Our last stop in Albania was Korçë, a small city known for its BBQ and old bazaar area. Korçë is high up which meant it was much colder than other areas of Albania we were in. If you travel by bus in Albania, as we did, don’t miss the bus between Gjirokaster and Korçë, it was a bit crazy sometimes, but with stunning views.
What to do in Korçë
It’s a cute small city with an old bazaar area and some beautiful architecture. There’s also a lot of places to visit in the surrounding area – like small mountain villages and hiking etc. Unfortunately I fell ill during our 3 nights in Korçë so we didn’t do as much exploring as we planned on.
Korca Old Bazaar
This is probably the most famous area of Korçë, it’s the old part of the city full with cafes, restaurants and small shops. It’s a bit more expensive to eat here, but as the city is small, you can grab a coffee on the square and then eat somewhere else.
Do as the locals and grab a coffee on the square on a weekend. We were there in November, but everyone still sat outside in the sun, it was lovely.
The main square at Korca old Bazaar
Walk around to see architecture
The old bazaar and the other parts of the city center looks very different. The old bazaar is renewed and colourful, while other parts are much more rundown and beautiful in other ways. Make sure to walk around to take it all in and stop for a coffee from time to time.
Go to nearby villages
Unfortunately we didn’t do this, but it something we planned on doing so I will still add it here as something to do. The area around Korçë is beautiful, up in the mountains and there are lots of small villages and other nature areas to visit.
Where to eat in Korçë
We didn’t find too many restaurants for some reason, or we didn’t know where to look maybe. However, we did find a great BBQ restaurant which we went to twice: Zgara Korcare Grill. It’s situated at the beginning of the walking street (if you come from the center) – and it’s an amazing grill restaurant with really good prices. It doesn’t look that great form the outside, and only has a few tables, but definitely worth a visit!
More Albania!
Make sure to see our Albania page with all our travel tips, travel map and all our blog posts about Albania.
We came to Gjirokaster in November, very very low season, and we were pretty much alone. We only saw two other tourists during our 2 nights there. This also meant that a lot of the shops and restaurants were closed, however, as there are locals living there as well some places were open. And we got a more local experience than during high season, which was great.
Gjirokaster is one of the most beautiful towns I’ve been in. It’s another of Albanian’s fairytale towns in the mountains. It is a must stop on any Albania trips. And if you go off season it will be super quiet, which gives it a more village feel.
Beautiful architecture in Gjirokaster
There is 2 parts of Gjirokaster, the new part and the old part. It is the old part which is super beautiful, the new one is quite boring, but more is open during low season and prices are a bit cheap as this is where more locals live. So the new part was not as quiet as the old one in November. However, we rented an apartment ni the old part and loved it.
View over Gjirokaster, with the old town at the top and the new town further down
If you do stay in old town, be aware of the uphill hike from the bus station in the new part of town. We took a taxi up, which was worth it for sure. You don’t want to drag any bags or carry your backpack up the cobbled streets to the old town.
What to do in Gjirokaster
As Gjirokaster is small there is not loads to do, but enough for a few days. The most famous thing is of course just walking around the old town, which is full of small shops, restaurants, cafes etc. Some only open during high season though. There is also things in the nearby area to do, but for that you will need a car or take taxi, which we didn’t. Gjirokaster can also be a day trip from Sarande, especially if you’re by car.
Coffee stop in old town
All places mentioned in this post can be found on our Albania travel map.
Walk around Gjirokaster old town
There is so much beautiful architecture to see in the old part of Gjirokaster, we walked around for ages, getting lost in small alleys and taking a million photos of all the beauty!
Gjirokaster Castle
The main attraction in Gjirokaster (except the old town itself) is the castle. We stayed just a 5 minute walk from the castle, but if you stay in the new part of town it’s a bit of a hike as it’s on the top of the mountain. Due to the location, the views are spectacular.
This castle is very intact, with loads of parts inside the castle open and areas outside to roam around on. We spent a couple of hours here exploring.
