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Ellia | Hidden Gems & Adventure Travel

@packandjet

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🧳Real guides & itineraries for mid-budget travelers
📍[email protected] | Montreal🇨🇦
👇🏼Montenegro Guide

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Time to introduce myself to the new faces around here 🥰

I’m happy you are here and I hope you stay to follow along and get inspired to travel more. I would love to connect with you! Let me know in the comments below if we have any common interests 😊

I fell in love with travel when I was young, at a point when I didn’t even know what travel meant. I started travelling 20 years ago and have since been so lucky to see many different places around the world. I am forever grateful to be able to explore the world!

Travel for everyone looks different. I love to maximize my PTO at work, go on an adventurous trip and experience everything a country has to offer. What does travel look like for you?

Through this account I hope to share my stories authentically and help others travel to new and exciting destinations by providing guides, tips and real-life experiences.

Drop a comment below to say hello 🥰😍🤩🥳🎉 taken in Montreal, Quebec by @packandjet

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7 months ago

Most people visit Montenegro but never leave the coast. Don’t be most people.

Here’s everything you need to know about the perfect Lake boat tour 👇

📍 Where: Boats leave from Virpazar, about 1 hr 20 from Tivat.

🛶 Private vs. group: Group tours start around $30. We chose to do a private boat your so we could skip the crowds and go at our own pace.

🎟️ Park fee: €5 per person, cash only. Check whether your tour includes it.

⏱️ How long: Tours run 1 to 6 hours. We did 3 hours, and that was a good amount of time to get a feel for the place.

🌸 When to go: Summer, for the water lilies. Go early morning or late afternoon for the calmest water and best light.

🦩 What you’ll see: Water lilies everywhere, mountain views, and birdlife, including pelicans.

🎒 Bring: Cash, sunscreen, a light layer, and snacks. Most include drinks! There’s no bathroom on board, so go before you leave.

🐙 After: Have lunch on the water in Virpazar or do like we did and drive back to the coast.

Then drive back via the Sveti Stefan and Budva viewpoints at golden hour. That’s the perfect final day.

💬 Comment BOAT and I’ll send you the exact tour I booked
📖 Comment GUIDE for my detailed 50-page Montenegro itinerary

#montenegro #skadarlake #montenegrotravel #hiddengemseurope #balkanroadtrip

Hidden gems Europe, what to do in Montenegro, best boat tour Montenegro, things to do Montenegro, best of Europe, most beautiful in europe by @packandjet

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7 days ago

A road trip that you need to add to your bucket list!! Especially with fall and the beautiful colours coming up.

Krakow to Pieniny Mountains in one epic day. Here’s everything you need to know👇

🏰 STOP 1 is NIEDZICA CASTLE ( about a 2h drive from Krakow). A 14th-century castle on a cliff above Czorsztyn Lake. Legend says Inca treasure is hidden here 👀. You can explore the chambers, chapel and old prison cells and the lake views from the walls are really nice. You can see the ruins of Czorsztyn Castle across the water as well!

🛶 STOP 2: DUNAJEC GORGE RAFT RIDE ( about a 20 min drive from the castle). For a cool traditional experience, you can float through a canyon on a traditional wooden raft, with Poland on one side and Slovakia on the other. The raftsmen wear traditional outfits and tell stories the whole way
You can choose how long you want the ride to be. There is more than 1 option BUT💡 Go early to skip the lines, and bring a layer because it gets chilly on the water.

🚲 STOP 3: SZCZAWNICA + BIKE RIDE. This is a charming old spa town where the raft drops you off or you can drive to. You can rent bikes for an amazing ride on the river path along the Dunajec. It’s SO pretty. You can also walk to Homole Gorge or take the chairlift up Palenica

📌 Save this for your Poland trip and send it to the person you’d do this with!

#poland #krakow #pieniny #hiddengems #visitpoland
Top things to do poland, what to see Poland, by @packandjet

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9 days ago

I’ve travelled to a lot of places, but Guatemala stuck with me and I knew I had to go back!

But I decided I wanted to bring people with me.

