The Balkans 2024 – Blog

Oh yes, we are on our way as the majority of our group met at Auckland International Airport and started our journey to Europe via Doha. This was the first time for most of us to fly through Qatar. The transfer was so easy and the airport itself modern and clean with a beautiful garden just near our departure gate. Our gate C53 was in the middle of 96 gates for C zone – so a huge airport.

We arrived in Zagreb early morning (around 6.30am) and had a very smooth transition through passport control and better yet all our bags were there too. Nikolche Evtimoski, (Nikola) our Tour Manager was there to greet us and that was it – we are in the Balkans and ready for adventure!

In the interests of adjusting to the time zone better we checked into our hotel, had breakfast, freshened up and went out for a stroll with Mandy Page, our Tour Leader.

Zagreb is a mix of buildings from the last three centuries with the occasionally medieval structure. The hotel, Sheraton Zagreb was in the Lower Town and so we strolled along the streets to the nearby green area and onto the Upper Town. You couldn’t ask for a better day with blue skies, a warm 21 and a gentle breeze.

The afternoon was at leisure and then it was our first dinner together, Vindodol. Some of the group joined Nikola on a tram ride back to the hotel. Hotel; Sheraton Zagreb

We woke to another beautiful day and after a hearty breakfast it was time to get ourselves organised with the Whispers (personal communication system) and our day ahead. Our local guide, Zgravka Vrnoga met us at the hotel and was a wonderful storyteller.

There were some facts and dates in the two hour walk but the most memorable information was the people and personal history. We heard about bishops and witches, statues and buried rivers and saw lots of beautiful streets.

We all chose to take the funicular down the hill and enjoy a 63 second ride for .66 Euros. (Did you know it’s the shortest funicular in the world!)

After our walk around it was time for coffee and cake. Then we made individual choices for the afternoon; some went to the Museum of Broken Relationships, some shopping and some for another tram ride.

The day was not quite over for some of us as we ventured out to find dinner (hotel restaurant was filled to capacity). It was cheap but extremely cheerful as we wrapped ourselves in blankets and created the Higher Order of the Blankets. David, as our Archbishop was doing well with the rules of ‘No Honey, No Money and No Mucking About’ – Chastity, Poverty and Obedience but completely lost the crowd when he proposed we be a Silent Order. All was going well until we decided to catch the No 13 tram back to the hotel – would you believe for 20 minutes we had no 14, 12, 11 and even 1 but no 13! As it was chilly we decided to walk back (a kind passerby bought the tickets back from me) and as we started a No 13 appeared (going the wrong way)!

Today it was breakfast in Croatia and lunch in Slovenia. The day was wet however that did not deter us from sailing along the amazing highway from Zagreb to Bled. Slovenia is a green and pastural country with incredible mountains and access to the sea. From the highway we passed small rural villages with their distinctive white buildings with wooden balconies and doors. Each small settlement seemed to have a church with its tall tower and a cluster of farms.

Arriving in Lake Bled we meet Barbara Merlak our local guide who accompanied us to the small island in Lake Bled. The soft weather made all the sharp lines of mountains and sky very blurred and romantic. As we rowed by pletna boats to the island, small birds darted across the water and the occasional duck floated by. We all managed to get to the top of the small hill and view the church, inspect the gift shop and grab a warm coffee. Down the 99 steps, we rejoined the boats and were rowed back to our bus.

Barbara organised a local cafe to stay open so we could have a hot lunch before making a choice between walking around the lake, catching the tourist train or simply having a kremsnit (custard square). (Wonder which one we chose!!) Hotel: Komas Hotel, Bled

An earlier start today as we headed out at 8am to Ljubljana. We found ourselves in traffic for the first time as we entered the city.

Waiting for us was Karmen Rus our local guide; Karmen loves her city and she walked us around the historic centre introducing us to many of the bridges crossing The Ljubljanica, the river which flows through the city. The river today is lined with cafes and small shops making Ljubljana a very walkable place.

After hitting the main highlights Pedersen (poet), the cathedral, the town hall and many old streets, we were free to explore on our own for a few hours. Some of us went up to the Castle (Grad) by funicular, others went souvenir shopping and even more in search of coffee and cake. Those who hadn’t tasted the Cream Pie (Kremsnita) had their opportunity and what a taste sensation it was!