Inside the castleViews from the castle
Best restaurang in Gjirokaster
Restorant Kufoi was truly a little gem we found. Super local place with a very friendly owner. He didn’t speak much English, but enough for us to communicate. They served traditional Albanian food, and it was the best food we had during our entire trip in Albania. It was so tasty and super cheap.
More Albania!
Make sure to see our Albania page with all our travel tips, travel map and all our blog posts about Albania.
Berat is a popular stop for any tourists in Albania, and for a reason. The historical part of this town is beautiful. With the small white and black houses on the mountain side, and a living castle at the top with breathtaking views over the mountainous area.
Views over the area around Berat
What to do in Berat
We spent 2 nights in Berat which is plenty if you only come to see the historic part of the town. But there’s also treks etc. to take in the nearby area.
All places mentioned in this post can be found on our Albania travel map.
Berat Castle
It’s a bit of a hike to get up here, as it’s on top of a mountain, but definitely worth the effort. It’s a living castle, as in there’s normal people living in houses inside the castle walls. There is not really a castle anymore, but it’s still an interesting place to visit. There’s a small fee to pay when you’re a tourist, but I’m not sure if the ticket booth is always open.. you can probably walk in other ways to without having to pay, but it’s such a small fee so it doesn’t really matter.
The views from here are amazing, Berat is situated in a mountainous area which is breathtaking. There’s also an orthodox church on a hill and loads of small alleys and areas to walk through. In a few places there is still parts of the castle left which you can explore.
Old town of Berat
This is why most people come to Berat to see. The small white and black houses on the side of a hill. It is super cute, like something for a fairytale. And a walk inside old town is like going back in time, cobbled small alleys. In the evening it becomes even more like a fairytale with the yellow-ish lights casting a very mystical light on the houses.
Berat old town
Where to eat in Berat
When in old town, you also have to try Lili’s restaurant. It’s a tiny place with only 3 tables in fall and winter, and 5 during summers. It’s at the back of the owner Lili’s house, where his wife is cooking home made Albanian food. There is only a few dishes to try from, but it was all great. Lili himself is super friendly and will most likely talk to you for a bit, and after dinner share one or two Raki (local alcohol in balkan) with you as well.
More Albania!
Make sure to see our Albania page with all our travel tips, travel map and all our blog posts about Albania.
We spent a week in Tirana, getting there I was quite run down and exhausted, realising I had a travel burn out so we decided to not do too much and try to live more ”normal” life for a few days. We enjoyed taking walks, going to the cinema, trying new food, just taking it easy at home doing nothing, cooking etc. Sometimes that’s all you want while traveling, normal life.
However, as we both were very curious about Tirana we also did some exploring, of course. Tirana is a very exciting city, completely different than what we expected, especially when reading other travel blogs. It felt modern and hipp with loads of cool coffee places, restaurants, shops and bars, a very young and vibrant city.
National museum in Tirana
All places mentioned in this post can be found on our Albania travel map.
What to do in Tirana
Tirana is not your typical tourist destination, but that’s what made it very exciting to visit. There was a lot to see and do, even the more touristy things weren’t very touristy. Here are some of our tips of things to do in Tirana, Albania.
Walk Around for Exciting Monuments and Public Art
If you are interested in public art and architecture, Tirana is definitely something for you. It’s a very exciting mix between old communist buildings and newer architecture. It’s also small enough to be able to walk around easily.
The cloud – public art, which you can also walk into for some cool instagram picsA new building being built, however been standing still for the last few years..
Some mer specific monuments are:
A piece of the Berlin wall at the Postbllok Checkpoint in central Albania
Bunkers scattered around, most intact you can find at Postbllok Checkpoint (same as Berlin wall)
Maybe the most famous building in Tirana, the Pyramid of Tirana. This is a huge concrete pyramid in the middle of the city. It opened up as an Enver Hoxha museum in the 80s, after the fall of communism in Alabania it lost its purpose and has been used for a number of things, cultural center, nightclub etc. Today it’s abandoned with the people divided whether or not to tear it down or not. But it still stands, for now, and should definitely be visited on a trip to Tirana. When we were there you could also climb to the top of it for a great view of Tirana, however, it was quite tricky and only Sam was able to climb it.
