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The Ultimate 2-Week Balkans Itinerary: 3 Perfect Routes

Last Updated on January 2, 2024

by Maggie Turansky

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When it comes to planning a Balkans itinerary, it can be difficult to know where to start. As one of the least-visited regions in Europe, there is much of the Balkans that remains undiscovered to most foreign travellers.

This makes travelling in and around the countries that made up former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Albania a perfect place to get off the beaten path while also sticking to even the tightest of budgets.

The Balkan region has something to offer any type of traveller — from thriving, metropolitan cities, to sprawling bucolic idyll, ancient Greek and Roman ruins to pristine blue seas and inviting beaches.

However, with so much on offer in the area, the prospect of piecing together a route can seem slightly overwhelming. The itineraries below will, hopefully, take some of the guesswork out of planning and help you see the highlights of the Balkans over the course of a fortnight!

Table of Contents

Planning a Balkans Trip

Best time to visit the balkans.

One of the biggest things you’ll need to consider for your trip to the Balkans is the time of year in which you plan to visit the region. All Balkan countries experience four seasons — from cold, snowy winters to hot and muggy summers. Also, many places in the Balkans tend to book out far in advance in the summer high season, especially along the Adriatic and Black Sea coasts.

Personally, I think that the best time to visit the Balkans would be in the shoulder seasons. Either in March-May or September-November.

In regards to the weather, with the exception of a handful of cold snaps early on, we found the weather to be mild and pleasant — averaging about 20ºC (68ºF) with abundant sunny days.

I tend to think that travelling in the shoulder seasons would be ideal for the more active traveller as well. There are a wealth of mountains and outdoor activities for the nature lover in the Balkans and the milder weather would make it all the more pleasant to enjoy these.

Planning your itinerary in the winter might prove fruitful as well, however, as many countries (especially Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia) offer world-class skiing at a fraction of the cost to their Western European counterparts.

Trip Length

Though the area of the Balkans seems small, these countries are incredibly diverse and complex and one could easily spend years in the region and barely scratch the surface. In fact, even after spending over three months exploring the Balkans, we feel that there was still so much we missed out on and are desperate to return and see more.

That being said, we understand that the majority of people don’t have an unlimited amount of time in which to devote to a Balkans itinerary. So, if you’re keen to dip your toe into exploring this amazing and diverse region, we would recommend going for two weeks at a minimum.

When planning a two-week Balkan itinerary, there are several things you might want to keep in mind. First off, especially if it’s your first time visiting the region, is that you need to take it slow.

If you can only spend two weeks in the Balkans, try to limit your travels to two or three countries at maximum. While travellers may think the only thing to see in certain Balkan countries is their capital or most popular city, there are a number of beautiful and interesting places to visit in each country and that takes time.

If you have more than two weeks to spend, all of the itineraries in this article can easily be combined or added to in order to suit any trip length. The only limit is your imagination!

Finally, have you considered taking out travel insurance for your Balkans trip? If you’re travelling on a budget and are only after travel medical insurance it’s worth checking out SafetyWing’s nomad insurance.

Getting Around the Balkans

If your visions of travelling through Europe include a lot of train travel, it’s time to give you a harsh dose of reality: the train network is extremely lacking in the Balkans. Therefore, if you are going to be relying on public transit while visiting the corner of Southeastern Europe, you’re going to be spending a lot of time on the bus.

Intercity buses in the Balkans are frequent and affordable throughout the region, but there can be some idiosyncrasies depending on where you are visiting and when. Not all bus routes are listed online, for instance, and those that are can sometimes be inaccurate or out of date.

The best way to make sure that you’re aware of all potential bus routes is to either check at the station or ask someone at your accommodation. This will usually point you in the right direction.

If a particular bus route is erratic, there is also another public transit option that is quite popular among Balkan travellers and that is the minibus. There are a few transfer companies that organise door-to-door intercity transfers in small, privately owned vans.

These do cost more than a traditional bus, however, they operate more frequently and at more agreeable hours than many intercity routes and have the added convenience door-to-door pick-up and drop-off.

If you are interested in using a minibus as transport in the Balkans, they can normally be arranged by your accommodation or privately through a quick Google search. Just type “city A to city B minibus transfer” and you will surely find something.

If you aren’t planning on using public transport to get around and are keen to embark on a Balkan road trip itinerary, then there are a few things you should keep in mind about driving in the Balkans . First and foremost, make sure that your car has the proper insurance so you are able to cross the border.

Most Balkan countries are outside of the Schengen area and therefore have different laws concerning international car travel, so make sure to check with your rental car company to ensure you are able to visit all of the countries on your itinerary.

Generally speaking, roads in the Balkans are fairly well-maintained, especially those going between the large cities. The exception to this, however, is Albania where there isn’t as much money to invest in the infrastructure and the roads can be quite precarious.

Balkan drivers can also be a bit aggressive, so make sure that you are comfortable driving defensively if you want to go on a Balkan road trip.

Accommodation

As mentioned earlier, if you’re not travelling in the high season it’s not essential to book accommodation more than a few days in advance. However, if you happen to find yourself in the Balkans between the months of June and August accommodation can be in a lot higher demand, especially along the coast.

If you are travelling in the high season, we highly recommend booking accommodation as far in advance as makes sense for your travel style – typically a couple of weeks to as much as a couple of months in advance.

If you’re on a budget, then these are some of the accommodation options that we recommend in the Balkans:

• Booking.com – You can generally book anything from budget guesthouses to luxe hotels on this platform throughout the Balkans (and the rest of the world!).
• Hostelworld – Balkan hostels  are some of our favourite hostels in the world as they are often run by locals and tend to be smaller than the typical larger Western European hostels
• Airbnb – a great budget option if you’re travelling as a couple or with friends as private rooms can be cheaper than two dorms.

Balkan Highlights Itinerary

This Balkan itinerary will see you visiting the highlights of the central Balkan nations of Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Both countries have long and complex histories, incredibly diverse and vibrant cities, and friendly and hospitable residents. One thing is certain, however: you will leave longing to come back and see more.

Days 1-3: Belgrade, Serbia

There is really no better major city to begin a sojourn through the Balkans than in Belgrade , the capital of Serbia and the former capital of Yugoslavia.

Belgrade is an incredibly special city that, though certainly a bit rough around the edges and not traditionally beautiful, has a tendency to charm travellers off their feet. There aren’t a ton of typical tourist sites to see here, but it is worth spending at least three days exploring and getting to know the Serbian capital.

Spend your first day exploring the Dorcol and Skardalija neighbourhoods of the city – the oldest part of Belgrade with a range of different architectural styles and fascinating history. Take the time to visit the Kalemegdan Fortress Park which sits above the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers.

And, of course, no visit to Belgrade is complete without experiencing its infamous nightlife.

On your second day, tour the St Sava Cathedral, one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in the world. Visit the Nikola Tesla museum and geek out over the inventions of this celebrated scientist and maybe sample a craft beer or two in one of Belgrade’s many pubs.

On the third day in the city, opt to visit the Zemun neighbourhood – which used to be separate from Belgrade entirely and was a part of Austria-Hungary. You could also take the time to wander around Novi Beograd or venture a bit further out and visit the Museum of Yugoslavian History.

Where to Stay in Belgrade

Garni Hotel Opera – Located in the city centre, this is a great hotel if you have a higher budget when visiting Belgrade. They come very highly rated, are within walking distance to all of the best attractions, they have several clean and comfortable rooms available, and breakfast is included in the nightly rate.

El Diablo Hostel – If you’re travelling to Belgrade on a budget, then this hostel is the best place to stay. This place has an incredible atmosphere, a wonderful and helpful local staff, clean dorms and private rooms, and they also organise social events in the evenings. 

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Belgrade!

Day 4: Novi Sad, Serbia

Novi Sad, Serbia’s second-largest city, is an excellent place to visit for a day trip from Belgrade, especially if you want to see a bit more of Serbia. Easily reached in a bit over an hour via bus or train from Belgrade, spending one day in Novi Sad is a wonderful idea.

Selected as the European Capital of Culture 2021, Novi Sad is finally getting the attention it deserves on the international tourism scale. Famous already for its notorious EXIT music festival each summer, Novi Sad also has a beautiful old town that is worth wandering through and a thriving cafe culture.

One of the main sites to see in Novi Sad would be the Petrovardian Fortress which sits atop the banks of the Danube. The city also has a great nightlife and arts scene which ensures that you won’t be bored for a day trip.

Day 5: Belgrade to Sarajevo

The fifth day of this itinerary should be treated as a travel day as you make your way from the capital of Serbia to the capital of Bosnia & Herzegovina: Sarajevo. Sarajevo is a delightful city to visit, but it does take basically a full day to get there.

There are buses that leave from Belgrade’s main train station and arrive at the East Sarajevo bus station, which is a fair distance from the city centre – however, it’s easy to hop in a taxi and make it to the old town.

Once you arrive in Sarajevo, simply spend your evening wandering around, getting your bearings or maybe snacking on some burek or classic Sarajevski cevapi.

Where to Stay in Sarajevo

Hotel VIP – This hotel, located in the Old Town, is within a stone’s throw of all of Sarajevo’s best sites. They have a range of comfortable and clean rooms available, a restaurant on site, and a fantastic breakfast included in the nightly rate. 

Hostel Franz Ferdinand – A great hostel for solo and budget travellers. They have a range of dorms and private rooms with helpful staff and breakfast included.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Sarajevo!

Days 6-7: Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Sarajevo is a wonderful city to explore and it has a completely different feel to it than Belgrade. With two days here, you can take the time to visit the city’s many museums and learn about its place in history…from Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian rule to the devastating siege in the 1990s.

Though the war ended here more than 20 years ago, there are still reminders of the devastation that Sarajevo saw scattered throughout the city and it is incredibly important to educate yourself on this contentious matter.

Other interesting sites in Sarajevo include the bazaars of the Old Town, the Latin Bridge (the site where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, which many historians believe was an inciting incident to the beginning of the First World War), and the Yellow Fortress. To learn more about the war od the ’90s, make sure to visit the heartbreaking War Childhood Museum.

On your second day in the city, it can be worth heading out to learn more about the siege of the 1990s by taking a tour the visit the War Tunnel Museum or even riding the cable car up to the abandoned bobsled tracks from the 1984 Winter Olympics. Today they are covered in graffiti and can be fascinating to walk along.

Also, take the time to visit the harrowing 11/07/95 Gallery to learn more about the horrors of the Srebrenica Massacre in 1995.

Days 8-9: Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

After spending time in the Bosnian capital, it’s time to head south to one of the country’s most popular tourist cities: Mostar.

Mostar is perhaps most famous for the iconic, Stari Most, or Old Bridge, which was reconstructed in 2004 after being destroyed by Croatian forces during the Balkan Wars in 1993. Before then, the same bridge had connected the two sides of Mostar for over 400 years.

While Mostar is becoming ever more popular purely because it is incredibly picturesque, small, and walkable, it is important to learn about the history and culture that has shaped this Bosnian city.

Take the time to go on a tour of Mostar in order to learn how the city is still very much ethnically divided today and to try and understand the horrors that residents have had to live through.

On your second day, you can also venture out to visit the lovely Kravice Waterfalls and Blagaj Monastery, along with many other historic sites.

Where to Stay in Mostar

Hotel Eden – This hotel is excellently located in the Old Town, has a number of great rooms available and also has a free breakfast each morning.

Hostel Majdas   – This small hostel located close to everything in Mostar is one of the best hostels in the entire region. Run by incredibly hospitable owners, the rooms are clean and comfortable, they organise day tours of Mostar and the surrounding area, and a hot and delicious breakfast is included in the nightly rate.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Mostar!

Days 10-12: Dubrovnik, Croatia

Now that you’ve been relatively off the beaten tourist trail in the Balkans, it’s time to visit arguably the most popular destination in the region: Dubrovnik . Yes, Dubrovnik is touristy but it’s for a reason – it is absolutely beautiful!

You can reach Dubrovnik from Mostar in about 3 hours, so if you get an early start you will have lots f time to devote to exploring a bit on your very first day.

On the 11th day of this itinerary, take the time walk the city walls (get there early!) and explore all of the highlights of the Old Town. And on your final day in Dubrovnik, take the time to dig a little bit deeper, head to the lovely nature reserve on Lokrum Island or spend some time working on your tan by lounging on one of Dubrovnik’s many beachy areas.

Where to Stay in Dubrovnik

Boutique Hotel Porto   – Located within easy reach of the old town, this boutique hotel is perfect for a plush stay in Dubrovnik. They have plenty of lovely rooms and amenities like free parking and an on-site restaurant.

Old Town Hostel   – This hostel, located in the centre of the old town, is perfect for those visiting Dubrovnik on a budget. They have several dorms and private rooms to choose from and great common areas.

Not quite what you’re looking for?  Click here to browse other options in Dubrovnik

Days 12-14: Kotor, Montenegro

The final stop on this Balkans itinerary is the lively town of Kotor in Montenegro.

Kotor is a popular day-trip option from Dubrovnik, however, we believe it is an incredible city that deserves more time than just one simple day.

Your first day in this beautiful place can be spent wandering through the charming cobbled streets of the Old Town and walking the famed city walls. It is also worth hiking around the surrounding hills to gain some truly spectacular views of Kotor and the harbour below.

Your second day in Kotor can be spent either exploring more of the city itself or venturing a little bit farther afield to the nearby town of Perast. This is a smaller and less touristy area of coastal Montenegro, however, it is incredibly beautiful and very much worth visiting.

If you have a little bit more time, you could also opt to continue on to the lively coastal town of Budva or the beautiful town of Bar. From the latter, you can also take a train (considered to be one of the most scenic in Europe) back to Belgrade and make this trip a circular route.

Where to Stay in Kotor

Hotel Monte Cristo – This hotel is located in the centre of the Old Town and has a number of great, clean, and comfortable rooms on offer. They also have breakfast included in the room rate and a helpful staff to give you recommendations about Kotor.

Old Town Kotor Hostel   – Located, as the name suggests, in the Old Town, this hostel is a fantastic base for exploring Kotor. They have a very friendly staff who organise social events, clean facilities, affordable breakfast options, and a range of both dorm and private rooms.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse the best options in Kotor!

Central Balkans Itinerary

If the draw of the Balkans for you lies in getting considerably off the beaten path and exploring nations like Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo, then this is the itinerary for you!

Like the route listed above, one of the most logical starting points of any trip through the Balkans is in Belgrade. So if you’re following this itinerary through the Central Balkans, then make sure to start with a few days exploring the Serbian capital.

Days 4-5: Skopje, North Macedonia

From Belgrade, it’s time to hop on a bus (or into your hire car!) and head to the capital city of North Macedonia: Skopje. Skopje is an interesting city, one that has seen some massive renovations in the past decade.

There are many interesting things to see in Skopje, such as the statue of Alexander the Great, the Kale Fortress, and the Stone Bridge. There are numerous monuments to historical figures in the country’s history littered throughout the capital, as well, most of which were erected within the past fifteen years or so.

Another great thing to do in Skopje is to take a day hike and enjoy the natural scenery surrounding the capital. Spending the day hiking to the Matka Canyon, for instance, is very popular amongst visitors to the North Macedonian capital.

Where to Stay in Skopje

Hotel Old Konak – This centrally located hotel is a fantastic base for exploring Skopje. It has a number of clean, comfortable rooms available and breakfast is also included in the nightly rate.

Shanti-Hostel   – Located in the centre of town, this hostel has great common areas, is clean and comfortable, and has both private and dorm beds available. They also have friendly staff to ensure your visit to Skopje is a great one.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Skopje!

Days 6-7: Ohrid, North Macedonia

After spending time exploring the capital, it’s time to head to one of the most beautiful towns in North Macedonia: Ohrid. Situated on the banks of the eponymous Lake Ohrid , this wonderful town is a great place to visit, recharge your batteries, and enjoy the beautiful lakeside scenery and relaxed way of life.

It is worth riding a bicycle by the lake to take in the scenery away from the (albeit minimal) tourist crowds. Visit the main attraction in the city, the Church of St John the Theologian, take the steep hike up to Samuel’s Fortress which offers spectacular views of the city, and ensure you don’t miss the Ancient Theatre of Ohrid.

There are a number of other beautiful hikes you can do in and around Ohrid if you are keen to explore some of the mountainous terrain of the Balkans, along with some watersports available on the lake itself.

Where to Stay in Ohrid

Villa Jordan  – This hotel, located directly on the lake, is one of the best places to stay in Ohrid. Their clean, spacious, and comfortable rooms include lake views, there is a pool and other recreational facilities, and there is a fantastic breakfast included in the nightly rate. 

Old Town Hostel   – A great option for both budget and solo travellers alike. Centrally located, they have a great local staff who are keen to help out their guests with anything, they have many rooms available, and great common areas to meet others. 

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to see the best hotel deals in Ohrid!

Days 8-10: Tirana, Albania

After enjoying the order and beauty of the previous towns and cities mentioned in this particular itinerary, it’s time to head to the wonderful chaos of the Albanian capital: Tirana .

Tirana isn’t always everyone’s favourite city, with its lack of traditional tourist sites and visible outward beauty. However, visit this city with an open mind and speak with locals and you are sure to have an amazing visit to this underrated Balkan destination.

Tirana has a thriving cafe culture and one could easily spend a day hopping from one cafe to another, enjoying some of the best coffee in the region. There are also a number of interesting museums and historical sites to visit which will help you learn more about Albanian history and isolation.

Where to Stay in Tirana

Hotel Antigone – This hotel located in Tirana’s city centre is a great option. They have a number of clean rooms available, a restaurant and bar on site, and breakfast is included in the room rate.

Trip’n Hostel   – This small hostel run by a friendly and helpful local staff has a great atmosphere and fantastic common spaces to meet other travellers. They also have a range of dorm and private rooms available.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Tirana!

Day 11: Berat, Albania

As one of the most beautiful cities to visit in Albania, spend your eleventh day of this itinerary on a day trip to historic Berat. Driving, Berat is only located only about 1.5 hours from Tirana, however, it may take a bit longer if you’re on the bus so make sure to get an early start.

Once in Berat, make sure to explore its UNESCO-listed historic centre and hike up to the incredible castle. Here, you can get excellent views and also enjoy the charming, village-like atmosphere.

Berat is one of those places that is simply a joy to wander through and get a bit lost in. It makes for the perfect place to expand on your experience of Albania when you don’t have a whole lot of time.

Days 12-13: Prizren, Kosovo

After spending some time exploring beautiful Albania, it’s time to venture even more off the established tourist trail and head to Kosovo.

