Snowboarding the Balkan bloc
A group of eight snowboarders, we wedged our boards and bags into a van in Belgrade last winter and set off on a two-week, 2,000km road trip around Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The plan? To see what this region has to offer winter sports fans, since they were first popular in the 1970s and 1980s. What we found surprised us all – rugged mountains; masses of deep, powdery, snow; tree runs from heaven; zero lift queues; friendly locals; low prices; and great food (albeit heavy on the meat).
Serbia
Kopaonik: The biggest and most developed resort in the region, Kopaonik can now be found in the listings of some UK ski operators (balkanholidays.co.uk, igluski.com, directline-skiing.co.uk, sno.co.uk). A network of high-speed lifts whisks you to the top of beautiful gladed off-piste runs where you can gorge on Serbian powder that locals leave untouched. Find refuge in thatched slope-side huts with roaring fires, and feast on carnivore-friendly food. The cheapest six-day ski pass costs €88 (£75).
Stay: The newly refurbished four-star Hotel Angella (konaci-kopaonik.com) has high class decor, friendly staff and is just three minutes from the lifts. Rooms start from €55pp (£47) per night.
Après and eating: Kafka bar is perfect for a drink straight off the slopes; Zerk restaurant offers traditional Serbian dishes cooked on a huge central fire - try the pot-roasted pork and pickled peppers, washed down with a Jelen pivo, the national beer; and Ski Shkola is the place to get jiggy with it if the photographs of scantily clad Serbs that adorn the walls are to be believed. There's also a tenpin bowling alley in town.
Getting there: Fly to Belgrade (lufthansa.com from London Heathrow from £159), hire a car (smiles-rentacar.com ) or take a bus to Kopaonik – it's about a five-hour drive. Serbia.travel has more details.
Also try: Brezovica ski area, Kosovo. (brezovica-ski.com). Many rental companies forbid their vehicles to enter Kosovo, but Brezovica is regarded as one of the best mountains in the Balkans. It even has a Facebook page with almost 30,000 fans. Kosovo claimed independence from Serbia in 2008, a move Serbia doesn't recognise, hence tensions are still high. Be sure to check with the FCO (fco.gov.uk) before travelling.
Macedonia
Popova Shapka: "We Have Snow" is Popova Shapka's slogan, and during our visit, it most certainly did. With no marked piste and local skiers sticking to the few groomed runs, all that Popova powder is up for grabs. The handful of lifts are tired, but the freeriding terrain is extensive. Popova is also the base for Europe's only cat-ski operation – Eskimo Freeride (eskimo-freeride.com).They'll take you to some truly epic powder terrain, including open faces and perfect forest runs, from €200 (£171) per day. A six-day ski pass costs €59.50 (£51).
Stay: Hotel Granit, a friendly hostel right on the slopes. The staff speak excellent English and serve great stone-baked pizzas. From €11.50pppn (£9.50).
Après and eating: Popova is no party town, but most of the hotels have bars. Hotel Granit is the hang out for the hip crowd; the sun deck is ideal for an après beer; try the local brew, Skopsko (less than £1). Watch out for the staff's Rakija – a local home-distilled fruit brandy – it burns! The military base is also open to visitors and offers large portions of food for low prices. Pizza and goulash are common and cost around £3. Also try tavče gravče, a delicious bean stew which is Macedonia's national dish.
Getting there: British Airways (ba.com) flies to Skopje from Heathrow from £39 one way. Public transport is thin on the ground so take a taxi or rent a car; Popova is about one hour's drive away.
Also try: Zare-Lazarevski (zarelaz.com/welcome.html ) – sheltered by the high hills of mountain Korab, Zare offers skiing from November to April and is just one hour from Skopje.
Montenegro
Photograph: Sam Baldwin for the Guardian
Kolašin: With beautiful birch forest runs and oodles of snow, you could mistake Kolašin for Japan. Above the treeline, open faces offer steep terrain with testing descents and mid-mountain you'll find a Nordic ski circuit. Kolašin is on the up; new for last season was a high-speed six-man lift, and the square-cut log cabins that house the cafe, restaurant and ski hire centre wouldn't be out of place in Whistler. A six-day ski pass costs €91 (£78).
Stay: There is no accommodation at the ski area itself, so stay in Kolašin town (15 minutes' drive), a mish-mash of ageing houses, expensive chalets and concrete communist architecture. Apartments offer the best value – you can hire rooms from €12pppn (£10.25) through travel-podgorica.com.
Après and eating: The fancy stone and wood Hotel Lipka (hotellipka.com) is the place to party; pumping techno music outside on to their plaza, they offer gluhwein on tap. Food here is also very good and surprisingly cheap in the pizza bar, or for a more upmarket meal, visit the penthouse restaurant with panoramic views, serving traditional beef and pork steaks from the region and fish from the Adriatic.
Getting there: JAT (jat.com) flies London Heathrow to Podgorica from £263 return. See skyscanner.net for other options. Kolašin is 80km from the airport. Get a taxi or rent a car, (http://www.rentacar-delta.com/about-us/en )
Also try: The lifts are rustic but Savin Kuk near Žabljak (durmitorcg.com/ski_centar_eng.php ) is worth a day's exploration. The upper third of the mountain offers steep, challenging terrain and great views of the Durmitor national park.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Jahorina: Sarajevo still clings to its 1984 Winter Olympic heritage, though new investment in the ski area is coming. New last season were two high-speed, six-man lifts that join the collection of Olympic antiques. The terrain here resembles a natural fun park with a great mix of tree-riding, open faces, small drops and groomed piste. The numerous slope-side cafes and bars give Jahorina a lively, friendly atmosphere. A six-day ski pass costs €82 (£70).
Stay: You can stay in Jahorina, but it's only 30 minutes from Sarajevo itself so you're better off finding a place in the city. Hotel Hecco (hotel-hecco.net) offers comfortable, modern accommodation from €30pppn (£25.70).
Après and eating: Mala Kuhinja (malakuhinja.ba) serves intriguing, but very good, Balkan-Asian fusion food prepared before your eyes. It's BYO booze – which helps keep the costs down – try the local Sarajevsko beer or some Herzegovinian wine.
Getting there: Lufthansa (lufthansa.com) flies to Sarajevo from £395 return. There are two buses a day to the ski area (bhtourism.ba) from Sarajevo, or take a taxi or hire a car; it's a 20 minute drive.
Also try: Bjelasnica (bjelasnica.ba/home-en ), Sarajevo's second ski area which was also an Olympic venue. Offering six lifts, six runs and night skiing, it opens from December to March.
Balkan trip tips
Although these ski areas are small compared with familiar Alpine favourites, they should keep intermediate skiers/snowboarders content for two-three days in good snow.
Avoid skiing at weekends as the city crowds can clog the slopes, but midweek you'll have the snow to yourself.
Only Montenegro officially uses the euro but almost everywhere else will accept them – at a profitable exchange rate. Be sure to do the maths yourself before paying bills.
If you're driving, snow chains, a shovel and detailed maps are a must.
Sam Baldwin is the editor of SnowSphere.com winter sports travelzine.