Pyramid of Tirana
The coloured buildings
Another famous thing for Tirana is its colourful buildings scattered around the city. Trying to get rid of the communist feel of Tirana, the previous mayor decided to paint buildings in different colours.
Walk the streets the river for some of them that’s more condensed, but they are all over the city.
Museums
Both of us are quite interested in communism and its history. Maybe especially in Albania, as it was such a closed country for so long. To get a small insight into how life might have looked during that time there’s some interesting museums worth visiting. We went to House of Leaves and Bunk’Art 2:
House of Leaves
This museum is housed in the old HQ of the surveillance division of the government. Which in itself made it interesting to visit. The exhibition is very text heavy, and about how people were under surveillance during this time. If you’re interested in this part of the history, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Bunk’Art 2
There is a Bunk’Art 1 and Bunk’Art 2, we only made it to Bunk’Art 2 as the other one is situated outside of the city. However, it’s high on the list for next time I visit Tirana. Bunk’Art 2 is house inside a nuclear bunker in the center of the city and part art gallery and part museum. The museum is about the communist time of Albania and Tirana, with a more wide focus than house of Leaves. It’s also very text heavy, but super interesting! If you only have time for 1 museum while in Tirana, this is then you should visit.
Entrence to Bunk’Art2
Walk around Blloku
This was the old elite area of Tirana, today it’s a great place to walk around as it’s filled with restaurants, cafes, shops etc.
Walk around the Grand Park of Tirana
This is a big park in the south parts of the city. If you want to live local life, this is where you should head on a sunny day. There’s some cafes along the lake, and loads of walking routes. You can easily spend a few hours here. We took the route which takes all around the lake, and honestly, the side towards the city is much nicer than the part on the other side, as it’s next to a highway and not as green. So keep to the area towards the city for the best parts of the park.
View over the lake in Gran Park of Tirana
Places to eat in Tirana
As we lived normal life in Tirana we didn’t eat out as much as we usually do. But there’s loads of good food in the city and we will mention two places here. Other than these two places we ate pizza and just fell into small restaurants. It’s not difficult to find good food in Tirana.
Restaurant Piceri Era in Blloku
This place was a great little find. We went here on a Sunday for lunch and was lucky we didn’t have to queue, after we arrived there was a constant queue to get a table. They serve great traditional Albanian food, for a very good price.
Mullixhiu
This is probably the restaurant you find most on google when googling places to eat in Tirana. However, want to mention it here. They serve a modern take on traditional Albanian food. In the evenings they have a tasting menu for a good price. I enjoyed this restaurant, however, Sam did not. And yes, there was things that wasn’t up to standard, especially the service which was quite bad unfortunately. But I would still say it’s worth a visit when in Tirana. But if you’re on a super low budget skip this place as there’s better cheaper options. This restaurant is more an experience.
Coffee in Tirana
There’s loads and loads of coffee shops around Tirana. But we want to mention two places here which was quite unique.
E7E
This is actually a book shop, but there’s also a small cafe area inside it. Which makes this a super nice place to sit and sip on a coffee amongst the books.
Inside of E7E
Komiteti – Kafe Muzeum
This place should be visited for the ambience. We call it Communist kitsch. This is actually a bar, rather than cafe, but they do serve coffee too. It’s a great venue with lots of memorabilia and very unique design.
Inside bar Komiteti
More Albania!
Make sure to see our Albania page with all our travel tips, travel map and all our blog posts about Albania.
Shkodër was our first stop in Albania. It’s located in the northern part of the country, close to the border of Montenegro. We spent a couple of relaxing days in Shkodër, not doing too much as I was a bit sick during our time there. However, we did go to a few places that are definitely worth visiting if you’re ever in Shkodër. This is our guide of what to do in Shkodër. All places mentioned below are added to our Albania travel map.
