The Beautiful Balkans

Crossing the Adriatic from Italy to Albania marked the start of an entirely new and unfamiliar chapter in our travels.
Unlike other parts of Europe, there’s surprisingly little information from seasoned travellers when it comes to navigating pet travel here, particularly on public transport. With that in mind, we had to remain flexible and make sure we had the means to change our plans quickly if needed.

One unexpected challenge we encountered was the local attitude towards dogs. Many local people appeared uneasy around Yoki, staring, squealing, crossing the road, or approaching her with extreme caution. This was a stark contrast to the enthusiastic affection she received in Italy, or the dog-friendly culture in France where it seems everyone has a pet. Out of respect, we made sure to give people space and allowed them to adjust to her presence in their own time.

When we chatted with some of the locals about it, they explained that many people are wary of dogs due to the high number of strays and concerns about rabies. That said, our experience with stray dogs has been overwhelmingly positive. Most have been calm and peaceful and paid no attention to Yoki at all apart from one elderly dog in Durrës who was likely blind, possibly had dementia.

Sadly, this general mistrust extended to businesses. While cafes and restaurants usually let us sit outside (which we were grateful for), dogs weren’t typically welcome inside. Grocery shopping took a bit more planning and coordination on our part as dogs simply were not welcome.

Public transport, however, was an entirely different story, one that varied greatly between countries, and which we’ll explore in more detail below.

As the Balkans continue to grow as a tourist destination and lean into western-style hospitality, we made a point of taking Yoki with us wherever possible. We’re hopeful that as tourists travel increases with pets, acceptance will naturally follow.

Adria Ferries: Bari, Italy to Durres, Albania
Pet Cabin: €148 for 12-hour trip in cabin with us (approx. $265 AUD)
Comfort: 2/5⭐ No designated pet relief area, basic ship amenities.
Ease of transfers: 4/5 ⭐

Choose Balkans (private tour/ driver transfers): Durres, Albania to Ulcinj, Montenegro.
Transfer Cost: € 190 approx. 2.5 hrs (approx. $340 AUD)
Comfort: 4/5⭐Basic sedan
Ease of transfers: 5/5 ⭐Great service

Albania

We arrived in Durrës, Albania early in the morning, after an overnight crossing from Bari, Italy aboard an Adria Ferry.
The ferry was a no-frills transport option with basic cabins, comfortable enough for a night's journey, but definitely not in the same league as DFDS or Virtu Ferries in terms of amenities. Yoki was allowed to walk around the ferry’s decks without a muzzle, which we appreciated. However, there was no designated pet relief area; dogs were expected to use the same outdoor decks shared by other passengers. It’s a setup that could certainly benefit from some thoughtful improvement for everyone’s comfort.

Albania marked our first and eventually our last before Greece, stop in the Balkans, and our first encounter with a very different attitude towards dogs. While we experienced no serious issues, it quickly became clear that dogs are not widely accepted in public spaces here. Locals were often wary, and dogs are not seen in cafes or shops. Out of respect, we took extra care to be considerate, and began carrying Yoki’s portable water dispenser everywhere, as cafes don’t typically offer water bowls for pets.

Interestingly, it was the younger generation, teenagers and small children, who were most likely to engage with Yoki. And that gave us hope. After all, changing attitudes often starts with the next generation.

Public transport proved to be another challenge. Dogs are not allowed on public buses, including intercity routes or border transfers. This meant we couldn’t take the standard transfer from Durrës to our next destination, Ulcinj in Montenegro. Instead, we booked a private transfer through Choose Balkans, which, while not budgeted for, turned out to be a great decision. It was a smooth, comfortable, and efficient door-to-door service that made the journey far easier than a crowded bus ride ever could have. We’ll definitely be using their services again as we continue through the region.

Pet/vet check requirements to move countries; to transfer to Montenegro, Yoki required another tapeworm treatment, 24 - 120 hours prior to travel, and a certificate from the administering vet. This was incredibly easy and cheap. We took her to Klinikë Veterinare Durrës Pet House without an appointment and walked out 30 minutes later with the documents.
At the end of our 3 months in the Balkans, we again returned to Albania, this time to Saranda in the south, to prepare for the next border crossing to Greece which is EU designated. We had a bit of difficulty finding a vet that issues the Health Certificates but eventually found a fantastic vet at Paws Vet Clinic. Tizana was knowledgeable, had great English and was just a pleasure to meet with. Even Yoki didn't seem to mind the thermometer up the bum.