Gathering together at 1.45pm we headed back to the bus and were on our way to Plitvice National Park. The long drive was punctuated by the talking book, questions from the group and national anthems from Slovenia, Croatia and New Zealand.

A quick stop at the supermarket to buy our parts for the picnic tomorrow and then on to dinner, Degenja.

I think most of us slept the sleep of the tired when we got to bed. Hotel: Jezero Hotel, Plitvice

A welcome later start meant we started our day at 9.45am. First stop was the Park Entrance 1 where we met Patricia, our park guide.

Despite the forecasted rain we had a cloudy day which brightened into sunshine. The colour of the lakes looked impossibly blue to turquoise and the many cascades sparkled in the sun. The fresh green of the spring foliage was particularly beautiful today.

A slow stroll around the lower lakes brought us P2 where we had our picnic. Tablecloth, serviettes and a fine array of food produced by the group. Delicious.

After lunch there was a bit of a wait for the boat. (There was an unexpected number of guests in the park and the boats only take 100 passengers at a time.) It was wonderful being on the blue water (silently on the electric boat) moving up the lake to P3. At this point some went on to the upper lake and the rest of went by another short boat ride to P1 and up the hill to the hotel.

Leaving behind the green and turquoise of Plitvice, we travelled southwest to the coast. One moment we were in a fertile farm area, the next going through a 6 km tunnel and then we were four degrees warmer in a rocky, barren landscape. The three hour journey took us to the Adriatic coast and Spilt.

Split has been occupied for over 2,000 years and in the centre of the old town is the Emperor’s Diocletian’s Palace. Don’t imagine a dry dusty ruin, the palace is part of a vibrant living city. Shops, apartments, restaurants and businesses live within the city walls and palace complex.

Jelena Grgas, our local guide took us on a winding walk in the palace, from the basement to the upper floors.

After some free time, mostly trying the local beer, we walked to dinner at a fish restaurant. (Most of us decided the local dish of mackerel was not for us) and so we walked on to the hotel. Hotel: Globo

An early start today as we needed to be at the bus early to get to the ferry terminal in time to board the ferry. It was a calm sailing to the Island of Hvar. Clyde our retired ship’s captain, managed to get us a tour of the ship and bridge.

Arriving at the island it was a smooth drive across the island from Stadi Grad to the town of Hvar. Sunshine, pale stones and ocean.

Dajana Moskaleto was a great local guide as we walked slowly through the old town with it’s narrow streets, quirky architectural features and lots of options for food and drink. Greeks, Romans, Venetians, Kiwis, they have all been to this small town!

Our hotel was right on the water with views across the marina back to the town. Time for a rest, a gelato and slow look at the shops. Most of us had dinner together at Mizarola, a recommendation from our local guide.

We woke to a sparkling day; clear blue skies, shiny limestone buildings and clear sea water. Hvar township is small enough to get to know well and large enough to have surprising treats just around the corner.

Some of us climbed the 80 odd metres to the fortress overlooking the harbour. Originally fortified by the romans the fortress last reincarnation was as a Spanish fortress after lightning ignited the gunpowder store. The complex was on many levels and had panoramic views of the town and distant islands.

Down in the main square we met more of our group and crossed the plaza to the old theatre (foundation stone 1612) and the first civic theatre in Europe. They had virtual reality headsets explaining the history of Hvar – a novel of new technology meets old building.

The last stop on our combination ticket was the Clock Tower. Then it was time for lunch by the water.

After lunch (and Alan’s first gelato of the day) a few of us wandered along the paved path to access point to the sea to put our feet in the Adriatic. The sea water was distantly salty and pebbles lined the shore where they between the rocks. Cold and refreshing the water was crystal clear.

The rest of the day was at leisure: time for a nap, read a book, swim or refreshing drink at the bar.

At 6pm most of us gathered to walk 6,5 minutes to Restoran Palaca Paladini, a garden restaurant. The restaurant was set in an enclosed open-air courtyard and perfect for a friendly, fun evening.

The great weather continued as we woke early to get our day underway. At 7.30am we walked across the town to our bus and then drove the 77km to Sucaraj, our ferry terminal to return to the mainland. Our timing was perfect and we managed to get on the 10.30am ferry for our 30 minute crossing.

