why - ( 4 points)
I personally don't know a more interesting country for tourism than Thailand, who knows - please share. Beaches, history, exoticism, local cuisine ... ( 5 points)
ailand still a very low prices for everything: transport, housing, food and services; a small problem for motorists - left-hand traffic, which you get used to in half an hour, the way to Thailand is also long, so - ( 4 points)
v Thailand there is a specially created tourist police, so if you behave decently - there will be no problems, even in the case of indecent behavior - the likelihood of problems is equal to the likelihood of snow falling in the Sahara ( 5 points)
here everything is the best - for tourists, the service in general will probably have a lot of problems for snobs and those who are used to Arab luxury, but in general, for a solid four - 4 points.

Total points - 31

How to find budget accommodation in Thailand

Cyprus

Ukrainians, Baltic states, Israelis do not need a visa, the rest easily get an e-visa visa upon arrival (5 points)
100% of residents know English, almost everywhere there is Russian-speaking staff (5 points)
It is very easy to get to the island itself - there are a lot of flights from the western and of Eastern Europe as well as from the Middle East. It is even easier to rent a car; without it, your trip around Cyprus will be incomplete. However, buses also run to the main attractions and there is always an opportunity to buy a tour (5 points)
local attractions are evenly distributed throughout the island, but the main thing in Cyprus is the beaches and weather, 300 sunny days a year and hundreds of kilometers of beaches around the perimeter. (5 points)
prices are slightly higher than in Turkey, but lower than in Greece, for example. (4 points)
Cyprus is an absolutely safe island, unless of course you leave your wallet on a towel when you go swimming. But even in this case, there is a high probability that the wallet will remain in its place (checked personally) (5 points)
excellent infrastructure, good service which is an order of magnitude higher than its value (5 points)

Total points - 34

Hotels and apartments in Cyprus I search through the Booking.com search engine, the service compares the prices of dozens of booking systems - we just have to choose Best offer... In each article or report, I provide links to hotels in which I stayed and which I liked.

How to buy a low cost flight to Cyprus

I look for air travel and buy on aviasales... The service chooses the most advantageous offers - we just have to choose the best for the price, departure time or airline.

Croatia

visa-free country for citizens of Ukraine, Georgia, the Baltic countries, the rest need a Schengen visa - (4 points)
English here is no better than most Russians or Ukrainians, the common language saves the situation - even a traffic cop can learn a dozen of the necessary phrases. (4 points)
the country is located along the sea, which is considered one of the cleanest in the world, mountains, lakes and a number of ancient monuments. (5 points)
Croatian autobahns are one of the best in Europe and there is nothing to do here without a car, although the bus network is decent ( 4 points)
prices are quite high compared to neighboring Montenegro (3 points)
v Croatia absolutely safe (5 points)
for Hiltons and other hotel pleasures, you probably shouldn't go here (with the exception of Dubrovnik), everything else is for a solid four (4 points)

Total points - 29

How to find budget accommodation in Croatia

B budget accommodation or hotels in Split , from aviasales- an aggregator, which I use myself. The service chooses the best deals - all you have to do is choose the best one for the price, departure time or airline.

Then this material is for you! Rather, study our advice and become a free artist ... or rather a traveler, however, it's about the same thing!

1. Start simple

You can start your journey from the neighboring lands.

Try planning at least one trip yourself to make sure it's not scary. You can start with a simple one: native Russian penates, the near abroad (the Baltic states or the CIS countries) or some country already familiar from the package tour. But with little-known and exotic destinations, it is better for beginners not to get involved. By the way, for those who have not yet decided on an idea for their trip, we recommend using our new useful service.

2. Find yourself an "accomplice"

Traveling with a friend is more fun than going alone

Getting into an adventure, which is the first self-travel, is much easier and more fun in the company of like-minded people. Pick up a reliable and interesting companion who will not get lost in a difficult situation and will not let you get bored, sharing the joy of new experiences. The main thing is not to overdo it with the number of fellow travelers: the more people there are, the more difficult it is to organize them. Ideally, step into new world it is better with experienced people, but this is by no means necessary.

