Travelling in the former Yugoslavia

[Vuk]

Hey all, I am going to have a week off from school the week after next, and am going to be visiting as much of the former Yugoslavia as possible. I am especially interested in seeing Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia. Any ideas for travel plans or tips for staying there? Best (cheapest mostly) places to stay, best places to visit, best way to get from one place to another, etc. I still got a week to form a travel plan, so I am open to ideas now.

Vuk

[Major Robert Dump]

When you go to Serbia paint yourself brown and wear some underwear on your head, lest Bill Clinton order some stealth bombers to take you out.

[Vuk]

When you go to Serbia paint yourself brown and wear some underwear on your head, lest Bill Clinton order some stealth bombers to take you out.

This is the Frontroom Dump, and I am being completely serious.

[Major Robert Dump]

So am I, watch out for those 100,000(sic) refugees

[Vuk]

So am I, watch out for those 100,000(sic) refugees

I am not sure exactly what you are trying to say Dump, but it is political and not for this forum. Please take it elsewhere. I have limited time to plan and am looking for real advice from people who live there or have been there.

[Major Robert Dump]

Well in that case, I'm being strictly a political jerk-off based on the lies and deceit of an air war we participated in a decade back. You are right, though, It doesn't belong here, I suppose and I forget these things sometimes, so I tactfully take my leave as I have nothing to offer other than the smartsy fartys comments that I spam most threads with. Good luck on your quest, I wish I was in your place and could see the world, because boy is it ever changing.

[Vuk]

Well in that case, I'm being strictly a political jerk-off based on the lies and deceit of an air war we participated in a decade back. You are right, though, It doesn't belong here, I suppose and I forget these things sometimes, so I tactfully take my leave as I have nothing to offer other than the smartsy fartys comments that I spam most threads with. Good luck on your quest, I wish I was in your place and could see the world, because boy is it ever changing.

Thank you, I hope you will soon have the opportunitty. I agree with you that our participation is that war was indeed wrong and immoral, but this is not the place to discuss it.

[Sarmatian]

Depends what you wanna see and do. A week is not much. The best option, I think is to start in the north, with Belgrade and Novi Sad. Devote 2-3 days to that. Then go south towards Macedonia. I've been to Macedonia when I was a kid so my memory may be fuzzy but there's not much to see there. City of Skoplje and lake Ohrid. Let's say one day in Macedonia and from there you can go to Montenegro. They don't share a border, you'll have to go through Serbia again (or Albania) but it's close. In Montenegro, don't spend too much time in Podgorica, there's really not much to see or do there. Just pass through, make maybe a couple of hours break. Go to the seaside (half an hour drive from Podgorica) and work your way up - cities of Budva, Kotor and Herceg-Novi. Herceg-Novi is north and very close to Croatian border and when you're there it would be a shame not to go to Croatia and see Dubrovnik, it's an hour drive from Herceg Novi.

That would make your trip look something like this:


It may be better to skip Macedonia entirely and spend more time in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia, but that's up to you. It's a rather long detour. On the other hand, since you're American, you could go from Macedonia to Montenegro through Kosovo, just wear a piece of clothes with American flag on it , or you could go through Albania.

Depending on your funds, you could fly from Belgrade to Skopje and Skopje to Podgorica, that would save you a lot of travel time.

I don't really know what you like - big cities, nightlife, nature, rural areas, medieval cities, Roman stuff, ancient cities, renaissance cities...

[Major Robert Dump]

Wow, nice work bro, keep the info coming, as I have a lot of leave built up and a little extra cash, and would love to visit next time I need a break from teh wife

[Vuk]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Depends what you wanna see and do. A week is not much. The best option, I think is to start in the north, with Belgrade and Novi Sad. Devote 2-3 days to that. Then go south towards Macedonia. I've been to Macedonia when I was a kid so my memory may be fuzzy but there's not much to see there. City of Skoplje and lake Ohrid. Let's say one day in Macedonia and from there you can go to Montenegro. They don't share a border, you'll have to go through Serbia again (or Albania) but it's close. In Montenegro, don't spend too much time in Podgorica, there's really not much to see or do there. Just pass through, make maybe a couple of hours break. Go to the seaside (half an hour drive from Podgorica) and work your way up - cities of Budva, Kotor and Herceg-Novi. Herceg-Novi is north and very close to Croatian border and when you're there it would be a shame not to go to Croatia and see Dubrovnik, it's an hour drive from Herceg Novi.

That would make your trip look something like this:


It may be better to skip Macedonia entirely and spend more time in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia, but that's up to you. It's a rather long detour. On the other hand, since you're American, you could go from Macedonia to Montenegro through Kosovo, just wear a piece of clothes with American flag on it , or you could go through Albania.

Depending on your funds, you could fly from Belgrade to Skopje and Skopje to Podgorica, that would save you a lot of travel time.

I don't really know what you like - big cities, nightlife, nature, rural areas, medieval cities, Roman stuff, ancient cities, renaissance cities...

