Route:

Via Austria, Slovenia and Croatia to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and via Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria back home.

Highlights: 

• The Plitvice Lakes in Croatia
• Mostar, the village of Poticelj and the incredible hospitality in Bosnia
• Hiking in the Cursed Mountains in the north of Albania
• Prizren in Kosovo: a non-touristy, lively city
• The route from North Macedonia through the interior of Albania
• The beautiful cities in Albania: Gjirokaster and Berat
• The fantastic colors of The Blue Eye in Albania
• Divine food at Mrizi i Zanave in Albania
• Luxury campsite in Voralberg in Austria
   

Wonderful start to the holiday

After a typically ailing July in Belgium, we are longing for sun, holidays and adventure by the end of July. Willy, our house on wheels, has everything, except sanitary facilities. That is why you will never see us camping in the wild, but we opt for a (preferably as small as possible) campsite. We can't be on the road fast enough and only take one night's rest in Villach, Austria, to end up at the lakes of Plitvice in Croatia the next day  . Camping Korana is one large nature park where everyone can choose a spot. What a wonderful start to the holiday! The lakes of Plitvice are busy and expensive during the summer, but oh so worth a visit. The plank paths and the turquoise water of the lakes immediately put us in a holiday mood.

Bosnia

However, we have come to discover the Balkans, so we drive almost all the way through Croatia and for the first time we get to experience the typical border crossings here. You have to take some time for this. Once everything is approved, we are welcomed with a lot of love in Bosnia. We get  a welcome drink and a big plate of fruit at Autocamp Blagaj and swim in the river, what a lovely place. From here we discover the gem Poticelj (a beautiful village), Blagaj and of course Mostar with the famous bridge.

Albania 

Four hours drive from Blagaj and the time has come: we enter Albania! We are less than five kilometers away and the first clichés are already coming true. Yes, horse and cart are still driven here on regional roads. And according to us, the ratio of car wash/inhabitant in this country is about 1 to 1. Unbelievable! However, we only have to drive about ten kilometers towards Lake Shkodra Resort, a super nice campsite on the lake with large pitches and a delicious restaurant with shots for dessert. Through the campsite we book a trek to the 'Cursed Mountains'. During the three-day trip from Valbona to Theth with accompanying boat trip, our Willy stays safe in a closed area on the campsite for €5 per night. It takes blood, sweat and tears, but what a euphoria when we see the picturesque church in the mountain village of Theth after a day of toiling on the mountain pass. This was a hike to remember. 

Kosovo 

We have only seen the north of Albania, but decide to make a tour of the Balkans clockwise. This means that we first drive east towards Kosovo, and then via Ohrid in North Macedonia back into the southeast of Albania. Kosovo turns out to be an undiscovered gem. Wonderful to drive through an area that is not yet touristy. In Gjakova we see mosques and old souks and in Peç we visit a beautiful old monastery. Campsites are not so easy to find here, but Camp Junik provides a fantastic camper place and good sanitary facilities and that just in their front yard for less than €15/night. The highlight of Kosovo for us, however, is Prizren, a bustling city full of restaurants and shops and that without tourists. This city is truly one that steals our hearts.

North Macedonia

The famous monastery on Lake Ohrid, which has been declared a Unesco World Heritage Site, is on our bucket list. So we drive into a new country to visit this gem. The walking path to the monastery is beautiful, but it is suddenly very touristy here again. 

Albania 

'Hello Albania' for the second time! After a rest day we drive half an hour outside Ohrid back into Albania, this time there is no traffic jam to be seen. During my preparation, I often came across the beautiful regional road SH75 , notorious for its beautiful views, but also for the condition of the road. We start the SH75 with billiard flat asphalt, but it does indeed quickly turn into a gravel road where you have to avoid some holes. But honestly? It is one big party to drive here. Along the way, camping Farma Sotira provides a place to spend the night in the middle of nowhere. 