✨✨I loved it so much I’m going back in March or April 2027 with a small group. Comment “GROUP” if you want to join us and I’ll send you the waitlist link 🤍
it will be a trip you will remember for many years to come!! ✨✨

Here’s what to do and see 👇

📍 ANTIGUA

- Walk under the Santa Catalina Arch with Volcán de Agua behind it
- Explore 400-year-old ruins left by earthquakes: Santa Clara, Capuchinas & San Francisco
- Hike (or tuk-tuk) up Cerro de la Cruz for the best view over the city
- Have sunset drinks on a rooftop with three volcanoes as the perfect backdrop
- Tour a coffee farm and try Guatemalan coffee straight from the source ☕
- Explore the bright yellow La Merced church, then get lost in the cobblestone streets

📍 LAKE ATITLÁN
- Get around the lake by lancha (boat taxi) and hop between villages
- San Juan La Laguna: colourful umbrella streets, murals, weaving co-ops & natural dye workshops 🎨
- San Marcos: swim and jump off the wooden platforms into the lake for a relaxing day
- Paddleboard or kayak in the morning, when the water is glassy
- Hike Indian Nose at sunrise for a view over the whole lake and its three volcanoes

📍 ACATENANGO
- The hike of a lifetime: climb above the clouds and camp overnight at base camp
- Watch Volcán de Fuego erupt all night, right across from you 🔥
- Get up for sunrise at the summit (3,976m). It’s tough, but worth every step

Is Guatemala on your bucket list??

#guatemala #guatemalatravel #antiguaguatemala #lakeatitlan #acatenango volcan de fuego central america travel guide bucket list taken in Guatemala by @packandjet

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12 days ago

Perast is the one town I go back to every single trip. A few hundred people live here. There are about 16 baroque palaces, 19 churches, all on one street, with perfect picturesque views! And amazing at sunset as well 😍

🚢 best way to get there from Tivat is the Lepetane–Kamenari ferry
→ 5 min from Tivat, €5 per car, free on foot
→ Every 15–20 min, day and night in summer
→ Crossing takes 5 minutes
→ Saves ~28km and 30+ min vs driving around through Kotor
→ about 15-20 min to Perast from the other side

🅿️ Arrive early. Two are two parking lots at either end of town, cash only. They fill fast in summer. The main street is pedestrian-only.

Things to do in Perast👇

1. Walk the main street. End to end in 15 minutes but it’s worth the visit because it’s so picturesque.

2. Climb the St. Nicholas bell tower. 55m, €2, narrow stairs and gives you the best views in town

3. Boat to Our Lady of the Rocks. water taxis leave constantly.

4. See St. George island. Cypress trees, 12th-century monastery. You can’t land, but boats circle it and its beautiful

5. Perast Museum. 18th-century palazzo with the original Perast sword and a Venetian flag from 1654.

6. Watch the sunset 🌅

🍽️ LUNCH ON THE WATER
Perast is lined with waterfront konobas where your table is right on the bay. Enjoy some fresh seafood, a glass of local white, and boats going past while you eat.

We ate at Jozice, right on the sea and the best part is there’s a beach right there, so you finish lunch and get straight in the water.

Save this for your Montenegro trip 📌

Comment GUIDE and I’ll send you my full 50-page Montenegro itinerary with a special discount code.

#montenegro #visitmontenegro #perast #montenegrowildbeauty taken in Montenegro by @packandjet

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17 days ago

A place I love going back to every year 😍🇲🇪

Here are 5 things to know before visiting Montenegro:

📝You legally have to be registered within 24 hours of entering the country (72h if you arrive on a weekend or holiday). Hotels do it automatically. Airbnb and private apartment hosts often don’t. Fix it yourself: walk into any tourist information centre with your passport, your host’s name, the apartment address and cash. It’s €1 per adult per night. Keep the white slip (potvrda) until you fly home.

🤳 Your taxi, your host, boat trips, guides will all use WhatsApp to communicate. So it’s best if you have data on your phone as soon as you land. You can use @alosim: free app, plans from ~$3.50/week, unlimited options, installs in minutes. Set it up before you fly and use code PACKANDJET for 15% off.

🚢 2,000–4,000 cruise passengers land per ship in Kotor and sometimes there will be 2-3 ships per day making it 8,000+ people inside that tiny walled town between 10am–4pm. Go before 9:30am or after 5pm and it’s a completely different place. Make sure to not just stay in Kotor and spend real time in other places in Perast, Tivat, Herceg Novi and Sveti Stefan.

