Balkans Trip Report - More pizza than Italy and more burgers than America
This is a report for a trip my wife and I took to Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania April 1st through April 12th 2018. Most of what I found on the internet about these countries dealt with bus trips, visa issues, and things like that, so this is a way to hopefully help other travelers with some different information. Please note that I am saying "Balkans" for convenience so I don't have to spell out Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania all the time. I know the actual Balkans has more than just three countries.
I broke the report into sections. The first section is an overview of the trip. It has hotels, prices, itinerary, and some brief impressions of the places we visited. The next section has (what I think is) some important information about travel to the Balkans. Finally, I'll list the highlights of our trip.
If you want to see pictures of this trip, go here
Overview
For reference I am 52, my wife is 54, and we live in NE Ohio. In general, we prefer meeting people and understanding cultures more so than sightseeing. The Balkans are very inexpensive. A nice sit down meal with a drink might be $10. You can eat inexpensively for a couple of dollars and a scoop of ice cream is about $0.40. We're both black and experienced no hints of prejudice at all.
I think our biggest surprise about the Balkans was the beauty. We expected it to be pretty, but not nearly as pretty as it was. While there are the jaw-dropping sights you see in Hawaii or Malta, there is also a type of raw beauty like what you would see in the American west. Overall, I think it is the prettiest place I have been to (and I know I am lumping three countries into one here, but I think you get my point).
As for the food...the only place I have tasted food this good was in Paraguay. We ate local dishes that I can't tell you what they were, but also "western" foods like pizza and burgers. The best ribs I have eaten in my life were in Skopje...surprising, but true.
So perfect marks across the board for beauty and food, but to be honest we found most of the sights lacking. This was fine for us as we don't really care about those things, but I would say a trip to this region you don't make for traditional sightseeing. Those who like architecture, though, will find it fascinating. Actually, we are not big architecture fans and we found it fascinating.
The people were very friendly - in Albania, perhaps the friendliest we have seen in Europe. Let me digress for a minute about Albania...I fell in love with it. I only visited a small region (Korce and the small towns around it and Lake Ohrid), but there was a vibe, some type of energy, something...I don't know...that just permeated everything and everyone. The country felt alive in some way and that feeling spilled over into us. I wish we had more time there and of the three countries, it is the one I would most like to visit again.
We had a car which enabled us to go to some pretty remote places - but there were some places we couldn't get to as the roads were not good enough. One of the favorite places we visited was Malovishte (outside of Bitola). Very small, very remote, very interesting to see. If you like off the beaten path, you really need a car to properly explore these countries. And with that in mind...
Driving. We did not find it to be a problem per se. The roads were bad (although we've seen much worse in other European countries, e.g., Romania), but the drivers seemed friendly and non-aggressive. I know others have said differently and I believe it is a matter of perspective. In America, we often drive in an inconsiderate way - for example, driving slowly in the left lane. I believe if you take those habits to Europe, you will find aggressive drivers. But if you drive the way you should, there are no problems. No one speeds up to box you out, cuts you off suddenly, etc. At least this was our experience.
What was difficult was all the stuff you didn't expect to find in the road. Parked cars. Sleeping dogs. Small children. People walking. In fact, it was as if the roads really weren't made for driving, but made instead for people to hang out. So the stress of making sure you didn't run someone/something over or run into a car that decided to just stop in the middle of the road for whatever, coupled with the stress of driving in a foreign country, did make driving a bit tricky. But the benefit of getting to see some spectacular small towns is, in my opinion, worth it.
Our car was from Sixt and we paid 300 euro for an automatic plus another 30 for green card insurance.