Prizren is the second-largest city in Kosovo and also one of the most beautiful, which makes it a perfect addition to this Balkans travel itinerary.

It has a more laid-back pace of life than the capital of Pristina and there are a number of lovely historic sites to visit in the city as well. The picturesque old town is filled with beautiful mosques, bridges, and the Prizren Fortress which offers great views over the rest of the city.

It is quite small in size, so you can see a great portion of the sites in just a day or two. Take the time to really get to know Prizren during your time here and maybe take advantage of a day trip or hike nearby.

Where to Stay in Prizren

Hotel Edi Imperial – This small hotel is a great place to base yourself in Prizren. Located in the Old Town, they have a few cosy and clean rooms on offer, a helpful staff, and a great breakfast included in the nightly rate.

Ura Hostel – This hostel has a fantastic and hospitable local staff who are keen to show off the best of what Prizren has to offer. They have both dorm and private rooms available and clean and comfortable facilities. 

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Prizren!

Day 14: Pristina, Kosovo

End this route through the Central Balkans in the capital city of Kosovo: Pristina. Kosovo sees very few visitors as Balkan countries go but this is a huge shame as this young nation has a lot to offer travellers.

It might seem like there isn’t much in Pristina, however, this is another city that needs time to get to know and appreciate. Take the time to get lost in its streets, visit some of its fantastic historical sites, a enjoy its thriving cafe culture.

Pristina also has some great restaurants that would be a great introduction to Kosovan food, which is unique to that of other countries and draws from a number of influences. It is also a fantastic base to go on some day trips to other, smaller towns and villages in Kosovo where few tourists ever venture.

Where to Stay in Pristina

Hotel Prima – This hotel is in a prime location for exploring Pristina. They have a few great clean and comfortable rooms available and also have a free breakfast that is included in the nightly rate. 

Oda Hostel – Situated in a great location, this small hostel has a friendly and involved staff that have a ton of great recommendations and organise evening social events. They have a few rooms on offer for visitors. 

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Pristina!

Coastal Balkans Route

Those who are after beautiful coastal scenery but still want the atmosphere and travel challenges associated with the Balkans, then this itinerary is for you! Winding through Croatia, Montenegro and Albania, this is a great route for those who want the perfect mix when it comes to Balkan travel.

Days 1-3: Dubrovnik, Croatia

There really is no better place to begin an itinerary such as this one than in the Pearl of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik. Though it can be an expensive destination to visit (especially when compared to the prices in the Balkans elsewhere), spending your first few days exploring Dubrovnik is a pure joy.

This is going to be the busiest place you visit on this particular itinerary, but if you spend more than a day in Dubrovnik, you will be able to find ways to avoid the crowds.

Days 4-6: Kotor, Montenegro

From Dubrovnik, continue along the Adriatic to the beautiful town of Kotor in Montenegro. There’s a lot to do in Kotor and it’s especially great for those who want to be a bit active during their holiday.

You can get your heart rate pumping by climbing up to the iconic fortress which offers beautiful views over the Bay of Kotor!

Spend two days in Kotor enjoying all that the town has to offer before moving onto our next destination – wonderful Albania!

Days 7-9: Tirana, Albania

After spending time in and around Kotor, it’s time to cross the border once more and head to Albania, where we’ll spend the remaining week of this itinerary. Begin your time in Tirana and plan to spend two days exploring the Albanian capital before moving south and exploring more of this beautiful country.

Day 10: Berat, Albania

From Tirana, hop on a bus (or in the car) and begin making your way south – including a stop in the lovely town of Berat, where we’ll be spending the night.

Known as the “Town of a Thousand Windows,” Berat is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is noted for its historic castle and countless Ottoman-style houses lining the picturesque streets.

Spend a day exploring the joys of Berat and make sure to get a good night’s rest, because there are even more great places to visit tomorrow!

Where to Stay in Berat

Hotel Bila Nino  – This cosy little hotel in the centre of Berat is a great, comfortable option for those after a mid-range stay. They have several lovely rooms and an inviting terrace and garden on site.

Berat Backpackers Hostel  – Those after a good budget choice in Berat will like this hostel. They have a great location for exploring the town and plenty of dorms and private rooms to choose from

Not quite what you’re looking for?  Click here to browse more Berat hotels!

Days 11-12: Gjirokaster, Albania

From Berat, head even further south to the historic town of Gjirokaster. This is another of the well-known UNESCO-listed towns and has an incredible collection of Ottoman-era stone houses and a grand old bazaar to explore.

Gjirokaster is also the birthplace of the infamous and brutal dictator Enver Hoxha, who ruled Albania from 1941-1985 and made it one of the most isolated and oppressed countries in Europe during his rule.

It can take about 3 hours to get from Berat to Gjirokaster, but depending on bus timetables, this can vary in how long it will take to reach the town. Therefore, plan to spend at least one full day exploring all this incredible town has to offer.

Where to Stay in Gjirokaster

The Stone Sky Hotel  – A delightful hotel in the old town of Gjirokaster, they have several great rooms on offer, a fab breakfast available in the morning and an on-site restaurant.

Stone City Hostel  – Backpackers will love this highly-rated hostel in a central location. There are several types of rooms available and excellent common areas along with day trips arranged.

Not quite what you’re looking for?  Click here to browse more Gjirokaster hotels!

Days 13-14: Sarande, Albania

Though we’ve spent a bit of exploring the inland areas of this area of the Balkans, it’s time to end your itinerary in the coastal town of Sarande – located in the south of Albania not too far from the border of Greece.

Sarande itself is nice enough to explore – with a lovely beach and views of the gorgeous Ionian Sea and even the island of Corfu in the distance – but it’s also a great base to see some incredible scenery of fascinating ancient ruins.

So during your time in Sarande, ensure that you take a day trip to Butrint. which is home to an archaeological park filled with excellently preserved Greek ruins. You can also make a stop in Ksamil, which is home to one of the region’s few beautiful sandy beaches.

This is a great place to end your fortnight in the Balkans, however, you could venture into Greece if you have a bit more time. The island of Corfu is only a stone’s throw from Sarande or, if you’d like to visit Mainland Greece , you can head further onto places like Meteora or even all the way to Thessaloniki .

Where to Stay in Sarande

Hotel Kanes   – Offering several rooms with views over the Ionian Sea, this hotel has plenty of amenities like free parking and even an airport shuttle.

Saranda Backpackers  – Great for backpackers looking for a lively seaside atmosphere, this hostel has a great location right on the waterfront. There are several rooms to choose from and fantastic common areas, as well.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Sarande hotels!

Mapping out the perfect Balkans travel itinerary can be a daunting process, with so many wonderful places to explore in this diverse region. Make sure to devote an adequate amount of time to each destination you visit and you will ensure that your Balkan trip is the best it can be!

Are you planning to visit the Balkans? Have any questions? Let us know in the comments

Related Posts:

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Kotor or Budva: Where to Stay in Montenegro

About Maggie Turansky

Maggie is a co-founder and writer for The World Was Here First. Originally from the US, she has lived in five different countries and has travelled to dozens more, both solo and with her partner, Michael. She particularly loves exploring Spain and spending time in the Caucasus and the Baltics. Read more about Maggie

Hi Maggie, Thanks for your travelogue and suggestions. You are doing a great public service which is greatly appreciated. We are planning to travel from Ljubljana to Split to start our Balkan trip in Nov/Dec this year. We plan on stopping at a number of places along the way before making our way from Kotor to Tirana, then from there south to Corfu and onwards to Thessaloniki. We want to do the entire trip by bus and train and have been looking at travel options in Rome to Rio. I’m not sure how accurate the website is. What is your advice on public transport in winter, Are buses in the Balkans reliable and what about in Albania and into Greece? I heard that the roads are a bit iffy in Albania. Thanks again.

I’m so happy you’ve found this information helpful! Sounds like you’re planning a great trip 🙂 In general, buses are reliable in the Balkans, though some routes may have fewer connections in the winter. I don’t think you should really encounter a problem. I wouldn’t rely completely on what Rome2Rio says, but it can be a good overview of what routes exist. Generally, your best bet is to see the connections available while at the bus station itself (or by asking around – perhaps at your accommodation). Hope this helps and you have a wonderful time!

It is interesting – only te Western part of Balkans is covered. I wonder what is the reason? Probably Greece is widely covered, but there are Southern parts, that are not so popular. Bulgaria is not mensioned at all too. Even Turkey has its part on the Balkans!

It’s impossible to incorporate such a vast region in only a few 2-week itineraries. We do have dedicated itineraries for Bulgaria: https://www.theworldwasherefirst.com/bulgaria-itinerary/ , Mainland Greece: https://www.theworldwasherefirst.com/greece-mainland-itinerary/ and Turkey: https://www.theworldwasherefirst.com/turkey-itinerary/ so I assure you, these countries are not forgotten or overlooked in our eyes!

Hello…want to travel to the balkans with my group of well travelled friends around 15 seniors in good health.., with interest in culture history n cuisine. we are Indian nationals of Xtian origin….so we have visa issues which we organise with your support data…these are the countries.. Serbia, Bostnia &Herzegovina,Kosovo Albania, Macedonia , Montenegro. We need a slow pace trip n not rush , days can be 15 or more. Thnx n regards Wynoma Thnx wynoma

Sounds like you’ve got quite a trip planned, Wynoma! Hope you have a great time.

Thank you for your email, sounds awesome. What would it cost me to do this tour.(BALKANS) 2 people traveling, sharing accommodation.

Hi Vanessa, glad you found this article helpful! We have actually written a detailed price guide to help you figure out your travel costs. You can find it here: https://www.theworldwasherefirst.com/balkans-travel-budget/ Hope you’re able to plan a great trip!

Hi Maggi, We are a travel enthusiast couple from India . Could you please help me to plan a route for these destinations by public transport . Flying in to Tivat – Montenegro -Kotor, Montenegro-Tirana, Albania-Berat and Gjirokaster -Sarandë -Butrint-Skopje, Macedonia- Ohrid, Macedonia-Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina-Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina-Novi Sad, Serbia- flying out of Belgrade, Serbia. I have 3 weeks plus and we don’t want to rush every day with suitcases so day trips wherever possible are preferable. We don’t mind doing some if not all these destinations, though from your itinerary account they all seem fabulous. Thanks

Hi Aradhana, sounds like you’re planning quite the trip. Bus timetables and public transport in the Balkans can be hard to plan, but you can check up on a lot of routes by using BalkanViator.com. However, this isn’t always 100% accurate and it’s a good idea to check the routes at the bus stations when you’re there on the ground. Hoe you have a great trip!

Hi Maggie Great site – I really enjoyed reading about your journeys. We are planning a trip to the Balkans in September. Unfortunately, and unusually for us, it has to be a little less ‘off the beaten path’ as I broke my leg and ankle badly last year and my hiking and stair walking abilities are much compromised. That said, we are planning to see some of Bulgaria, Romania, a quick pass through Zagreb before going to Bosnia and then on to Montenegro. We have been to the Istrian Coast of Croatia and a bit of inland Croatia but are not planning to go down the dalmation coast (I did this many years ago). We’ll be driving ourselves – we’re pretty comfortable with this as we’ve driven around Turkey and Morocco and Spain and Italy. We have about 6 weeks for this trip. Things we are keen to see include Brasov, drive the transfargarian road, Sarajevo, Mostar, Durmitor NP, Perast, Trebinje and anything ancient! Have you got any recommendations? Do you think we are trying to do too much? We also hope to duck over to Bari from Dubrovnik and spend an additional week in the Lecce area (depending on finances :-/ ) Thanks in anticipation Rana

Hi Rana — sorry to hear about your injury but it sounds like you’re planning quite the trip nonetheless! We have quite a bit of information about a lot of places in Bulgaria and Bosnia & Herzegovina if you want to check out our destination pages for those: https://www.theworldwasherefirst.com/tag/bulgaria/ & https://www.theworldwasherefirst.com/tag/bosnia/ Hope these help and you have a great time in the Balkans!

Hi Maggie! Thank you so very much for all of this excellent information. I scored a round trip ticket to Belgrade from JFK for $193 – how could I NOT DO THIS??? In APRIL?? I will be visiting solo and your advice has helped me feel super excited instead of nervous. I have been taking Bosnian/Croatian language for a year and my teacher here will hopefully be able to arrange meet-ups with family he has still in the area. But I’m much happier being overly prepared than underprepared!

Thanks for your comment, Helena! Sounds like you snagged a great flight deal and I hope you have a great trip to the Balkans. I’m so glad that our advice has been helpful for you 🙂

Hello Maggie, Your itineraries sounds very exciting! I plan to do a solo travel in the Central Balkans for 2 weeks in September. Is it a good idea to travel solo? Thanks

Hi Shini, glad you like the itineraries and sounds like you have a great trip planned! September should be a great time to visit the Balkans. In my own experience, travelling solo was safe and easy in that area of the world. It was always easy to meet other people and I never felt like my personal safety was at risk. Hope you have an amazing time, I’m sure you will love it 🙂

Thanks for the reply!

Hi Maggie. Great page! I am likely going to mirror your Central Balkans itinerary in July 2019. Can you expand on how you traveled in between destinations? And how you managed booking the transportation? Thanks!

Hey, Greg, thanks for your comment! Your best option when it comes to travelling between destinations is to take the bus — it is more often than not the only public transport option, as well. If you want to make absolutely sure that you get a seat, I recommend heading to the bus station to book your place a day or two before you intend to travel. Some bus companies may have online booking, but in our experience, it can be unreliable. Hope that helps and you have a great trip!

Hi Maggie. At the end of 2017 my wife and I sold our house, most of our furniture and our car and embarked on a year long travel in Europe. Our plan is to stay a month at a time in one location (to both save via a month long discount and immerse ourselves at least a little in the culture) central enough in various countries and take day or overnight trips to nearby sites. So far we have spent a month in southern Spain and are concluding a month in southern France. Next up is Greece. As you know we will then need to spend 3 months outside Schengen countries and our thought was to do that in the Balkans. I could not have read your Balkans piece at a better time! As an authority on the area where would stay if you were to spend a month in 3 locations including Romania, Bulgaria and the Adriatic Balkans? Just so you know we have taken a tour of the Adriatic Balkans with Road Scholar that included Montenegro north to Slovenia and loved all of it. We know very little about Romania and Bulgaria. We have been using Airbnb to find lodging.

I look forward to any advice you can throw our way.

Cheers, Wayne

Hey Wayne! That sounds like an absolutely amazing journey and I hope you’re having a great time! As for a place to settle for a bit outside of the Schengen area, Sofia can be quite a good option — people generally have mixed opinions about the city but we, personally, loved it — and it has a great restaurant and arts scene and a lot of really interesting things to do. Plovdiv is also a great option in Bulgaria, it is definitely prettier than Sofia and has a lot of ancient Thracian ruins as well. It’s also located close to a lot of Bulgaria’s best wine country.

In Romania, our favourite city we visited there was Cluj-Napoca and it definitely feels very livable and vibrant. However, if you’re keen to do a few more day trips, it might be better to base yourselves somewhere like Brasov, which is closer to a lot of the “highlights” of Transylvania.

I hope this helps!

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Your ultimate Balkan travel guide

Every week I get lots of messages asking about Balkan travel.

In light of the recent events all over the world and safety concerns that many of us have, it seems like the Balkans are top travel destination these days. And I totally can understand that!

Balkans are safe, affordable, interesting, rich in history and culture, delicious and most of all stunning!

The region has been one of my favorite places for years, I travel there on regular basis (I just can’t resist all the cheap flights there) and it’s about time I share with you all my knowledge about Balkan travel!

Hopefully, you will find it useful when planning your own trip around the region!

Balkans essentials

Planning a trip to the Balkans? Here are the services I always use and personally recommend:

• Accommodation : I always book a place to stay on Booking.com
• Tours: when I decide to go on a tour I either use Viator
• Get insured for your trip to the Balkans with SafetyWing

Table of Contents

Where to go during your Balkan travel

Now that’s the most difficult question.

Every country has some amazing places that you should visit and everything depends on how much time you have and how well you want to get to know the Balkans.

The most basic Balkan travel route is: Kotor (Montenegro) – Dubrovnik (Croatia) (including day trips from Dubrovnik ) – Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – Split – Plitvicke Lake (Croatia) – Ljubljana – Lake Bled ( Slovenia ).

All those places are incredible and definitely worth a visit but they are also super crowded, especially with day trippers.

If you can stay in those towns overnight already in the late afternoon you will see a totally different, much better face of those places.

And then you will understand why they are so popular as during the day you might actually hate them a little bit.

Just a few days ago I was walking through Kotor Old Town at 4:30 am and was almost hyperventilating at the beauty and charm of it, with literally no one around me.

Once you do the basic route you might want to do more of Balkan travel – I know I did.

I still haven’t been to all the places I wanted to but here is my personal list of destinations you might want to check out, in random order:

• Slovenia : Lake Bohinj , Maribor , Celje, Ptuj, Postojna Cave , Bovec
• Croatia : Zagreb , Sibenik, Krka National Park , Primosten, Pula , Makarska, Hvar , Krk, Rovnij, Trogir , Opatija , Karlovac, Varazdin, Osijek, Vukovar
• Bosnia and Herzegovina : Sarajevo , Travnik , Jajce , Blagaj, Pocitelj, Trebinje , Visegrad , Bihac , Konjic, Lukomir
• Montenegro : Lake Skadar, Durmitor National Park, Tara river canyon, Ostrog Monastery, Lovcen, Cetinje , Stari Bar , Ulcinj.
• Serbia: Subotica , Novi Sad , Belgrade , Zemun, Zlatibor, Uzice , Petrovardin, Sremski Karlovci, Derdap NP, Novi Pazar, Palic, Golubac, Smederevo
• Kosovo : Pristina , Prizren, Gjakova, Mitrovica, Peja , Prokletije Mountains
• North Macedonia : Skopje , Canyon Matka , Ohrid , Bitola , Mavrovo, Krusevo , Prespa, Tetovo
• Albania : Tirana , Berat , Gijokastra, Ksamil, Valbona, Shkodra, Butrint, Vlore, Theth, Lake Komani , Korca

…and many, many more!

I’m sure I still haven’t found out all amazing destinations in the Balkans either but recently I asked fellow travel bloggers of their favorite places and we came up with this list of Balkan highlights !

When to go to the Balkans

To be honest I would never dare to travel to Balkans in the summertime. It’s too hot and too crowded!

I really like spring there when everything is green and blooming and the air smells like flowers (and grill).

I also like early autumn although the weather might be more tricky then.