💰Montenegro used to be a budget friendly destination but now things have changed. Especially in the summer! Make sure you budget accordingly so that you’re not surprised when you arrive!

🏖️ most beaches in Montenegro are not sandy. Pebbles almost everywhere, and getting in and out of the water barefoot genuinely hurts. Pack cheap water shoes. Want actual sand? There are a few for example: Velika Plaža in Ulcinj.

Comment GUIDE for my full guide + the aloSIM link in your DMs, or grab it from the link in my bio - Don’t forget to use my discount code PACKANDJET for 15% off your next trip.

Save this before you book, and tag whoever you’d drag to the Bay of Kotor 🩵

#montenegro #kotor #balkantravel #traveltips by @packandjet

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16 days ago

The place where the summit sits right on the border of 2 countries.

For our summer eurotrip this year, we decided to visit Poland. A country that really exceeded our expectations and we can’t wait to go back to.

When in Poland, the Tatra mountains are a must visit! They are a mountain range on the border of Slovakia and Poland so you can visit from either side.

Save this for your hiking bucket list 📌

🎟️ If you want to take the cable car make sure to book online and in advance.

🚶🏻‍♀️Be at the entrance 20 min before your slot to not miss your chance.

🚗 GETTING THERE: You can’t drive into Kuźnice, the road is restricted. Kuźnice parking is ~50 zł/day and usually full by 8am especially in the shmmer .

Easiest way: park in town and take the minibus from Zakopane bus station. Every ~15 min, ~5 zł, 10 minute ride. It was SUPER easy this way!

⏱️ A round-trip ticket for the cable car gives you 1 hour 40 minutes at the top. The ride is ~20 min each way with one change at Myślenickie Turnie.

Want longer? Buy one-way up and hike down. The hike is about 8km and takes about 3–3.5 hrs.

🎒 A FEW THINGS: it can be much colder and windier at the summit than in town. Bring a layer even in August!! Check the PKL webcams before you go

Let me know if you want to visit this park and make sure to follow to see more bucket list places like this 😍

#poland #visitpoland #zakopane #tatranationalpark #hiking best hikes in Europe, underrated euro destination, best places to visit in Europe, must do hike Europe, best hike Poland, beautiful hikes in the world by @packandjet

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19 days ago

So many beautiful places, so little time. Every place offers a unique perspective into life, culture, history, nature… I love exploring all new places and gaining new experiences. And sometimes they’re even worth going back to!

Destinations shown:

🇬🇹 Guatemala
🇵🇹 Madeira
🇵🇰 Pakistan
🇨🇴 Colombia
🇮🇩 Indonesia
🇵🇪 Peru
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
🇮🇳 India

Where would you want to go and what places do you have on your bucket list?

#bucketlisttravel #traveltheworld #goeverywhere #placestogo #placestovisit by @packandjet

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20 days ago

Everyone bases themselves in Budva or Kotor but most skip visiting this place.

Petrovac is definitely a place that's worth the day trip.

Here is what you can do there:

📌Kastio fortress was built in the 16th century to defend the town from pirate raids. A 5 minute walk on the side brings you to an awesome view of the fort.

📌The main beach is 600–800m where you can rent a sunbed and umbrella, or bring your own and set up on the free section like the locals do.

📌The promenade is beautiful lined with flowers and trees the whole way with Waterfront restaurants right there for lunch.

📌You can take a Boat trip to Katič & Sveta Neđelja which are the two rocky islets about 800m offshore. Half-day trips from the beach run around €10 and include swimming stops. we didn't do this but if you have time, it's a nice option.

📌Lučice beach is 10 min away, and you will find it calm and shallow.

⚠️ Two things to know:

→ Go early. Parking fills fast, street parking is strictly enforced and they tow in summer.

→ Sveti Stefan and Budva are both 20 min away, so you can stack them on the same day if you want.

Save this for your Montenegro trip 📌 and tag whoever you're going with.

Comment GUIDE and I'll send you my full 50-page Montenegro comprehensive guide with itineraries and all detailed before you visit. I can also send you a 35% discount code when you comment.

#montenegro #petrovac #montenegrotravel #budvariviera balkantravel by @packandjet

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22 days ago

After 6 trips to Montenegro, this is the town I’d actually tell you to go to instead of Budva.