Back on Europe we travelled south to first Ston, then Dubrovnik. Ston was our lunch stop and those ancient kilometres of wall were impressive, Villa Korana.

First sight on our approach to Dubrovnik was a huge passenger ship, Norwegian Viva: we think over 3,000 passengers. Here’s hoping they are not all in the old town tomorrow morning.

Sleep tonight is in Valamar Tirena Hotel

An easy start as we settled into our day in beautiful Dubrovnik – the old city with its fortified walls, location on the sea and preserved old buildings takes some beating. We expected it to be crowded, after sighting that huge cruise ship in port and the place was humming with tourists.

Our local guide, Romana Kmetovic was an expert as she navigated around the crowds, into shady spots and still managed to explain the history and uniqueness of Dubrovnik. Highlights of our walking tour included the Franciscan monastery pharmacy and the Rector’s Palace. It’s very difficult to take a bad photo in the old town; so many cute alleys and architectural features!

After our walking tour it was time to enjoy some free time; some went for a walk on the walls, some for lunch, others for shopping and even more to do some quality control on the gelato!

Returning to the hotel we had time to freshen up before Mandy’s birthday party. Nikola negotiated a balcony space, a cake and champagne and finished his range of talents by being the DJ for our party, which got progressively louder as the alcohol got lower.

To round off the day, fourteen of us caught the local No, 6 bus back to the old city for a concert by the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra. It was a magical evening which just got better and better. Our first treat was at a local restaurant who offered us half price quesadillas – yum. Second treat was having the concert in the Rector’s Palace and the greatest treat of all was the superb orchestra. The concert started with classical pieces and then morphed into popular themes such as James Bond and Game of Thrones. Two encores!! (We even managed to catch the bus and return to the hotel without getting lost).

Today was a travelling day as we left Croatia and entered Montenegro (via a land border control). Our first stop in Montenegro was Kotor and what a great place it is. The tiny port was overshadowed by an enormous Viking cruise ship and the narrow streets overrun with tourists moving in packs of 20-50.

Our guide in Kotor was Jovic and was a charming example of the local people.

After Kotor it was the adventure of the serpentine, a road over the mountain with 25 significant switchbacks. All was well until we met two buses coming in the other direction – I swear I heard our driver Zoran mutter some choice words as he expertly got us passed them. Mind you when we stopped to take in the view, Zoran needed a few minutes to calm his nerves with a cigarette.

Over the summit the road improved and we soon arrived at the oldest restaurant in Montenegro – more a roadside inn – a local family served a simple meal of bread, cheese, prosciutto, olives and a glass of local wine or mead. The owner then escorted us into the smoke room for a shot of Rakia (45 proof). Some of us really enjoyed the Rakia and had a merry old time getting back to the bus.

It was a quick hop over to Cetinje, only slowed by the road works where we helped the machines flatten the loose gravel.

At Cetinje we met Veljko Kadija who walked us around the older part of the town and through King Nikola House Museum. Our patient kiwi group felt like the filling in a tourist sandwich as we followed one cruise boat pack and was back ended by another. King Nikola’s House was full of treasure which only indicated how wealthy this royal family once were.

Culture over, we were back on the bus to drive the last 45 minutes to our hotel in Budva. We were right by the sea with large rooms equipped with balconies. Hotel: Queen of Montenegro

We woke to thunder, lightning and pelting rain. Our weather gods (Jan C on sun, Bevin on wind and Denise on temperature) really needed to try harder. However, by the time we got ourselves together and the show on the road the rain had stopped.

Dragan Peric, our local guide set a few hearts a flutter with his tall, dark and handsome presence. Budva being Budva under constant construction, meant we had to walk past building sites down to the marina. The marina was an array of small boats from simple dinghies to very expensive super yachts.

Dragan walked us through the old town and to our happy surprise Holy Trinity church was open and we had the opportunity to see the newly painted frescoes without any other group.

Back on the bus it was a short drive along the coast and a stop to take photos of St Stevans, an exclusive island just for the extremely wealthy. The views from the island must be extraordinary.

On our way again, it was some 90 minutes to the land border between Montenegro and Albania. The time soon passed with information, another few chapters of our audio book and a quiz (Heath won). The border crossing was quick and straight forward – oh yes – and we were in Albania.