Thanks Sarmatian! I will look into your travel destinations and see what bus and train lines connect them. A lot will depend on transportation, as I have a very limited budget and will be sticking entirely to buses and trains (as there is glue on my pants ). One of the things that I really want to see is the bridge on the Drina near Visegrad. I am a history major, so historical works and areas are my main subject of interest. I also want to see the country side as much as I can. I am not too happy with the situation in Kosovo now, so I am not sure I would want to go over there for too long (and spend money :P). I will try to get a better idea of my possibilities in the next few days, but thanks for your suggestions. I will use them as a groundwork as much as possible.

Vuk

[Uesugi Kenshin]

Croatia apparently has some amazing coastal towns and beaches. I can't give you any specifics though, this is just what I've heard from my hostparents.

[Sarmatian]

Thanks Sarmatian! I will look into your travel destinations and see what bus and train lines connect them. A lot will depend on transportation, as I have a very limited budget and will be sticking entirely to buses and trains (as there is glue on my pants ). One of the things that I really want to see is the bridge on the Drina near Visegrad. I am a history major, so historical works and areas are my main subject of interest. I also want to see the country side as much as I can. I am not too happy with the situation in Kosovo now, so I am not sure I would want to go over there for too long (and spend money :P). I will try to get a better idea of my possibilities in the next few days, but thanks for your suggestions. I will use them as a groundwork as much as possible.

Vuk

Visegrad's on the Serbian-Bosnian border. In that case it would really be better if you leave Macedonia out of your plan this time. You only have a week and it would take you too much time. That way you could spend more time in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia. Maybe travel around like this



You get to see Belgrade and Novi Sad (and stuff around Novi Sad, there's a lot of interesting historical places in the vicinity). That's from the newer Serbian history. Remnants from medieval period are in the south, mostly in Kosovo unfortunately. There are lots of stuff to see in central and southern Serbia but it would involve too much traveling around and bus connections aren't that good there. Keep to the north, pass through Visegrad on your way to Montenegro and then spend a couple of days there. You could use the remaining 1-2 days to travel about and see some Croatian coastal cities - there's a lot to see in Dubrovnik and Split for example.

Montenegro is a beauty, too. It's not as developed as Croatia but it really has some "wild" beauty. It fascinated a lot of famous people...

" The part of the Adriatic Coast belonging to Montenegro is the purest part of the Mediterranean"
Jacques Cousteau

“When the pearls of nature were sown, on this soil an owerflowing handful was gathered”.

"The most beautiful contact between the earth and sea took place at the Montenegrin littoral".
Lord George Gordon Byron

"Just as if I have returned to town from the most beautiful fairytale of my childhood."
Sophia Lauren

"Am I in Paradise or on the Moon?"
George Bernard Shaw

"a scene so magnificent and so impressive that it is worth all the journey from England just to have looked at it."
Mrs Edith Durham, English Traveler

Of course, there were other, not so eloquent people like Claudia Schiffer who simply said:
"Montenegro is a lovely country for a holiday."

That way you get to see interesting monuments in and around Novi Sad and Belgrade in Serbia and Visegrad in Bosnia. That route will also get you to the northern Montenegro, city of Niksic specifically. The city itself is nothing special but close to it is Ostrog monastery, most famous and (considered) holiest monastery in Montenegro. From there you go to Podgorica and the coast and visit all those beautiful coastal cities in Montenegro and Croatia. There's a huge number of historical monuments on the coast - old Greek and Roman cities, medieval and renaissance cities...

Also, all cities in this route are pretty well connected by bus lines and you won't spend too much time on the road. I'd advise against trains in general, railroads are in an abysmal condition and trains are unreliable schedule-wise. You could get a flight home from Split probably and if not from there, from Zagreb surely which is only several hours by bus from Split.

[Vuk]

I have taken your advice Sarmation, and I leave Monday. I will tell you how it went when I get back. Right now I am spending my time cleaning my apartment, doing homework, and packing. :P

[Sarmatian]

Contact me when you're in Novi Sad. I could show you around. Also, if you want to spend the night in Novi Sad, you can sleep at my place.

[Vuk]

Contact me when you're in Novi Sad. I could show you around. Also, if you want to spend the night in Novi Sad, you can sleep at my place.

For real?

[Sarmatian]

For real?

Yeah, no problem, I have a spare bedroom, you can stay as long as you like.

[Vuk]

Sweet, thanks for the offer! That will save me some money. :P I will PM you.

[Jolt]

I was about to make a political joke about Macedonia. *sigh@being frontroom* Vuk once you're there, ask the natives whether they know who Vukcevic is. xD

[Vuk]

Well, I am back from vaca! Thanks much to Sarmatian and his family for their wonderful hospitality. They made my trip a lot easier, a lot more enjoyable, and an overall excellent experience. I will put pictures up and a more detailed description if anyone cares. Right now though I am too tired to be serious. Tomorrow I will hopefully have some pics up.

[Jolt]

Sure, I'd love to see the pics!