Our itinerary was as follows:
- Day 1: Picked up car at Skopje airport and drove to Prizren
- Day 2: Day trip to Dragash and Brod
- Day 3: Bitola
- Day 4: Day trip to Malovishte
- Day 5: Ohrid
- Day 6: Day trip to Sveti Naum, Tushemisht, and Pogradec
- Day 7: Korce
- Day 8: Day trip to Voskopoje
- Day 9: Trnica
- Day 10-11: Skopje
- Prizren: Hotel Cleon, 45 euro/night
- Bitola: Hotel Treff, 36 euro/night
- Ohrid: Villa Mesokastro, 23 euro/night
- Korce: Guest House Bujtina Leon, 55 euro/night (but we had the suite)
- Trnica: Hotel Korab Trnica, 31 euro/night (plus another 5 euro for dinner if you want it...all farm to table food, grown there, it was our best meal on the trip)
- Skopje: Hotel Senigallia (a "boatel"), 68 euro/nights
- Best hotel - Korce
- Best food - Trnica (at the hotel restaurant)
- Best place we visited - Malovishte
- Best scenery - Albanian side of Lake Ohrid
- Best experience - dancing at a birthday party in Pogradec / playing chess in Tushemisht
- Best night out - Small bar in Prizren where we made friends with the owner and some locals (and hopefully are being invited back for a wedding)
- Best Breakfast - Guest House Bujtina Leon. Served to you in courses, the menu changes daily. A sample is: arranged fruit platter, crepe thing (local dish), omelet, oatmeal thing (local dish), pudding thing (local dish), bread and jam, amazing OJ and milk.
This is a collection of things in no particular order that I think will be helpful/interesting for anyone traveling to these countries.
- I believe Skopje is the Macedonian word for "statue". Seriously, I have never seen so many statues in a city in my life. It would put Rome to shame. More SPSM (statues per square meter - not foot because Europe) than anywhere else. They all look amazing and it really adds to the city. That being said there is some controversy around them and not to get into politics but basically there is a segment of the population that believes the money for the statues could have been better spent on other things (social programs).
- The drive from Skopje to Prizren was...interesting. Mountainous with very few guardrails, potholes, dogs, people walking, winding. While the rest of the trip was very scenic, this part was not scenic enough to warrant the drive. If you just want a trip to Prizren, take the bus. If you want to explore, then drive but just be aware it is slightly difficult.
- Virtually no street signs in Prizren (and the parts of Kosovo we saw). Pedestrian crossing seems like a game of chicken...you technically have the right of way, but have to be confident enough that car speeding towards you will stop.
- Driving in Prizren is a nightmare and should be avoided at all costs. An insane amount of traffic for its size, drivers *seem* aggressive (they aren't, but if you don't have confidence then it will seem that way to you), and the headaches of not hitting people, dogs, etc. in the street. If you know where you are going, no worries, but if you don't then get ready for an adventure. Incredible spider web of small alley-like streets (two way!) that go in all directions that you need to be able to navigate as well as major streets packed with traffic.
- There are pizza places in Kosovo (e.g., Vintage Pizza in Prizren) that use cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella. Also, there might not be sauce and you will get ketchup on the side. This isn't everyplace (maybe not even the majority), but just something to be aware of.
- We found few places (other than hotels) that accepted credit cards. In Albania and Kosovo it was basically nowhere and in Macedonia there were a few places, but not most. In general, this is not a problem because the prices for things are so low, carrying cash is easy. However, note the following:
- We had serious problems finding ATMs in Albania. In Korce there is a "mall" in the bazaar that has one. Also, note that many ATMs in Albania charge high fees.
- With that in mind, try to get an ATM card that reimburses you for foreign ATM fees and, of course, has no fees of its own.
- Albania and Macedonia have closed currencies. What this means is that if you leave the country with their currency, you are stuck with it (yes, there are some black markets or maybe border towns that can help you get around this, but in general, without a lot of effort, you are screwed)
- So...pay for hotel bills with remaining cash.
- In direct contrast to the above, in Macedonia you can pay for tolls with your credit card.
- To cross the borders with a car you will need to purchase Green Card insurance. You can get this from your rental car company. You will also need a copy of your rental contract.
- For women, take tissue or something with you into bathrooms as TP is often missing.
- Salt seems to be the preferred seasoning in Macedonia. Everyplace we ate the food had a *lot* of salt. However, it still tasted very good.
- As mentioned above, streets are for parking, walking, dogs, bicycles and not, as you might expect, for driving. We often played a game of "is this car waiting at the light or is it parked". Literally, I can't stress this enough - at intersections, ramps, etc., cars will just park and block traffic.
- If you are staying in Korce, I can't recommend enough Guest House Bujtina Leon.
- Bitola was a disappointment. We enjoyed it, and had an amazing experience there (see the next section), but compared to everyplace else it was our least favorite town.
- Easter eggs are a big deal there.
