Kiveri offers a tranquil seaside retreat with its serene beach, delightful marina, and a church rich in history and warmth.

A brief stop in Messini reveals a town wrestling with itself—between decay and charm, graffiti and sunflowers, vacant squares and small human moments.

As I touched the first finger of the Peloponnese, the town of Koroni revealed itself as a charming oddity—roof cats, lantern gnomes, alternative shopfronts and streets seemingly hurriedly whitewashed. A sleepy, creative town that shines quietly at sunset.

Escaping the northwest’s grip, I was rewarded with a jaw-dropping coastal drive and a soulful welcome in Sivota—a pearl cradled by turquoise coves and stone-laced charm.

Awe-inspiring monasteries balanced on towering cliffs—Meteora stuns with its surreal beauty and centuries of monastic resilience. A sacred encounter between stone, sky, and solitude.

A quiet day through Albania’s backlands: wild horses, unfazed cows, and resting souls with a view over their earthly paradise.

On the R427 near Bileća, the road ends—and China begins. Explosions, silos, Mandarin banners, and prefab dorms mark a deeper story: Beijing’s silent grip on the Balkans through debt, concrete, and control.

A blocked road near Stolac led to one of the trip’s best moments: a peaceful lunch by a centuries-old wool fulling mill on the Bregava River, surrounded by ruins, trees, and total calm.

A visit to an authentic fisher house in Valle Canal Novo becomes a vivid time machine—unveiling centuries of lagoon life, hard work, and survival etched in clay and reed.

A spontaneous stop in Marano Lagunare leads to a peaceful overnight spot, an encounter with traditional fish farming, and a walk through the pristine wetlands of the Valle Canal Novo nature reserve—home to elegant flamingos and quiet ecological wonders.