macedonia

BUS HOPPING AROUND KOSOVO, ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA: How to do it

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ITINERARY PLANNING:

We visited Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania over eight days, meaning that we only had one or two days in each place. This was enough to see the highlights, but it also meant lots of travelling around.

TRANSPORT:

It’s tricky to find information about buses online, but TripAdvisor forums had the best information.

Bus tickets can’t be booked in advance online, but we had no problem getting them on the day. Distances are short, but trips often take longer than expected because of the hilly terrain. Drivers can be mavericks – overtaking dangerously on a turn is commonplace.

Taxis are also available and not super expensive, although we didn’t use them.

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MONEY:

Everything was significantly cheaper than in the UK – even in popular places you never pay more than 10€ for a meal including drinks.

Kosovo uses the Euro, Macedonia has the Denar and Albania uses the Lek. Lek and Denars can only be exchanged in the country, but we had no issues with that.

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FOOD:

We did some research in advance, but it was easy enough to find veggie options and ask for vegan versions by removing some ingredients. Most people speak English enough to understand simple instructions like ‘no cheese’.

Yummy salads are available everywhere, as are pizzas. Portions are always generous. Fruit and veg are usually very fresh and delicious – as is the local wine.

Drinks aren’t always listed on the menu, but most places will serve the usual drinks (including plenty of coffee options).

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AMPLE SQUARES AND SUNNY LAKES: Exploring Ohrid and Skopje in Macedonia

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We took the bus from Prizren and headed to Macedonia, where we arrived at the capital.

SKOPJE

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Skopje is a monumental city, full of statues and landmarks. You can explore the grand squares and walk by the river to get some photos.

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  • Old Bazaar: the old part of Skopje is a great place to wander around. The narrow roads and local shops are a nice contrast to the newer part of the city.
  • Star Grad Brewery: this popular bar is a great place to try some local beer and nibbles (with lots of veggie options). Lunch for two with plenty of beers for 1,000 MKD.
  • Kolektiv: this is another place serving local beers (from the same brewery). It’s a cool bar at Alexander the Great Square. Drinks and snacks for two including tip for 1,100 MKD.

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: we took the bus from Prizren at 9am which took 3h30. Tickets are bought on the bus and cost 9€.
  • Money: you can change money around town and conveniently at the bus station, always with good rates. Macedonia is not as cheap as its neighbour Kosovo, but it’s still much cheaper than London.

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OHRID

Ohrid is the highlight of any trip to Macedonia. Lake Ohrid is massive, and mountains create the impressive backdrop. The town is small, hilly and pretty.

You can spend the day leisurely exploring the narrow streets and stopping for breaks at the many cafes and restaurants.

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Ohrid Old Town is full of houses in traditional architecture and plenty of places to get a good view of the lake. There are many Orthodox churches, and St John Theologian has the most picturesque setting by the lake.

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  • Via Sacra Pizzeria: a popular place in a great location where you can try delicious Macedonian wine. Dinner for two including drinks and tip for 1,200 MKD.
  • Dr Falafel: this is a cheap but friendly place serving a range of veggie falafel dishes. A big plate of falafel, hummus and salad plus a drink for 200 MKD.

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: Buses leave hourly from Skopje station, and tickets can be booked in advance at the station. The trip takes 3h30 and tickets cost 500 MKD.
  • Stay: We stayed at Villa Kale, which had a great location and great views over the lake.

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