3. Understand your finances

You need to be able to control your expenses during the trip

First of all, get yourself by credit card for buying air tickets and booking accommodation via the Internet. In order to avoid unnecessary currency conversions, we advise you to issue a ruble card. And when traveling, it is better to pay with cash, bought in advance at a favorable rate. For maximum protection of financial Internet transactions, you can issue a special virtual card... These are often offered by ordinary banks or, for example, you can get a card from Yandex Money.

In addition, to control and organize your travel expenses (not only by card, but also in cash), we advise you to keep a travel budget. It can be either a regular notebook or a spreadsheet in Excel, or a special mobile application like Coinkeeper.

4. Prepare your passport

Don't forget about your visa!

Find out about the requirements for a passport (validity period, number of blank pages) and the need for a visa to travel to the country where you are going. By the way, ours will be a good help in this.

For travel to most countries of the world, you can apply for a visa yourself and it is not difficult at all. You just need to carefully study the list required documents, and in some cases, we also recommend reading the advice of experienced travelers on the Internet.

5. Catch cheap flights

Every traveler should know how to properly save on air tickets

One of the main items of travel expenses is air tickets, so saving on them is the sacred duty of every self-traveler. Here are the main rules to help you find the best airfares:

buy tickets in advance, especially for travel to high season(summer in Europe, winter in Asia, and New Year and the May holidays); We recommend booking flights on average.
consider flight options with a connection, often it is cheaper than direct flights;
be flexible in the choice of dates, often tickets for neighboring days can cost significantly less;
and it is even better to be flexible in the choice of countries and, having a list of desired destinations, buy tickets to where there are the most profitable options;
subscribe to the newsletter of sites for the search for flights and airlines, as well as monitor forums and groups about travel in social networks, to always be aware of promotions and sales.

Explore all modes of travel to your checkpoint

The alternative to the plane is often a train or bus. And if the trip is at night, you can save on the hotel, because you do not have to pay for the previous night. Bus and railway companies, as well as air carriers, are constantly organizing promotions and discounts. In the USA and Europe, for example, there is the possibility of moving between cities for as little as $ 1. A ticket for such a price, of course, needs to be booked as early as possible, but, on the other hand, such money is not scary to risk.

8. Take care of your health and safety

Travel insurance is required

The biggest mistake of self-travelers is the lack of a special one that will save you, if not your life, then your wallet for sure. For a regular trip, a standard medical policy is enough, and if you are going to play sports on a trip ( skiing, bike, surfing, etc.), be sure to take out an extended insurance option.

In case of other force majeure situations, we advise you to write down the contacts of the Russian Embassy in the country of destination and emergency phone numbers, although this is usually needed more for your own peace of mind.

9. Prepare Technically

In the 21st century, technical equipment can greatly simplify the life of a traveler. We advise you to install a mobile application with offline maps of the required cities in advance, and get a SIM card on the spot to access the Internet, if necessary. City guides, such as our app, will also be very useful.

10. Find out everything about the country of destination

Drawing up a cultural program is a responsible occupation

An important stage in preparation for independent trip is the compilation of a cultural (or not so) program. Here are the main things we recommend:

Find out about local attractions and make an approximate route along them, but do not be afraid to improvise already on the spot;
Look for free excursions and other tourist attractions marked "free", for which we recommend using our selection of freebies in different cities;
Study the local system in advance public transport and the names of the ticket types in the original language;
Read about national cuisine and write down the names of the main dishes so that you can try everything and at the same time be able to eat not only in expensive tourist restaurants with a menu on English language.

11. Prepare to meet the local people

As a rule, you can find out many interesting and useful things from local residents.

