Any experiences or knowledge of travelling through these countries.

I’ve read that if you’ve got a Kosovan stamp in your passport you can be refused entry to Serbia.

Will happily swerve Kosovo.

Any grumbling between the other countries down there?

Ta Rich

Just don’t go when Eurovision is on.

Friend did this on his motorbike over summer. He did have one issue crossing a border, I think it was visa related. I’ll ask him if no one else knows. He loved it btw!

Kosovo is a crime ridden shithole. Avoid at all costs. I’d love to go back to Bosnia and see how it’s changed. I still visit Croatia, it’s lovely. Would like to check out Montenegro, it looks nice although it’s pretty thick with shady rich Russians.

I’ve passed through the serbia/croatia border a few times and never had any problem.

Rode up through the Balkans in ’07 on my trusty xt600, from Greek Macedonia through Macedonia/Serbia/Bosnia/Croatia.
Crossing borders no probs but got stung with buying local insurance – Serbia and Bos in particular.
Serbia – a bit underdeveloped compared with its neighbours but really friendly/helpful folk who seemed to welcome a lone Brit visiting (English widely spoken).Skirted the Kosovo border as a bit iffy at the time but bumped into a couple of military checkpoints who weren’t so friendly.
Bosnia – really enjoyed my visit but chatting to folk highlighted the underlying tensions. Beautiful country and Sarajevo a highlight.
Croatia – expensive and beautiful, away from the coast eyeopening with minefields etc.
Overall really enjoyed the region.

I cycled through Macedonia>Albania>Montenegro>Croatia a few years ago, and every border crossing was plain sailing.
I remember there was some issue with travel through Kosovo and Serbia at the time. I think the problem was getting out of Serbia if you entered from Kosovo; Serbia would not recognise the entry route as valid, because of their dispute over sovereignty. I don’t know what the current situation is.

Funnily enough, I actually benefited from Eurovision on that trip, because the host country, Ukraine, waived visa restrictions for EU visitors, so I had another easy border crossing.

I second the comments about it being a very interesting area to visit. Montenegro has some lovely mountain scenery, the Dalmatian coast is great for island hopping, and as mentioned above, the minefields and ghost villages in areas of Croatia were a very stark reminder of how recently Europe has experienced serious conflict. I would also put in a mention for Romania and Slovenia; fantastic countryside and lots of interesting history.

Everyone I met was very friendly. There weren’t so many campsites out east, but plenty of opportunities for wild camping.

Disclaimer: this was in 2005, so it will be very different now!

Bucovinia, Romania

Trans Fagaras Highway, Romania

Lake Ohrid, Macedonia

Kotor, Montenegro

Lovcen, Montenegro

Tara Gorge, Montenegro

Korcula, Croatia

Krajina, Croatia

Plitvicka Lakes, Croatia

Slovenia

Great pics @kcr

Great pics +1 – was all still Yugoslavia when I last visited 🙁

I’ve driven around Serbia/Bosnia&H/Croatia on business for the last four or five years and never had any problems apart from queues at the bigger border crossings. The longest queue ever is leaving Serbia to enter Hungary. Don’t go in mid summer as it gets unbearably hot and not all hotels have AC. The girls in Banja Luka are the loveliest on the planet.

I’m probably travelling through those same countries as well next summer, so am very interested in any experiences, especially cycling. It will be the middle of summer so I’m going to get toasted. Will be going to kotor and lovcen as in the pics above. My route will be Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, montenegro and then Albania. Should be interesting!

@richpips, you’re not going through these places as part of a long distance race are you? If you are then I will be joining you.

@richpips, you’re not going through these places as part of a long distance race are you? If you are then I will be joining you.

Not the Transcontinental.

Though it will be a ride against the clock.

Some mates are doing it right now – check out their blog:

Home

Never been but I’ve always fancied a road trip through that part of the World

go for it

Just got back from roadtrip:

Serbia -> Croatia -> Slovenia -> Italy -> Austria (Salzburg) -> Germany -> Czech -> Austria (Vienna) -> Slovakia -> Hungary -> back to Belgrade.

Make sure to get vignettes where needed.

Used AirBNB for one or two nights in each country – would highly recommend.

Any questions just ask.

In a Serb plated car – no probs whatsoever.

I spent a few days in Skopje, Macedonia a few years back. Strange place with some ethnic tensions between them and the Albanians. I quite enjoyed it though and, though I wasn’t riding, I can imagine it that region would be amazing for cycling. The currency (Denar) is a nuisance though as you can only (or at least when I was there in 2012) exchange it in the country itself. Also, avoid the local plum brandy stuff; it’s easily the worst thing I’ve attempted to consume.