Basically, from the end of March till mid-June and from September till late October you should be fine traveling in the Balkans.

How to get to the Balkans

Fortunately, recently low-cost airlines (Ryanair, Wizzair, Easyjet) started flying to the Balkans, making everything so much easier.

I usually fly from Berlin or Budapest and most often I can get the return flight for 20€. Even with getting to Berlin/Budapest from Warsaw it’s worth the time and money as I most likely won’t find a better deal from Poland.

Berlin isn’t the only airport in Europe serving the Balkans, you can get there also from other German cities as well as Hungary, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Slovakia, UK, Poland, Belgium, Spain, Malta, Norway, Italy, Cyprus, Ireland, Switzerland.

Balkan airports where you can fly to are: Ljubljana (Slovenia) , Pula, Rijeka , Osijek, Zadar , Split , Dubrovnik (Croatia) , Tuzla, Sarajevo (BiH), Nis , Belgrade (Serbia) , Skopje, Ohrid (North Macedonia), Pristina (Kosovo) , Tirana (Albania) , Podgorica , Tivat (Montenegro).

Those are just the low-cost airlines I’ve mentioned above, there are also regular airlines serving all the Balkan countries.

Very often the biggest problem is not getting to the Balkans but getting out of the airport. The public transport is very often nonexistent and taxis are overpriced though might be your only option.

In Podgorica, for example, there is a train station some 1km away from the airport but the train stop very rarely there (if you are lucky you can get to the city for 1€, you can check the schedule here ).

The taxis try to charge you 15€ and it’s not even 10kms ride!

If you’re good at haggling you can find the car for 10€, last time it took me three attempts to find the driver willing to take me to the bus station for that price. It’s usually much easier in another direction.

There are also bus and train connections from neighboring countries (Austria, Hungary, Greece) but since those take hours and are rather expensive I’ve ditched them altogether.

Crossing the borders in the Balkans

Crossing borders during your Balkan travels shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.

Sometimes you might encounter a queue on more popular routes in the summer season so be prepared for that.

I’ve crossed the borders when traveling by bus, by car, by train or simply walking and I’ve never had any problems or never was questioned.

The only border that might give you a headache is Kosovo as it’s really tricky and can get confusing as Serbia doesn’t recognize it as the independent country.

When you enter Kosovo from Serbia you are free to go anywhere forward.

But when you enter Kosovo from any other country Serbia sees it as illegally crossing their border and if you continue onward to Serbia you might get lots of troubles.

A couple of my friends were refused the entry to Serbia because of Kosovo stamps in their passport, others had lots of issues but eventually were let in…

No one that I know managed to visit Serbia with no issues when having a Kosovo stamp but the internet knows such stories, I just can’t vouch for them.

Some countries allow to enter most of the Balkan countries with the national ID so this might be an option too.

For example with Polish ID I can visit every Balkan country but Kosovo where the only passport is allowed (but apparently if you national ID is biometric you can also use it for entering Kosovo) – what I do is using my ID every time I visit Serbia to avoid troubles.

How to get around the Balkans

The easiest would be your own/rented car but keep in mind that the drivers are pretty crazy there and the roads are often pretty challenging – narrow, in the poor condition, leading through the mountains (you really need to have a solid stomach to survive all those turns and serpentines).

Trains operate only very few routes so your best option is buses.

They are unfortunately not the cheapest and often slow but usually, there is at least one connection per day between places of your interest.

The best website to check the bus connection is Balkanviator although it’s also not perfect (but at least can give you the vague idea of connections).

Always double check at the bus station and get the ticket in advance if you can – buses can get crowded especially in the season (although it never happened to me that there were no seats).

In most of the countries, they also charge you a small fee if you have a bigger piece of luggage that needs to go to the trunk – in Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example, it was 1mark (~0,50€).

The most challenging country to travel around is Albania where public transport is based on furgons (minibusses) and usually, there is no fixed schedule or even bus stations.

But don’t worry, locals are always willing to help and you don’t need to look too much for your bus, the driver will somehow find you!

Last time I was in Tirana trying to find the furgon to Pogradec the driver approached me on some random street next to some blocks of flats and shortly after I was already on the way to my destination.

Some example routes with times and prices:

• Ljubljana – Lake Bled : from 6am till 9pm at least one bus per hour, 1h20min, 6,30€ one way / 11,30€ return
• Ljubjana – Zagreb: 12 connections per day, 2h20minutes, 9€ one way
• Zagreb – Plitvicke Lake: 12 connections per day, 2h20 minutes, 10-13€ one way
• Plitvicke Lake – Zadar: 8 connections per day, less than 3 hours, 12-14€ one way
• Zadar – Split: at least one connection per hour, 3 hours, 12-14€
• Split – Dubrovnik: 13 connections per day, 4h30min, 15-17€
• Dubrovnik – Kotor: 4 connections per day, 2-3 hours, 18€
• Dubrovnik – Mostar: 3 connections per day, 3h20min, 16€
• Mostar – Sarajevo: 10 connections per day, 2h30min, 10€
• Mostar – Kotor: 2 connections per day, 9 hours, 38€
• Sarajevo – Belgrade: 4 connections per day, 7-8 hours, around 15-20€
• Skopje – Ohrid: 10 connections per day, 3 hours, 8€
• Skopje – Pristina: at least one connection per hour, 2 hours, 5€

Some hotels and hostels offer transfer between most popular destinations that are not so easily accessible by public transport. It’s always good to ask at the place you’re staying.

I know in Kotor 360Monte agency offers transportation to Mostar and Tirana, both faster and cheaper than by public transport.

Where to stay in the Balkans

As the region is becoming more and more popular in most places you have lots of accommodation options to choose from, something for each taste, from fancy hotels to dorm rooms in hostels.

I usually try to stay at family-run businesses, either guest houses or apartments as not only this way I’m helping directly local people but usually those offer amazing hospitality.

The good thing is that out of the summer season it’s very easy to find an excellent place to stay for really good money.

If you’re planning to visit Sarajevo I’ve created the whole guide on Sarajevo accommodation for all budgets – click here to read it and choose where to stay in Sarajevo.

What to eat in the Balkans

The Balkans are food heaven for all the meat lovers. Some places, especially in Bosnia, even smell like grilled meat!

Then those located along the coast are known for excellent fresh fish and seafood.

One thing is for sure – no matter what you choose you won’t be hungry in the Balkans.

Some of the most popular dishes you might want to try include cevapi, cevapcici or pljeskavica.

Vegetarian in the Balkans

I must admit being vegetarian in the Balkans is pretty challenging but it’s also slowly changing and many restaurants, especially in more touristy places, offer vegetarian options.

You can often get grilled vegetables and salads which are to die for! Everything is so delicious and so fresh, the taste I remember from my childhood!

Other solid options, which you can almost always count on, are pizzas and risotto which – thanks to the Italian influences – are very often really decent.

And in case of emergency, there are always bakeries everywhere, just look for the “pekara” sign.

And there you can find burek which is one of the best things you can eat in the Balkans! A filo pastry filled with feta cream cheese, cheese, and spinach or potatoes (the second one is my favorite).

The best drink to accompany burek is always a yogurt. You can see lots of people eating this combo directly in the bakery.

The most challenging country for me, food-wise was Serbia, with BiH on the close second place.

Is Balkans safe

Yes! I never felt any danger there and everyone I know can share this opinion.

People are super friendly and will try their best to help you, even when you don’t need it!

Of course in bigger and more popular places you should be more careful – I, for example, lost my passport in Sarajevo (when walking in Bascarsija in the evening, I think I know when that happened but then I didn’t catch anyone opening my backpack so I can’t be sure).

But even with this story, I think Sarajevo and the Balkans are really safe, definitely safer than Western Europe.

And the passport could have been stolen everywhere, just the other day my friend lost the camera in Naples, Italy.

Actually, there is only one really uncomfortable story when, together with my friend Kinga, we arrived in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina late in the evening and the owner of the guest house we were staying at picked us from the airport.

It was a dark night, we were speeding through Bosnian countryside and suddenly he started telling us his opinions about many subjects, the “highlight” being how Hitler did a really good job with death camps and killing Jewish people…

We were both speechless but he didn’t mind and just kept talking this bullshit. We were both really relieved when we arrived at his guest house and could leave the car but probably even more relieved when we departed early in the morning (me to Travnik, Kinga to Mostar).

Still, it wasn’t really dangerous, just really uncomfortable and awkward.

As you probably know in the 1990s there was a cruel war in the Balkans.

You still see the remnants, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the tension is still there but it doesn’t affect tourists at all so you don’t need to worry about it.

Just be careful when hiking or going freely in BiH as there are still landmines hidden in the countryside.

Solo female travel in the Balkans

The majority of my trips to the Balkans were solo (although I often tend to meet Kinga there, who also travels just by herself).

I can’t count how many times I’ve been to the region by now as I usually just go for short trips up to one week, and there are lots of them per year.

But I can’t recall any situation when I was really in danger. I’ve never even been harassed or bothered by anyone!

If you’re a solo traveler and thinking about any Balkan travels there is really nothing to worry about! You can always write to me and ask some specific questions, I will do my best to help!

I also wrote the whole post about solo female travel in the Balkans – click here to read it .

Is Balkans expensive

It all depends on what you want to do and where you want to stay during your Balkan travel but in general, I’d say prices are moderate, definitely cheaper than in Western Europe.

If you travel off season you will have no problems with finding affordable accommodation, in touristy places you should get lunch or dinner for less than 20€, drinks included.

Entrances fee are also rather reasonable, usually a couple of Euros. Unfortunately, Dubrovnik is an exception here as prices are just extraordinary there!

I found North Macedonia and Albania to be the cheapest countries while Croatia is the most expensive one, the rest is simply fine.

The only thing I found rather expensive is transport between the cities I feel like 20 marks between Mostar and Sarajevo or 7€ between Podgorica and Kotor is rather much but maybe I’m just spoiled by the cheap bus connections we get in my part of Europe.

By the way, the useful info you might want to know: Kosovo, Montenegro, and Slovenia use Euro as their currency.

So yes, that’s probably all I know about Balkan travel.

If you have some questions and want to know something I haven’t covered here you’re more than welcome to join my Facebook group about travel in this region – there is always someone who knows answers to all kind of questions! Happy Balkan travels!

Travel Resources

You can find the best accommodation options at Booking . They have many discounts and excellent customer service. Click here to look for the place to stay in the Balkans

Never travel without travel insurance , you never know what might happen and better safe than sorry. You can check the insurance policy for the Balkans here.

I recommend joining organized tours to get to know the place better and to visit more places during your trip. You can find a great selection of tours at Get Your Guide – click here .

For the end I left a few announcements that might interest you:

• If you don’t want to miss new posts and news from me click here to sign to my newsletter! You can also follow me on Bloglovin!
• Join my Facebook group about Eastern Europe, the Balkans and former USSR and connect with fellow travellers and enthusiasts of these regions – just click here!
• I’ve included a few handy links of services and products I personally like and use so you can plan your own trip to the Balkans too. They are often affiliate links. This means I will get a small commission if you book/purchase anything through my links, at no extra costs for you. If you like what you are reading and seeing here and would like to support me and my blog please consider using those links. It would be like getting me a virtual drink that you don’t have to pay for! Thanks!

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31 Comments

Kasia & Victor przez świat

Kami, thank you for this detailed and practical guide! I know one day we’ll have to concentrate on Europe and Balkans will be THE place to go. I’ve already store all the information. BTW, great photos! It must be one of those magical places for photo freaks ;)

it is indeed a photo heaven, so many breathtaking places it’s impossible to stop taking pictures! I really hope you will be able to come here soon as it’s simply amazing!

A big thank you Kami, because of reading your posts I am now starting my Balkans trip. I am in Moldova and did the local bus trip to Transnistria. Thanks to your info it was easy. Just a long way from Australia, but worth it.

I’m really glad it was helpful! Hopefully you will enjoy Balkans as much as I do, it’s such an amazing place! Greetings from Sarajevo!

stacjabalkany

Great post. My blog have a mission on exploring Balkans and showing Balkan to the polish people. But Your post is showing that the Balkans are peoples the best destination in Europe for a budget trvellers as we are. The best thing is that new cheap flights from Berlin to Tuzla, Skopje, Podgorica, Nis, Sofia and Bucharest make things now really easy :) and I agree in Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Slovenia buses are really quite expensive – far too expensive. Only in Macedonia i find them cheap. In Serbia they are also quite expensive, but in Serbia you can use trains.

But I’m not so much of a budget traveller anymore ;) I can spend more if I get a good value for that. Balkans are perfect for all kind of travellers, not only budget, it’s just an amazing place to visit!

great post with amazing pictures. thanks for sharing with us.

Great post, very informative! Thank you. I hope to travel to the Balkan’sso your advice and information is wonderful.

Thank you! I hope you will go there soon, it’s so worth it!

Shannon Lee

Hi Kami, I’m Shannon Lee from Singapore would like to find out whether do you know any tour agency in Balkan would conduct a package tour for say 12 days Balkan trip include the most attractive places of interest like what you have introduce.

Hi Shannon Lee! Unfortunately I don’t know any agency but if you would like to travel independently there I can plan the itinerary for you and give you all the info about the visited places. If you’re interested email me at [email protected]

Javi Romero

Thanks Kami for this post! I’m starting my trip to the Balkans in September and I’ll be there around 2 1/2 months. I have taken note of the places that you suggest, and I feel relieved to read that is perfectly safe for a woman to travel that region. Lovely photos

I’m always happy when I can help! If you have any more questions about travelling in the Balkans you’re more than welcome to join my Facebook group (there’re links above in the post and in the sidebar). We have a great community of travelers there who seem to know the answer to every single question :)

Your post is great and really helpful. I have 13 days to plan a trip and I thought being in South it would be warmer but I guess I was wrong.

I would like to go to Greece, Santorini and then navigate to other Balkan countries via bus and finally fly back from say Sofia(to Brussels). During course of my travel I would be more than happy to spend 2 days each in let’s say a Balkan country.

Could you advise this to be a good idea and suggest some places??

Thanks in advance. Romesh [email protected]

To be honest 2 days in each country is really rushed, especially that public transport can be rather limited in the Balkans. I’d skip some places and focus on other more. If you’re flying from Sofia I think Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo and maybe part of Serbia will be enough for you.

We plan on spending about 3 weeks in the Balkans late August to mid September. I know, I know, it’s not the best time of year but it’s the only time we can travel. I appreciate your list of places but maybe you can help us trim it down for our trip. For a little back ground on what we like, we spent 2 weeks at Lake Bohinj (one of our favorite places in the world) and didn’t get bored. (We didn’t really care for Bovec in comparison.) In Croatia, we loved Hvar and Korcula. Based on your list of suggestions, I’m thinking of sticking to Montenegro and Kosovo because we love both beaches and mountains. We love hiking and prefer small towns to cities and we don’t like spending a ton of time on buses, preferring slow travel to changing locations all the time. Is it easy to travel between these two countries? What would be your top picks for towns to base ourselves? Thanks!!

I think you can focus on Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, you can include Kosovo or Montenegro too if you have time. These two countries are neighbors and while connections aren’t the best, they are existing and traveling around is doable. Feel free to join my Facebook group about traveling in the Balkans (link is in the sidebar and in this post), I’m sure the member will be happy to help you too. Have a good trip!

James Holman

Super! Podziekujemy!….I feel more prepared than before I stumbled upon your excellent post.

I’m glad you liked it !

Great post and has got us very excited. But our only language is English so I suspect that will have a major effect on our communication. We have used Google translate to get us through Russia and hoping that should help in the Balkans. Also, we have found that the younger people in Russia do have reasonable English and we often picked on them to help us out. Are you able to provide some feedback on communication please.

I find it much easier with English in the Balkans than in Russia, to be honest. Not only young people can speak it well but also older generation often knows it (or German). And in the worst case scenario there is google translate :)

Nice blog simple English explain nicely from 17 aug to 30 sept i am going to travel in balcans already plan started from Greece end in Slovenia Thanks

Have a great trip!

Nice blog. As for security, the Balkans are no less safe than the EU.

Thank you. Ans you are right.

Ramesh Krishna

Really enjoyed your coverage, very informative and useful.Thanks a lot.

Ivan Caperuto

I’m planning a trip to the balkans next year, I must say, I still have to finish reading, but from what I’ve already read, this guid is great, I’ll add questions as I finish the article!

Thanks! You are also more than welcome to join my FB group about traveling in the Balkans and ask your questions there, here’s the link https://www.facebook.com/groups/121053081614593 It’s a great community of fellow travelers who seem to know everything :)

Hi Kami, I’ve always wanted to visit the Balkan and I finally have time to do so as I am retired now. I’m based in Washington DC in USA. Would one month be a good enough time to explore the Balkans or do you suggest longer?

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The Best of the Balkans: 20 Places not to miss!

The Balkans is probably my favourite region in Europe. There, I said it. Although I love almost everywhere I’ve been in Europe, it is the Balkans where I feel most welcomed and somehow most at home. The hospitality and all-round welcoming nature of locals I have met in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, and most recently Montenegro is such a genuine warmth that I struggle to board the plane every time I leave.

The Best of the Balkans: Where to travel

If you’re new to exploring the Balkans or looking for more destinations to discover, these are the hidden gems I have found throughout my travels here. Many are small towns still undiscovered by masses of tourism, so be sure to make your way there before the rest of the world finds out!

Perast, Montenegro

When I arrived in Perast I was reminded of my time in Venice as this small fishing village has a luxurious feel to it that many other small towns in Boka Bay do not. Perast has become the cooler cousin of nearby Kotor (which thanks mostly to cruise ships have become the most visited town in the entire country). As far as the best of the Balkans go, Montenegro is the most underrated.

Blagaj, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Another small town less famous than its neighbouring Mostar is Blagaj, a very tiny town down the road just fifteen minutes by car. Blagaj is most renowned for the Blagaj Tekija, a Sufi monastery built in to the cliff. But it is also a great little town to base yourself at a family homestay and explore Bosnia from, cross over the border in to Dubrovnik and explore the Balkan coast.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

If you haven’t heard of Dubrovnik (aka Kings Landing in the popular series you may or may not have heard of – Game of Thrones), then you must have been either living under a rock the past ten years or still watching DVDs. Dubrovnik is as picturesque as it looks – complete with terracotta rooftops, dramatic cliff edges and a coastal way of life inherit to the coastal Balkan countries. See this post for more of the best things to see and do in Croatia .