You will be surprised, but the locals are also an attraction that can tell about their country no worse than the Colosseum and Eiffel tower... For minimal communication with foreigners, it is advisable to remember the school English course or at least install a translator application on your phone. It will be useful to familiarize yourself in advance with local peculiarities, such as mentality and the rules of decency, as well as find out about the dangers that may await in a new country.

If your level of courage and foreign language allows you to get to know the locals better, try to do this in advance via the Internet, for example, on the website of the Co uchsurfing hospitality club. So you can get an individual guide for free and make yourself a real immersion in the culture of the country. By the way, a foreign language is an optional condition for such an acquaintance, because “our people” live all over the world!

12. Start early

Do everything well in advance!

You need to start preparing independent travels in advance in order to have time to work out all the details. In addition, we would like to remind that buying tickets in advance and booking accommodation often save a lot of money, time and nerves.

And most importantly - have fun with the process of creating your own trip, otherwise nothing good will come of it!

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Experienced travelers are convinced that they don't need a lot of money to travel. The desire to wander and the ability to seek information is enough.

site summarized tips from travel bloggers that will allow you to see the world at a minimum cost. At the end of the article, you will find a bonus in the form useful information for every tourist. And may you have more travel in the near future!

11. Travel on your own

Traveling on your own, and not through travel agencies, is both more profitable and more interesting. Yes, you will be responsible for any problems. But travel agencies do not decide much in such cases, preferring to blame the airline, force majeure circumstances, the host party, and the like.

On your own you will be able to plot the "that" dream route, choose a cheap flight option, book the best-priced hotel with a convenient localization for you, choose a transfer.

The sooner you start planning your trip, the cheaper it will be. This applies to air travel, train tickets, booking hotels, buying tickets for various events, concerts and festivals. In European countries, train tickets are sold several months before departure. In the first days of sales, it is quite possible to buy a ticket 2-3 times lower than standard fares.

Buying tickets for entertainment, concerts and festivals online in advance is a surefire way to save an average of 10% of the cost and avoid queues.

9. Save on travel costs

The cost of moving from point "A" to point "B" is one of the main items of travel expenses. On the site vandrouki.by you can find information about promotions and discounts on air travel, rail and bus transfers, accommodation and car rental. The site does not provide any travel services, but simply provides information about discounts and promotions with links to primary sources. Having chosen a suitable offer, you go to the company's website and book accommodation or buy tickets yourself.

8. Look for a variety of ways to buy cheap flights

Blogger Stas Rabunsky, who at the age of 24 has traveled 35 countries and visited several continents, shares the following strategy for finding cheap flights: you need to find the official website of the airport of the city where you plan to travel. There you can see which airlines fly to this city and find the one that flies from your city or the city closest to you. Then visit the website of this airline and find out if there are any promotions now and if it is possible to save money if you join the airline's passenger club.

From any airport in the world can be reached economically by bus, not by taxi. Look in advance in an Internet search engine, which bus companies go to the city center and where the bus stop is.

If you choose a taxi, then do not take it directly at the airport: they will rip you off at an exorbitant price, and in exotic countries can be robbed. In addition, not all taxi drivers speak basic English.

Transfer from the airport to the hotel can be ordered through an international transfer service, such as Kiwitaxi or HolidayTaxis. At the airport, you will be met by a driver holding a sign with your name on it. You can order additional options in advance, such as a child seat and Wi-Fi in the car, and pay for a taxi by credit card.

6. No hotels

Blogger Vitaly Klimov, who has traveled by bike from the west of Russia to Africa and travels around Europe, spending no more than € 7 per day, recommends giving preference to hostels when traveling alone or with a student company. It's cheap, and at the same time you get the opportunity to make new acquaintances, spend time in a company and improve your knowledge of foreign languages.