Albania is the land of BMW, Audi, Mercedes and luxury cars – they are notably all black. The landscape changed once again, and the houses were taller and larger with gardens. Mosques had begun to appear and even the occasional bomb shelter.

First sightseeing stop was Rozafa castle in Skhodra. Bora Minku was our guide, and she was helpful in arranging for some of us to take a mini bus up to the castle entrance whilst the rest of us walked up the sloping stone path. The view even from this level was extensive across the river plains below.

Climbing further up we passed through the first castle gate into the first yard of castle ruins. We eventually got to the third area and the inner yard. This castle was once taken over by the Ottomans and it was easy to understand why it was of strategic importance.

Back down again it was time for a late lunch in the local town – our first meal in Albania and it was received well. Vegetable soup, salad, veal with mushroom sauce and risotto followed by a local dessert, Villa Bekteshi.

Time to travel to Tirana with the two hours quickly passing with views from the bus and Nikola’s music. Approaching Tirana, we encountered lots of traffic, road construction, and many traffic police. Cars went wherever they wanted and also parked wherever they liked.

Once at the hotel it was time to say goodbye to Zoran and our big grey bus as EU rules required him to have a compulsory rest. Hotel: Mondial

The boulevard of central Tirana was constructed before the city was built and it was designed to impress with multiple large, significant buildings in the Soviet style lining its sides. Traffic poured through the multiple lanes, people filled the footpaths and flags flew. We walked from Mother Teresa Square to Skanderbeg Square, some 750m taking in these imposing facades, a nice park, a bomb shelter or two and various monuments to men. We heard a lot of Enver Hoxha, the dictator of Albania for 44 years and created the ideal eastern European model of a Stalinist state; marred by brutality and pollical oppression.

In Skanderbeg Square the area was being prepared for a celebration and older structures are all dwarfed by the skyscrapers of new construction. Horses and men with swords look very dated against cranes and high rises.

After a break it was back on the bus (who knows how the driver could find a park with the illegal parking and flashy antics of the expensive cars). We travelled to Kruje, high in the hills. Our local guide, Loren Vocka turned out to be an accomplished violinist and we managed to persuade him to play us one of his music videos.

The road to Kruje was full of switchbacks and on one of these the bus bumped into a van – all traffic stopped in both directions as the van occupants yelled and gestured at our driver, until a satisfactory solution was found (money changed hands).

Arriving in Kruje it was time for lunch and our first trot through the bazaar. Both sides of the narrow pedestrian street from the road to Kruje castle is lined with stalls and small shops. The very eager vendors are keen to get you inside their store and the colourful displays cover everything from thimbles to tablecloths, felt to silver. It was a relief to get to Hotel Panorama and take in the view and have some local dishes.

After lunch some of us chose to walk to the castle, others to shop and a few just to take in the view. The weather had improved, and the temperature was recorded at 29 degrees. The village of Kruje clings to the mountain and just beyond the busy pedestrian bazaar was a rural town with small houses, chickens and old men sorting out the world as they smoked in the shade.

When we got back to the hotel, it was time to freshen up and most of us ended up on the 5th floor bar for drinks at 4 Euros each (bargain). Dinner was near Skanderbeg Square and was a delicious fusion of Italian and Albanian food, Villa Ferdinard. Bring on tomorrow when we can count the incredible number of car wash places.

It was a travelling day as we prepared to leave Albania for Macedonia. First stop was our last view of the Adriatic from Durres. This seaside town was once a progressive, wealthy Roman trading port and some of the roman settlement has been found. In Durres, it’s very easy to see the layers upon layers of 2,000 years of human habitation. We found some roman structures partly visible and even more buried beneath soil and housing. Who knows what they will undercover next.

The beaches in Durres attract a lot of sun worshippers and it’s safe to say those short, pebbly spaces covered in rotten seaweed are nothing compared to New Zealand’s shoreline. On the way to the border, the fine dust in the air from a Saharan sandstorm covered the cars, buildings and distant views.

We crossed Albania to reach Lake Ohrid and crossed the border close to St Naum. Almost immediately it was apparent we had entered another country. The numerous black cars vanished from the roads and the trees grew dense and green.

As we were close to the monastery of St Naum we stopped here for a visit. St Naum lived in the 10th century and was an Eastern Orthodox monk. Little is known about his life; however he was involved in developing the Cyrillic alphabet and supporting translating literature into the Slavic language.