From here, it's only an hour's drive to the Permet hot springs. Hot springs are always a hit, but these springs are located in a very beautiful setting. From the various baths we have a view of the high mountains in the distance and of old Roman bridges. Do you feel like walking a little further? Then you can also walk into the gorge and visit a number of caves. Of course, just like the local visitors, we enjoy a delicious grilled corn on the cob for lunch.

That evening we drive fully rested towards the most famous city in Albania: Gjirokaster. There we find a spot at Camping Family with a view of the walled city from Willy's pop-up roof! Here too we find picturesque cobblestone streets, cozy restaurants and 1001 souvenir shops in the old bazaar. Here and there in the city we discover old Ottoman houses and of course we don't skip the castle. From there we have a beautiful view of the whole city.

The Blue Eye is a tourist attraction between Gjirokaster and the sea. Althoughit is indeed very busy here, we still enjoy a walk in the greenery and the view of that beautifully colored water. If you want to dip your foot in the photogenic water, you have to have a lot of guts, because it is really freezing cold. 

For a few nights by the sea we choose the seaside resort of Himare, which is a lot quieter than the most famous seaside resort Ksamil and also has a few campsites. We visit the beautiful village of Dhermi and set off for Gjipe Beach, a secluded bay that you can only reach after a tough walk of half an hour.

River Side Camping in Berat is the next stop on our tour. Here too we are greeted with fresh fruit from the garden, blissful right? By the way, we immediately fall in love with the 'city with the 1000 windows': the cobbled streets, the parks where men play chess and the castle where we catch a beautiful sunset.

Foodies as we are, we can't leave Albania without planning a dinner at Mrizi i Zanave, one of the country's culinary hotspots. Everything, absolutely everything, is bottled, grown, grown and produced here ourselves: vegetables, fruit, cheeses, beers, wines, juices, meat... During a walk on the domain, we can see with our own eyes how the sausages, cheeses and jams are made here. We get a spot in the forest and enjoy an incredibly delicious dinner. They not only run an agriturismo, but also have camper spots. Breakfast was the best thing I've ever had in my life, thatfreshly squeezed honeydew melon juice must have something to do with it. Promise us that if you come to Albania, you won't skip this place! 

Finishing in beauty 

Via the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro we drive back into Croatia, where we stop for another two days in Zadar and enjoy the wonderful summer heat and the historic city. Slovenia is home to thermal baths and water parks, so we stop at Kamp Natura in the east of the country where we make our daughter happy with a day of slides. Then the holiday is almost over. A last stop in beautiful Voralberg with the luxury campsite Nenzing provides the icing on the cake of this top holiday! We want to go back already!

Follow their adventures through @miekedeclercqrsl

Practical information about driving and camping in Albania:

• Insurance. We received a special green card for a month that insured all Balkan countries (after all, this is not standard), except Kosovo. Kosovo is an exception, every foreigner is required to purchase temporary insurance (green card) at the border (€15). Print your insurance card on green paper (also not standard in Belgium) and avoid discussions at the border!
• Driving in the Balkans is a party! At least, that's what we thought. Some Westerners experience the driving behavior in Albania as quite aggressive, but we didn't think it was much crazier than, for example, Greece. 
• Check the road surface in advance. Some parts of regional roads in Albania are impassable. What starts as smooth asphalt is sometimes no longer so after 20 kilometers. However, there are many videos online where you can check the condition of the road before you turn.
• The coastal road in Albania is one long traffic jam during the holiday months; while the interior is really unspoiled. 
• Check the fuel prices per country in advance! In one Balkan country, refueling was much cheaper than another, by planning well you can reduce costs.
• We have only had great experiences with camping spots in Kosovo, Albania and Bosnia. Often you pay less than €20/night and you also get drinks and fresh fruit as a welcome gift for that price. Not once was a campsite fully booked, it was nevertheless high season.
• We have always felt safe and have not once had to deal with corrupt cases or police checks.