Shkodër is a small, relaxed city. However, it was not our favourite stop in Albania. It seemed a little bit harder than other cities we went to. But we still enjoyed our time in Shkodër and it’s definitely worth a stop if you’re on a balkan tour.
What to do in Shkodër
Rruga Kolë Idromeno
Rruga Kolë Idromeno is a pedestrian street in the center or the city, there’s many cafes, bars, restaurants and shops around. It’s a very nice little stroll or place to grab a coffee to do some people watching.
Beautiful sunset on the walking street
Visit the market
There’s also a big market, might be more than on market that goes together. Just off the big round about along the street and on the alleys around there’s loads of people selling their products. There’s also a part with second had clothes. We enjoyed walking around seeing what everyone was selling, as we were the only tourists in town people also enjoyed talking to us and giving us free samples. All products are fresh and the people selling them is also the ones growing them at their farms.
Abandoned train station
This is a bit of an odd tip to give perhaps, but we love abandoned places and this one did not disappoint. The train station itself is locked up, but you can still peek through the windows. But on the tracks there’s abandoned trains full of graffiti. It’s a great photo opp, especially during a sunny afternoon when the area seems to glow in golden light.
It’s a bit of a walk from the center, but as Shkodër is small, it wasn’t bad. You will go through some rather odd areas with very run down or abandoned houses.
Do not go there by night as I’m not sure how safe it is. People live in these trains at night, and it’s also a spot to come and to illegal things or hang out. Even at day time there was a group of young guys enjoying som chilled illegal activities, and they didn’t seem thrilled with us taking photos around there. So we just made sure they understood they were never in the picture.
Rozafa Castle
The Rozafa Castle just outside Shkodër is the most intact forts we visited in Balkans. It has beautiful views over rivers, the lake and the surrounding nature. Most other forts we visited only had the walls still standing, this one actually had some rooms left as well. You can go down a hole and enter a few rooms underground, which was quite cool. It’s also huge so take some time to explore, sit down and watch the views in different directions, and do like many other Albanians and us were doing, enjoy a pick-nick.
View from the fort
How to get to Rozafa castle
We borrowed bikes from our hotel to get to Rozafa castle, the way there we biked on the big street, which I found quite scary as there was a lot of traffic and people drive a bit crazy sometimes. However, on the way back we went on the backroad without any traffic, through some villages.
It’s a bit far to walk here, but if you can’t get ahold of a bike there are busses stopping just down the castle on the big road out of Shkodër. It is a bit of a hike uphill after that.
More Albania!
Make sure to see our Albania page with all our travel tips, travel map and all our blog posts about Albania.
Before we went to Albania we had read some horror stories about travel through Albania by bus. These blogs left us quite uncertain and even a little scared. We got on a bus in Kotor, Montenegro, that would take us to Shkoder, in the Northern part of Albania.
We started off in a big bus with only one other passenger going through the mountains and south towards Albania. It all went very well and immigration at both borders was quick and easy, we didn’t even have to get off the bus.
Our almost private bus from Montenegro
Shortly after we entered Albania the bus stopped at a petrol station and we had to change into a so called Furgon, a minivan/bus which are very common in Albania. After the change we continued south and got to Shkodra without any hick ups. The bus stopped at a roundabout in the centre of the city, we got our bags and jumped out.
Swap from big bus to furgon after entering Albania
We quickly learned that this roundabout was Shokdra’s “busstation”. This is what many blogs were on about, that there was no busstations and you just had to know where in the roundabout your bus would stop. However, there are always guys shouting out where the bus is going and help you with your bags, so leaving Shkodra was no issues at all. We first asked at our hotel where the bus to Tirana was going from and they showed us on a map, where a guy was standing on the sidewalk shouting out Tirana, so we doubled checked and then got on.
So our first leg of our journey by bus through Albania was no issues, and it actually continued that way fortunately.
Busstations in Albania
Busstations are not in a huge thing in Albania, only a handful of places has a “real” busstation, such as the one in Berat. But this busstation was also quite far out of the centre of Berat. Most busstations was just a parking lot. Without any station house or anywhere to buy food or drinks, so make sure to get that before leaving for the bus.