Kotor, Montenegro

A small town in the South of Montenegro, Kotor has become one of Europe’s fastest growing destinations with thanks to a huge influx of cruise ships making their way to Boka Bay. Despite the huge numbers of tourists visiting the small town, Kotor has managed to maintain its authenticity and with strict regulations on new buildings given its’ UNESCO World Heritage status, we can only hope it will stay that way.

Lo vće n, Montenegro

The road to Lovćen is narrow and winding, with a seemingly endless series of switchback hairpin turns that are enough to leave you (literally) on the edge of your seat, curled over your steering wheel trying to see the oncoming traffic ahead. However the hair-rising drive is worth the effort when you arrive, 90 minutes later to Lovćen and see epic panoramic views.

Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Mostar is quickly becoming one of the most sought after destinations in Europe and indeed, one of the best of the Balkans! See this post for more of Bosnia’s must-visit travel destinations .

Ljubljana, Slovenia

The capital of Slovenia is perhaps the single most underrated city in all of Europe. Small in size, Ljubljana packs a punch for visitors as it is so incredibly picturesque that you would be forgiven for thinking you have stepped inside a postcard. The city can be discovered in one day if you are short on time but if you’re planning in advance be sure to give yourself two days to get gloriously lost in the streets, visit the public parks, and slow down while you discover Slovenian culture and hospitality.

Počitelj, Čapljina, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Another hidden gem I discovered when travelling throughout Bosnia was Počitelj . This hillside village overlooks the emerald green River Neretva and is just 30 kilometres south of Mostar, making it the perfect day trip. The village dates back to 1383 and between the 16th to 18th centuries was under Ottoman rule, in which time it developed to look as it does today.

Bled, Slovenia

The first time I saw photos of Slovenia’s Lake Bled I squealed with excitement and then proceeded to book a trip to Slovenia, disregarding how far it was out of my travel plans. Lake Bled is hands down one of Europe’s most romantic destinations and if you ask me, the most beautiful lake in Europe .

Ohrid, Macedonia

A small city in the southwest of the country, Ohrid is most renowned for the Church of St John at Kaneo. The church sits on a cliff edge overlooking Lake Ohrid.

Berat, Albania

Known as the city of a thousand windows, Berat is commonly considered the most beautiful city in all of Albania. Here you can discover Byzantine churches, the Red Mosque and wander within the city walls to marvel at the Ottoman houses.

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Of all the things you must do in Croatia , Plitvice Lakes National Park should be at the top of your list, somewhere next to Dubrovnik and Istria. Thanks to Instagram this destination has become incredibly popular in the summer months, so be sure to arrive early at opening if you wish to enjoy the park all to yourself.

Hvar, Croatia

Another great destination not to be missed in Croatia is Hvar. The island is characterised by its 13th century walls and terracotta roofs which welcome tourists from across the globe in the summer months.

Peleș Castle

I’ve made it no secret that Pele ș Castle is my favourite castle in all of Europe. Located in the Carpathian Mountains, you can easily visit this dreamy fairytale castle as a day trip from Brasov and combine your day trip with Bran Castle in Transylvania.

Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

If you’re looking for a less crowded alternative to Lake Bled or just spending more time exploring the gems of Slovenia, then be sure to add Lake Bohinj to your travel plans.

Church of Our Lady Rocks, Montenegro

Just a short water taxi ride from Perast and you will arrive at the Church of Our Lady Rocks in Montenegro’s Boka Bay. This location is a man made island and the church still operates today hosting many events and services.

Elafonisi, Crete

Located close to the island of Crete is this glorious pink sand beach with crystal clear turquoise waters. In good weather conditions you can walk from Crete to the island through shallow water.

Skopelos, Greece

Skopelos might not be your first choice when travelling to Greece but that is probably because you haven’t heard of it. The more popular destinations like Santorini and Mykonos are indeed as beautiful as the photos suggest, but if you’re looking for something more beyond your next Instagram upload, you might consider a lesser-known island like the quaint and charming Skopelos. Skopelos experienced an influx in tourism when it was revealed that a handful of scenes from the Mama Mia! film were filmed here, though in recent years has reverted more toward the sleepy seaside town it was once known as.

Meteora, Greece

This rock formation in central Greece has been picking up in popularity thanks to its incredible mix of nature and man-made structures into stone. The structures are in fact monasteries with six in total built into the boulders.

Zakynthos, Greece

Now for one of the most popular destinations in Greece. Zakynthos became popular after it went viral on Instagram some years ago showing the dramatic cliffs and the shipwreck on the beach down below. While it is certainly one of the most famous holiday spots in Greece now, we would also recommend it as one of the best of the Balkans.

Brooke Saward founded World of Wanderlust as a place to share inspiration from her travels and to inspire others to see our world. She now divides her time between adventures abroad and adventures in the kitchen, with a particular weakness for French pastries.

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[…] Read more: 20 Places not to miss in the Balkans […]

Absolutely beautiful part of Europe and so underrated!

Looks like a beautiful area. Your photographs are stunning. I can’t get over the turquoise waters and quaint towns. I imagine money goes a bit farther.

No Bulgaria?

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How to Travel Through the Balkans (6 Modes Explained)

One of my favourite places to travel is the Balkans. It’s super cheap, everyone’s really friendly however getting around can take a little planning or long-winded searches on the internet as I found out. The initial questions I had when planning my trip were:

• What’s the best way to travel across these destinations?
• Rent a car? Are the roads good in those countries?
• Should we catch the train? Are the connections between the countries easy? Is it worth buying an InterRail Pass?
• Is Bus or Coach easier?
• What other modes of transport are available?

In this guide, I will cover everything you need to know about transport in the Balkans. From travel tips, modes of transport you can take, useful website, safety travelling in the Balkans and much more. 

How to get to the Balkans by Plane

While low-cost carriers like Ryanair, Wizzair and Easyjet fly to destinations in the Balkans it’s not always cheap to fly into some of the destinations. In my experience flying into cities like Sofia, Zagreb, Athens or Budapest is way cheaper than flying into Belgrade from London for example. Plus, there is generally more flights into these cities. 

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It does mean that if you are planning a short trip it can either make the travel time longer or you end up spending more to get to the places you want to go to.

To find flights I use websites like Skyscanner and Kayak to find the right flights, play around with routes etc. To get you started here are the major international airports in the Balkans:

How to get around the Balkans by Trains

Trains aren’t my preferred mode of transport in the Balkans as the connections between the countries are not always straightforward as it is by bus. When you do get trains, the scenery is absolutely stunning and is a great way to travel.

An example of the difficulty of travelling by train is Dubrovnik to Split and seems like such an easy route to take but it’s not possible by train, you will only be able to catch a bus, ferry or Minibus there. Additionally, there are absolutely no trains to Greece or Albania, between Macedonia and Bulgaria, Croatia and Montenegro or Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Then you get journeys like Mostar to Sarajevo which is totally possible by train! My main point to this section is to do your research on train routes before travelling . Some countries it will be easier to reach from western Europe by train, so it can be another great way to enter the area and go by bus from there on.

Of course, there are benefits by travelling overland by train like catching an overnight train to save on a night’s accommodation like we did when catching an infamous overnight train from Belgrade to Budapest.

Before you travel check out these websites which will give you more detailed information:

• Rail Europe – Provides information on fares and passes as well as schedules for the most popular routes in Europe .
• Man in Seat 61 – Provides excellent independent information and advice.

The classes on the trains will be based on whether you are taking a short trip or a trip that has sleeping options.

As a general rule:

• Hard seats – What I would say is as comfortable as a park bench. I had this style of seating on a train from Novi Sad to Belgrade which is fine for an hour or two’s train ride.
• Soft seats – Available for both short travel and overnight trains. The seats are quite comfortable and were the option we ended up with on our train ride from Mostar to Sarajevo and Belgrade to Budapest. 
• Third Class Berths – A six-person sleeping berth in a closed compartment. These styles of the cabin can be quite crowded with little room for your things and stuff. Although the cheapest option if you are looking to save money. This option isn’t as widely available.
• Second Class Berth – A four-person sleeping berth in a closed compartment. If there are two of you, you will share with two other people but if there are three of you, you will often have the compartment to yourselves.
• First Class Berth – A two-person sleeping berth and generally fancier with a washbasin and decoration. A high price tag will come with this option.

Reservations

All our train reservations were made on the day or when we arrived at the city we were travelling from. Online booking is not common and will be dependent on the country or train provider. For Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia we were unable to book tickets online.

It was super simple:

• Buy tickets at the station (there are always places)
• Some require having a seat reservation with your ticket (the ticket office should give you this). Seat reservations several days in advance are also recommended for busier routes and during peak summer periods, but this is only necessary if the timetable specifies that seat reservations are required.

Rail Passes

An option to consider is rail passes for your journey in the Balkans. Keep in mind that not all the countries covered by rail passes; Kosovo and Albania are notable exceptions.

Discount prices are offered to travellers under the age of 26 and children aged four to 11 are eligible for a child rate. Discounted fares are also available if you are travelling in a group of two to five people (although you must always travel together).

With the passes there are two options you can choose from:

• Single-Country Passes – Simply it gives you train travel for one country, with the freedom to explore its numerous cities and towns. 
• Multi-Country Passes – Allows you to travel across to multiple countries with a single rail pass. For the Balkans, these are offered by EuroRail.

For more information look at Rail Europe .

The InterRail Global pass is available for the following Balkans countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.

Europeans residents (living in Europe for over 6 months), some resident of Turkey and parts of North Africa are eligible for the InterRail pass. It’s not valid for the country you live in essentially so it’s good to check the terms and conditions before booking. The pass is not available to non-European residents.

Check InterRail for more information.

Eurail Global

Just like the rail passes EuroRail offers single and multi-country passes which are available for non-European residents.

Single country passes are allowing unlimited travel in Croatia, Greece, Serbia and Slovenia. 

The multi-country pass allows travel in three, four or five neighbouring countries, including Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Serbia. For some of the country’s combinations, two countries may be classified as one like Montenegro and Serbia are classified as one country for the purposes of this pass, as are Croatia and Slovenia.

Check EuroRail for the latest information and purchases.

Coach (Bus) Travel in the Balkans

Travelling around the Balkans by bus is quite easy! As with any bus travel, the journey can be quite long but with some entertainment, it’s a great way to catch up on some reading or movies. Unlike train travel buses operate in all countries both internally and internationally.

Night buses are a good way to save on accommodation. For my Balkans trip, I decided not to do night travel in the end since most seemed to arrive at 4am in the morning and the accommodation was really cheap.

Quick tips for bus travel:

• Bring spare cash with you, some to cover the baggage charge and some to cover the toilet costs, you’ll be stuck otherwise!
• Bring snacks and drinks, an obvious point but the food stops are not great.
• There’s border control, so stay alerted and keep your belongings close to you.

Bus Travel Within Countries

Bus travel within countries is a lot cheaper than travelling internationally and can get you to more of the surrounding towns and areas. If you are struggling to get where you need to head to the bigger the towns which will have better connections.

In most countries, bus routes are operated by multiple companies, each with its own timetables and fares. It can be hard to find a schedule or price information online and I’ll leave the best links and way to book in the booking section. 

International Buses in the Balkans

Most of our travel within the Balkans was international buses. Personally, I found this was the best way to get to the places we wanted to go. It did take a bit of planning to understand the routes and schedules and go to the bus stations beforehand to find the timetables and purchase tickets.

Generally, our journeys were pretty easy going. The road can quality vary between countries making the comfortability and journey length different. For example, the road quality was poor in Albania and there is a tremendous number of potholes to endure on the trip! When we entered Montenegro, the road is better quality but they do have very windy roads along the coast added time to your bus journey.

Border crossing can take a while depending on the traffic, lanes open or if they decide that they wish to search every bag individually.

Here are detailed guides on the following routes:

• Sofia to Skopje
• Skopje to Tirana
• Tirana to Kotor

Booking Balkan Bus Travel

Booking in advance isn’t a must and can be quite hard with the lack of online systems available. In countries like Slovenia and Croatia, it will be a lot easier to book online than somewhere like Macedonia or Albania.

I would suggest when you arrive at your departure destination going to the bus station to get the latest timetable, understand which company you will be travelling with and just purchasing your ticket while you are there. With the more popular touristic places like Dubrovnik, there will be more demand during the summer months, so this would be the only time I recommend purchasing in advance.

In doubt ask your hostel or hotel for help on getting the latest schedules and prices.

Booking at the stations you will encounter two main types of a bus station, one in a parking lot and one in a building. In general, you needed to shop around or know the company you wished to travel in countries like Bulgaria and Albania, alternatively, sometimes there would just be central ticket desks selling tickets for all providers like in Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia.

For the central ticket, desk takes note of the carrier, so you can find the bus stand and bus you are meant to be on.

The ticket price will not include the baggage fee so ensuring you have about 1 euro per bag in local currency is a must. We had a few awkward moments on our journey where we didn’t have the right change and ended up holding up the bus.

How to Search Balkan Bus Routes

The websites I used for searching bus routes in the Balkans were:

• Balkanviator
• Bus Croatia
• Bus Ticket 4 – Montenegro
• SAS – Macedonia

It’s important to note that the websites may not give you reliable information. A good example was when we were travelling from Sofia to Skopje the bus, we were aiming for which was the 15:00 to Skopje arriving at 19:25. As a precaution, we went to the bus station to ensure we had the right times, bus companies and what not. When we arrived, it turned out the schedule was different than the ones available online, instead, there were buses running daily at 09:30, 16:00 and 19:00. However, when we were travelling the 19:00 was cancelled for the day we were catching a bus to Skopje.

Border Crossings

Border crossings were generally easy in our experience. The guard would board the bus to check everyone’s passports or you would get off the bus to a passport counter. The passports were then taken for processing and once clear handed back to the passports back to the owners.

There were brief checks underneath the bus in the luggage compartments or in some cases you were asked to take your luggage to a room with tables where the luggage would be checked by the guards. They may do stricter spot checks, but we were not subjected to these on our trip.

Another thing to be mindful of when planning your trip is the complication with the Kosovo-Serbia border. Currently, Kosovo is not recognised by Serbia as an independent state so if you entered Kosovo via Albania, Macedonia or Montenegro, officials at the Serbian border will deem that you entered Serbia illegally and you will not be let in. To avoid this exit Kosovo via another country and then enter Serbia. Alternatively, if you enter Kosovo from Serbia then there is no issue entering Serbia.

About halfway into our Balkans trip, we discovered that lots of hostels had teed up with companies to provide minibus options between countries. The minibus options are surprisingly not too pricey compared to catching a bus and much quicker. 

The minibuses can be anything from a large van to a guy driving you in his 4-seater car while you are squished together. Some are even door to door service which is a luxury!

Booking Minibus Travel in the Balkans

The best way to book minibus travel is via the hostel or hotel you are staying at. Normally in the reception area, there will be a sign stating the route and cost. Just tell the receptionist the route you wish to take and next thing you know it will be all booked, plus provided with all the details you need.

You will be matched with other passengers travelling the same route as most services have a minimum number of 3 to 4 people before they will schedule your departure. In Sarajevo, we were lucky that another hotel/couple were heading to Belgrade when we needed too.

To book online you can look at:

• GoOpti for minibuses in northern Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and Austria.
• Gea Tours have a range of route in the Balkans but there seem to be a few issues with their website and someone hacking their site, so I would use this with caution.
• Taxi Travel operate transfers to the main cities in Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia.

Minibus routes

There isn’t a definitive list available online, here is an example of routes available from Belgrade to other nearby cities:

• Belgrade to Budapest
• Belgrade to Sarajevo
• Belgrade to Timisoara
• Belgrade to Vienna
• Belgrade to Zagreb

Ferries are a limited way of getting around the Balkans. Lots of the boats that go between the destinations are organised day tours like the popular day trip route Dubrovnik to Kotor and Budva in Montenegro.

The routes you can take are:

• Italy to Montenegro
• Italy to Albania
• Travel within Croatia

Travelling by Car

The best way is definitely by car, preferably your own, because it’s difficult and expensive to take rental cars across borders. It’s the best strategy to get you to the offbeat destinations that you can’t get public transport too.

An important thing to mention and I cover this above in the bus section (skip above) is how you enter and exit Kosovo. Make sure you plan this correctly so you don’t get into any trouble.

Renting a Car

Car rental within a country is great but as soon as you leave the country you’ve rented the car from there are fees or restrictions with crossing borders and one-way car hire. The option is best suited to those wanting to explore the country in-depth and dropping the car to the same destination.

Things to consider before renting a car

• Renting a car anywhere (apart from your home country) will require you to have your passport and driver’s license.
• As a general rule for those that hold a European Union driving license, you will not need to obtain an International Drivers Permit (IDP). For example, if you are driving from London to the Balkans you may decide to drive through Italy which will require you to have an IDP if you don’t have EU license.
• Check the simple things like no hidden fees, how many drivers you can have or that you have unlimited mileage.
• One of the biggest ways that car rental companies earn money from you is via insurance. Picking up third-party insurance will save you a ton of money.
• Can you drive manual transition? Most cars offered in Europe will be manual so if you can only drive automatic this may drive up the price.
• Consider emailing the hire car company to negotiate the price of the rental.
• Not all countries have the Latin alphabet some will be in Cyrillic alphabet making it interesting understanding where you need to go.
• The Green Card Insurance System – you need a green card to show that you have insurance. Car hire companies will usually charge extra for this card (actually a piece of paper).

Driving your own car

Driving your own will give you the freedom to cross borders without all the costs that a hire car comes from. The crucial part of driving your own car is knowing the documentation you will need for your car to drive across borders. The main one is the Green Card Insurance System.

Green Card Insurance System

As I mentioned above the Green Card Insurance System is something you need to be aware of when driving your own car in the EU. This is your proof of insurance and shows on it the countries you’re insured to drive in. Ensure you are clear with your insures about which countries you can and can’t go to within your policy.

Before you leave your home country make sure you have the green card otherwise you could end up paying double insurance to get another green card to enter your destination. It’s not applicable in all countries so check the countries you are travelling to and through.

Is it Safe to Drive in the Balkans?

Being a confident driver helps greatly with driving overseas. It’s an experience driving in the Balkans and not for the faint hearted. The roads can be the width of 1 to 1.5 cars, meaning you need to pull to the side of the road and let people pass. That doesn’t mean the locals will follow the same rules, generally they will be speeding past you whilst you are trying to be safe! Take it slow and keep to the road rules, at the end your safety is the most important part of driving.

Animals on the road are another hazard of driving in the Balkans. You can stumble across all types of farm animals and wildlife.