If you are traveling with a family, it is better to give preference to an apartment. First, there are significant savings in food costs. Of course, it is worth going to a restaurant a couple of times during the trip, because getting to know the local cuisine is part of getting to know another culture. But buying groceries in the supermarket and cooking yourself is much cheaper. And secondly, staying at a hotel, we live the life of a guest of the city. And in the apartment we try on life local resident- with trips to shops, to the market, with your own key from the front door.

5. Try an alternative way to stay while traveling

Agritourism is one way to get free shelter, food and a chance to immerse yourself in a different cultural environment in exchange for a few hours of daily assistance to the owners.

You can always find an interesting, unusual and free way to stay while traveling. For example:

Help Exchange has people from all over the world the globe offer tourists free accommodation and food in exchange for housekeeping, farm work and other services.
WWOOF is international organization(located in more than 70 countries) organic farms, gardens, where anyone can come to work in exchange for room and board.
Couchsurfing is an international hospitality system. You register on the site and then you can receive guests or go to visit other participants yourself, and it's all free.
Haussitting is looking after someone else's empty house, the owners of which have left for long term for example, for the summer, in exchange for free accommodation. You can find an offer from any country in the world. You can find such accommodation options while traveling on the corresponding website.

4. Rent out your own accommodation while traveling or go on an "exchange vacation"

An exchange vacation is an opportunity for free accommodation while traveling, and maybe even a chance, like the characters in a movie, to meet your love.

Before the trip, be sure to score in the Internet search engine "Free entertainment in the city of N", ideally, of course, in English. Festivals, concerts, open days, excursions - in big and small cities you can find a lot of interesting things for free. For example, information on free walking tours can be found on this site.

2. Don't buy what you can get for free

Wi-Fi... When booking accommodation conditions, immediately choose an apartment or hotel with free Wi-Fi. Use free Wi-Fi throughout the day in restaurants and cafes, gas stations and shopping centers.
Terrain maps... Free cards are available at counters in many hotels, apartments and hostels. You can also borrow a map from the Tourist Information Office. As a rule, they are located in the city center or near the main attractions. Download electronic city maps and a guidebook to your phone in advance.

Water... In Europe, you can drink tap water everywhere. In many cities, drinking fountains are installed, and you can safely drink from them. To check, you can look at

Ecology of life. Leisure: Resting on your own for the first time is always scary. To make it easier to decide, choose a friendly and travel-friendly country. Best of all - no language barrier. Start with any country from our list and you yourself will not notice how travel agencies will become unnecessary.

Resting for the first time on your own is always scary. To make it easier to decide, choose a friendly and travel-friendly country. Best of all - no language barrier. Start with any country from our list and you yourself will not notice how travel agencies will become unnecessary.

Preparing for an independent trip takes longer than buying a ready-made tour, but it is more interesting and not like others. To save on airfare, plan relocations and find good accommodations. In this article, we've rounded up five ideal destinations for your first vacation without a package tour.

Latvia

Why Latvia: Close and understandable Europe without language problems.

What about the visa: To travel to Latvia, you need a regular Schengen visa.

When to go to Latvia: Best of all in Latvia from May to September. Come to lie on the beach and splash in the Baltic Sea from the end of June to the end of August. And in December you will be taken straight to the Christmas markets.

Latvia is a foreign country, but not quite: everyone here speaks Russian, from schoolchildren to pensioners. So you can easily get directions to the street where Seventeen Moments of Spring and Sherlock Holmes were filmed. Despite the Russian language, the atmosphere in Riga and other Latvian cities is European: narrow streets, organ music, castles, colorful houses, tower spiers and a pleasant audience on a leisurely promenade. In order not to miss anything interesting, keep your inner fire alive with Latvian cuisine. In addition to caraway cheese and peas with bacon, you will find an unexpected bread soup with raisins and cinnamon, as well as bread ice cream.

Even if you come only to Riga for the weekend, consider that the first experience of traveling in Europe was a success. In addition, it is not far from the capital to Jurmala: at the same time you will have a rest on the sea. The next level is to sit down at the map and plan your trip to the cities, beaches and national parks of Latvia. You can ride buses and trains - try it, it's easy.

