Rediscovering Kosovo, Albania and Macedonia
Wanderlust kickstarted one wave of tourism to the underrated Balkans – and Macedonia won Best Emerging Destination in the 2016 Wanderlust Travel Awards. Now it’s time more of you headed for Kosovo, Albania
Kosovo on the quick
Where were all the people?
A vow to return
Cheers!
Make it happen
The author travelled using a range of local operators including: Our Own Expeditions, Auron & Nancy Tare’s company offering riding, archaeology and more in Albania; Outdoor Albania, which runs trekking, heritage and outdoor activities; Macedonia Experience, which arranges cultural, active and specialist day-trips and longer breaks.
Getting there
There are direct flights from the UK to Tirana and Skopje; flight time is just over three hours. There are no direct UK-Pristina flights. Wizz Air flies Luton-Ohrid in summer. The author flew into Pristina and out of Skopje, via Vienna, with Austrian Airlines.
Getting around
Buses ply the main routes. Taxis are plentiful and good value; make sure you write your destination down to show the driver as English won’t necessarily be understood everywhere.
Accommodation
Hotel Qarshia e Jupave in Gjakova, Kosovo, is one of the country’s best. Hotel Kalemi is a characterful guesthouse with good views in Gjirokaster, Albania.St Naum is an atmospheric hotel set within a monastery complex by Lake Ohrid, Macedonia. Hotel Tutto, in the Macedonian village of Jance, in Mavrovo NP, is known for its local cuisine. Popova Kula, a well regarded winery, is also a hotel; it offers cycle hire, birding and other activities.
Food & drink
Expect hearty stews, cheeses, spreads and seasonal vegetables. In Kosovo and parts of Albania, you may get to try flia, a traditional dish of batter layered with buttermilk, then baked. In Albania you will find good seafood along the coast. Macedonian dishes include meze (salads and spreads), freshwater fish and tavce gravce (baked beans).
The local firewater throughout the region is raki. All three countries produce wine, and the standard is improving after the communist years. Coffee is good almost everywhere, even in roadside service stations, with macchiato, espresso and cappuccino increasingly the norm. However, strong Turkish coffee is available too.
See the full results of the 2016 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards
Main image: St John at Kaneo Church overlooking Lake Ohrid, Macedonia (Lyn Hughes)
