Self-Launched Albania, Kosovo & North Macedonia — 9 Days (DIY Balkans Loop)

Land at Mother Teresa Airport (TIA) and take the official airport express bus to Skanderbeg Square (~300 lek / £3, every 30-60 mins until around midnight). Check into a central hostel near the Blloku or Pazari i Ri districts. Spend the afternoon on foot: Skanderbeg Square, the colourful Piramida, and the lively cafés of Blloku. Grab a cheap byrek and a glass of raki for dinner.

🚌Airport express bus ~£3

🛏Central hostel dorm or private twin, e.g. Tirana Backpacker Hostel or Hostel Mangalem (~£12-18)

• →Airport express bus to city centre
• →Self-walk Skanderbeg Square and Blloku
• →Evening wander around Pazari i Ri market area

Catch an early furgon (minibus) from Tirana to Kruja (~1 hr, ~£1.50) and explore the Ottoman old bazaar and Kruja Castle with the Skanderbeg Museum (entrance ~500 lek / £4.50). Continue by minibus to Shkodra (~2 hrs, ~£3) and check into a guesthouse in the old town. Walk up to Rozafa Castle for sunset views over Lake Shkodra (entrance ~200 lek / £2), then dine cheaply on local lake fish or tavë kosi.

🚌Public furgon Tirana–Kruja ~£1.50, Kruja–Shkodra ~£3

🛏Family guesthouse in Shkodra old town, e.g. Via Egnatia Guesthouse (~£18-25)

• →Kruja old bazaar and castle
• →Skanderbeg History Museum
• →Rozafa Castle sunset walk
• →St Stephen's Cathedral

Take an early minibus from Shkodra to Komani Lake (~1.5 hrs, ~£4) for the spectacular Komani Lake ferry to Fierza (~2.5 hrs, ~1,000-1,500 lek / £9-13) — book directly with operators like Komani Lake Ferry the day before. From Fierza, share a taxi or local bus to Prizren via the border (~2.5 hrs, ~£10). This is a long day, so start early. In the evening explore Sinan Pasha Mosque, the Stone Bridge and Shadervan Square, and eat grilled meat and flija in the old town.

🚌Minibus Shkodra–Komani ~£4, ferry ~£11, shared taxi/bus to Prizren ~£10

🛏Prizren old-town hostel or guesthouse, e.g. Hotel/guesthouse near Shadervan (~£20-28)

• →Komani Lake ferry crossing
• →Sinan Pasha Mosque
• →Stone Bridge and Shadervan Square
• →Prizren Citadel walk (free)

Bus from Prizren to Peja (~1.5 hrs, ~£3), then a local bus or taxi to the Patriarchate of Peć (UNESCO, free entry, modest dress required). Return to Peja and continue by bus to Prishtina (~1.5 hrs, ~£3). In the capital, see the NEWBORN monument, the 15th-century Imperial Mosque of Sultan Mehmet Fatih, and the National Library's striking architecture. Evening on the Bulevardi Nëna Terezë with cheap burek and local Peja beer.

🚌Bus Prizren–Peja ~£3, local taxi to Patriarchate ~£3, bus Peja–Prishtina ~£3

🛏Hostel in central Prishtina, e.g. Prishtina Hostel or hostel near the centre (~£15-22)

• →Patriarchate of Peć monastery
• →NEWBORN monument
• →Imperial Mosque
• →National Library
• →Bulevardi Nëna Terezë evening stroll

Take the bus from Prishtina to Skopje (~2 hrs, ~£6). In Skopje, do a quick self-guided loop of Skopje Fortress, the Stone Bridge, the Old Bazaar, St Spas Church (entrance ~100 denar / £1.50) and the Mother Teresa Memorial House. Late afternoon, catch the bus from Skopje to Ohrid (~3.5 hrs, ~£8). Check into a guesthouse in Ohrid's old town and watch the sunset over the lake.

🚌Bus Prishtina–Skopje ~£6, Skopje–Ohrid ~£8

🛏Ohrid old-town guesthouse, e.g. rooms in the old town (~£18-25)

• →Skopje Fortress (free)
• →Stone Bridge and Old Bazaar
• →St Spas Church
• →Mother Teresa Memorial House
• →Bus to Ohrid

Full day exploring Ohrid's UNESCO sites on foot: Ohrid Fortress (free), the ancient theatre, Church of St John at Kaneo (iconic cliffside view), and the Church of Mother of God Peribleptos (entrance ~100 denar / £1.50). In the afternoon, take a local bus or shared boat from Ohrid harbour to Sv Naum Monastery (~£3-5) to see the monastery and swim in the clear springs. Return for a late dinner of tavče gravče by the lake.

🚌Local bus or shared boat to Sv Naum ~£3-5

🛏Ohrid old-town guesthouse (~£18-25)

• →Ohrid Fortress
• →Church of St John at Kaneo
• →Church of Mother of God Peribleptos
• →Sv Naum Monastery
• →Swim at Sv Naum springs

Long transfer day: bus from Ohrid to Tirana via Struga/Elbasan (~5-6 hrs, ~£12), then onward local furgon to Berat (~2 hrs, ~£3). Check into a guesthouse in the Mangalem or Gorica neighbourhood and spend the evening wandering the Ottoman houses along the river, with dinner of Berat-style meatballs and local wine.

🚌Bus Ohrid–Tirana ~£12, furgon Tirana–Berat ~£3

🛏Berat old-town guesthouse, e.g. in Mangalem (~£18-25)

• →Scenic bus journey through the Albanian highlands
• →Mangalem and Gorica neighbourhood walk
• →Berat riverside evening

Morning in the fortified Berat Citadel (free to enter) with the Onufri Icon Museum (entrance ~400 lek / £3.50) and the Cathedral of Dormition of St Mary. Wander the cobbled upper town and grab lunch at a local konoba. Afternoon furgon back to Tirana (~2 hrs, ~£3), then visit BunkArt 1 (entrance ~500 lek / £4.50) or BunkArt 2 in the city centre. Final evening in Blloku.

🚌Furgon Berat–Tirana ~£3

🛏Central Tirana hostel (~£12-18)

• →Berat Citadel
• →Onufri Museum of Icons
• →Cathedral of Dormition of St Mary
• →BunkArt 1 or 2 in Tirana

Depending on your flight time, do a final coffee on Skanderbeg Square or pick up souvenirs at the Pazari i Ri market, then take the airport express bus back to Mother Teresa Airport (~£3).

🚌Airport express bus ~£3

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Last coffee on Skanderbeg Square
• →Pazari i Ri souvenir shopping
• →Airport express bus