The Albanian border crossing;
Durres to Montenegro; we were not asked for any vet/health check paperwork for Yoki, not sure they even realised she was in the car, but we had everything on hand in readiness.
Ohrid, North Macedonia to Saranda, Albania; Private transfer with Ohrid Taxi and Transfers. Excellent, seamless service. No check of Yoki's papers at the border.
Saranda to Greece; pending...

💡Pro Tip; There is a brilliant Facebook page that provides information and a growing map of Vets across Europe that provide the tapeworm treatment. Map of Recommended Vets For Tapeworm Treatment.

Montenegro and Serbia

Montenegro Revisited: Dogs, Mountains, and a Border Crossing by Train

In October last year, we spent a couple of weeks exploring a good portion of Montenegro, so this time we planned another short trip to cover the areas we’d previously missed. We based ourselves in Ulcinj and later Bar, hiring a car for flexibility and adding in two nights in the mountains to break up our coastal stay. Montenegro, and especially Bar, felt a bit more dog-friendly this time around, with more locals out walking their dogs. That said, stray dogs were still very much a presence. Most kept their distance, but we did have one tense moment on the way to the train station when we had to get fiercely protective of Yoki and scare off two aggressive strays.

National Parks & Hikes
Dogs are welcome in Biogradska Gora National Park, and surprisingly, there didn’t seem to be any restrictions. We completed the scenic loop around the lake without seeing any other dogs on the trail, though a few pets were hanging out in the car park. Oko Skakavice was also dog-friendly, including the pub/restaurant at the trail-head. Both spots are breathtakingly beautiful, easy to reach, and offered great walks where Yoki could really stretch her legs. Accommodation near both parks was easy to sort, and we even had the rare thrill of spotting a bear near our cabin in Plav!

Pet Travel Requirements
According to the Montenegrin government site, another health certificate was recommended before crossing the border, so we scheduled a vet visit in Ulcinj. Conveniently, Yoki was also due for her annual jab, so we took care of both at once. Thirty minutes and €50 later, with the certificate and vaccination sorted, we were ready to go.

Crossing the Border
We travelled to Serbia by train from Bar to Uzice, which involved passport checks and stamps from both Montenegrin and Serbian Border Police. During summer, there is a change from the Montenegrin train to the Serbian train before the border crossing, this is also where both Border Police get on to check passengers. And Yoki? As usual, no one so much as glanced at her paperwork. Still, better safe than sorry!

When exiting Serbia into Kosovo, we were again not asked for Yoki's papers. The border security was more interested in advising us that we would not be able to return to Serbia via that particular border crossing. Apparently this is due to the ongoing conflict between Serbia and Kosovo.

Oko Skakavice (The Eye), Biogradska Gora National Parks and on the train to Serbia in Seat 61!

Montenegro/Serbia Train Service: Bar, Montenegro to Uzice, Serbia. The Montenegrin train is rather old with 6 seater cabins that face each other, very poor bathroom facilities and allows passengers to smoke on a non smoking train. The Serbian train was much more modern with 2 x 2 seats, much better bathroom facilities and no smoking.
Pet Cost: €7.50 for 10 hour trip on lap or similar. Trip total for 2 adults and a dog €54.
Comfort: 2.5/5⭐ pet relief time half way at border during train change to Serbian train.
Ease of transfers: 5/5 ⭐(no checks at all).

North Macedonia

The border crossing into Skopje, North Macedonia from Kosovo was by far the most difficult and stressful to date! At the time we were in a rental vehicle rather than a private transfer but all cars were being suitably scrutinised, we weren't special in that respect. What we did experience was firstly, being told that only a pet passport was acceptable then being told we were lying about our dogs breed.
We went through the process of explaining that Yoki is registered as a UK dog and only eligible for Health Certificates which it eventuated that the officer had never seen before. The officer then spent a good amount of time loudly advising us that Yoki is a French Bulldog and not a Boston Terrier and that we were trying to cross with another dogs paperwork! After taking a number of photos of Yoki the officer then went off to confirm his facts. An hour later, a phone call to his more experienced colleague and a passive apology for "making us wait", and we were on our way. Thankfully my husband is a very patient man and Yoki was completely oblivious.

Dogs are generally widely accepted in North Macedonia and we had no issues entering bars and cafes etc. as long as we used the outdoor tables. Grocery stores don't allow dogs which we think is acceptable, though somebody forgot to tell the stray dogs. 🤣
We had a rental car during the duration of our visit so can't comment on the buses however, I think you would be lucky to find a willing bus driver anywhere in the Balkans.

Public Service Announcement 📣
If renting a hire car, always check if dog friendly - read the fine print or it might cost you an insane amount. If dog friendly, a cheap fitted single sheet for the back seat will save you a cleaning fee and bring peace of mind.