Been to Kosovo, or to Skopje Macedonia, and Have a Recommendation? (need answer kinda fast)

[Bullitt]

Hi,

I’m an American citizen currently on vacation with Mrs. Tango in Croatia. In a couple of days I plan to drive from Durmitor National Park in Montenegro (near Žabljak) to Skopje in Macedonia, passing through Prizren and Kosovo.

Instead of just driving through Kosovo, and if you’ve actually been there, can you recommend something to see or do in Kosovo? Or a place for a great meal along the way? Something that takes up to 3 hours or less. And, I’m not beholden to pass through Prizren, so we can go through Pristina if there’s something worth seeing or doing along that route.

Same goes for Skopje - any recommendations? TripAdvisor is a little light on data for these places. Also, most of the SDMB talk here is discussion about military policy. Go figure.

Things we like are natural beauty and scenery, a nice hike, places of historical interest, military history, and good local food. Shopping is just a meh for Mrs. Tango and me, but if it’s a special or unique enough experience then we’d be willing to check that out. If I go hiking I’ll stay on the beaten paths. Don’t want to awaken any old land mines. That could be a bummer.

Again, I prefer to hear from those who’ve either been there themselves, or know someone first-hand who has that you trust. Thanks in advance.

And, need this info kinda fast since we’ll be there on Tue 22 Oct.

Thanks again.

[madmonk28]

I worked in Kosovo, but in 1999-2000. I have friends who have been there more recently. In general, I think you’ll find shopping and dining to be a little disapointing after Croatia. There is some lovely scenery in Kosovo, but the Kosovars have so far not shown much interest in curtailing littering so you’ll see a lot of lovely mountains covered in cigarette butts. There used to be a really good Indian restaraunt on Mother Teresa Blvd, across from the university library.

Hopefully, someone with more recent experience will come along, but if I were planning your trip I’d get across Kosovo quickly and spend more time in Macedonia (or Greece).

ETA: if your’re interested in history, you might consider a visit to Kosovo Polje (Kosovo Polje - Wikipedia), it was the site of an important battle for the Serbs in the 14th century and also the site where Milosevic made a speech that pretty much announced modern Serbian nationalism and the start of a pretty ugly chapter in the region.

[madmonk28]

Sorry, for the double post, but came back to say that Prizren is a pretty town with lots of sidewalk cafes along the canal. It was also the site of a Serb enclave that was torched during some ugly ethnic rioting after the Kosovo war of independence.

[Hello_Again]

Any desire to veer into Bulgaria? Rila Monastary is quite remarkable.

[aesop]

Skip Skopje and go to Lake Ohrid instead. We were there last year. The roads are tortuous but the scenery is amazing. You can also cross the border into Albania, and Greece is not far either. Local historians were excavating the ruins of a 5th century basilica just below our B&B in Ohrid. We wandered into the site and took pictures of the mosaic floor as it was being uncovered.

[madmonk28]

Yeah, I would second Lake Ohrid and skipping Skopje. When I was there, Skopje didn’t have much to offer other than a place to eat on the way to Greece.

[Bullitt]

@Hello_Again

Any desire to veer into Bulgaria? Rila Monastary is quite remarkable.

Yes we plan to visit Bulgaria briefly on our way back to Budapest where we fly out from next Saturday. Was planning to go to Sofia. Thanks for the tip, the monastery looks beautiful; it’s a UNESCO WHO Site, too - another plus.

We’re in Dubrovnik now. Just drove down from Split. It’s interesting that, along that route, there’s a tiny stretch of the coast where Bosnia divides Croatia and reaches out to the Adriatic.

The Adriatic coast is beautiful. The water is crystal clear and such a deep blue. We stopped in the town of Brela along the way and took a quick dip into the water.
Refreshing.

[Bullitt]

@aesop

Skip Skopje and go to Lake Ohrid instead. We were there last year. The roads are tortuous but the scenery is amazing. You can also cross the border into Albania, and Greece is not far either. Local historians were excavating the ruins of a 5th century basilica just below our B&B in Ohrid. We wandered into the site and took pictures of the mosaic floor as it was being uncovered.