The road quality will be a mix of some good roads, some bad roads and some horrible roads. Researching the road quality and route you wish to take will ensure you get there safely and quickly. Here are some tips:

• Check between different navigation systems
• Look at Google Satellite to see the road quality
• Search YouTube or Google to see if there are any videos, photos or comments about the roads
• Ask locals for advice as the roads are constantly being re-done and the locals will know the best routes.
• Travelling on a sealed road will be beat driving on an unsealed road. Sometime navigation systems send you via the quicker route but later you find out it’s a dirt track taking 5x times longer.

In conclusion: Travelling in the Balkans requires a bit more flexibility and accepting of a mix of transport options available. Take the trains, if there are no trains take buses and rent a car here and there to explore regions more deeply.

Have you ever been to the Balkans? What was your experience with transportation?! Any tips you recommend?

More Balkans Articles

• How to get a bus from Skopje to Tirana
• How to Catch a Bus From Tirana to Kotor
• How to Catch a Bus from Sofia to Skopje
• Things to do in Skopje – A Complete Guide
• How to Catch the Infamous Belgrade to Budapest Overnight Train

Kat Hi, I'm Kat, an Australian that moved to London in 2013 to start a  new adventure.  What a roller-coaster that was! I love helping others move to the UK  and people  explore the world ! I’d be honoured if you’d say, “Thanks!” with a £3 coffee on Ko-fi.

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Balkans Itinerary For 2-8 Weeks (No Car Needed)

Table of Contents

This post may contain affiliate links to things like tours, hotels, Amazon associates and products. These help me earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.

So, you’re visiting the Balkans? I recently took this exact Balkan itinerary which took me around 2 months. Whether or not you have time for the whole thing, I hope this will give you a good idea of where to go, how to get around and how long to spend in each location. Before we start, I’ll define the countries I’ll be talking about:

• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Note – countries like Romania , Slovenia , Turkey and Greece are also often included in the Balkans definition but I’m not including them in this particular itinerary.

BALKANS ESSENTIALS Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld Getting there: flight ( Skyscanner ), bus Activities: GetYourGuide / Viator Getting around: car /bus

Suggested Balkan itineraries

Here are a few options for different time frames and destinations.

Holiday hotspot itinerary for 2 weeks

• Croatia – 1 week following my Croatia itinerary
• Montenegro – 1 week following my Montenegro itinerary

Off-the-beaten-path Balkans itinerary for 1 month

• Serbia – 3 days
• Kosovo – 5 days
• North Macedonia – 5 days
• Albania – 10 days
• Bosnia & Herzegovina – 7 days.

The complete one (up to 2 months)

• Bulgaria – 3-5 days
• Albania – up to 2 weeks

Montenegro – 1 week

• Bosnia & Herzegovina – 5 days
• Croatia – 1-2 weeks.

Watch out for overspending in Croatia & Montenegro! They’re more than twice the price of Albania and the other cheaper Balkan countries.

Let’s follow my complete Balkans itinerary for up to 2 months. However long you have, you can refer to this for things to do, what to eat & how to get around!

How to get around the Balkans

By car – this isn’t the option I took but I know it’s a common one with all freedom to you. It would be especially useful in countries like Montenegro where many attractions are in the countryside without public transport connections. I recommend Rentalcars.com for hiring vehicles in the Balkans and around the world. For a surcharge, you can choose different locations for pick up and drop off. By bus – I usually rely on Flixbus in Europe but it doesn’t serve the whole Balkan region, just certain capitals like Belgrade, Sarajevo and Podgorica. For other locations, check busticket4me , Getbybus or simply buy your tickets at the station (this is often cheaper). The Balkans are a bit old-fashioned about booking things online! Tip – have some of the country’s currency remaining when leaving. Often there’s a fee to use the bus station and a luggage fee. Carrying some Euros even in non-Euro countries is a good idea.

Best season to visit the Balkans

Summer (July & August) : this is the most popular time to visit the Balkans as well as the hottest. During my summer 2022 trip, it was often 40 degrees Celcius. If you hate the heat, it might not be the season for you. I would avoid visiting Croatia in this season regardless of the weather simply because it’s so expensive and crowded. Shoulder season: Spring (April-June) and autumn (Sept-Oct) are great times to visit with milder temperatures and cheaper prices than the summer. Winter (Nov-Feb) : if you can handle the cold and often snow, it’s not the worst idea to visit the Balkans in winter. You’ll get great prices and see attractions without the crowds. However, you won’t be able to enjoy the wonderful beaches of Albania, Montenegro and Croatia.

Belgrade, Serbia – 1-2 Days

Belgrade was the first stop of my Balkans itinerary. Although I initially didn’t fall in love with the city centre due to the chain stores and touristic prices, when I started exploring cool neighbourhoods like Skadarlija , I was hooked on the beautiful city with lots of quirky cafes and bars. Especially during the summer, it’s an outdoorsy city where you can tell people enjoy themselves.  From authentic Serbian food to fine dining, international cuisine like sushi and tacos, plus third-wave coffee and vegan food, there’s a range of options set alongside wide, leafy streets. 

Read next: is Belgrade worth visiting?

Things to do in Belgrade:

• Take the free walking tour
• Sightsee in Republic Square
• Visit Skadarlija, the Bohemian quarter
• Wander in Jevremovac Botanical Gardens
• Go inside the impressive Church of Saint Sava
• Feel pensive at the Modern Art Museum
• Soak up views from the Fortress in Kalemegdan Park
• Learn at the Yugoslavia Museum and Nikola Tesla Museum
• Browse at Akademija Book Store.

Read next: things to do see and do in Belgrade, Serbia

Getting around Belgrade:

• Bus – your best bet on a budget. They’re clean and efficient. Tickets cost around 100 Dinar (€1), paid by tapping your bank card on the screens inside. 
• Taxi – the drivers at the bus station tried to rip me off and I hear this is common if you’re not speaking Serbian. There’s one taxi app, CarGo, which is more affordable but still not especially cheap (600 Dinar/€5 for a 10-minute journey).

Day trip to Novi Sad

If you take one day trip from Belgrade, it should be to Novi Sad. The main attraction is  Novi Sad Fortress , a short walk from the city centre. On the way there and back, you’ll cross a river with beaches where you can stop for a dip. Travel time from Belgrade : 30 minutes on the fast train / 1 hour on the slow train or by car. Factor in 20 minutes to ride bus #41 to Belgrade Central Station which, misleadingly, is not in the city centre!

Pristina, Kosovo – 1-2 Days

Pristina is a small but captivating city that makes a great addition to any Balkans itinerary thanks to its fantastic cafe culture and quirky architecture that divides the masses. Things to do in Pristina:

• Find the Newborn sign celebrating Kosovo being the newest country in Europe
• Make up your own mind on the National University Library
• Climb the bell tower of Mother Theresa Cathedral
• Soak up the atmosphere on MT Boulevard
• Spot street art
• Visit the King’s Great Mosque (Xhamia e Madhe)
• Take a trip out of town to Pristina Bear Sanctuary and Gračanic Monastery.

Related read: things to do in Pristina, Kosovo

Travel time from Belgrade : 6 hours by bus.

Traditional places to eat

• Shpija e Vjetër – an atmospheric eatery with typical Kosovan dishes like kofta casserole and roasted peppers, plus rakija and local wines
• Pishat – an affordable lunch spot with local fish, meat and veggie dishes
• Caffez – a spacious bar with a garden serving modern Kosovan food, sharing platters and beers.

Cool places to eat & drink coffee

• Baba Ganoush – delicious veggie Middle Eastern food
• Soma Book Station – the prettiest cafe in town serving drinks, platters, burgers, cocktails and more
• Matcha Coffee and Eatery – healthy brunch and matcha lattes
• Dit’ e Nat’ – a beautiful cafe with outdoor seating, coffees, casual eats and cocktails.

Getting around Pristina: The city centre is walkable and there are local buses travelling further afield. For some out-of-town attractions like the Bear Sanctuary, it’s best to hire a car or take a day tour.

Peja or Prizren – 1 day each

Prizren: this small, walkable city 2 hours from Pristina by car or bus is a total contrast to the busy capital. With small mosques, cobbled streets, a river running through its centre and a fortress towering above, it’s totally idyllic. Don’t miss Noja Kuzhine for a homemade veggie breakfast for €3. You could visit as a day trip from Pristina but I preferred staying overnight. Peja: for abundant nature, caves, waterfalls and monasteries, don’t miss this beautiful region 1 hour 20 minutes from Pristina. It’s best to explore by hiring a car or taking an organised trip .

Note about passport stamps – since Serbia doesn’t recognise Kosovo, it’s recommended to visit Serbia first as they may not permit you entry if you already have a Kosovo stamp. Also, beware that if you do what I did and enter Serbia and exit Kosovo, you won’t get a Serbian exit stamp which could cause future problems entering Serbia. Read this article carefully for clarity!

North Macedonia – approx 5 days

After Kosovo, I continued my Balkans itinerary to North Macedonia, a wonderful underrated country with a pleasant capital and one of the most sublime lakes I’ve ever seen!

Skopje 1-3 days

Travel time from Pristina/Prizren : 2-3 hours depending on delays at the border. Skopje is, from the offset, an impressive and immaculate city with countless statues and grand squares. When you learn about the history, it stops being quite so lovely: during recession in 2014, the city was remodelled with a decidedly Western European look leading to riots and the Muslim community in particular feeling ignored. Personally, I preferred exploring the authentic, historic sites in the city like the Old Bazaar . Here, I tried lots of delicious foods like tavče gravče (sausages and beans), pide (flatbread), baklava, Turkish sweets and coffee. If you need a break from typical Balkan food, this is the perfect place to try Middle Eastern dishes and desserts.

Things to do in Skopje:

• Ride the cable car to the giant hilltop Millennium Cross
• Wander impressive Macedonia Square
• Take a day trip to Matka Canyon where you can hike and take boat trips
• Visit Mother Teresa’s house and museum
• See sunset from Skopje Fortress
• Take a walk in City Park.

Read next: What to do in Skopje, North Macedonia

Day 1: free walking tour, Old Bazaar, city centre Day 2: Matka Canyon day trip Day 3: Morning trip to Millennium Cross by catching a bus then the cable car. Afternoon options include visiting Kamnik Winery (or their city centre wine shop ) or simply revisiting the Old Bazaar and enjoying the vibe and food! Otherwise, visit bohemian Debar Maalo neighbourhood for authentic restaurants as well as modern air-conditioned cafes like Kanteen.

Sofia, Bulgaria – 2-3 days

Here I suggest you take a quick detour out of North Macedonia to add Bulgaria to your Balkans travel itinerary. We’ll continue exploring North Macedonia in a few days when you get back!

Travel time from Skopje: 3.5 hours by bus. I loved Sofia! It’s a beautiful city that doesn’t feel too hectic or fast-paced. There aren’t billions of things to do which is the perfect excuse to relax, drink coffee and visit wine bars like Garafa .

• Visit the incredible Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
• Take a FREE FOOD TOUR (yes, I meant those caps!) with Balkan Bites
• Step back in time at the Red Flat
• Hike at Seven Rila Lakes
• Visit Rila Monastery
• See the street art

Read next: how to spend 2 days in Sofia including all my food tips!

Plovdiv: if you have time to visit another place in Bulgaria, make it Plovdiv! This is thought to be the oldest continually-inhabited city in Europe full of historic artefacts, museums and characterful guesthouses. You can see everything in 1-2 days.

Back to North Macedonia…

Lake Ohrid – approx 2 days

Getting there: from Sofia to Ohrid , it’s best to change in Skopje (5 hours from Sofia) then get a 3.5-hour bus to the lake. It’s been a busy Balkans itinerary so far so I prescribe some downtime at one of Europe’s most beautiful (and underrated) lakes! Lake Ohrid borders North Macedonia and Albania but most people will stay in Ohrid town as a base to take boat trips, visit small beaches and watch sunset at the Church of Saint John the Theologian . Spend as long here as you need to relax!

Bitola (only if you have time) – 1 day

If you’re keen to see a third place in North Macedonia, pay a visit to Bitola (3 hours by bus from Skopje) which is the second-biggest city. The ancient ruins and mosaics at Heraclea Lyncestis are indeed impressive, but I didn’t find too much else going on in Bitola.

Albania – 2 weeks +

Beautiful Albania is well worth visiting . There are several ways to plan this leg of your Balkan itinerary. I went straight from Ohrid to Sarande but this was a long journey so many people start in Tirana. From here, you can either head to the inland destinations of Berat and Gjirokastër or the beaches of Himare and Sarande. To travel from inland Albania to the coast, there’s a direct bus between Sarande and Gjirokastër, otherwise you can travel from Berat to the beaches (or vice versa) by changing in Vlore. As some people seem unsure what to expect, I wrote a guide to solo female travel in Albania !

Read next: a complete Albania itinerary

Another consideration is when to visit Shokder for hiking in Theth. You could either do this as a return excursion from Tirana or, if you’re going to Montenegro after, save it ’til the end of your Albania adventure.

Transport tip – Albania bus journies are rarely listed online so ask your accommodation about routes & schedules. Bring cash to buy your ticket, usually purchased from a ticket man halfway through the journey. There are coaches departing Tirana but for the most part, you’ll be in minibuses. These can be hot and cramped so bring water!

Tirana – 1-2 days

Most people will spend just a day or two in Tirana which is enough time for Albania’s capital. I found some things to like here but it’s definitely not the highlight of the Balkans! Things to do in Tirana:

• Learn about mass surveillance under the communist regime at the House of Leaves
• Ride the Dajti Ekspres cable car for fantastic views
• Learn about Albania’s dark past at Bunk’Arts 1 and 2
• Shop and eat at the New Bazaar
• Hang out in Blloku neighbourhood full of cool cars, cocktail bars and international cuisine.

Read next: everything to do in Tirana

Sarande & Ksamil – 1-2 days

As someone who travels for culture and hidden gems (and on a budget!), I didn’t love the popular Albanian beach towns. Sarande is crowded and overpriced without much charm. The beaches down on Ksamil peninsular are undeniably idyllic but things are even more pricey from food to beds on the beach which you can’t escape paying for. Still, some people rave about this region so it just depends what you’re into! If you’re like me, swap Himarë into your itinerary for the Balkans instead…

Himarë – as long as you need to chill

Himarë   is an underrated beach town that suited me far better than Sarande or Ksamil. It’s not so fancy but it’s wonderful for exploring quieter beaches and eating fantastic Greek food (due to the large diaspora there) at affordable taverns. Nearby beaches worth a visit include Mateus and Gjip . A beautiful hilltop town not far away is Dhermi . If you’re a backpacker, you’ll have blast staying at  Sun Bakers Hostel ! Getting there: by car or bus, Himarë is 1.5 hours from Sarande. If coming from Tirana, it’s a long 3.5-hour journey over the mountains!

Berat – 1-2 days

Berat is a lovely UNESCO heritage city with houses stacked high on the hillside, overlooked by the castle and Holy Trinity Church . Find delicious restaurants in the Mangalemi quarter and hidden gems across the river in the Gorica quarter. There are several great wineries in the countryside surrounding Berat. Cobo Winery and Alpeta Agroturizem  serve fantastic Albanian wine in peaceful settings. Getting there: it’s around 2 hours by car or bus from Tirana (400 lek per bus ticket). Direct buses also serve Gjirokaster. From Himarë, change buses in Vlore.

Day trip to Osum Canyon & Bogove Waterfall

While you can see Berat in a day, I’d suggest spending two to include a trip to Osum Canyon close to Berat. Swimming through this magnificent natural feature was a real highlight of my Balkans itinerary! It’s one of many gems in this countryside region that also includes Bogove Waterfall, a lovely swimming spot despite the freezing cold waters. If you don’t have a car, book a guided tour or ask your accommodation if they can organise something.

Gjirokaster – 1-2 days

Gjirokaster is quaint and charming with wonderful markets and delightful regional cuisine. Don’t skip it! A day is sufficient to see Gjirokaster. As it was very hot in August, I did my sightseeing during the afternoon of day 1 and the morning of day 2, staying just a night at Stone City Hostel . This was one of the best hostels I’ve stayed in with gorgeous decor, clean spacious dorms, free breakfast and a free daily walking tour.

Getting there: I came from Sarande by direct bus but if you have a car, you could make this journey with a stop at the spectacular Blue Eye . Direct buses also connect Berat and Tirana. Transferring through Tirana, your next stop could be…

Shkodër – 2 nights

I used the small, pleasant city of Shkodër to rest and prepare for my 2-night hiking adventure in Northern Albania. However, there’s plenty to do in Shkodër like cycling to Lake Skadar, enjoying the cafe scene, hiking up to Rozafa Castle  and checking out the various museums.

Where to stay: Wanderers is a great backpacker hostel that organises the Theth hiking excursion for you. Getting to Shkoder: drive or catch a bus from Tirana. They depart every 30 minutes between 6.30am and 5pm from  Tirana regional bus station  taking 1 hour 45 minutes.

Valbona to Theth hike – 2 nights (highlight of my Balkan itinerary!)

If you have time, the highlight of my trip to Albania was hiking from Valbona to Theth . These alps are some of the most gorgeous and underrated in Europe. There are several ways to experience this region including basing yourself in the small town of Theth. In addition to the famous Valbona Pass, there are several other hikes in the area like the Blue Eye route and Qafa e Pejës . However, I can’t speak highly enough about the method I took: spending a night in Valbona and a night in Theth, using the day in the middle to hike between them. The downside is carrying all your stuff but this wasn’t too much of a problem as I left my big bag in Shkodër and packed light into a day bag. My whole trip was organised by the Wanderers hostel in Shkodër including the return transport. Browse tours to Theth .

About Albanian food

Albanian food is yummy! By the coast, there’s loads of fresh seafood and, in Himare beach town, there’s endless Greek food. I particularly enjoyed eating in Gjirokaster where I tried plenty of regional dishes I didn’t see elsewhere. Because so many Albanians go to Italy to work as chefs before returning home, the Italian food is amazing!

Characterised by lakes, mountains and sweeping coastline, Montenegro is insanely beautiful and easily one of the most underrated places in this Balkan itinerary.

Read next: the ultimate Montenegro itinerary

Ulcinj or Stari Bar – 2 days

If you’re coming from Albania, it’s easy to drive or get a bus transfer from Shkodër to Montenegro. One popular place to begin is Ulcinj beach town but I decided to start with Stari Bar which is a charming inland town surrounded by olive groves and mountains. Getting there: it’s a 15-minute drive from the larger town of Bar. If you arrive into Bar bus station, board a bus or taxi to Stari Bar.

