Built upon the remnants of the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires at the junction between East and West, the Balkans are made up of a distinctive patchwork of states that one could spend years enthusiastically exploring. These countries have high mountains, a warm sea, Mediterranean wine and Turkish coffee, Austrian architecture and Slavic hospitality.
With low-cost
airline WizzAir (Kyiv-Sofia-Kyiv for about $150) and sticking to visa-free countries
(except for Bulgaria), this Kyiv Post staff writer traveled to Bulgaria,
Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Serbia for a fascinating, diverse
and an occasionally tense journey.
Bulgaria
Sofia, the
capital of Bulgaria and the only European Union member state on the itinerary, turned
out to be quiet, clean and comfortable. A taxi from the airport to the city
center cost no more than $10, and a tasty pork, potatoes and salad dinner with
beer at a restaurant of only $10 per person.
The most entrancing
sights the city had to offer were the ancient churches, seemingly everywhere,
including the entrance to metro station and the yard of the presidential
office. A highlight was observing the change of guard outside the entrance of the
presidential administration building.
From Sofia,
the Kyiv Post traveled to Skopje by bus (five hours, about $18 per person).
Macedonia
Skopje,
Macedonia’s capital city, is a marvelous city, bustling as swiftly as the
Vardar River that runs through it. Among the notable sights: a huge statue of
Alexander the Great, riverside cafes and the newly built snow-white museums on
the left bank. From Skopje, travel to Ohrid takes three hours by bus and costs
about $10. Locals in Skopje said many city dwellers prefer to spend summer
holidays in Ohrid, a small resort town on the border with Albania with a lake
of the same name. Lake Ohrid, deep, crystal clear and located between the
mountains, was a warm and pleasant place to swim. Picturesque churches dot the
area, including St. Sofia Church and a humble residence for Archbishop Stephen,
head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church.
Albania
Little
known Albania was the biggest concern prior to the journey, but it turned out
to be the most fun. The country’s underdeveloped transport system is
compensated by thousands of private drivers. They drive fast, look menacing and
don’t speak English. But they are usually very helpful and decent people. The long and winding route to Berat consisted
of small moves: from Ohrid to the Albanian border, and then to Pogradec,
Elbasan and finally Berat (six hours in total for around $30 per person).
The medieval
UNESCO heritage city of Berat offers a number of tourist attractions without
hordes of tourists. The most impressive is the white fortress, Kala, and the
ethnographic museum located in an 18th century Albanian house that
is fully equipped with antique furniture on which visitors are allowed to relax.
It was no less fun to walk around the old city, counting the popular old
Mercedes cars and extravagant mohawk hairstyles of the local teenage boys.
The next
destination was the city of Shkodra near the border with Montenegro. The bus
there took about six hours with a change in Tirana, cost $7 in all.
Shkodra is
more modern and developed than Berat, with bicycles instead of old Mercedes dominating
city roads. It has a high medieval fortress with an impressive view of the lake
and an unforgettable Marubi photo museum with hundreds of photos made at the
junction between 19th and 20th centuries. In the evening, the pedestrian street
in the city center and the cafes along it fill with people. Also, there is
monument to Mother Teresa that is worth a brief visit (yes, she was Albanian.).
Montenegro
Tiny Montenegro
was easy to travel through. A comfortable bus took us from Shkodra to Sveti
Stefan with a change in Ulcinj, making it a four-hour trip costing about $13.
Sveti
Stefan, often praised for having the most beautiful view of the Montenegrin
coast, proved to be great but sometimes unfriendly. Its tiny and picturesque
island linked to the mainland by the bridge now hosts a luxury hotel allowing
visit only for its guests, a public beach was overcrowded by the (mostly
Russian) tourists and the local restaurants, while offering tasty food, were pricey.
Cetinje, a
former capital of the country, would be a good alternative for those willing to
see less crowded and touristy Montenegro. The town offers half a dozen museums
as well as a modest king’s palace ($13 for joint ticket), an old Orthodox
monastery and inexpensive meals at the local restaurants (about $15 for two).
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The way
from Sveti Stefan to Mostar is best traveled at night by bus from Budva or from
Podgorica (about six hours and $26).
Mostar,
with its famous stone bridge over a blue-sky river, was a postcard-worthy city
with bright cafes and shops offering dozens of hand-made souvenirs. The idyllic
picture was, however, sometimes ruined by buildings riddled with bullet holes –
sad reminders of the war that shook former Yugoslavia some 20 years ago.
In Sarajevo,
which is best to travel to by railway (some 2.5 hours and $9), the war remains
are everywhere. Its unique Tunnel Museum, constructed on the remnants of the of
so called “tunnel of life” dug under the city airport to carry food, arms and
medication from the Bosnian army to the residents of Sarajevo, is well worth a
visit. To recover from the sad war tales, spend the rest of the day in the
medieval district and taste the famous cevapi
– kebab and onions wrapped in a pita – and Sarajevo coffee.
Serbia
The easiest
way to get from Sarajevo to Belgrade is by bus (about 7 hours and $25).
The Serbian
capital resembles Kyiv: broad streets, massive river and architectural
eclecticism. But unlike Kyivans, the residents of Belgrade make more efforts to
preserve what they have. As a result, many streets have been turned into pedestrian
areas, including its picturesque embankment. Something not to miss is the
museum of inventor Nikola Tesla. Another must-see is Skadarska Street, or
“Skadarlija,” once populated by the Roma community but remade in the early 19th
century into the city’s bohemian quarter.
A 10-hour
night train from Belgrade to Sofia ($40) brought the trip full-circle. This shabby
train makes one homesick for the relative comforts of Ukraine.
Kyiv Post staff writer
Oksana Grytsenko can be reached at [email protected].