The one place it got a bit confusing for us was in Tirana. As there are a few different busstation depending on which direction you’re going.
Another good thing to note is that as there are no specific busstops or stations really, you can jump off and on wherever you want on the road, just tell the guy taking payment and he will ask the driver to stop.
Bus schedules and Timetables in Albania
Do not try to check time tables online for busses in Albania. You won’t find the information, and if you do it is most likely wrong. Most busses we were on shouldn’t even have existed according to google searches. Yet, we could still find the bus we wanted by asking.
As there usually aren’t any real busstation, you won’t find time tables either. So what you have to do is ask a local. In some places they had a small little office next to the parking lot busstation. In Gjirokaster this was the case, and on arrival we asked how to get to Korca and that’s how we got on a bus that shouldn’t have existed and had our most memorable bus journey to date.
To common destinations you will have plenty of busses per day, however, if you’re like us and going to some random places, there will only be a couple of busses per day. Sometimes just one per day. So it’s always good to ask upon arrival or a couple of days in advance so you can plan your next leg of the journey. If it’s only 1 bus a day it’s very likely it leaves early morning, which is even more reason to check at least a day before to not miss it.
We found people extremely helpful and even if we had no clue how to get to our next destination there was always someone around to help out.
Another perk of going by bus in Albania is toilet/food stops like this one
Cost of travel by bus in Albania
Busses in Albania is dirt cheap, short bus rides, 1-2 hours are a few euros per ticket, and long ones could be up to 10 euro per ticket. But we only had one long domestic bus for that price, otherwise we never paid more than 4-6 Euro total for the two of us. It also always included bags, it’s not like the other balkan countries where you have to pay extra for the bags.
If you’re a group of people you could also rent a furgon, mini bus, with driver. We were 9 people who were going to the same place, and there was only one bus a day which we all wanted to catch. However, as this was a furgon bus we would never all fit with our bags and other passengers. So for 10 euro p.p. we could rent our own furgon with driver, for a 5 hour journey, Berat to Gjirokaster. Which only worked out to be 3 euros more per person than catching the scheduled bus, plus we got picked up at the hostel! This could definitely be a good option for a bigger group of people.
Safety
In general, people drive a bit more crazy in the balkan countries than what were used to, especially compared to Sweden. Between big cities it’s usually a big pretty straight highway, so it will be an easy ride. And most likely quite fast.
If you go through the mountains however, you might have some moments of holding your breath. We had one of those bus rides, on small mountain roads, and to make it worse, parts were in fog. Everyone drove quite fast on these roads, faster than we were comfortable with. There wasn’t much traffic but still enough for us to be a bit uneasy parts of the ride. But we made it to our destination safely and I think the people that go on these roads are so used to driving on them so it isn’t as dangerous as you might think as a passenger. That’s what we told ourselves anyway…
Our furgon we took through the mountains from Gjirokaster to Korca
The verdict: How easy is it to travel through Albania by bus?
Super easy! We had no hick ups and no issues. It might not be the newest most comfortable busses, but they will take you where you need to go for a small price. You just have to be prepared to ask locals for help, and if you want to go to more off beat destinations there might be only one bus per day.
So even if it might be a tiny bit more hassle than other countries, it’s still super easy. You will also be blessed with amazing landscapes and nature wherever you go in the country. It can also be very social, especially on the furgos where you get close to the other passengers. We shared a long bus ride with some very sweet Albanians, who tried to talk to us and we all shared our food and snacks in the bus.
All in all, we really recommend travelling by bus in Albania. It was such a great experience and we were left with memories for life.
Beautiful views over the mountains from the bus window
Montenegro was the country which many of our friends and family said we would love. This small country sees a great deal of tourists, especially during the summer months as it has many beautiful towns along the sea. However, after a few days we had enough and decided to leave much earlier than planned. In the end we only spent 4 days in Montenegro and we never really fell in love with it. So is it worth going to Montenegro?
Is it worth going to Montenegro?