Route in Latvia:

1. Fall in love with Riga. Walk among the Latvian Art Nouveau houses, find a monument to the Bremen Town Musicians, listen to the organ in the Dome Cathedral and remember the taste of Riga Balsam.

2. Hang in Sigulda. Play the bobsleigh and ski slopes, listen to the echo in the Gutmana Cave and explore the ruins of Sigulda Castle. Don't forget the ruins of Krimulda and the lovingly restored Turaida Castle.

3. Visit the Cesis Castle. Climb the narrow spiral staircase to the tower. And then, in the flickering of candles in hand-held vintage lanterns, go down to the basement where there used to be a prison.

4. Wander the streets of Bauska. Find the ornate Town Hall and view the ancient cannons in Bauska Castle. In the meantime, admire the lush Rundale Palace - 15 minutes' drive away.

5. Get out of the sea foam in Jurmala. Swim in the sea and frolic in the water park, and when you want variety, walk along the path of the Great Kemeri bog and drive to the pretty town of Tukums.

Georgia

Why Georgia: They speak Russian, prepare awesome khachapuri and receive guests like family.

What about the visa: In Georgia, Russians can spend a whole year without a visa. Just don't forget your passport.

When to go to Georgia: Georgia is especially beautiful in May-June and from September to early October. Trekking in the mountains is good from June to September, and December-April is the time to go skiing.

It is good and calm in Georgia even for those who have never left their own dacha before. The locals are so hospitable that it is easier to find the way in the old fashioned way without a navigator, and conversations by themselves turn into toasts. Relaxing, you notice that the handsome Kazbek is floating out of the clouds, ancient temples are watching from the hills and even an ordinary stall with churchkhela looks like a treasure chest. The menu in the restaurant makes you want to sing, not read: khinkali, lobio, phali, ajapsandali, ojakhuri.

There are activities in Georgia for everyone. Swim in the sea, go to the mountains, take a steam bath, wander around cave cities or arrange a tour of the wineries. If you want everything at once, so much the better. At the same time, make sure that independent travel nothing to do with the plot of The Survivor.

Route in Georgia:

1. Become your own in Tbilisi. Explore the carved balconies in the Old City, experience the healing power of the sulfur baths in the Abanotubani quarter, take the cable car to the Narikala Fortress, and finally buy a wine horn at a flea market.

2. Drive along the Georgian Military Highway. Cross the Cross Pass, listen to the hum of the Terek and fall in love with the mountain scenery. Stop overnight in Stepantsminda or Gergeti and eat khachapuri overlooking Kazbek.

3. Taste fine Georgian wines. In two days in Kakheti, you will have time to taste drinks in five to ten wineries and wineries, and at the same time be impressed by the size of kvevri. You can stop in Sighnaghi or Telavi, both towns - as in the picture.

4. Visit Mtskheta - the oldest city country. Put a candle in cathedral Svetitskhoveli: according to legend, the Lord's tunic is buried under it. And also go up to the Jvari temple, about which Lermontov wrote in "Mtsyri".

5. Go deep into the cave cities. In Uplistsikhe, where Queen Tamara was crowned, don't miss the ancient pharmacy. Set aside at least half a day in Vardzia to thoroughly explore secret tunnels, steep staircases and cave temples.

6. Relax on the sea in Batumi. Put the sun on your sides right on the city beach. Or take a dash on the minibus and find yourself in Kvariati, Gonio or Sarpi, where the water is bluer and the landscapes are more beautiful.

Thailand

Why Thailand: All year round, summer, sunshine, exotic fruits and smiles.

What about the visa: If you do not plan to stay in Thailand for more than a month, you do not need a visa.