One option is spending 2 days in Ulcinj then 2 days in Stari Bar

Kotor or Budva – 3-5 days

I loved staying in Kotor and using the charming town as a base to explore wider Montenegro. Just 30 minutes away by bus is the other popular tourist town in the country: Budva . I would suggest choosing one or the other because they’re so close you could explore the other as a day trip. Budva has a reputation for being more resorty and upmarket, popular with families and honeymooners. As a backpacker, Kotor was far more my cup of tea. However, I would recommend visiting Budva to see Stevi Stefan, an idyllic village on an island, once a playground for the rich and famous and now a luxury resort (so more or less the same thing!). Things to do in Kotor:

• Hike up to St John’s Fortress for sunset views
• Visit the quirky Cat museum!
• Visit the various churches, some Greek Orthodox, Catholic or Serbian Orthodox (Serbia and Montenegro only split in 2006).

Read next: what to do in Kotor, Montenegro (plus where to eat)

Day trips from Kotor:

• Boka Bay – take a quick speedboat tour or a more leisurely 8-hour sailing trip
• Lake Skadar – this lovely lake is full of wildlife with incredible viewpoints dotted around it. I visited as part of a guided tour .
• Durmitor National Park – the Black Lake hike is easily accessed from Zabljak village. Visit by car or a guided tour that also includes…
• Ostrog Monastery – built into the cliff face and known as a holy site where miracles happen, this monastery is easily visited by car or group tour .
• Perast, Tivat and Herceg Novi – if you have a car you could see two or all of these villages in a day. Perast is the prettiest so, if you have limited time (or you’re relying on public transport), just go there. Tivat has a fancy, boujee vibe with designer shops.
• Cetinje – the old capital of Montenegro is a beautiful town with important historic sites. Drive from Kotor in 1 hour or take a guided tour usually including the peak of Lovcen Mountain.

Where to stay in Kotor:

• Budget – Old Town Kotor Hostel
• Hotels – Boutique Hotel Astoria / Hotel Libertas / Hotel Monte Cristo
• Apartment – Wine House Apartments / Apartments Babilon .

From Kotor, continue your Balkans trip itinerary by catching the 7.40am bus to Mostar. Make sure to book in advance (using busticket4me or by purchasing your ticket at the station) as there’s only one per day!

Bosnia & Herzegovina – 1 week

I first visited Bosnia as a day trip years ago, something I would never do now! It deserves a week of your time, although I spent 2 weeks.

Mostar – 2-3 days

After two visits to Mostar, I can confirm it’s a delightfully pretty and idyllic place with wonderful attractions surrounding it. However, the recent and bitter history is a complete contrast to this sublime settlement with cobbled streets and colourful markets. I urge you to take a free walking tour, visit the museums (especially the Genocide Victims museum ) and learn about some of the worst things that have happened in Europe in the last few decades.

Read next: things to do in Mostar

Day trips from Mostar

• Blagaj Tekke – this ancient Ottoman house built into the cliff beside a river is a spectacular place to visit, just a €1 bus ride from Mostar.
• Kravice Falls – these beautiful falls are perfect for swimming and not half as busy as similar ones in Croatia!
• Počitelj – described as an open-air museum, this charming village has mosques, churches and a castle. A must for historians!
• Visit all three during one day as part of a guided tour from Mostar .

Sarajevo – 3 days +

Larger than Mostar but still small for a capital, the wonderful city of Sarajevo is one of the best places I visited during my Balkans itinerary. It has well-preserved Ottoman markets selling the same handmade goods they have for centuries, captivating museums, ornate mosques and tasty food. It’s amazing and cheap!

Things that make Sarajevo worth visiting :

• Shop at Bascarsija Bazaar, particularly on historic Kazandžiluk Street
• Visit heartbreaking but important museums like the War Childhood Museum and Gallery 11/07/95
• Watch sunset from the Yellow Fortress (Žuta Tabija)
• Walk through the Tunnel of Hope, ideally on a fall of Yugoslavia tour that also includes…
• The abandoned 1984 Olympic bobsleigh track at the top of Mount Trebević (ride the cable car there).

Read next: What to do (and eat) in Sarajevo

About Bosnian food

You’ll find all the Balkan classics in Bosnia & Herzegovina like burek and cevapi, but there’s a distinctly Ottoman influence so expect tasty desserts like baklava and coffee with Turkish delight.

I can recommend lots of restaurants like Šadrvan and Tima Irma in Mostar and ASDŽ Aščinica (buffet), Sač (burek) and Cafe Dućan (baklava) in Sarajevo. From Sarajevo, you can easily take the Flixbus to Dubrovnik to finish your trip in the most ‘holiday-ish’ place of them all…

Croatia – 1-2 weeks

If you travel through the cheaper Balkan countries in July or August, it would be perfect to finish in Croatia in September when the crowds are leaving. Alternatively, I’d reverse this itinerary and visit Croatia in May or June at the start of your Balkans itinerary. I put together this 1 week Croatia itinerary including Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar (along with some other suggestions like Istria) but you can spend longer if you have the budget: Croatia is considerably more expensive than most of the Balkan countries. I’ll keep this brief because all the details are in my Croatia itinerary linked above so go check that out!

Split: after 3 months living here, I can vouch for there being lots of things to do in Split and many wonderful day trips to the islands, waterfalls and idyllic small towns like Trogir . The Diocletian’s Palace in Split Old Town boasts some of the best-preserved Roman architecture in the world, while Marjan Forest Park offers amazing hikes and views just moments from the city. Dubrovnik: everyone knows this city and for good reason: it’s beautifully preserved, known for its Game of Thrones filming… and hellishly busy and expensive in the summer! Popular things to do in Dubrovnik include walking the old city walls, admiring Lovrijenac fortress, taking the cable car (or hiking) up Mt Srd, hitting the beaches and cruising to Lokrum Island . Zadar : this underrated Dalmatian coastal city is a great alternative if the touristic cities above don’t take your fancy… or suit your budget! Take day trips to Pag Island and Dugi Otok island. Zagreb : the capital of Croatia isn’t half as atmospheric as Dubrovnik and Split but it’s a decent base with nice cafes , street art and easy access to Plitvice Lakes National Park .

Budget and money in the Balkans

Excluding Croatia and Montenegro, I was amazed by the cheap prices in the Balkans. Many places are almost on a parr with Southeast Asia! On a backpackers budget, you could live on €25 a day. I certainly kept the costs down by staying in hostels but I like wine and brunch too much to stick to €25 a day since turning 30 😉 Montenegro, Croatia and Kosovo use the Euro but the other countries have their own currencies. I would recommend spending most of your currency before leaving because you can rarely exchange it outside of the countries. But do save the local equivalent of a few Euros for luggage and station fees if leaving by bus.

Thanks for reading!

Check out all my Balkans blogs:

Serbia: Things to do in Belgrade, Serbia | Reasons to visit Belgrade Kosovo: What to do in Pristina, Kosovo Albania: The ultimate Albania itinerary | Things to do in Tirana, Albania | Valbona hiking guide | Is Albania safe for female travellers? North Macedonia: Attractions in Skopje, North Macedonia Romania: 2 week Romania itinerary | What to do in Brasov, Romania | Things to do in Timisoara, Romania | hidden gems in Bucharest | Romania travel tips Bulgaria: 2 days in Sofia, Bulgaria | Hiking Rila Lakes in Bulgaria | Visiting Rila Monastery, Bulgaria

Slovenia: The perfect Slovenia itinerary | Things to see and do in Ljubljana | wine tasting in Ljubljana | the best restaurants in Ljubljana Croatia: 7 day Croatia itinerary | Things to do in Split | Split day trips | Marjan Forest Park | Split restaurants | Split coffee | Krka Falls from Split day trip | What to do in Trogir | Things to do in Dubrovnik | Lokrum island guide | Croatia solo travel | What to do in Zagreb | Zagreb cafes | Plitvice day trip from Zagreb | Zagreb street art | things to do in Zadar | Pag island | Dugi Otok Island Bosnia & Herzegovina: Things to do in Mostar | The top attractions in Sarajevo | Is Sarajevo worth visiting?

For more Europe content, follow me on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter and YouTube .

TRUSTED RESOURCES FOR VISITING BALKANS Getting around by air – I use Skyscanner and search by month to see the cheapest dates. Driving in Europ e – use Rentalcars.com to compare car rentals in European countries (and all around the world). For buses around Europe, I use Flixbus . It doesn’t connect all destinations in the Balkans but does service some popular locations like Belgrade, Skopje, Sarajevo and Podgorica. For hotels and self-catering apartments, I use Booking.com . You can filter by review score and price to find the best-rated budget places. For hostels, I use Hostelworld . To save money on accommodation, I use Trusted Housesitters , a website that connects homeowners going away and travellers who can sit their homes & pets. Browse tours and activities on GetYourGuide and Viator . Need travel insurance ? I use True Traveller (for UK & Europe residents) since it’s affordable but covers everything you’d need including various activities, valuables and pre-existing conditions. Unlike some companies, they insure you if you’re already travelling / don’t yet have your flight home booked. Get a quote . For travel insurance for other nationalities, I recommend Hey Mundo and for long-term digital nomad travellers, I suggest Safety Wing . Check out my resources page for more travel discounts and budget tips from my 10+ years on the road!

Rose is a solo traveller from the UK who has been on the road since 2015. She wants to show other women that solo travel isn't scary and doesn't have to be expensive! Rose has lived in Mexico, Canada and all over Asia, seeking out food, bubble tea and street art wherever she goes!

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Where to Go on a Balkan Road Trip: 20 Epic Self-Drive Itineraries

Love road trips? The Balkans is one of the best regions in Europe for self-driving. This post brings together 20 tried-and-tested Balkans road trip itineraries to help you plan the perfect 3-14 day adventure.

Short distances, safe roads and affordable car rentals – the Balkans is a great place for a road trip.

With your own wheels, you can cover a whole country in a couple of days. In a week or more, you can fit in a cross-border itinerary to get a taste for the region’s diversity.

Mountains, lakes, dynamic cities, UNESCO sites and some of the best beaches in Europe – all for a fraction of the cost, and with a fraction of the crowds. The driving style in the Balkans takes some getting used to, but that’s all part of the experience!

This guide will take you through the very best tried-and-tested Balkans road trip itineraries to help you plan your own. I’ve also included lots of tips and tricks for driving in the Balkans, rental car advice, and two route maps.

Please note: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you). Learn more.

Renting a car in the Balkans

There are two booking platforms I personally recommend for renting a car in the Balkans.

The first is Local Rent . This website aggregates local agents instead of big-ticket rental companies, meaning you can often find cars for much lower prices (from as little as 12 Euros/day in some countries!). Insurance often comes included in the base rate and better still, most cars do not require a deposit or credit card.

Currently, Local Rent is available in Bulgaria, Montenegro, Greece and Turkey .

→ Check prices on the Local Rent website .

For the other Balkan countries, I highly recommend using Discover Cars . This comparison website allows you to compare rentals from both international and local agents, and to pre-purchase comprehensive insurance.

→ Visit Discover Cars and plug in your dates to see what’s available .

3 quick Balkans road trip tips

You need prior permission to cross borders.

If you’re driving around the Balkans in a rental car and you plan on crossing international borders, it’s essential to inform the rental company ahead of time . Give them plenty of advance notice so they can organise a Green Card for you.

Some agencies put restrictions on which borders you can cross in a rental – many won’t allow you to drive into Kosovo, for example – so be sure to check this before you start planning your route.

Rental companies with offices across the region will usually allow you to return your car in a different country for an extra fee.

You need a Green Card

A Green Card is essentially a travel document that verifies that your car is insured . Without one, you might be asked to purchase local insurance instead.

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Greece and Turkey all require a Green Card. Green Cards are not valid in Kosovo, so every driver has to purchase separate insurance at the border. This costs around 15 Euros for a fortnight of coverage.

Look out for vignettes & tolls

While Montenegro has only one toll road that can easily be avoided, Serbia for example has several toll roads with relatively high fees.

Other countries in the Balkans impose a blanket vignette or ‘road tax’ for using the highways rather than separate tolls. Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia all charge vignettes of between 3-15 Euros per week.

If you rent your car from within one of these countries, the cost will be rolled into the rental price. If you’re entering overaland, you can either pre-purchase an e-vignette online or buy it from a petrol station when you arrive. (Note that you need the car registration details to register online.)

• Albania: See a list of toll roads here – no vignette
• Bosnia: See a list of toll roads here – no vignette
• Bulgaria: Purchase an e-vignette here
• Croatia: See a list of toll roads here – no vignette
• Greece: See a list of toll roads here – no vignette
• Kosovo: No toll roads
• Montenegro: Only one toll tunnel (Sozina tunnel, €2.5) – no vignette
• North Macedonia: See a list of toll roads here – no vignette
• Romania: Purchase an e-vignette for Romania here
• Slovenia: See point-of-sale locations for the e-vignette here
• Turkey: See a list of toll roads here (sticker or card required) – no vignette

Balkan road trip: Suggested itineraries

Here are 20 of the very best Balkan road trip itineraries, tried and tested by me and other travel experts.

1. Montenegro road trip: Lake Skadar & The Bay of Kotor (5-7 days)

• Duration: 5-7 days
• Distance covered: 280km (approx. 5 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Kotor Old Town , Perast, Skadar Lake boat trip, Lovcen National Park

Montenegro is the perfect place for a Balkan road trip. This Montenegro road trip itinerary concentrates on the one and only Bay of Kotor, with a stopover at Skadar Lake plus a few nights on Montenegro’s southern coast.

The first day of driving from Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital, to the coast takes you over one of the most magnificent stretches of road anywhere in the region: the land bridge over Skadar Lake. This is the same route the famous Belgrade to Bar train takes. Spend a night in Virpazar where you can enjoy a boat trip on the marshy lake and do birdwatching. Or, continue straight to Petrovac, a small coastal settlement with a fortress.

Just 10km further up the coast, Sveti Stefan is quieter than other beach towns and makes for an ideal place to base yourself for a few nights. From here, you can day trip to Budva. Don’t miss the Church of St. Sava for the best views of the private island.

Cut briefly inland to reach Boka Kotorska, one of the most beautiful parts of the country . The Bay is dotted with cities and towns of various sizes – Tivat, Kotor, Perast and Herceg Novi are all worth spending a day in. In Kotor, hike to the castle and get lost in the old town. Perast is smaller and less touristy than Kotor, making it my favourite spot on the Bay. Don’t miss a boat trip to Our Lady of the Rocks, one of the most unique churches in the Balkans.

If you need a break from the coast, it’s a quick drive to Lovcen National Park and the iconic Petar Petrovic Njegos Mausoleum. From Herceg Novi, loop back to Podgorica, passing through Niksic and stopping off at Ostrog Monastery.

Check out my top tips for a successful road trip in Montenegro and my general travel tips for Montenegro .

2. Northern Croatia road trip: Istrian Peninsula (7 days)

Recommended by Maggie, The World Was Here First

• Duration: 7 days
• Distance covered: 200km (approx. 3 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Pula Amphitheatre, Istrian wineries, Rovinj old town

One of the best places in the Balkans to go for a road trip is the gorgeous Istria region of Croatia . As one of the gastronomic centres of Croatia, Istria is an excellent place for food lovers and sun-seekers alike.

If you want to get the most out of Istria, plan to spend at least one week exploring this lovely region. This will allow you to see the beautiful coastal cities of ‘Blue Istria’ as well as explore the hill towns and culinary scene of ‘Green Istria’.

The easiest place to begin a road trip in Istria is in the biggest city, Pula. Famous for its imposing Roman Amphitheatre, it’s also worth taking the time to visit Pula’s bustling central market, learn about oil production at the House of Istrian Olive Oil, or take a day trip to the Brijuni Islands.

Don’t have a car? Here’s how to travel between Rovinj and Pula by bus.

From Pula, head north to the coastal town of Umag. This charming seaside village is pleasant to stroll through and, though it doesn’t have a lot to offer in terms of tourist sites, it makes an excellent base to explore some other parts of the region. 

From Umag, you can visit some of Istria’s best wineries or take a day trip to the beautiful hill towns Motovun, Buje, or Groznjan. Here, you can feast on truffle-laden dishes while enjoying all the charms of a Tuscan hill town with a fraction of the crowds. You can also drive down the coast and visit the beautiful old towns of Porec or Novigrad and take in the stunning Lim Fjord.

Finally, no trip to Istria is complete without a stop in Rovinj. The Old Town is perfectly preserved and the pedestrianised streets will make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Though Rovinj can get very crowded in the summer months, it still retains its charm and is very much worth exploring.

Related: 8 beautiful places to visit in Croatian Istria .

3. Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina road trip: Split to Sarajevo via Mostar (10 days)

Recommended by Coni, Experiencing the Globe

• Duration: 10 days
• Distance covered: 315km (approx. 5 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Waterfalls, Pocitelj open-air museum, Mostar bridge, Sarajevo Old Bazaar

This Balkan road trip is a dream because it includes all the main highlights of the region: turquoise beaches, Roman and medieval towns, stunning nature, and interesting history. I’d recommend setting aside 10 days to fully enjoy it.

Start in Split, Croatia, where you can explore Diocletian’s palace (a 1700-year-old fortress where the Roman Emperor lived), enjoy the forest and the beaches of Marjan Park, and visit a few art museums (don’t miss the Mestrovic Gallery).

From Split, you can add on a few day  trips. My recommendation is to visit medieval Trogir, Krka waterfalls , and at least one of the islands (there are island hopping tours to cover more in less time).

After Split, drive along the coast to Croatia’s capital of adventure, Omis, where you can have fun doing zip-lining, rafting or rock climbing.

After a few days on the Adriatic coast, head to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Your first stop will be at Kravica Waterfalls. Spend a few hours wandering around and go for a quick swim in the cold water before moving on to Pocitelj. This is the first indication that you’re entering a Muslim country. Pocitelj village is an open-air museum: medieval towers and mosques set in a cliff overlooking the Neretva river.

Related: My guide to exploring Pocitelj .

The next stop is Blagaj, where a historical tekija (a Dervish monastery) is set in a cliff near a spring of the Buna river.

Stay at least a day in Mostar , the best place to learn about the history of BiH, especially the Yugoslav wars. The contrast between western Croatia and eastern Bosnia is really palpable here. The river divides the town in two different worlds.

The last stop is Sarajevo , Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital. Walk around town to discover layers of Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and socialist history.