Looks nice, you guys (madmonk28 too), but unfortunately it’s just a little too far south. There are few highways in these parts, so roads are slow going. That also means Greece is too far south for this trip.

[aesop]

@echo7tango

Yes we plan to visit Bulgaria briefly on our way back to Budapest where we fly out from next Saturday. Was planning to go to Sofia. Thanks for the tip, the monastery looks beautiful; it’s a UNESCO WHO Site, too - another plus.

We made the drive from Sofia to Budapest last summer. We had a one-hour wait to cross into Serbia from Bulgaria and then a two-hour wait to leave Serbia and enter Hungary. I hope you get through the Serbian borders faster!

You didn’t ask, and I freely admit I’m biased, but IMHO Budapest has more to offer than Sofia or Belgrade. Or both combined.

[Bullitt]

@aesop

We made the drive from Sofia to Budapest last summer. We had a one-hour wait to cross into Serbia from Bulgaria and then a two-hour wait to leave Serbia and enter Hungary. I hope you get through the Serbian borders faster!

You didn’t ask, and I freely admit I’m biased, but IMHO Budapest has more to offer than Sofia or Belgrade. Or both combined.

Thanks for the heads up on the border crossings. A couple of days ago we crossed into Serbia, and that was quick and easy, but that was in a tiny town at the most NW corner. Our passports are stamped, so hopefully if they want to delay us again I can point to that as proof of recent entry.

Then again, given what you say, we may decide to spend a little more time in Budapest instead. We only spent parts of two days there when we landed. There’s so much more to see and do there.

[aesop]

@echo7tango

Thanks for the heads up on the border crossings. A couple of days ago we crossed into Serbia, and that was quick and easy, but that was in a tiny town at the most NW corner. Our passports are stamped, so hopefully if they want to delay us again I can point to that as proof of recent entry.

Then again, given what you say, we may decide to spend a little more time in Budapest instead. We only spent parts of two days there when we landed. There’s so much more to see and do there.

The drive through Serbia north on the E75 is pretty long and not as scenic as what you’ll see in Kosovo, Macedonia and western Bulgaria. And the dual carriageway still had (has?) a gap around Belgrade. You may hit a long line of traffic at the border coming into Hungary. Most of the truck transport from Turkey and the Balkans into the rest of Europe comes up the E75. The drive through Hungary is not much different in terms of scenery, but it’s only 2 hours to Budapest from the border.

I don’t want to hijack your thread, but let me know if you’d like some tips on what to see around Budapest. We lived there for six years, until December last year. With a car you’ve got some cool options within easy driving distance of the city (less than an hour).

[Bullitt]

@aesop

The drive through Serbia north on the E75 is pretty long and not as scenic as what you’ll see in Kosovo, Macedonia and western Bulgaria. And the dual carriageway still had (has?) a gap around Belgrade. You may hit a long line of traffic at the border coming into Hungary. Most of the truck transport from Turkey and the Balkans into the rest of Europe comes up the E75. The drive through Hungary is not much different in terms of scenery, but it’s only 2 hours to Budapest from the border.

I don’t want to hijack your thread, but let me know if you’d like some tips on what to see around Budapest. We lived there for six years, until December last year. With a car you’ve got some cool options within easy driving distance of the city (less than an hour).

Maybe that would be a thread hijack, but it would be welcomed! In Budapest these are the things we did so far in our brief visit last week. We walked Hero’s Square, and Budapest Castle, Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion, and we walked across the Chain Bridge and over to the Shoes Memorial. We also shot at the Celeritas Shooting Club (ranked highly oh TripAdvisor). We enjoyed beef goulash at the Hotel Matyas Pince, not where we stayed but recommended by a local we met.

We’re having so much fun in Dubrovnik that we’re staying an extra day (today), then will head to Sarajevo tomorrow (Tuesday) and go to the Historical Museum there. We will cut short on (or most likely cut out altogether) Skopje and head to Budapest for a few more days before we fly home Saturday.