When to go to Thailand: From November to February - great weather in the north of Thailand. On the Andaman coast - Phuket, Krabi - the season lasts from November to the end of April, then the rains begin. In the Gulf of Thailand - Pattaya, Koh Samui, Koh Chang, Hua hin- good from January to August.

All the good things you've heard about Thailand are true. The islands and beaches are full of bounty, the palaces are luxurious, the food is unusual and tasty, the locals are friendly. Questions are solved with smiles, and you can find a common language with anyone, even if you know English at the level of a first grader. Trains, buses and domestic flights are inexpensive and comfortable, and figuring out when the next flight to Bangkok is easy. Ideal country for the first exotic travel without a travel agency.

The easiest thing is to choose a Thai resort, lie on the beach and take a few walks around the area. It is more difficult, but more interesting - first to go around several cultural sights of places, and then relax on the sea.

Thailand route:

1. Explore Bangkok. Visit the reclining Buddha in cotton Pho, take a river taxi ride along the klong canals, catch a monitor lizard in Lumpini Park, and squint from the splendor of the Royal Palace.

2. Get out to Ayutthaya - the ancient capital of Siam. Walk among working Buddhist temples and atmospheric wooded ruins. You can stay overnight in Ayutthaya or return to Bangkok.

3. Take a course for Chiang Mai. Shop for cute trinkets at the Night Market, touch the pandas at the zoo, circle the Chedi Luang Wat in the Old City, and watch the sunrise at Doi Intanon.

4. Stay in a bungalow in the middle of rice fields. In Pai, drive for pastoral silence, hot springs and waterfalls. If you want to see the whole valley at once, go up to the huge White Buddha on the side of the mountain.

5. Get a bronze tan in Phuket. Relax on the beach and go boating to the Similan Islands. Also try durian, ride elephants and get out of your massage as a different person.

Czech

Why Czech Republic: One of the most inexpensive and beautiful countries Europe. Many people know Russian, especially in Prague. And after a couple of glasses of Czech beer you can already communicate freely in any language.

What about the visa: We need a Schengen, which is easy to get.

When to go to the Czech Republic: The most pleasant weather is from May to October. In December in Prague - around 0 ℃ and the whole month Christmas markets sparkle and lavish magical aromas.

Czech Republic lives up to expectations: this is a fairy tale country... The streets of Prague are beautiful and atmospheric, Karlovy Vary does not seem to have changed since the days of Goethe and Beethoven, ghosts probably live in castles, and beer is much tastier than the Czech foam that is sold here. In addition, vacationing in the Czech Republic is significantly cheaper than in neighboring Germany and Austria. And if you can't figure out what dumplings and boar knee are, many restaurants will bring you a menu in Russian.

A weekend in Prague is enough to fall in love with the Czech Republic. it a good option for the first time: no need to bother with the route, transport and hotels in different cities. If imbued, look for tickets to the Czech Republic for a week or two and discover other facets of the country: from mineral resorts to the reserve with the true name "Bohemian Paradise". You can move around by buses and trains, or rent a car.

Route in the Czech Republic:

1. Feel the spirit of old Prague. In the capital of the Czech Republic, you should admire Prague Castle, make a wish on the Charles Bridge, climb the Petřín observation tower, get imbued with the gloomy Kafka Museum and visit lemurs at the zoo.

2. Travel back to the Middle Ages in the town of Kutná Hora. View the stained glass windows in St. Barbara's Cathedral, descend into the silver mine and count the skulls on the chandelier in the chapel of All Saints, decorated with human bones.

3. Admire the gothic castle Karlštejn. It stands majestically on a wooded hill not far from Prague. You are allowed inside the castle only with a guided tour, but you will learn the history of the Karlstejn ghost - White Lady.

4. Get healthier in Karlovy Vary. Plunge into the thermal waters and taste the mineral water from a dozen springs. Do not forget about the 13th: the locals claim that Becherovka liqueur also invigorates and rejuvenates.

