13. Khans, Caravanserais and quarantines

The kiratzides (caravan drivers) would camp in the open countryside, choosing locations that provided shelter or stopping at designated rest and supply points, such as the renowned khans and caravanserais. Every major transportation hub hosted at least one caravanserai (e.g., Ioannina, Thessaloniki, Serres, Drama, Kavala, Constantinople), which functioned as centers for trade and as facilities for repairing pack animals’ equipment, handled by farriers, saddle makers, and stable hands.

At border stations, quarantine was a strict requirement. Travelers were confined to quarantine facilities (lazarettos) for several weeks before receiving a health certificate. While passports existed, they were not standardized and were issued on a case-by-case basis by Ottoman or Austrian authorities.

For two centuries, the caravans of the Greco-Vlachs served as the backbone of overland trade in southeastern Europe, with many kiratzides eventually rising to prominence as successful merchants.