4. Short Romania road trip: Bucharest Loop (7-10 days)

Recommended by Victor, Victor’s Travels

• Duration: 7-10 days
• Distance covered: 670km (approx. 10 hours of driving)
• Highlights: UNESCO-Listed Sighisoara, Peles Castle, Bran Castle, Brasov

Romania is one of those countries you can easily underestimate due to the lack of tourist attractions. Sure, you have the Transylvanian region with Dracula’s castle, but the country has a lot more to offer!

Our Romania road trip started in Bucharest, Romania’s capital, where we rented a small car for about 50 Euros for a little over a week. When booking in advance, I definitely recommend getting the ‘worry-free’ option with full coverage, as you will encounter potholes and loose gravel on many of Romania’s roads.

Our first stop was Sibiu, a charming little city about 4 hours’ drive from Bucharest, with little bakeries, orthodox churches, and colourful buildings.

The next brief stop was the city of Sighisoara, which has a UNESCO-Listed walled old town. You can almost hear the buildings creak and crumble, most of them being at least 300 years old.

More Transylvania goodness: My guide to the walled city of Sighisoara .

Brasov was next, with its many hip cafe’s, excellent (and cheap!) restaurants, and friendly locals. I recommend hiking up to the Hollywood-like ‘Brasov’ sign for a breathtaking view of the city.

Romania’s famous castles were next on our itinerary. We decided to stop only briefly at Bran Castle (the famous Dracula’s castle) for a quick walk around the exterior. Instead, we drove another hour to check out Peles Castle , which is considered to be one of the most stunning castles in Europe. The tour is interesting too, as every room has a completely different interior.

Sinaia was our last stop before heading back to Bucharest. This ski-resort town was nice and quiet, as we did the trip at the end of March: too late for ski season, too early for hiking season. The beautiful mountains of Bucegi Natural Park still had lots of snow.

5. North Macedonia road trip: Skopje to Ohrid (5-7 days)

• Distance covered: 600km (approx. 9 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Skopje Old Bazaar, Tetovo Mosque, Lake Ohrid, Krushevo

Another classic Balkan road trip, the Skopje loop route in North Macedonia covers all the country’s must-sees. After a few days in capital observing the contrasts between Skopje’s sculpture-dotted city centre and the old Ottoman-era bazaar, drive west to the small town of Tetovo, home to one of the most stunning mosques in the Balkans region.

Head south, Skirting Mavrovo National Park, to reach Lake Ohrid. Ohrid is a great base for exploring the monasteries and churches around the lake and wineries and villages further inland. Make a stop in Bitola to visit the ruins of Heraclea Lyncestis, an ancient Greek/Roman city, before heading into the hills.

A few days in charming Krushevo , my favourite place in North Macedonia, will recharge your spirits. Wander the cobbled streets, eat at the local cafes, and be sure to visit some of the craftspeople in town.

Return to Skopje via Prilep with an option to stop over in Veles on the way back.

Related: The perfect North Macedonia itinerary by bus .

6. Bulgaria road trip: Ruse to Smolyan (7-10 days)

Recommended by Daniela, Ipanema Travels

• Distance covered: 900km (approx. 15 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Veliko Tarnovo, Rhodope Mountains, Plovdiv

This road trip takes you from north to south visiting some of the most beautiful places in Bulgaria, including two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The whole trip is a bit over 900km. If you travel slowly, taking the time to see everything along the way, you can easily spend a whole week or more on the road.

The trip starts in Ruse on the Danube River. On the next day, continue via the Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo (a UNESCO Site) and Nikopolis ad Istrum (an ancient Roman city) to Veliko Tarnovo . 

Veliko Tarnovo is perhaps one of the most beautiful cities in Bulgaria, being the old capital of the country in the period 1185-1396.  Spend a whole day in Veliko Tarnovo, including a detour to the nearby village of Arbanasi.

From Veliko Tarnovo, the road trip continues to Kazanlak, crossing the Balkan Mountains and the Shipka Pass. Stop at Shipka Pass and climb to the top of the Monument to Freedom for some amazing views.

Afterwards, continue to Kanzanlak stopping at Shipka Memorial Church on the way. Spend the evening in Kazanlak and visit the famous Thracian Tomb (another UNESCO World Heritage Site) the next morning. In the afternoon head to Plovdiv – another contender for the crown of the most beautiful city in Bulgaria.

After Plovid, head further south to Smolyan – a lovely city in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains – stopping at Pamporovo, a famous ski resort, on the way. While you’re there, take the chair lift to Snezhanka Peak or climb the Snezhanka TV tower for breathtaking views. Stay the night in Smolyan and the next day, take a mini road trip to the nearby authentic village of Shiroka Luka and the stunning Trigrad Gorge leading to the Yagodinska Cave.

You can start and end this trip in Sofia, travelling to Ruse on the first day and back to Sofia on last day via Devin and Plovdiv. Or, you can make it a longer Balkan road trip by starting in Romania and continuing south to Greece.

7. Albania road trip: The Albanian Riviera (4-7 days)

Recommended by Rohan and Max, Travels of a Bookpacker

• Duration: 4-7 days
• Distance covered: 460km (approx. 8 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Albania’s beaches

If you’re into beaches, you can’t go past the fantastically scenic route stretching along the coast of Albania. The road is easy to drive and provides lots of great places to stop for a swim or detour off to see the sights inland.

We travelled this route over three weeks, taking our time to relax and enjoy the beaches. Realistically, you could drive the Albanian coast in a few days if you were pressed for time.

Start your drive from the capital, Tirana , and head straight out to the beach town of Durres. From there, follow the highway south and turn off to the beach whenever you fancy! Some of the best beaches are located at Vlores, Himare and Dhermi. The hidden beach at Gjipe is well worth a visit but requires a 4×4 or a 20 minute walk to reach.

Alternative Albania: Check out my 2-week road trip itinerary for the coast and interior.

Finally, continue down the coast to Sarande, making an inland detour to the Blue Eye . You can either finish your road trip there, continue south to Greece , or loop back up through Gjirokaster to get back to Tirana.

There are guest houses, hotels and even a few hostels in most beach towns. By far, the best experience is wild camping on the coast of Albania . There are so many amazing spots to pull up with your campervan (or tent at some of them) and enjoy beach views from your back door. The Italian influence, felt from just across the sea, is evident in the availability of great pizza and gelato. You’ll also find a great range of affordable restaurants selling fresh seafood.

Related: An easy 2-week Albania itinerary by bus .

8. Serbia road trip: Nis to Subotica (3-5 days)

Recommended by Allison, Sofia Adventures

• Duration: 3-5 days
• Distance covered: 430km (approx. 6 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Belgrade, Novi Sad, wineries, Art Nouveau architecture in Subotica

If you’re planning a road trip through the Balkans, don’t discount Serbia! This beautiful Balkan country often gets the short end of the stick, with people only spending a couple of days in Belgrade. But Serbia deserves a lot more than that!

While Western Serbia is full of beautiful natural wonders like the Drina River and Tara National Park, this road trip in Serbia focuses on four important Serbian cities that are all easily connected by the best highway in the country, making it an easy route.

Start in Nis, the largest city in southern Serbia. Nis is a wonder for history lovers. You should visit the Skull Tower, a ghastly relic of the Ottoman occupation, and Nis Fortress, as well as the Crveni Krst (Red Cross) Concentration Camp Museum. There is a large spomenik dedicated to those who died in Nis during World War II on Mount Burbanj. If you visit these sites, please do so respectfully.

After Nis, head north to Belgrade. There’s so much to do in Belgrade that it practically defies belief, but I suggest taking a communist tour, exploring the night life, checking out the food and street art scene, going for a river cruise on the Sava and Danube, and visiting Kalemegdan Fortress. Belgrade has a ton of traffic and parking can be a bit of a nightmare, so I suggest picking a  place to stay in Belgrade  that is outside the downtown area: Vracar, Novi Beograd, and Zemun are all fantastic neighborhoods.

Finally, head up to Vojvodina, an autonomous region of Serbia which used to be part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Novi Sad should be your first port of call here, although a side trip to nearby Sremski Karlovci to try some of the delicious Fruska Gora wineries would be a wonderful addition.

Novi Sad is Serbia’s beautiful second city with uniquely beautiful architecture and a funky vibe. There are wonderful cafes and restaurants to enjoy, candy-coloured architecture everywhere you look, and the gorgeous Petrovaradin Fortress which is definitely a can’t-miss.

Find your way around Serbia’s second city with my Novi Sad city guide.

End your Serbia trip in Subotica. This stunning Art Nouveau city is most famous for the gorgeous Raichle Palace, which is easily the most beautiful building in all of Serbia. It’s now been converted into a museum.

The main square with the town hall, library, and the most beautiful McDonalds I’ve ever seen (no joke), is also a must visit, and be sure to also stop by the synagogue and Subotica Cathedral, which is famous for a large crack in the middle of the cathedral!

9. Kosovo, Albania & Montenegro road trip: Prizren to Shkoder via Ulcinj (3-7 days)

Recommended by Erika, Erika’s Travelventures

• Duration: 3-7 days
• Distance covered: 230km (approx. 5 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Prizren, the Accursed Mountains, beaches around Ulcinj

In order to get a taste of just how diverse this conglomerate of countries is, try a Balkan road trip from Prizren, Kosovo, to Shkoder, Albania, and Ulcinj, Montenegro. This route takes you from a sleepy Islamic town to a mountainous Albanian one, then finally to a beachy Montenegrin destination.

You can do this road trip in a minimum of three days, that’s how close each of the towns are. However, I recommend taking it slow and spending maybe two days in each place. Spend three days in Shkoder if you want to make a day trip to the mountain village of Theth.

First stop, Prizren, Kosovo. Kosovo is a tiny country that should not be skipped on any Balkan road trip because of how culturally and historically unique it is. Prizren in southern Kosovo is a gem of a town and is a more cultural version of Kosovo’s capital, Pristina.

Prizren is home to a large fortress located atop a hill – the perfect sunrise or sunset spot. There is an old bazaar area that will transport you to the heart of any Islamic country, if the sound of the central mosque’s call to prayer hasn’t done so already.

From Prizren, it’s about a 30-minute drive to the Albanian border, then 2.5 hours until Shkoder.

Shkoder is the economic and political centre of northern Albania and is close to some beautiful natural landscapes, including lakes and mountains. Take a tour or day trip drive to Theth, a tiny mountain village surrounded by impressive jagged mountains. Shkoder itself has many charming pedestrian pathways where you can relax on a cafe terrace or go for drinks at a quirky pub.

Stretch your legs: My tips for the Valbona to Theth hike.

From Shkoder, it’s no more than an hour of driving to Ulcinj, a quick hop over the Montenegrin border. Montenegro has endless towns along its coastline that are famous for their beaches. Ulcinj is no exception, although it is far less known.

Bask in the sun, go for a stroll under the palm trees, or explore the maze-like old town located at the top of a small hill. Find relaxation during the day, and go out for some dancing during the night at the many bars and clubs.

10. Slovenia road trip: Brda to Ljubljana (10 days)

Recommended by Karen, Local Holland

• Distance covered: 300km (approx. 4 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Predjama Castle, hiking in Triglav National Park, Lake Bohinj

Slovenia is the perfect spot for a Balkan road trip. In 10 days, we experienced the best western Slovenia has to offer. We started and ended near the Italian border to take advantage of affordable flights into Venice.

One of the unexpected highlights near the beginning of our trip was the stunning Brda region, which sits directly next to the Italian border. Here, you can enjoy local red and white wines in stunning hilltop towns such as Smartno na Pohorju.

If you’re a wine lover, it’s worth taking a day (or two) to explore the various wineries and learn about the unique history of this region. We also loved stopping off at small towns along the beautiful Soca River.

After exploring Brda, we drove down to Predjama to experience the stunning castle built in the mouth of a cave. The castle itself has an amazing history and some shocking features, so be sure to enter the cave! The next day, we enjoyed the beautiful Skocjanske caves, a less-crowded alternative to Postojna cave.

The next two days were spent exploring the beautiful Triglavski National Park and the stunning Tolmin Gorge. While driving up, I wondered if we were in Yosemite National Park in the US. The hiking here is first-class and Triglav is a popular day hike among Slovenians. I also loved exploring the picturesque Tolmin Gorge with its beautiful aquamarine water.

After some hiking, we rested up for a day of relaxation at Lake Bohinj, the little sister to Lake Bled – again without the crowds. It’s located at the foot of Triglav National Park, so the views are absolutely stunning. You can take a dip in the water or go SUPing. After a relaxing afternoon, we ended our evening with sunset at Lake Bled.

No car? Here’s how to travel to Bled from Ljubljana by bus.

Depending on how much time you have, you might want to give yourself several days in Ljubljana to experience one of Europe’s greenest capitals. Slovenia has a thriving experimental craft beer culture, so be sure to try a pint of the local brew. Throw in a side trip to the charming city of Skofja Loka to visit the castle.

Driving in Slovenia is fairy straightforward. The highways are very well maintained. Anyone who’s not used to hills should practice driving in manual. If you will be driving on smaller narrow roads, especially in the mountains, it’s best to avoid driving at night.

11. Transylvania road trip: Sibiu to Targu Mures (5-8 days)

Recommended by Corina, Another Milestone

• Duration: 5-8 days
• Distance covered: 760km (approx. 13 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Fortified churches, the Merry Cemetery, Turda Salt Mine

The classic tour of Transylvania includes the big cities of the region , some traditional villages, important natural attractions and landscapes that will amaze you. Five days are enough to see it all. Add an extra three days for Maramures and you will remember this holiday forever!

Start your trip in Sibiu with a long walk in the old town. The next day, go to Cluj Napoca, stopping on the way to see Alba Iulia, the white citadel, and to explore the salt mine amusement park in Turda.

Dedicate your third day to Cluj Napoca, the largest city in Transylvania, for its old town, modern restaurants and botanical garden. On day four, you can visit the wooden churches of Maramures and stop in Sighetu Marmatiei.

The next day, visit the main attractions around the area: The Merry Cemetery and a prison transformed in museum. Don’t leave Maramures without a ride on the mocanita , a steam train that takes you deep into the woods. In the evening, you can stop in a traditional village.

Coming back to Transylvania on your seventh day, visit Targu Mures, another medieval city. On the way back to Sibiu, spend your last day discovering the fortified churches of Transylvania, UNESCO Heritage sites Biertan and Valea Viilor.

12. Great Balkan Cities Road Trip: Zagreb to Belgrade & Sarajevo (10-14 days)

• Duration: 10-14 days
• Distance covered: 880km (approx. 12 hours of driving)
• Highlights: House of Flowers in Belgrade, Sargan Eight historic railroad, Bridge on the Drina , Sarajevo Old Bazaar

Perfect for urban explorers and modern history aficionados, this driving itinerary takes you to three of the best cities in the Balkans: Zagreb, Belgrade and Sarajevo. In between, you’ll be treated to a slew of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, several smaller cities and a couple of national parks.

Starting in Zagreb, Croatia’s capital, wander the twin neighbourhoods of Kaptol and Lower Town, popping into as many museums and quirky art galleries as you can. Walk the Green Horseshoe and be sure to spend an afternoon amongst the gravestones at Mirogoj Cemetery.

Say goodbye to the crowds heading west towards Croatia’s coast and set your sights eastward instead, driving through the beautiful and underrated Slavonia region. Osijek was once the largest city in Croatia; now it’s a relatively quiet and peaceful place with a beautiful old town and several monuments that commemorate the terrible conflicts of the 1990s. Pay your respects at the Monument to Croatian War Veterans and learn the incredible tale behind the ‘Red Fico’, then sit at a cafe on the River Drava to process it all.

Cross the border into Northern Serbia , stopping for a few nights in charming Novi Sad before continuing to the capital. There are dozens of hidden gems in the concrete jungle that is Belgrade: Don’t miss the TV Tower or the House of Flowers, a museum-mausoleum dedicated to Tito. Finish your time in Belgrade with an afternoon stroll through Zemun – a cute town within the city – or a bike ride through New Belgrade to admire the Brutalist architecture.

Head to the border region to hike in Tara National Park, using the town of Mokra Gora as a base. Here’s where you can hitch a ride on the Sargan Eight, a heritage narrow-gauge railway that’s been chugging through these mountains on and off since 1925. The city of Viesgrad and its iconic stone bridge lie just over the border in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Pause here to take in the sombre significance of the famous Bridge on the Drina .

Sarajevo, Bosnia’s lively capital, is just a short drive away. Compare and contrast its Old Bazaar with the Brutalist face of Belgrade and the classical European architecture of Zagreb – you’ve just ticked off three of the region’s great cities!

13. Turkey, Bulgaria & Greece Road Trip: Istanbul to Thessaloniki (10-14 days)

• Distance covered: 1,000km (approx. 16 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Istanbul, Bulgarian Revival Architecture in Plovdiv, Pyramids of Melnik, markets and street food in Thessaloniki

East meets West on this itinerary that traverses continents, taking you from the crossroads of Asia into the heart of Europe. Kick things off in the one and only Istanbul, a total Turkey icon . Three days is barely enough time to see the highlights: Prioritise the Grand Bazaar, Galata Tower , Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, but leave a few hours to get lost down the charming streets of Karaköy and Balat as well.

Follow in the footsteps of the Ottoman Empire’s finest as you trace north-east into Bulgaria, stopping to visit the mosque in Edirne along the way. Plovdiv might not have the same reputation as Istanbul, but it’s another of this region’s greatest cities (and one of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited settlements). A few days here is ample time to admire the Bulgarian Revival Architecture .

Along the Greek border, visit the ski town of Smolyan, hike through arched bridges in Trigrad Gorge, and spend a few days crisscrossing the cobbled streets of Melnik, a beautiful town with Ottoman-style houses set against a rocky gorge. Hike through the Melnik Pyramids to see this unearthly landscape up close.

Final stop: Northern Greece. Serres has been a stopover point for traders throughout its history and is an important piece in this east-meets-west puzzle. Visit some of the numerous archaeological sites in the area before continuing down to Thessaloniki , Greece’s second-largest city.

There’s no better place to bring your road trip full circle than in the bustling markets of Thessaloniki – this is, after all, the birthplace of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.

Hang up your keys here, or continue driving to Halkidiki or to Meteora and Athens , using these Greece road trip itinerary ideas for inspiration.

14. Black Sea Road Trip: Burgas to Constanta & the Danube Delta (5-7 days)

• Distance covered: 420km (approx. 7 hours of driving)
• Highlights: UNESCO-Listed Nessebar, Black Sea beaches, the casino at Constanta, boat trip on the Danube Delta

The best beaches in the Balkans might be on the Adriatic Coast, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook the Black Sea completely. The slice of shoreline split between Bulgaria and Romania offers both swimming beaches and the Danube Delta, Europe’s second-largest river delta wetland and a flora-and-fauna lover’s paradise. All that against the backdrop of the mythical Black Sea .