5. Learn how Czech beer is brewed. In Pilsen, the beer capital of the Czech Republic, go beyond a pub tasting. Take a look at the malt kiln and medieval cellars at the Brewery Museum, or at the Pilsner Urquell distillery, walk through an authentic bottling workshop.

6. Visit the festival in Cesky Krumlov. At the Feast of the Five-Petal Rose, everyone dresses up in medieval costumes, and knights' tournaments are held in the squares.

7. Get back to nature in Bohemian Paradise. In this reserve, you will find steep sandstone cliffs, dense forests, scenic paths and castles that look miraculous, the most famous of which is Trosky.

Montenegro

Why Montenegro: A seaside resort in Europe without a visa and a language barrier.

What about the visa: If the trip is shorter than 30 days, a visa to Montenegro is not required. After arrival, you need to register within 24 hours - usually the hotel owners do it.

When to go to Montenegro: It is best to arrive in May-June and September-October. In July and August, it is hot on the coast and crowds of tourists, but it is good in the mountains. You can swim from mid-May to early October.

Small and cozy Montenegro was as if copied from a postcard. Smart medieval towns, the transparent Adriatic Sea, mountains with combed pines and magical lakes - in Montenegro, it is beautiful everywhere. In addition, it is inexpensive: you can have a thorough lunch in a cafe for $ 20 for two, and if you move away from the embankment, it is even cheaper. There will be no problems with understanding: many speak Russian. And you can easily understand the local language: for example, coffee is kafa, and milk is mleko.

The best way to travel around Montenegro is by car. Ride from bay to bay and explore the sights along the way. If you like mountains, leave more time for the mainland. You can spend the night at least every day in a new place. And if you don't want to waste time looking for housing, choose a "base" from where it will be convenient to travel to interesting places in one day. This will not be difficult: in Montenegro, everything is close.

Route in Montenegro:

1. Start with the charming Kotor. Climb the ramparts, trample stone pavements, marvel at the Venetian style of palaces and churches, and choose best route in the local market.

2. Take a ride through the towns of the Boko-Kotor Bay. Only, mind you, without a rigid program. Stop wherever you want, gaze at the houses with red-tiled roofs and sit on the verandas of the cafe with a glass of wine.

3. Go to Mount Lovcen. Upstairs you will find a great view of almost all of Montenegro, especially from observation deck behind the mausoleum of Njegos. Don't forget to bring your windbreaker: it's cool in the mountains even in summer.

4. Enjoy the Adriatic Sea. Explore the coastline from Budva to Ulcinj, sunbathe in romantic coves and lose track of time in bougainvillea towns.

It will be interesting for you:

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5. Admire nature in national park Durmitor. Walk along the forest path to Black Lake, swim and collect strawberries. And if you take trekking shoes with you and push up, you can overcome Bobotov-Cook.

6. Visit the Ostrog Monastery - one of the most important Orthodox shrines in Montenegro. Be sure to climb up to the Upper Monastery to see the temple in a cave on a sheer cliff. published

The most useful sites and applications that we and our readers use. For route planning, finding accommodation, tickets, best places for hitchhiking or searching for food in trash cans. In a word, for all occasions.

👾Planning

wikitravel.org- an encyclopedia of independent travel. All information about interesting places ah, traveling by public transport and between cities. How to use? Search the search for the city or country of interest.

Most of the information will be in English. But, for Spanish-speaking countries there is often more information in Spanish, for French-speaking countries - in French. So switch the language of the article and use the translator, si tu ne comprends pas;

hitchwiki.org- encyclopedia of hitchhiking. A lot of useful information not only for hitchhiking: for example, land border crossing points, where it is better to get a visa in neighboring countries... There are articles in Russian, but more information is usually in English;
www.workaway.info Is the most popular site for finding hosts for volunteering in 170 countries. Registration as a volunteer is paid ($ 36 for a year and $ 46 for two);
internationalsos.com- a site with up-to-date information about dangerous regions (epidemic, Civil War etc)
forum.awd.ru- the most popular Russian-language forum dedicated to independent travel. Advice: use the search;
turbina.ru- tips and notes for Russian-speaking travelers. Advice: use the country navigator;
- the most profitable travel options for Russians. Often the reason for travel is cheap tickets, for example Advice: Subscribe and tell your neighbors and friends.

