
Tim
@TimurNegru • 103,076 subscribers
I find homes in Southern Europe and help you buy them. Founder @AffordiHome. 30k+ read my free property newsletter 👇
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These 4 Aussie mates said no to a $1M mortgage back home, flew to Sicily and bought a €1 house. Ofc, they started documenting the renovation process on IG and grew their account from 0 to 385k followers in about 3 weeks. Very cool to watch and, imagine the energy and attention they brought to Salemi (a little town in northwestern Sicily). (ig: theoneeurodream)
Tim6,254,865 views • 2 months ago

Spain has the longest motorway network in Europe, 17,228km, and most of it is free to drive. I’m 400km into a drive from the Costa Brava to Bilbao and I’ve paid nothing so far. - Catalonia got rid of its main motorway tolls in 2021 = €0 all the way to Zaragoza - the only paid stretch is the AP-68 into Bilbao, €39.90, and most of that goes free on 11 Nov when the concession expires - did a few thousand km in France and Italy this summer, and it’s at least €100 in tolls per 1000km there - btw, Spanish roads are of a better quality than both French and Italian and the drive feels much nicer too - and they are pretty empty too (done this exact trip about 10 times) Driving in Spain is massively underrated.
Tim1,164,894 views • 1 month ago

I would take the ferry vs a plane to Spain from Ireland anytime. Takes 2 nights at sea to reach Bilbao vs 2,5 hrs flight but it’s totally worth it. Cost wise is exactly the same as the flight would’ve been (€1,200) but then we’d need to rent a car, pay for baggage, deal with airport stress with kids and so on. This way we just packed the car with everything we need for three weeks. No limits and no stress. Kids (and us too) are treating it like an adventure. We’ve got restaurants, entertainment, our own cabin with bathroom, tv with preloaded movies and beds. There is even an open air small gym on the deck. This is how we’re doing Christmas this year. Should I do a quick tour of the cabin and some parts of the ferry tomorrow? I’ll have plenty of time over the weekend 😃
Tim4,909,868 views • 10 months ago

Took the Girona to Madrid train this morning, and I don't think I'll fly domestically in Spain again. - 07:23 out of Girona, arrived Barcelona Sants 08:04 (right on the dot). - 21 min connection in Sants. I would never risk that anywhere else (except maybe in Switzerland or Japan). - 08:25 out of Barcelona, and we lost about 20 min on the way due to speed restrictions on the line. Renfe emailed me the new arrival time and arrived at Madrid Atocha at 11:38. - €102.10 return. So €51 each way for 700km, city centre to city centre. - AC, wifi (not the best of speeds though), and I booked a quiet carriage (best €0 upgrade). - no need to come to the station 2 hours in advance. I arrived 15 mins before departure and had time to locate my platform and train. - there's also a cafe on the train, in case you want to grab a coffee or snack (€7.20 for a sambo+coffee). To fly this I'd have to get to El Prat first, do the whole airport thing, then Barajas into the centre. Around 6 hours door to door, a 4am alarm and for more money probably. Btw, Spain has the biggest high speed network in Europe and the second biggest in the world after China. Once you use it properly, you can't go back. Very impressed.
Tim1,011,250 views • 3 months ago

So here’s what €1,200 for 4 people and a car on this ferry actually gets you: Private cabin, 4 beds, bathroom, TV with movies, window looking out to sea. Plus restaurants, entertainment, open deck. Kids are treating it like a hotel. We’re 14 hours in and they haven’t asked ‘are we there yet’ once.
Tim3,476,369 views • 10 months ago

My 4 day Ibiza trip has come to an end and here are my thoughts: - you don’t need to be a millionaire to holiday there. We stayed in a 3 star hotel with better views than Nobu - food is soo good everywhere. Our hotel restaurant had a menu del dia (3 course meal) for €21 p/p and it was top - if you are comfortable on 2 wheels get a Vespa and explore the island. You won’t regret it - beaches/coast/restaurants/clubs/sunsets/vibe/things to do are second to none - clubbing: Hi Ibiza is okish, UNIVRS is wow, Cova Santa is v. cool. Prices for beverages are crazy (we paid €38 for 2 small bottles of water). David Guetta remains the goat! - people: most are well dressed, stylish and fit but clubs are full of drug users too - safety: felt safe at all times everywhere we went and surprised to see so little police Overall 10/10 and the memories you’ll create will stay with you for life.
Tim1,111,316 views • 3 months ago

We do this trip a few times a year now. Ireland to Spain, by ferry, instead of taking the plane. The cost for a one way trip is ~€500. A flight would’ve been cheaper, maybe €150 to €200, but then you’re adding bag fees, a rental car once you land, and time lost to airports on both ends. By the time you add it all up it’s not actually that different, and you still arrive with nothing but a suitcase. Takes about 28 hrs instead of a 2.5 hour flight. But we’ve got restaurants, a cabin with a bathroom/tv, an open deck with a small gym area and kids playground, they even have a band playing music, and the kids treat it like a holiday rather than a way to get there. Totally recommend, especially during summer.
Tim1,139,146 views • 4 months ago

Booked the VIP Lounge at Barcelona's El Prat airport for the first time through Revolut. €74 for 2 - €16 Metal plan discount - €14.04 RevPoints Total: €43.96 AC, comfortable and chill working areas, unlimited food, drinks, snacks. Feels like a bargain and no idea why I didn't do it before.
Tim625,681 views • 3 months ago

