Top 10 Things to Do in the Balkans on a Backpacker’s Budget
Photo by: Katarina 2353
The Balkans are a cheap breath of fresh air from clichéd Europe for adventure-lust ridden backpackers. The further you wander from Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest, the lower the prices (and consequently, the higher the goat and sheep populations) Check out OTP’s List of Top 10 Things to Do in the Balkans on a Backpacker’s Budget and go rock the Balkan block.
Niš (pronounced Neesh), the second largest city in Serbia, is best-known as the birthplace of Constantine. Filled to the brim with mineral baths, Niš is home to a century-old creepy tower built by Turks from the skulls of rebellious Serbs. It’s the rostilj, however, that makes Niš a true champ. Rostilj roughly translates to “barbecue,” and this meat is served up cheap and delicious—the most popular of which is Pljeskavica. Known locally by its bastardized name, “The Balkan Burger”, this yummy gem is really just a hamburger patty fried up with some onions but is nonetheless worth digesting at least once a day. Load it up with kajmak (kay-mak), a milk fat/cream cheese, and ajvar, winter salad of pureed red peppers, and you’ve got yourself an authentic Serbian meal. Get as much pork in your system as you can before heading west into the land of Muslim Albanians—the rostilj-cooked chicken wrapped in bacon is about as good as it gets.
Take a hike to the castle ruins above Prizen and soak up the scenic river and mountain views along the way. Talkative locals here converse in Turkish, Bosnian AND Albanian, and with the very Turkish-feeling scenery, you just might forget you’re in this imperial bastion. You’ll work up an appetite climbing up and nothing restores the calories like fli and Peja suxhux (sausage—pronounced suh-jek).
As we all know, the Balkan region hasn’t had an easy go of it recently. There’s been war, genocide, ethnic cleansing, an attempt to modernize their empires and the Eastern Bloc—not to mention the devastating blow of losing at Eurovision. One of the best (free!) things you can do while there is open your ears to the stories of locals who’ve seen it all. It’s a fascinating transition time and people in the region are often warm and willing to teach outsiders about their recent history. These are the stories you’re not going to find in that outdated high school history book. Unless you lived through it, you don’t really know the full story—regardless of what some talking head on the news told you. Get the first-hand scoop and stay out of trouble.
Photo by: Tony2wheelz
This town has a population of about 300 and sits in the center of the Bay of Kotor. Lifetimes away from rushed and crowded Dubrovnik, Perast is the perfect spot to fantasize about warding off pirate attacks and step back in time with locals who spend their days meandering along the sea road. Make a friend and convince him to take you out on a boat in the bay for some extreme off-track planeting.
Burek/Byrek/Borek is everywhere. Made from buttery phyllo dough, and with enough artery-clogging power to obstruct a moose heart, this meat-filled treat is one of the cheapest in the Balkans. You can go for a vegetarian alternative, but whichever your pleasure, digest it pronto. You can work it off when you get home.
Photo by: Darko Hristov
There’s nothing like a bustling market with indecipherable foreign banter, haggling, tasty foreign treats and plenty of native kitsch. Though you’ll find tons of these throughout the Balkans, the Old Market in Skopje takes the prize for most interesting. This Ottoman market is incredibly well-preserved, with large doses of Turkish influence. Metalwork and jewelry are local specialties and it makes (the dreaded) gift shopping is a little less cumbersome.
Don’t get screwed; there’s no such thing as a free rug with a cup of tea.
Photo by: vALeRiA MoRRonE sfumatura فاليريا
There are some impressive beaches and resorts on the Balkan coast and Dhermi dodges the cruise-ship crowd best. With plenty of young locals to counteract the Bermuda shorts and fanny-packs you’ll find nearby, the beaches here also have tons of cheap (and a lot of “unofficially” free) campsites. It’s about as known as Perast, so do your part to keep the douchebags out.
Miles Davis once said “I didn’t know you could play the trumpet that way,” after hearing the innovative music that comes out of this wild festival. Head to Guča in August to get a glimpse of Roma culture—the long-persecuted nomadic gypsies with an identity and energy all their own. If you’ve never been to a music festival, this is one hell of an introduction, so come with your dancing shoes and an open mind.
Photo by: canasam
With its bulky gear and steep prices, skiing doesn’t often make it onto a backpacker’s itinerary. In Bosnia, you can afford to pencil in some snow. Lift tickets to world class ski resorts that border Sarajevo go for a fraction of the cost of bombing down other European Winter Olympic-type slopes. The word Balkan literally means “steep and wooded mountain,” so you know it’s got to be decent. Be sure to indulge in some cevapi and kajmak while you slide down the slopes in affordable oblivion.
This fruit brandy comes in as many different flavors as there are Balkan identities. Inversely, it also wildly varies in qualities. Your first glass may be so delicious that you can’t taste the super high alcohol content and next may taste like liquified fiberglass. Rakiye usually results in a gregarious sing-a-long with locals who consume the drink in American-size portions. We warned, be jolly.
The Balkans are yet to be jaded by throngs of camera-laden tourists and will do you right price-wise. Enjoy it while you still can—globalization is a creepin’.
A native of the American southwest but a burgeoning telenomad, Ross enjoys the wilderness, street food, and living to tell the tale.
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