So aesop, suggestions would be welcomed indeed. The beef goulash at the hotel was great, but also pricey. Food recommendations would be wrlcomed too.

Thanks in advance!

[aesop]

@echo7tango

So aesop, suggestions would be welcomed indeed. The beef goulash at the hotel was great, but also pricey. Food recommendations would be wrlcomed too.

Thanks in advance!

Cool! Ok, not sure which way your tastes run so her is a grab bag of options.

Just outside the city:

Take a day trip to the Danube Bend. Starting just north of Budapest (like 20 minutes by car) is Szentendre, a popular medieval town. From there continue to Visegrad(another 30 minutes or so) and visit the castleatop the hill - amazing views of the Danube bend from up there. Then go to Esztergom(another 30 minutes) and visit the Basilicathere. Then cross the bridge into Sturovo, Slovakia and check that off your list of countries you’ve set foot in! As well, have your cameras ready for the drive back over the bridge because there are dramatic views of the Basilica.

Another short day trip is to Godolloto visit the Royal Palace there. The town is an outer suburb of Budapest, so not far at all by car. And once you’re on that side of town, another really cool thing to see is just another 1/2 hour up the road: the bear and wolf sanctuary at Veresegyhaz! It’s open every day from 8:00 to 7:00 and you can feed the bears honey on a long wooden spoon. Everyone we’ve taken there has gotten a huge kick out of it - highly recommended! (Note - the signage to find the place is not great, but “medve” is the Hungarian word for bear if you need to ask directions.)

Inside the city:

Go to the top of the Gellert Hill - best views over the Danube. Up there you will find the Liberty Statue and the Citadella, a fortress that saw heavy action during WWII and the Hungarian Revolution.

At the base of the Gellert Hill is the Gellert Hotel and Spa, an excellent spa and worth a visit. Even better are the grand Szechenyi Baths in the City Park, not far from the Heroes Square. You can go there even if it’s cold out. The baths are thermal. We have even been there while it was snowing!

At the north end of the Castle Hill is the Museum of Military History and just outside the city proper on the southwest is the Memento Park where you can check out some of the massive statues from the Communist era.

On the northern end of town on the Buda side are the ruins of Aquincum, which while interesting are not especially impressive. If you want to do a quick and impressive Roman ruin, go see the Military Amphitheatre in Obuda (part of Budapest).

I never shot guns in Budapest but we did visit this placeoccasionally to practice archery. They have a small shooting range in the basement, and you can rent gear and shoot for an hour for the equivalent of about $8.

Food:

Two words - Raday utca (Raday Street). 30-40 restaurants in a row. The street we lived on. It starts at Kalvin Square (a major subway stop) so very easy to get to. You can find any kind of food you like, from cheap and cheerful to Michelin rated. If you want authentic Hungarian food, the Vorospostakocsi(Red Mail Coach) has it, but it’s pricey. The best food on the street is at the Manga Cowboy, although it’s East/West fusion stuff and not Hungarian at all. And if you just want an overwhelming foodstravaganza experience, wander through the Nagy Vasarcsarnok (Central Market Hall) any day until about 3:00 PM except Sunday - it’s big, beautiful and bountiful. Worth a visit. It’s also close to Kalvin Square, closer to the Danube, and the southern terminus of the main tourist shopping street, Vaci Utca (worth a stroll but overpriced).

Liszt Ferenc Ter (Franz Liszt Square) is also good for food but it’s a bit more touristy and a lot more pricey. But it’s along Andrassy Ut, which terminates at Heroes Square.

Ok, plenty there to get you started. I’m off to work but will no doubt think of other stuff so will inundate you more later From the above list, I’d recommend the Danube bend, the bears, the Central Market Hall and Raday Utca to get on your list for sure.

Cheers,
aesop

[madmonk28]

@echo7tango

Yes we plan to visit Bulgaria briefly on our way back to Budapest where we fly out from next Saturday. Was planning to go to Sofia. Thanks for the tip, the monastery looks beautiful; it’s a UNESCO WHO Site, too - another plus.