Madrid people are really cool. Another X person Morales saw that I'm in the city (and probably that my fashion sense sucks) and offered to give me a tour of the high-fashion district. We visited a few stores, but the coolest one was Casa Sartorial, run by two young lads - Christian and Adolfo (video). You can see in the pic my style vs the style of the 2 Madrileños. I urgently need to up my game, but it was a great experience hearing their stories, what they do for a living and so on. Carlos runs a free local newsletter covering fashion and the best spots to eat and drink in the city. It's in Spanish for now but he promised to switch to English soon, so if that's your kind of thing, give him a follow. I'll also drop his newsletter in comments. Time to head back home. Nos vemos pronto Madrid! (as always this is not a paid post. Simply sharing my experience and the beauty of life).
Tim307,422 views • 3 months ago

Fair play to Revolut for their Airport lounge network. Came to the Pisa airport earlier, and it was packed. No seats anywhere, people sitting on the floor, big queues at all cafes. Went to the VIP lounge instead and it was empty. €20 (-metal discount and revpoints)to get in + drinks, snacks and a nice area to chill and get some work in.
Tim107,920 views • 1 month ago

Christmas Eve dinner with the family and we’re at a buffet in a bowling alley that’s harder to book than most Michelin restaurants. Les Grands Buffets in Narbonne, France, shares a parking lot with a bowling alley and swimming pool, but this buffet received 2.3 million booking requests last year so you need to book months in advance. The inside is really cool, it’s like a 19th century palace serving 150 Auguste Escoffier recipes all unlimited, with a lobster cascade, 111 different cheeses (Guinness World Record), 9 types of foie gras, and 50 desserts made by 7 pastry chefs. €66 per person with wine at producer prices, and you are greeted like royalty. Also The New Yorker called it “the hottest restaurant in France.” The place is packed with French and Spanish families on Christmas Eve and you can see why people treat this as somewhere to celebrate something special. Have a blessed Christmas!
Tim640,505 views • 10 months ago

On the Lecco side of Lake Como today. Viewed a few properties for clients and checked out a hotel that’s up for sale (send me a dm if interested). Most people picture Bellagio when they think of this lake. But Lecco is quieter, fewer day-trippers and tour boats. It’s a working town with people living here year round, a direct train to Milano and not as pricey. Video is the beach right by the hotel, a couple minutes on foot from the door. Went for a dip and the water was majestic.
Tim117,416 views • 3 months ago

Our friends from Canada are visiting and they asked us to take them to an interesting place. So we drove for 2 hours (Spain-> France) to Leucate's oyster village. It's basically a big working oyster farm, where local producers raise and sell Mediterranean oysters directly from their huts. These are not Michelin-star restaurants, but family owned small farms and the only food they serve is bread and raw seafood (prawns, oysters, mussels, clams, shrimps, and whelks). And of course French wine. yum!
Tim100,275 views • 3 months ago

Day one on the ferry to Spain. They’ve got live music, wine quizzes, Christmas crafts for kids, a crew show, morning stretch on deck and so on. Meanwhile Airlines charges you €12 for a soggy sandwich and tells you to sit down. The ferry cost the same as flying would’ve (€1,200 return for a family of 4). This is why we chose the 2-night ferry over the 2.5 hour flight. It’s not just transport, it’s actually part of the holiday. One more night at sea then we dock in Bilbao tomorrow morning.
Tim265,470 views • 10 months ago

My 3 day Tuscany trip has come to an end and here are my thoughts: - you can still do Florence cheap. Our hotel was €45 a night in August. Nothing special but slept like a baby - Florence remains one of the most beautiful places on earth. Clean, doesn’t smell. Best way to avoid the crowds is stay away from the busy spots in the morning and go out in the evenings. Museums are closed, tourists are tired and back at their hotels - super hot and humid. August is certainly not the best time to visit - driving is easy. Rented an AT Citroen C3, €72.94 total. Roads aren’t the best (comparing to Spain) so be careful, but they’re empty. Probably the locals are all by the water - best Florentine steak I had was at Regina Bistecca. Massive t-bone Chianina at 9:45pm as they had not free table earlier. €115 for the steak, sides and water, worth every cent - Grosseto hotel was €110 p/n, 4 star but had a shitty AC so I slept with the window open and got destroyed by mosquitoes. Very little sleep that night - Siena: an absolute must visit and my favourite place in Tuscany. Do the Palio if you can - Grosseto: only spent the night so can’t say much. Compared to the rest of the region I thought it was mid - Arezzo: what a classy and gorgeous area. Saw a few farmhouses there, all neat and in good condition. Can still find good deals - Montone (and Umbria in general): if you love Tuscany and are looking to buy, take a look at this region. Still undiscovered and there’s real money going in. The road improved noticeably the second I crossed over from Tuscany, and Montone beautifully restored Overall 9/10, just go in May or September/October instead. Think that’s it.. oh the video is of a Tuscan vineyard in Arezzo.
Tim77,653 views • 2 months ago

Glorious day here in the Bay of Biscay. Slept for 10 hrs continuously. For some reason I always sleep like a baby on ferries. Went out for some sun and fresh air and maybe some cardio but the exercise area was full of kids and parents. Something else happened that I’ve never seen before. A helicopter landed on the ferry yesterday (you can see the helipad in the 3rd pic). Apparently someone got sick and they came to fly them to the hospital. Good to know you have this service available in case of emergencies. Anyway, getting ready to arrive at Port Bilbao soon 🇪🇸
Tim119,279 views • 4 months ago

Costa Brava has hundreds of small coves along its coast and this morning we paddled to one of them, Sa Caleta in S’Agaró. About 15 meters long and 15 wide and with a rocky seabed which is why the water is so clear and it’s perfect for snorkelling. There’s also an old stone embarcadero at the end of it which adds to the beauty of it. Ibiza and Mallorca are super popular for this kind of coastline, but Costa Brava has the same but still largely undiscovered I feel?
Tim70,220 views • 2 months ago