We know that it is not fair to judge the whole country from only two places, but it was enough for us to get on with our travels to another country. However, I think there are nicer destinations in the area than Montenegro, depending on what you are looking for of course. If you want a nice easy holiday, Montenegro is great, but if you want a more adventures, off the beaten path kind of trip, then I would suggest going to Bosnia-Herzegovina or Albania. These two countries sees way fewer tourists and are much cheaper than Montenegro. We also absolutely fell in love with both Bosnia and Albania.
Why we didn’t fall in love with Montenegro
Don’t get us wrong, Montenegro is absolutely stunning! Both places we went were beautiful and the scenery outside the bus window through the country was amazing. However, we did not fall in love with Montenegro.. When we first arrived to Montenegro everyone spoke English, which we weren’t used to, and all of a sudden Euro was the currency. We also found everything very pricey.
If we had come here first, or directly from Croatia, I think we would have really enjoyed Montenegro, and it would also have felt cheap. However, we arrived from Bosnia, which was much cheaper and felt way more authentic. We really enjoy non touristy places when we travel, but unfortunately Montenegro, at least by the coast, is very touristy. So after Bosnia, we just didn’t like the feel of Herceg Novi or Kotor, and decided to skip into Albania directly.
Again, I know we judged Montenegro way too quickly, but for us it made sense, especially from a budget point of view to head to a cheaper place and less touristy. It just felt too organised and too catered for tourism for our taste. But we will give Montenegro another chance one day!
More Montenegro!
Make sure to see our Montenegro page with all our travel tips, travel map and all our blog posts about Montenegro.
Kotor is a beautiful little town in Kotor Bay, Montenegro. It sees thousands of tourists every year and is known as the city of cats. The bus ride to Kotor from Herceg Novi was absolutely beautiful, gorgeous views along the bay all of the way. This is our very short Kotor travel guide.
We were in Kotor in November, so off season, which meant it was quiet, especially at night, and many restaurants were closed and as it was quite expensive we cooked our dinners at home, therefore we don’t have any tips of where to eat in Kotor.
Walking the streets of Kotor
What to do in Kotor
We only spent two nights in Kotor, and didn’t do too much. Just walking around in this beautiful town is great, seeing all the architecture and beautiful views, and of course hanging out with all the cats. Old town is small so it’s easy to get around by foot.
City of catsLivia just loved hanging with all the cute cats!Kotor has a small Italian village feel over it
Visit the fort
A walk up to the fort is definitely worth it, just wear good shoes as it is high up. Entrance is expensive if you go the normal way. So here comes a travel tip we wished we knew before paying that hefty entrance fee. If you go outside the walls you can walk up a small dirt road, which is used by the farmers, and you can end up at the fort the back way, for free. The fort it self is nothing to see – you go there for the spectacular views!
Views over Kotor and Kotor bay from the fortAll the steps up…Views over the free walking way up
More Montenegro!
Make sure to see our Montenegro page with all our travel tips, travel map and all our blog posts about Montenegro.
Our first stop in Montenegro was the seaside town Herceg Novi. We didn’t know much about it, it was mainly a good location so we didn’t have to spend too long on the bus. It was a very touristy place compared to what we were used to in Bosnia. Since it was off season, we went there in November, there wasn’t as many tourists as it usually is, and many restaurants and shops were closed for the season. But we still enjoyed a couple of days by the sea. This is our Herceg Novi travel guide to what to do and where to eat. All places listed are added on our Montenegro travel map.
What to do in Herceg Novi
Relax by the sea
This is a seaside town where the main thing is to lie by the sea and go swimming or take boat rides. As it was November the water was freezing, but the air temperatures were still high enough for us to enjoy some time relaxing by the sea, which was lovely.
Looking over the sea
Walk and hang with cats
As you might have understood we didn’t do too much while in Herceg Novi, we just relaxed walked around the small old town and took morning strolls by the sea and hung out with some of the many cats around.