St Naum monastery today is a mix of the secular with stalls, restaurants and small boats to float on the natural springs, and the profoundly sacred with the church and St Naum tomb. We were fortunate enough to have Nikola explain the beautiful iconostasis (wall of icons) and the frescos in the eastern area of this small church.

Free time and on we go. Travelling further around the lake we arrived in the town of Ohrid. A brief stop at our hotel before going out to dinner.

As we walked along the shoreline to the restaurant, we could see the dark clouds gathering. The restaurant proved to be lively, and we made it even livelier with local wine; Alexandria from Tikves winery. During our meal a traditional band appeared, and the cheerful sounds encouraged other guests to get up and dance. The band recognising the skill of the Turkish dancers (mostly young females) threw themselves into the occasion and there were napkins waving in the air, hips swinging, singing and clapping – and the saxophone player up the tempo.

As much as we wanted to delay our departure there was no avoiding the rain, thunder and lightning so it was a puddle jumping dash to the bus. Hotel: Tino Sveti Stefan

Nikola, our Tour Manager is from Ohrid; and what a privilege it is to be guided through a place by a resident. He was terrific as he guided us through the streets of the old town. We stopped at several places of interest: Paper maker, pearls, museums and the extraordinary St Sophia.

Inside St Sophia we were the only group there so Nikola had time to explain the frescos, the various ages and stages of the Cathedral to Mosque and then back to a church. Mandy gave the acoustics a go and the sound soared in the impressively designed space.

Time for coffee and then a choice: to go up to the Roman/Greek theatre or to explore the lower town and its many shops. Decision made and half the group went up and the other half went exploring.

The subset which went with Nikola visited the recently discovered roman villa with its decorative floors and the theatre. Moving further up, this group walked along the ridge line to the ancient monastic centre for writing and translations. It was here that the cyrillic alphabet was created and the slavic language written down.

The views from the top of the hill were incredible. We followed the trail down to St John passing through a young pine forest. The cool of the shade was very welcome as the sun had come out to play as the day went on.

St John sits on a rocky ledge overlooking the lake and the town its ancient walls still intact despite years of Ottoman conquest. A peek inside the dark saw a dark space lit by tapers and shadowy figures moving slowly.

To get back to the main town square the path hugged the shoreline, winding its way between beach bars, boats, rocky cliffs and small beaches.

Gathering back together the group chose to return to the hotel for an afternoon swim, a stroll by the lake, a nap or a refreshing drink.

Dinner was in Ohrid town so we returned by bus and then took a boat to our restaurant by the lake shore. It was a calm, warm evening with barely a breeze so being on the water was magical. Our boat captains were very generous and took us beyond the restaurant, Kaneo, past St John to the beach further on, then we returned for a second view of St John and finally our restaurant’s dock.

The meal tonight was plentiful and along with the wine was very joyous. When we were ready we strolled back through the town with its charming narrow streets and old buildings.

Time to leave restful Ohrid and head north to Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. Passing the farms, organised villages and tree covered slopes we arrived at Heracles Lyncestis in Bitola, the site of a wealthy roman town.

Heracles Lyncestis is known for its variety of mosaic floors, all en situ. As we wandered about we found the caretaker hosing down a mosaic which had it’s protective covering of gravel removed. The clean water made the tiles bright and colourful; probably much like they were when laid 2,000 years ago. Although some of the mosaics were covered by gravel we did get to see the impressive designs in the great basilica.

Making our way through the small museum we climbed to the theatre level and David Dwerryhouse kindly recited some Shakespeare appropriate to the setting.

Lunch was at Tikvas Winery in Kavadartsi; we knew we were getting close when the ploughed fields became grape vines. A short visit around the winery process – most of it underground – and then we were on to our lunch. Lunch was also underground and each course was paired with a wine. Some of us managed to con the others out of their wine allocation and became merrier and merrier as the meal continued.

Back on the bus it was time for the audio book and a chance to look at the scenery as we took the motorway to Skojpe. Our hotel was right in the city centre, surrounded by cafes, bars, restaurants and shops. Hotel: Marriott Skopje.

