A road trip is always an exhilarating experience, and this one takes place in the neighboring countries to the northeast, from Albania to Croatia and back, all within four days, accompanied by great company.
As we gathered, an ordinary evening at a tavern, we decide to take a road trip through the Balkans for the upcoming Easter. We only have four days, which is not enough for such a trip—ideally, we would need at least a week—but we think, why not, let’s do something a bit crazy…
We plan the route, the stops, and book our hotels. Our journey unfolds as follows: departure on Good Friday at 6 am from Thessaloniki, entry into Albania from the Krystallopigi border, cross through Albania, and finally reach Montenegro. We’ll stay two nights in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, then head to Dubrovnik in Croatia, where we’ll stay for one night. On Monday, we’ll return to Thessaloniki.
On Good Friday, we’re ready to go. Coffee, sandwiches, playlists, and “Soferina” for the road, and off we go. The drive from Thessaloniki to Krystallopigi takes about two and a half hours, with most of it along the Egnatia Odos, making it an easy drive. Krystallopigi was calm, with little traffic, and it was early in the morning, so we crossed into Albania smoothly.
I don’t have much to say about Albania, as we didn’t stay there for long—we just drove through it. Albania seems to be a rather poor country but one that is beginning to develop. The road network is rural, meaning we passed through villages and towns along the way. The driving was quite tiring, but it gives you a glimpse of the country, its people, and their everyday life. The roads are dangerous and require a lot of attention, especially for us Greeks who aren’t used to or have forgotten what it’s like to drive on rural roads for hours.
To reach Montenegro, we drive across Albania, seeing many places along the way. Some notable cities include Pogradec, a lakeside town on Lake Ohrid, a beautiful place because of the lake, Elbasan, one of the largest and most important cities, Tirana, of course, and other places like Librazhdi or Shkodra, particularly important due to its geostrategic position. Shkodra is considered the home of many artists and generally people of the arts.
In Tirana, you’ll definitely notice the colorful buildings. After the fall of communism, the internal migration to urban centers, especially to Tirana, was enormous. This led to the creation of neighborhoods around the city with no planning, which made the area look quite disorganized. Moreover, the streets’ lighting and the road network were in poor condition. In 2000, the mayor of the city, Edi Rama, ordered the demolition of any illegal buildings and instructed that all building facades in Tirana be painted in bright colors. This created an interesting urban appearance and became a tourist attraction.
As we headed towards Montenegro, the landscape drastically changed. We encountered large mountains around us, and it became clear why Montenegro is aptly named—it’s mountainous, with dense vegetation, and the road network is much better than Albania’s, though designed to pass through the mountains, something that’s unfamiliar to us. The scenery was breathtaking, with towering mountains meeting the Adriatic Sea and medieval buildings dotting the landscape.
Podgorica, where we stayed for two nights, is the capital of Montenegro, although it’s not exceptionally impressive. It does have a fair amount of people, many shops, large sidewalks, and parks throughout the city. The next day, we descended to Budva and Kotor. Both are coastal towns on the Adriatic, known for their beauty. Budva attracts many tourists every summer due to its beaches and nightlife. Kotor, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, lives up to the title. The town is inside medieval castle walls, similar to Dubrovnik, but smaller. The medieval churches, brick houses, cobbled streets, and small squares full of cafes and restaurants give you a sweet sense of melancholy. At the castle entrance, there is a 1300-step path where you can view all of Kotor from above. Some of us, however, chose a cold beer at a small café in the town, enjoying its medieval atmosphere. Other towns worth visiting include Perast and Cetinje, which was Montenegro’s capital before Podgorica.
On the third day of our trip, Easter Sunday, we headed to Croatia and Dubrovnik. We left early in the morning, said goodbye to Montenegro, and made our way towards Croatia. However, a surprise awaited us at the border. We hadn’t read the map properly, and to our great surprise, we didn’t pass directly into Croatia but first entered Bosnia! It was an extra bonus for us, and our joy was immense since we got to visit another country. We passed through a small part of Bosnia, but it was enough to leave us excited. The country is incredibly beautiful, with dense vegetation, and gives off an aura of solitude, as though time had stopped. We passed through villages where not a soul was to be seen, and combined with the heavy rain that day, everything felt a bit unknown and eerie. The only town we encountered was Trebinje, a small town 30 kilometers from Dubrovnik.
Finally, we arrived in Dubrovnik, and here, we thought, “Now, yes, we’re in Europe.” The landscape was very different from the previous cities—very Western European, with wide clean streets, large sidewalks, and beautiful shops. The Old Town has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. During the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was claimed by both Montenegro and Serbia, and in 1991, it was attacked by the Yugoslav army, resulting in the destruction of 56% of the town. After the war, necessary repairs and restorations were carried out with UNESCO’s help, and the town is now in the form we see today. Dubbed the “pearl” of the Adriatic, it’s no wonder Dubrovnik is one of the most rapidly rising tourist destinations, filled with attractions, including the famous two-kilometer-long city walls, which you can easily walk and experience the medieval atmosphere.
Unfortunately, we only stayed one day in Dubrovnik, and there were many things we didn’t get to see, such as Lokrum Island. Lokrum is a small island just 15 minutes by boat from the city, where many scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed. Although I’m not a fan of the show, it’s something I would have liked to see. Due to time constraints, we stuck to the Old Town, and even there, everything was beautiful. There’s a path along the city walls, and from the top, you can view the roofs of the houses on one side and the sea on the other. Inside the town’s narrow streets, you’ll find many small shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars where you can enjoy both day and night. It’s a very lively city with many places to entertain you in the evening.
The next day, our journey came to an end, and we had to start our return trip. We left early, as we had a 15-hour drive ahead of us. Initially, we thought about returning via Kosovo to see it, but because there’s a chance they wouldn’t let you pass without a passport, we decided not to risk it. In all other countries of the former Yugoslavia, you only need an ID. The return journey was easier since we now knew the route and its challenges. The only downside was the three to four-hour wait at the Krystallopigi border due to the Greek Easter holiday, but that’s okay, as it was part of the adventure.
Truly, it was a trip I’ve always wanted to take, and it will stay unforgettable. I’d definitely do it again for a few more days, to explore the cities we visited a bit more and fully enjoy them. I think a road trip is a unique way to travel. It allows you to see so many things you wouldn’t get to experience, like you would on a plane, giving you so many stimuli. And it’s true that you live an adventure because you’re forced to face situations you wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to. I highly recommend it!