We’re in Dubrovnik now. Just drove down from Split. It’s interesting that, along that route, there’s a tiny stretch of the coast where Bosnia divides Croatia and reaches out to the Adriatic.

The Adriatic coast is beautiful. The water is crystal clear and such a deep blue. We stopped in the town of Brela along the way and took a quick dip into the water.
Refreshing.

IMHO, you’re making the right decision to cut out Skopje, it really doesn’t have anything on Dubrovnik or Budapest.

[aesop]

@aesop

Ok, plenty there to get you started. I’m off to work but will no doubt think of other stuff so will inundate you more later From the above list, I’d recommend the Danube bend, the bears, the Central Market Hall and Raday Utca to get on your list for sure.

One more for the “must” list:

The Daubner pastry shop!

It is open every day from 9:00 until 7:00 and there is always a line to buy. Always. It’s nowhere near the tourist quarter so it’s mostly locals there. They have sweet and savory pastries made fresh daily and they are heavenly! Do not miss!

[Bullitt]

@madmonk28

IMHO, you’re making the right decision to cut out Skopje, it really doesn’t have anything on Dubrovnik or Budapest.

Cool, sounds good, thanks.

And aesop, I’ve gained 5 pounds just reading your foodie suggestions! I’ll report in at the end, but many of your ideas sound great! Thanks again.

[aesop]

Not sure when you’re getting to Budapest but 23 October is a national holiday - anniversary of the 1956 revolution. So the stores will be close and some inner city streets shut down for parades, ceremonies, etc. FYI

[Bullitt]

@aesop

Not sure when you’re getting to Budapest but 23 October is a national holiday - anniversary of the 1956 revolution. So the stores will be close and some inner city streets shut down for parades, ceremonies, etc. FYI

Thanks. We arrived in Pécs tonight, Wednesday the 23rd. Today was 400+ miles and 12 hours of driving, starting in Kotor this morning, so we spent the national Hungarian holiday on the roads of Montenegro and Bosnia. We’ll spend a few hours in Pécs tomorrow morning, then head over to Budapest for our last day and a half before flying out Saturday morning.

We didn’t do Kosovo or Serbia, based on peoples’ inputs here (and thanks again for that, guys). Even Bosnia today, and Sarajevo, had many run-down areas — at least some places we drove through.

However, the scenery along the road through Pluzine, along the Piva River and Piva Lake and across the Mratinje Dam (the E762 according to Google Maps) was spectacular, especially with the fall colors. We think it rivals Yosemite in its dramatic rocks and cliffs and water, and many tunnels (but no falls, at least along the road). The border crossing into Bosnia there is very remote and rural. The road is tiny through there.

Nice scenery in Bosnia included the M18 drive along the Drina River. Again, fall colors abounded.

Yesterday was a relaxing day of driving from Dubrovnik to Kotor, then walking the Old City of Kotor and walking up the walls.

[Colophon]

@echo7tango

Yesterday was a relaxing day of driving from Dubrovnik to Kotor, then walking the Old City of Kotor and walking up the walls.

I loved Kotor when I was there a few years ago. (Hired a car and took a day trip from Dubrovnik.) The small towns along the fjord were beautiful, too, especially Perast.

PS Googling Kotor is a pain in the backside because you get loads of hits for some Star Wars geek game.

[Bullitt]

Okay, now that I’m home and recovered from jetlag I can thank all y’all for the good advice. Especially aesop, you rock!

After a half day in Pécs, which is far too brief, we spent the next day and a half walking across the Chain Bridge, seeing Buda Castle and Castle Hill, visiting the Central Market Hall and eating there, and driving out to Esztergom and visiting the large basilica. We toured the basilica, from the crypts below up to the treasury museum, and to the cupola. Wikipedia says it’s the biggest building in Hungary and the 18th biggest church in the world. It is very impressive.

We had one dinner at Vörös Postakocsi (and aesop I can’t believe you lived on Ráday utca - nice location!), and the last dinner at the Hotel Mátyás Pince where at 8:30 on Friday nights they have a singing and dancing floor show that is quite good.

Mrs. Tango and I had a great time. Thanks again!