Returning to the Balkans for the second time this year was definitely not on my agenda for 2020. But then again, neither was a pandemic. With most of the world closed, options were limited to just a few countries—at the time of planning, U.S. passport holders could only travel to Mexico, Belarus, and Serbia. That’s it.

Logistically, Serbia was the best option—especially since Kosovo remained open without restrictions. Knowing just about everyone’s summer travel plans had been affected by COVID-19, I decided to open the trip for other fellow travelers to join.

Here is what we did:

[Day 1] Belgrade
Arrive at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade, Serbia on Thursday, July 2, 2020. Pick up rental car and drive to the city center. Overnight at ArkaBarka Floating Hostel and Apartments.

[Day 2] Belgrade – Nis – Pristina – Prizren – Peja
Leave Belgrade for Nis, Serbia. Explore the third largest city in Serbia and have brunch. Visit Memorial Park Bubanj (World War II memorial complex) and Skull Tower (stone structure embedded with human skulls). Leave Nis for Kosovo via internal border; en route, stop at Devil’s Town (unusual rock formation). Following border formalities, continue on to Pristina, Kosovo. Explore the capital and largest city of Kosovo. Visit the Statue of Bill Clinton. Leave Pristina for Prizren, Kosovo. Wander around the picturesque city and have dinner. Leave Prizren for Peja, Kosovo. Head out for drinks in the city center. Overnight at Stone Bridge Guesthouse.

[Day 3] Peja – Rugova Canyon – Belgrade
Leave Peja for a drive through Rugova Canyon (river canyon in the Prokletije mountains). Continue on to Serbia via internal border. Following border formalities, continue on to Belgrade; en route, have lunch and stop at Uvac Special Nature Reserve (special nature reserve) and Drina River House (house on a rock in the middle of the Drina river). Head out for dinner and drinks in the city center. Overnight at Courtyard by Marriott Belgrade City Center.

[Day 4] Belgrade – Novi Sad – Belgrade
Drive to Novi Sad, Serbia. After breakfast, explore the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. Return to Belgrade and go for a walking tour of the city. Visit the city’s main attractions. Head out for dinner and drinks in the city center. Overnight at Courtyard by Marriott Belgrade City Center.

[Day 5] Belgrade
Head back to the airport for an early morning flight to Chicago via New York City. Drop off rental car.

Note: Kosovo is a self-declared, partially-recognized independent country. While many countries recognized Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008, others including Serbia did not. So, keep this in mind when planning your route. A quick Google search will provide you with ample information about how to travel legally between Serbia and Kosovo—do your research first!