Skopje has been devastated by earthquakes several times; the most recent was in 1963 when 80% of the city was destroyed. From this disaster, the city has rebuilt itself with a city centre with wide open spaces and huge fountains, statues and monuments. Alexander the Great sits on his horse with a raised arm looking like he is declaring “Triumph over all”.

We started our walk with Nikola at the statue of the Warrior on a horse (Alexander on Bucephalus) and continued through the pedestrian streets to the Memorial House of Mother Teresa. There are notably less tourists in Skopje; however the Memorial House is small. Fortunately, it emptied out as we had a private tour of the memorabilia. Upstairs was a private chapel which was a peaceful place to sit for a moment.

Walking on to the Triumph Arch, Nikola explained all the images decorating this structure and its meaning for the past and present of Macedonia. The group had lots of questions and these were patiently answered.

Back to the main square we moved to the edge of River Vardar with its multiple bridges, statues and buildings. The river is not navigable by vessels anymore, nor healthy for swimming, fishing or drinking but remains an important feature of the city.

Crossing over the main pedestrian bridge we moved from the western shops and culture of Skopje to the eastern. Women were now dressed with head scarves and long robes, the shops changed into bazaar stalls and the streets became narrow and windy, Mosques replaced churches and Turkish coffee, sweets and food were everywhere.

The day was getting hotter and we ended our walk at the Caravanserai. Some of us chose to head off with Nikola to the Mosque and others elected to have a cool drink in the shade by a fountain.

Very much a travelling day as we made our way to Sofia, Bulgaria in the northeast via Rila Monastery. Once we were out of the morning traffic of Skopje, the highway was remarkably clear. Our border crossing was quick and straightforward even if the guards seemed grumpy and uninterested.

Rila Monastery is high in the mountains and the tree lined road danced with the rushing river swollen by the recent rains. Lunch was at a roadside inn where we were checking out whether the other groups were leaving Rila rather than arriving. Fortunately for us the monastery appeared to have only two other groups visiting when we were.

Rila was overwhelming with its painted walls inside and out; so many images and scenes, colours and gold. Nikola explained to those who were with him some of the pictures and icons; others of us just sat and tried to take in the multiple images covering every surface.

Back on the road again we were making good time until we hit traffic entering Sofia. The situation was made more congested by a thunderstorm which reduced visibility to only a few metres. Finally we made it to the hotel and dry, clean rooms and a warm meal.

Our last full day in the Balkans and heavy rain was predicted by 10am; instead we had cloudy skies and not a drop of rain – a lucky group or what? We were also fortunate enough to have Marina as our local guide and she was a delightful mix of historical information and amusing anecdotes.

Starting at Alexander Nevski cathedral we were awed by the majesty of this building; it’s enormous and the frescos inside extraordinary. The beauty of the place was marred by the woman who thought she was the guard dog of the cathedral – “Don’t take photo, have you paid?” “Why are you wearing shorts like a little boy?” She tried to tell Jon off asking “Why doesn’t an American know not to wear shorts in church?” His reply, “I’m not American, I’m a New Zealander and we don’t have churches.”

Marina moved us on to the remains of a Roman church, a Russian church and along the yellow brick road (the main thoroughfare of Sofia; the road is paved with golden ceramic blocks). A symbol of power the road also makes it easy for a lost tourist to find their way.

There was much to see, and we crossed from Roman remains through Soviet times and up to today. Our last stop was the Archeological Museum and its treasure room: Gold, gold and more gold, part of the grave goods found in excavations.

The last part of the day some of us explored more of the city, especially the rose shop on the pedestrian street; and then it was back to the hotel to pack and prepare for our long journey tomorrow.

The farewell dinner was in Shatasieva restaurant on the pedestrian street, Vitosha Boulevard, and we had our first sprinkles of the day. It was that grateful time of the tour when we acknowledged the support and professional services of the Tour Manager, Nikola; a gift from New Zealand was given to him. As a reminder of the wonderful trip everyone was given a woven bookmark from Macedonia.

Our last morning in Europe as most of us started the long journey home. Today was a national holiday in Bulgaria so we were fortunate enough to get a clear window of traffic to the airport.

It was an uneventful flight to Doha with a happy surprise for the economy passengers as we were upgraded to the Oryx lounge in the airport. The transit time seemed a lot shorter as we helped ourselves to food and drink plus a hot shower and free internet.

Home!!!