Also, avoid the local plum brandy stuff; it’s easily the worst thing I’ve attempted to consume.

Slivovitz!
Ha! Avoid for all your worth, Slivo produces the worst hangover you can ever imagine.
The more “rustic” version contains human DNA, well the bosnian stuff did.

drove around Macedonia last year for a week, had an amazing time, awesome people, great country.

Great photos!

Slivovitz!

+1 just seeing the name makes me feel queasy…

Interesting thread, but recently thinking about trying to drum up some interest in a wander through that part of the world for a holiday next year, something like travelling from the Adriatic to the Black sea or something along those lines..

Slivovitz!

That’s the stuff! I stayed in a monastery for 2 weeks in Macedonia in 1995. We drank scotch of varying quality for the 1st week. When that ran out we switched to the plum stuff. I quite liked it iirc.

There are big euro cycle routes that do that and prevailing wind is north to south (you’d better check that ). Would be an amazing trip

I did Slovakia>Hungary>Serbia>Bosnia>Montenegro>Kosovo>Serbia>Macedonia>Bulgaria>Turkey in Summer 2013

If you go into it with the mentality that everyone is essentially good and human just like you then you’ll be just fine.

Every border was no problem, in fact they were happy to see a cyclist and I was always waved to the front of every border queue by the staff and queuers.

Every country, especially Turkey, was very welcoming. Rural Kosovo is underdeveloped but not a crime ridden shithole, just normal people going about their lives. You can see in the capital, Pristina, that the aid money doesn’t fall far from the tree. Lots of very nice cars with dip plates etc. Effects of the war are obvious in most Balkan countries, every mile or so you’ll cycle past a roadside memorial with dates a little too close to the present day. Many of the memorials are also springs as giving water to travellers is an important part of balkan/muslim culture, great for thirsty cyclists.

Take a hammock and tarp instead of a tent, much comfier and easier to stealth camp imo.

These will be your worst enemy. The only time in my life I almost died happened in a Bosnian tunnel.

The sensors don’t detect bikes so the lights shut off one-by-one leaving you in pitch blackness.

Lots of lovely architecture

This was a particularly luxurious memorial worthy of a photo.

Montenegro


This began to climb away from the river and would continue for two days.

It was very cold and a storm was forecast and I had run out of food as there hadn’t been a shop for days so I paid a small amount to camp.

The next day was a solid day of ascent.

Bit random



At the top!

Oh…false summit, i had to descend for miles.
This is the actual summit ahead

Made it, lazy drivers.

This was the scorpion infested campsite that night.

Sausages and onions with bread mmm

Nearing the Kosovan border

Another death trap


Kosovo lies stretched to the horizon. You must never go there, Simba.

The capitol

I don’t know what this was but it was good!

Typical Kosovo

Road to an international border? Google maps lied about this border crossing, it wasn’t created yet so I crossed illegally into Macedonia, found a village of farmers who spoke french who explained there was no border yet, so I had to backtrack a day into Kosovo and cycle to the Serbian border then into Macedonia. The border guard didn’t even check my entry stamp when I left :/


Kosovan people LOVE America and Bush!! American flags everywhere. The guy in the Merc was just leaving his driveway and asked my if I wanted to come for a tour of his house (It was American themed) 😀

Helped this little guy cross the road


I liked this sign

Welcome to Macedonia



A cow ate my pasta out of the pan in the morning! 🙁

Met these French guys travelling to India

Bulgaria

This forest fire was SOO hot!

Turkey!

“Come sit my friend” they plied me with tea and the local crop, sunflower seeds.



Sup

Almost at Istanbul, this day was hell on earth, I had to cycle miles on 6 lane motorways and navigating the city suburbs was nightmarish, I would advise anyone to take the ferry from outside the city.

cracking pics marmaduke! 🙂

Thanks 😀 I hope they persuade someone to go

Thanks I hope they persuade someone to go

Looks great. 🙂

By the looks of the above, I don’t think I really need to add much to this, that whole area is fantastic. Yeah there are a few bad folk, but there are everywhere if you look in the wrong places!

This summer we drove to Croatia and back, did a little of Slovenia (will spend more time next time) and Bosnia (lots more here next time, did you know it was recently voted most friendly country in Europe!!!??). Wanted to drop into Montegro but time wasn’t on our side.

In Croatia unless you like coach/bus/train/ferry/cruise ship loads of Italians, Germans and other tourists in a resort like environment, just go around Split and to a lesser extent Dubrovnik.
Do spend more time in the country, do be aware the national parks are beautiful, but extortionate (£12-28 PER DAY PER PERSON). Do drive/ride/swim the dalmation coastal highway, its amazing and these days after the motorways, very quiet even in summer.