Morning walks and some cuddling time with the cats
Drink coffee
Another thing we always like to do wherever we go is to sit down with a cup of coffee. We had 2 favourite places in Herceg Novi. Citadela is situated by the water, and was super chill when we were there, but I can imagine that it’s very busy during peak season. We used this place as our office when we were there. The other place was along the water but further away, Levant, it wasn’t even on google maps until we added it. One morning stroll we just happened to fall in here, it is super local, cheap and the coffee is great, plus the owner is super friendly.
At Citadela cafe, our office while we were in Herceg Novi
Where to eat in Herceg Novi
As it was off season, many restaurants were closed, but there were still some to choose from. There is many touristy places, which we tried to stay away from and also a lot of pizza places.
Stara Kuca
This was our favourite restaurant in Herceg Novi. There is so many touristy restaurant, but this one seemed quite local. During the day they served stews and pots which were very well priced and super yummy. Located in old town, just off the main square.
Cogo
Nice little restaurant by the water. A little expensive but the sea food was good. Worth a visit if you have the budget for it.
More Montenegro!
Make sure to see our Montenegro page with all our travel tips, travel map and all our blog posts about Montenegro.
We ate such good food in Bosnia-Hercegovina. Traditional food is often prepared with meat, and meals are plentiful and delicious. The food is usually made from scratch with local and seasonal ingredients, and by definition organic. The cuisine is similar to that of Turkey, Greece, and other Mediterranean countries. Salads are usually made up of a few tomatoes, cucumber and a generous helping of raw cabbage. Nearly everyone drinks in Bosnia, so you will find plenty of choice for local beers and rakija (the local spirit). There’s so many great dishes to try in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but we tried to make a list of the must try foods and where to eat them.
1. Cevapi
The land of Cevapi – it’s a must when visiting Bosnia! Usually served in bread with raw onion. But some places serve with Ajvar or yoghurt-creme cheese sauce. Best one – Travnik at Haris – even people in Sarajevo said this! And we agree – after 31 days in Bosnia and god knows how many Cevapi, the best one was definitely there.
Cevapi at Haris in Travnik
2. Muckalica
Muckalica, a meat stew in tomato base. The best one we had was at one of the only non-smoking restaurants in Sarajevo (perhaps in all of Bosnia) The tiny kitchen in the back is humming with activity as the ladies prepare food. It gets busy so book a table. Don’t be afraid to call as the staff speak perfect English. The home baked bread ‘crown’ is beautiful and the steaks here are also pretty damn good.
3. Lonac
Lonac became Livia’s favourite dish in Bosnia, a pot with meat, carrots, cabbage, onion etc. cooked for a long time. The absolute best one we had was in Jajce at Kod Asima. This place sits above the entrance to old town. It’s interior is a bit dated and dark, but you can also sit outside on the roof terrace. The Lonac is amazing here, it’s thick and rich, not the watery cabbage stuff you get in Sarajevo. Note: we only found this dish in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and not in Republica Srpska.
4. Biftek
Biftek, a steak, can be found everywhere in Bosnia-Hercegovina. They know their meat here! We had it a few times, but not too many as it’s more expensive than other dishes. One of the best ones was in Trebinje, at restaurant MGs.
5. Mix grill!
Grilled food is typically Bosnian, and you will find it everywhere. We had mix grill many times during our trip through Bosnia, and they were all great. One of the best plates of this we found in Mostar at Irma in Old Town. They cook everything over a fire grill and the cheff pulls the meat from the flames with her bare hands and piles it high on platters. We ordered the mix grill for 2 people (30KM) and we were almost scared with the amount of food (with grilled vegetables, ajvar, bread and cream cheese with of course the obligatory raw onions) that arrived. It was a mountain of joy. Head there late afternoon and we promise you that you won’t want to eat anything else that day.
Mostar Irma Grill
6. Burek
Burek is a kind of pastry with various fillings, our favourite was the meat one. You can find burek everywhere. All bakeries (Pekara) will sell them. They’re also open late, so you can always get a Burek! The best place we had Burek was in Travnik, but I don’t think we ever had a bad tasting burek.