📚Travel guides

Travel guides Lonely planet- the most popular travel guides in the world;
Travel guides Dorling kindersley- can be found on the root tracker as much as 22GB,
Hunter travel guides- another line of travel guides, link to the root tracker;
You can find even more useful texts on the rutracker in the section "Travel and tourism;
And here's another whole a bunch of guidebooks;

🛂 Visa regulations

traveldoc.aero- a service with a base that airlines use to check the current visa rules when boarding a flight. Most of the information is relevant for entry through international airports;
Timatiс- good old timatik through which you can find out visa rules for visiting countries through international airports.
Visa requirements for Russian citizens at Wikipedia. The article is updated pretty quickly.

The same articles on Wikipedia can be found for citizens of other countries (for example, Belarus or Ukraine). You need to google "Visa requirements for ... [for example Belarus]"

Other information and live experience you need to look for on thematic forums. For example those mentioned above.

☔ Insurance

To obtain a Schengen visa, you will have to do it anyway. And it's usually cheaper to order online. Check where it is cheaper from these sites:

Advice: have you been to Belarus ?! Or if you go through - make insurance there. It can be 2 times cheaper than the same in Russia.

🎫 Search and buy tickets

✈ Flights

The perfect flight search engine probably does not exist. Best of all is a combination of several. Use whatever is more convenient.

This is what our editors use:

aviasales.ru- search engine for tickets by default.
azair.eu- Search multiple routes of low-cost airlines around the world. If it doesn't matter where - indicate in the "To" field - xxx Anywhere. And remember, low-cost tickets always cheaper on the airline's website;
momondo.ru- search engine of air tickets. We know, we love, we use;
skyscanner.net- search for air tickets. By specifying the city or country of departure, you can find out where it is cheapest to fly without filling in the "where" window. All gurus do this;
Google Flights- search engine for tickets from Google;
Yandex Avia- domestic search engine for airline tickets from Yandex;
Ctrip Is a Chinese ticket aggregator when you want a little 你好吗. Sometimes you can find prices cheaper than on popular aggregators;
matrix.itasoftware.com- a search engine for geeks, but you won't be able to buy through it;

⛺ Overnight

Is the most popular website for booking accommodation. Works all over the world;
hotelscombines.com- the service compares prices for different booking systems. You can often find accommodation cheaper than
airbnb.com- apartments for rent all over the world. An excellent option for traveling with 3-5 people. By the way, when registering, you can get 2000 rubles. for the first booking;
hostelworld.com— search for hostels around the world. Hostels help not only save money, but also find a company or hear interesting stories from travelers;
couchsurfing.com- important sites for the industry independent travelers, whose name has already become a household name. Community users exchange communication and a roof over their heads. Recently, you need to go through paid account verification (20$) ... In the free version, you can send only 10 applications per month.

Advice: carefully read the accounts of hosts and reviews about them.

trustroots.org- search for wonderful people who are ready to provide accommodation or show their city. Remember that platforms like this and couchsurfing exist not for free living, but for interesting communication and exchange of good mood.
planet.squat.net- one of the official (if any) sites of squatters in Europe.

📌 Maps and search for interesting places

🗺 Cards

maps.google.com — online maps all over the world. It also creates routes taking into account public transport in many cities. And in the application ( iOs, Android) you can download map fragments for offline use.
maps.me- the best offline maps app.
Galileo- offline maps, someone considers it more convenient than maps.me.
GoogleTranslate- a translator that can also work offline, for this you need to download the languages in advance.