Everyone books Kotor or Budva and doesn’t consider this small town. But Petrovac is definitely worth a visit. A nice beach, great promenade and a fortress make it a nice day trip. It’s quieter, cheaper, and only about 20 minutes from Budva.

What to know before you go:

🏯It’s small. This is a slow, sit-on-the-promenade kind of town. That’s the appeal.
🅿️Make sure you arrive early for parking especially in the peak summer months!
🏖️The beach is pebbly-to-coarse sand, so bring water shoes (much like everywhere else in Montenegro).
🦐There are lots of nice restaurants to choose from along the water

What to do there:
🏯 walk up to Kastio, the little fortress, for the view
🛥️Take a boat out to the two islets just offshore
🚶🏻‍♀️Walk about 10 minutes to Lučice, a small cove that’s calmer than the main beach
🏖️Head to Buljarica if you want a long, undeveloped stretch of sand with barely anyone on it
🦐Dinner on the promenade at sunset, which is genuinely the best part of the day here

Save this for your Montenegro trip.

#petrovac #montenegro #montenegrotravel #visitmontenegro #underrateddestinations
Where to stay in Montenegro, Petrovac Montenegro, Montenegro coast, places to see Montenegro, what to do Montenegro, Montenegro itinerary by @packandjet

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a month ago

Everyone drives straight through Prčanj on the way to Kotor old town. Don’t. This is where you slow down.

Here’s what to do in the Prčanj area 👇

🏖️Swim off the pontas. There are no sandy beaches here but you can find lots of nice spots to just jump in. If you’re looking for loungers, there are a few beach clubs along the way as well where you can pay for chairs and umbrellas.

🚶🏻‍♀️Walk the waterfront promenade. It’s a nice walk, quiet, lined with old houses and local charm. Do it in the morning before the heat.

⛪️ See the Church of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is the biggest church in Boka Bay and the marble staircase alone is worth the stop.

🦐There are tons of cute local restaurants along the water, where you can enjoy delicious fresh seafood with great views. Sit at the water’s edge and don’t rush it.

🥾Walk to Stoliv and do some smaller hikes

🥾Hike Vrmac. If you want the view without the Kotor stairs crowd, you can go the trail from the coast to old fortress ruins over the bay.

🛶You can also rent or take kayaks or paddleboard on the bay and enjoy the calm.

Save this for your Montenegro trip 📌

I created a 50+ page Montenegro travel guide with 3 complete itineraries, where to stay, transportation tips, hidden gems, and everything I wish I knew before visiting. Comment GUIDE and I’ll send you the details, it’s currently 25% off!

Day 4 coming up 👀 taken in Montenegro by @packandjet

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a month ago

My first Baltic country!

Did you know, Riga has the largest collection of Art Nouveau architecture in the world?

If you’re visiting Riga, you should know that it has a medieval old town you can walk end to end in twenty minutes and I found that 2 days is enough if you are visiting just the city.

Here’s how to spend 2 days in Riga:

Day 1:

- House of the Blackheads
- The cathedral
- Stroll through the little cobble stone lanes
- Bastejkalna Park (the prettiest green space in the city)
- Walk the Art Nouveau district on Alberta iela
- Dinner at Ala Pagrabs for a cool atmosphere
- Finish with a drink somewhere in the old town (sooooo many places to choose from)

Day 2:

- Riga Central Market
- The National Library of Latvia
- Lunch or drink at Chef Mezze for cool vibes
- Spend the afternoon wandering Miera iela or the Kalnciema quarter for the more local side of the city

- If you have extra time, Jurmala beach is about 30 minutes by train 🚊🏖️

What to know before you go:

Riga is small and very walkable. The costs are reasonable and cheaper than many places in Europe.
The airport is only about 20 minutes from the centre and easily accessible by bus. Summer means long, bright evenings. I found that the city is heavily concentrated around bars and nightlife and realized it’s a veryyy popular bachelor/bachelorette party destination and it wasn’t necessarily our vibe.

But for 48 hours it’s great to visit and we loved all of the architecture and how beautiful and colourful the city is.

Save this for your Baltic trip.

#latvia #riga #rigalatvia #visitriga #underrateddestinations
Why visit Riga, Riga itinerary, 2 days in Latvia. Things to do Latvia, things to go Riga by @packandjet

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81

a month ago