- I'm not kidding with my title - More pizza than Italy and more burgers than America
- Driving on the road that hugs Lake Ohrid in Albania you will see guys selling fresh fish. They have small coolers and basically hold fish up to show to passing cars...pull over if you see one that looks appetizing.
- If you are in Ohrid, try to get Apple Gelato. I have not seen this flavor anywhere else in Europe and it was some of the best ice cream we had on the trip.
These are some of the experiences that really made this a memorable trip:
Our day trip from Bitola was to a small village called Malovishte. I would be surprised if 100 people lived there. Driving there is an experience, and once you get there, the village is on a hill with a beautiful stream running through it. So, my wife sometimes has panic attacks on hills and sure enough, she had one here. She was bent over, with her hands on a stone, and was frozen and couldn't move. At that point, a friendly dog decided to come over and start licking her face, which threw her into even more of a panic. She couldn't stand up because she was frozen, and must have put peanut butter on her cheeks because the dog was going to town on them. Eventually she stood up and the dog walked away and all was good again.
On the way home from our day trip to Voskopoje, we tried to go to another small village called Lekas. About half way there we realized if we went any further we would get stuck (we really needed a 4x4 to navigate the road). Turning around we saw an incredible sight. Even though we had only driven maybe a mile or so, it looked like we were in the middle of nowhere. It was maybe the most beautiful sight on the entire trip...so pretty yet so devoid of signs of habitation.
Walking back to our hotel from seeing the ruins in Bitola we saw two old ladies standing in their front yard. We waved and they smiled and waved back and started walking towards us. Quickly we realized there was no common language we spoke, but they still smiled and talked and were very animated. Eventually they each gave my wife a big hug and we said goodbye. This type of friendliness in the face of such obvious *superficial* differences was a common theme on the trip.
When we booked this trip we didn't realize we would be in Korce for the (Orthodox) Easter. Seeing the city decorated and seeing midnight mass in front of the cathedral (along with the candle processional) was an amazing sight that will last in my memory. And, of course, lots of Easter Eggs!
If you happen to stay overnight in Ohrid, count yourself lucky. Walking the narrow cobblestone streets at night once all of the tourists have left is romantic, spooky, and calming at the same time.
Our first night we went to a small bar in Prizren. It only had room for maybe 10 people, so we became friendly with the owner. The next night we returned and stayed until closing talking with the owner (who is getting married) and the locals (one, an Albanian who is studying American history/politics). We've been exchanging emails and while I don't expect us to be lifelong friends, it was great meeting these guys and talking to them and getting their perspective on everything. I really hope to see them again sometime.
Tushemisht is a small town on the Albanian/Macedonian border. There really isn't much there and I would say its biggest claim to fame is it sits on the lake and is close to Pogradec. But driving through it I saw some guys playing chess on the side of the street. I stopped, and even though there was a language barrier, they invited me to play a game. Things like this serve to reinforce the fact that people are the same everywhere you go and we have much more in common with each other than we have differences.
Speaking of Pogradec, we went here for a day trip from Ohrid. It was a little hectic as there is a lot of traffic and you need local currency for just about anything you want to buy and we couldn't find an ATM. Eventually we did get some money and ended up eating in a small restaurant that might have been a chain but I couldn't tell. Anyway, there was a children's birthday party there so it was pretty loud. After they finished eating, the children started getting up and doing some type of local dance where they held hands and went in a circle. This being a restaurant, it was more of an oval around tables. Before we knew it, adults joined in. This prompted my wife to also partake of the festivities. It was a lot of fun and foreshadowed the enjoyment we would have in Albania.
In Dragash (day trip from Prizren) we ate in a tiny restaurant where, again, there was a language barrier. There was some uncooked meat and bread on display and we simply pointed to what we wanted. The food was amazing and by the end we had worked out some basic words we could say to each other and had a small conversation with the owner (who was also the cook). Again, small things like this show our similarities over our differences.
Ice Cream. Not much to say here other than some of the best we have had in Europe. Plentiful and cheap. You will not be disappointed.
Lastly, breakfast in Korce at our hotel. Even though I mentioned it above, I wanted to add it here. The hotel is family run (we saw the owner's children running around, acting like boys) and the pride the owner has in both his country and his hotel is heartwarming to see. Breakfast is served to you with care and you can see he is happy to surprise you with different delicacies. But really, just go there and experience this for yourself.
In Summary
If you are still reading at this point, please stop. The report is over!