To tackle this part of the Balkans by road, it’s recommended to start in Burgas, Bulgaria. Spend a day dashing between sandy beaches and pockets of glorious architecture, visiting the Church of Saint Cyril and Methodius and the wonderful Ethnographic Museum.

A little further along the coast, the ever-charming Nessebar awaits. Nicknamed the ‘Pearl of the Black Sea’, the entire old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with countless monuments to discover. More secluded coves and swimming beaches can be found off the road between Nessebar and Varna. After crossing into Romania, head to Constanta to see the much-photographed abandoned casino. It’s even more enigmatic in real life than the pictures would have you think.

Finally, the city of Tulcea, just shy of the Ukrainian border, is the jumping-off point for tours of the Danube Delta , a stunning landscape rich with nesting birds and rare fish.

15. Short Bulgaria road trip: Sofia to the Buzludzha (1-3 days)

Recommended by Stephanie, Sofia Adventures

• Duration: 1-3 days
• Distance covered: 500km (approx. 6 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Buzludha Monument, Shipka church

One of my favorite Balkan road trips is to rent a car and spend the day driving the five hours from Sofia to Buzludzha and back. While I usually make the drive there and return in one day, you can also choose to stretch this out into a two-day or three-day day road trip if you don’t want to tackle that much driving in one day.

Leaving from Sofia, the drive winds through the Central Balkan Mountains in the Central Balkan National Park, which has the distinction of being a Tentative UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You can plan your itinerary to include stops at several additional Communist Monuments. The mountains in this part of the country are dotted with them.

Make sure to give yourself enough time to visit Shipka, which is about thirty minutes from Buzludzha. The town’s gorgeous Russian Orthodox Church was built to serve the Russian troops who stayed behind after the Russians helped expel the Ottomans from Bulgaria.

The main event, of course, is Buzludzha. This former Monument House of the Bulgarian Communist Party sits atop a mountain and is only truly accessible by car. Famous for looking like a Communist UFO, give yourself time to get out and walk around the site.

If you want to turn your road trip into a multi-day affair, spend the night in nearby Stara Zagora, where you can take in another one of the country’s most famous Communist Sites and add a trip to the Thracian Tomb of Kazanak, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Otherwise, the drive back to Sofia will be beautiful, but possibly tiring. It helps to share this journey with another driver if you’re going to attempt it in one day.

16. Alternative Montenegro road trip: Komovi to Durmitor National Park (7 days)

Recommended by Sabrina and Kati, Moon & Honey Travel

• Distance covered: 560km (approx. 13 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Hiking, Bobotov Kuv

This Montenegro road trip highlights the country’s most impressive mountain ranges and national parks: Komovi, Prokletije and Durmitor.

It’s best to start this trip in the capital city, Podgorica. After picking up your rental car, begin your journey inland to the Komovi mountains. Base yourself in Stavna, a high alpine pasture dotted with traditional herdmen’s settlements (aka Katuns ). Here, you’re well-positioned to hike to the summit of Kom Vasojevićki, one of the highest peaks in the Komovi Range.

After exploring Komovi, it’s time to venture further inland to Prokletije National Park, otherwise known as the Accursed Mountains. Base yourself in Grebaje Valley and/or Ropojana Valley. You can access a number of day hiking trails from these valleys, though trail markings aren’t always ubiquitous, or clear. Note that there’s a 1 Euro entrance fee per person per day.

After a few days in the Accursed Mountains, begin the 3.5-4 hour drive to Durmitor National Park. The best base for exploring Durmitor is the town of Zabljak. There are numerous hiking options, including Bobotov Kuv and Planinica.

Your journey continues along the scenic Sedlo Route P14 through the heart of Durmitor National Park to Pluzine. The P14 is arguably the most beautiful road in all of Montenegro.

From here, you can make your return journey to Podgorica.

17. Kosovo road trip: Pristina to Prizren (3-5 days)

Recommended by Paulina, Paulina on the Road

• Distance covered: 160km (approx. 3 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Kosovo’s two biggest cities, UNESCO monasteries

Despite its small size, Kosovo is home to many different cultures, spectacular landscapes and warm-hearted people. One of the best ways to discover the beauty of Kosovo is by doing a road trip through the county.

This Balkan road trip will take you from the capital, Pristina , to the most scenic town, Prizren , via Peja – gateway to the most breathtaking mountain scenery in Kosovo. Calculate at least three days.

After enjoying what Pristina has to offer, start your road trip by driving to Prizren via the M9, with a quick detour to the UNESCO-Listed Gracanica Monastery on the way. The ride only lasts a little over an hour, but you’ll already get fantastic views. When arriving in Prizren, take at least one day to explore Kosovo’s most picturesque city. It has plenty of charming bars, too!

After Prizren, it’s time to drive to Gjakova , a small historic town with a wonderful covered bazaar. From there, head to Peja in the northern part of Kosovo, stopping at the second UNESCO monastery, Decani.

Pec is home to a large Serbian community and hosts the Peja Patriarchate, the spiritual seat and mausoleum of the Serbian Patriarchs. It’s also the gateway to the jaw-dropping Rugova Valley, a heaven for outdoor sports lovers.

This itinerary is the perfect way to spend 3 days in Kosovo .

18. Highlights of Croatia road trip: Zagreb to Dubrovnik (7 days)

Recommended by Inma, A World to Travel

• Distance covered: 600km (approx. 8 hours of driving)
• Highlights: The walled city of Dubrovnik, Dalmatian Coast, Korcula Island

A few years ago, I became infatuated by travelling by train in Europe . When I arrived in the Balkans and realised that it wasn’t so easy, I decided to rent a car instead.

I travelled from inland Croatia down the Dalmatian Coast over seven days. My first stop was Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. It normally doesn’t have a very good reputation (compared to the beautiful coastline) but it’s worth spending at least one night in Zagreb.

From there, I continued on towards Plitvice lakes. This part of Croatia is something else. Who can avoid falling in love with the unreal turquoise waters? It’s certainly one of the highlights of the country for me.

As I made my way down the coast, Krka, Split and other small towns all made for excellent stopover points. When I finally arrived in majestic Dubrovnik, I dropped off my rental car to continue on by bus.

If you decide to travel through Croatia from north to south, I recommend you to visit the wonderful Korcula island (less than two hours by car and ferry from Dubrovnik). Normally people skip it, but it’s well worth a visit!

19. Bosnia and Herzegovina & Montenegro road trip: Sarajevo to Zabljak (3-5 days)

Recommended by Arzo, Arzo Travels

• Distance covered: 170km (approx. 4 hours of driving)
• Highlights: Sarajevo, rafting on the Tara River

The Balkans has some amazing driving routes, and one of my favourite scenic drives is from Sarajevo (the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina) to Zabljak in Montenegro.

This route is different from everywhere else I have driven and one of the most beautiful trips I’ve ever done. Start from Sarajevo and take the M5 to Foca. The streets are mostly in good condition and the views are nice. Bosnians tend to drive fast and a bit reckless (I have seen several accidents), so be careful.

From Foca, take the M20 and then the M18. Close to the Montenegrin border, you’ll see the stunning Tara River. If you’re into water rafting and the season is right, this is the place to do it. Your route then passes through the Pluzine and Pliva Lake – one of the most beautiful places in the Balkans.

Driving here is stunning (though streets tend to be narrow in parts). The nature is a mix of Switzerland and Norway. Make sure to plan at least one day at Pliva Lake – there are good cafes, but a picnic somewhere high in the mountains is the best way to enjoy your breaks.

When you cross the border into Montenegro, head for the town of Zabljak at the gateway to Durmitor National Park. From here you can partake in some hiking before looping back to Sarajevo or continuing your road trip through Montenegro to the Bay of Kotor and the coast.

20. Southern Albania road trip: Saranda loop (4-7 days)

Recommended by Christine, Christine Abroad

• Distance covered: 360km (approx. 7 hours of driving)
• Highlights: The Blue Eye, beaches, UNESCO sites Gjirokaster & Butrint

The South of Albania has become quite popular in recent years – and for good reason. The Albanian riviera is full of beautiful beaches and bays with crystal clear water and white sand.

Many of the coastal towns are also in reach of beautiful and historical places such as The Syri i Kalter (the Blue Eye), Butrint (an archeological site), Gjirokaster (UNESCO town), and other interesting sites.

Related: Gjirokaster city guide .

I recommend this one week road trip, starting and ending in Saranda where there are ferry connections to Corfu, Greece. The best route is a circle, driving north first with stops in Himare and Gjipe Beach on your first day, then staying in Dhermi for two nights if you want to spend some time on the beach.

Next stop is Gjirokaster, which is situated inland. Head here on the morning of your third day and stay one night. On day four, make a day trip to Syri i Kalter, and then spend your last days in Saranda.

From Saranda, you can visit Butrint and Ksamil on a day trip, which is very easy if you have a car. Then you can drive around the various bays and beaches around Ksamil. Dedicate one of your last days to exploring historic Butrint, another UNESCO site.

The roads are fine in this part of Albania, and you won’t be driving more than one or two hours per day.

Have you ever done a road trip in the Balkans? Do you have any tips to share? Which of these Balkan road trip itineraries takes your fancy?

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Looking to travel through the Balkan’s next year and have a couple of months to have a good look around. Can you suggest a travel plan that covers all 20 road trips in one?

Hi Ross – you would need to look carefully into border crossings, permits and insurance requirements.

This was an excellent topic about Balkan road trips with many tips! I travel in June of 2022 from Greece to Sarajevo and back. I make it about 8 days alone with my motorcycle. This was an amazing beautiful roadtrip, cheap & fair enough. I would make it again and again! Thanks for the info.

Great information Emily, thank you so much!

So many beautiful places. I’ve visited the coastline of Montenegro and was absolutely amazed by the beauty of the Kotor Bay Area. In Croatia I was very disappointed of Dubrovnik it was a bit to touristy in my opinion. I’m looking forward to my next trip to the Balkans, thanks for your tips 😉 Can’t wait to explore Durmitor NP in Montenegro

I actually missed visiting Dubrovnik – maybe it was a good thing! I loved the bay in Montenegro too, especially Perast.

Such beautiful places! Thank you for a detailed and impressive guide! Saved your post for the future.

Hey, Emily!

Thank you so much for all the awesome info. I have plans for a Balkans road trip in the works, but am undecided as to when in the year to make it happen. Other than a summer trip providing more time to travel, do you know of any other pros/cons in regards to a summer vs. winter trip?

Cheers, Shay

Hi Shay! Glad you found the post helpful. That’s a good question!

We travelled mostly in winter and found most cities were nice and quiet. We didn’t have any trouble getting around in winter. However, a lot of smaller places (especially coastal towns in Croatia and Montenegro) are very seasonal and almost completely shut down in winter. I love having quiet streets, but there were a lot of cafes/shops that we missed out on because it wasn’t the season yet. That’s definitely something to consider.

If you want to do trekking (for example in Albania), the season doesn’t start until late May/June. So it depends on what activities you want to do as well. Bucharest and Transylvania in winter was cold but SO SO beautiful. Obviously driving in winter requires the right equipment.

Spring shoulder season would be a good compromise. We loved May (we were in Kosovo/Macedonia at that time) – beautiful and green but still not too busy.

I really hope this helps!

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Home > Two Week Balkans Road Trip Itinerary

Two Week Balkans Road Trip Itinerary

Written by our local expert SJ

Sarah-Jane has lived in Croatia for 10+ years. SJ, as she is known, has been traveling the Balkans & beyond since 2000. She now shares her passion for traveling with her husband & kids.

Want an easy-to-follow two-week Balkan road trip? Then look no further; here is your guide to a Balkans road trip for 2 fun-filled weeks

Were you hoping to find some secret gems on your Balkans road trip or looking for the most stunning natural parts of the region? This guide should help you sort through the hundreds of destinations in the Balkans  so you can guarantee you are seeing the best of the best on your two-week trip through Europe’s forgotten oasis.

Fear not; if our itinerary doesn’t cover an area of the Balkans you are eager to see, we have loads of other Balkan travel guides on the site that may suit your fancy.

You don’t have to use this itinerary as an end-all-be-all for your trip. Sift through our many guides and itineraries and use the information to put together your dream trip according to your desires.

Skip Ahead To My Advice Here!

Where Are The Balkans

The Balkan peninsula is a geographic region in the southeast of Europe, usually consisting of a dozen countries: Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece , and Turkey.

Although the Balkans region is not necessarily defined, generally, these are the countries that are referred to as part of the Balkans on Chasing the Donkey. Others disagree.

The region is named after the Balkan mountain range, which extends nearly all the way across the peninsula. The peninsula is trapped between the Adriatic Sea to the West, the Black Sea to the East, and the Mediterranean in the South and is one of the best regions for nature escapes in Europe.

How To Travel In The Balkans – We’ll Help You Plan Your Holidays In The Balkans 

Getting around the Balkans is easy and getting easier by the year. With advances to its intricate train network, bus lines and routes being added to connect popular tourist towns, and improvements in highway systems in almost every country, traveling around the Balkans has never been easier.

Not to mention, it seems budget airlines have figured out people want to travel to the Balkans and have added many affordable routes throughout the region, with many more in the works.

However, a self-driven road trip is our favorite way to get around the Balkans because of its cost, efficiency, and pure beauty. We will set an itinerary for this two-week Balkan road trip .

When To Travel In The Balkans

Between the top-notch ski run s at an affordable price, the Adriatic’s immaculate beaches , the unspoiled hiking trails among dozens of national parks, and the dashing water activities of the Black Sea , there is fun for all seasons in the Balkans.

You may take a winter vacation to ski among the fantasized peaks of the Balkans range and decide you crave a summer vacation to its beaches afterward. There is no reason not to keep coming back, as there is a journey to be had at all times of the year.

For the sake of 10 days in the Balkans itinerary, we will assume it is the travel season , and you are road-tripping during the summer months along the Adriatic Coast.

Balkan Countries To Visit In Two Weeks

• Bosnia and Herzegovina

2 Week Balkan Road Trip Itinerary

You will likely fly to the Balkans unless you travel from somewhere nearby, where you can come with your own vehicle. From there, you will need to rent a car to start your road trip . Starting from any of these destinations is suitable; we have mapped out this specific itinerary to spare you time in back-tracking and distances between cities.

Not to waste more breath, here is our suggested two-week Balkans Itinerary:

Where To Start Your Balkans Road Trip

As mentioned, you can start anywhere in the Balkans, and there is always another nearby city within driving distance worth visiting . However, we suggest starting in Albania’s capital city for convenience when planning for this itinerary.

Tirana, Albania (3-4 Days)

Tirana is the capital and largest city in Albania  but by no means the only place to be in Albania. Kruja and Durres are within an hour’s drive from the capital city and well worth your time during your visit.

We suggest spending a day in each of these cities during your stay in Albania.

Start in Tirana , where you must check out Skanderbeg Square’s main square, which is excellent for people-watching. Check out the National Historical Museum, the famous statue of Albania’s #1 hero, and the square’s namesake, Skanderbeg.

Tirana is filled with lovely people, just as all of Albania is, and prices are exceptionally affordable for things like checking out the local cuisine and bar scene.

Next, travel to Kruja – a charming medieval village between soaring mountain peaks and truly green valleys. Besides its picturesque natural appearance , Kruja also has very significant historical importance to Albania.

Very few foreign tourists make the day trip to Kruja; however, you will find a lot of Albanian weekend warriors visiting on days off of work. Despite that, the village has been able to remain wholly authentic and void of tourist traps .

Lastly, on your third and final day, you can travel to the coast of Durres for a true beach escape. It is the most ancient city in the whole country and owns the biggest port in Albania .

Durres has over 3,000 years of history, dating back to 627 B.C., earning it the nickname of the eternal city over the Adriatic. The most notable tourist attraction and historical significance is the amphitheater of the Roman Emperor Hadrian – the second-largest amphitheater in the Balkans.

When the three days are over, you will likely be craving more of Albania’s culture , and the good news is there is still plenty to see of this country, just not on this itinerary. The Albanian Riviera in the South is one of the most overlooked areas of the Balkans and Europe. Save it for another trip!

• Your Guide To Tirana, And What To Do There
• Where To Stay In Tirana
• Renting A Car In Albania

Budva, Montenegro (2 Days)

About four hours north of Tirana along the Adriatic coast is the exciting Montenegrin city of Budva. With so much to experience in the Balkans, Montenegro is often skipped in favor of more popular tourist countries; however, those who don’t miss this place will be treated to an authentic experience that many more popular countries in the Balkans cannot provide.

Budva and Sveti Stefan are two semi-secret coastal towns in the tiny country, which are both worth visiting. If you spend two days between the two places, you will probably have seen all you need to see – but it is still worth the time.

In Budva, step through the medieval gate leading to town directly onto the beach and stroll down the coast for about five minutes until you reach Mogren Beach – Budva’s best. Here, you will notice a bronze statue of a ballet dancer gazing out to sea. It is the graceful symbol of Budva – a town we would argue is just as graceful as the statue itself.

You can rent paddleboards or kayaks and cover more of the pristine waters surrounding the area that way.

Just six miles to the East is Sveti Stefan , which is a must-visit. It is a fortified town built on a small island connected to the mainland by a sand spit. It is a rare geographical feature but an even rarer town. Walk through its narrow streets, and you can easily spend a few hours soaking up the beauty. If you still have energy, find a way up the hillside on the mainland for an even better bird’s eye view of Sveti Stefan.

Again, Montenegro is a beautiful country and worth more time on your visit – however – for the sake of keeping to the itinerary, it may be better to revisit another time. Podgorica is the country’s capital and is only about an hour away. The city is known to be suffering through an identity crisis after a long history of controlling empires, which gives it a huge, unpronounced feel.

• Your Guide To Montenegro And What To Do There
• Your Guide To Budva And Sveti Stefan
• Where To Stay In Budva
• Renting A Car In Montenegro

Dubrovnik, Croatia (1-2 Day)

Just 2.5 hours northwest of Budva along the Dalmatian Coast is the bustling little seaside town of Dubrovnik in Croatia. You may have seen a few places in Dubrovnik on HBO already, as it has gained some fame as the host of many scenes from the popular series Game of Thrones .

Though tourism has soared in the past decade along the coast of Croatia, Dubrovnik is well-deserved in its attention and is still a must-see on your Balkan road trip .

Make sure you traverse the narrow lanes of its fortified Old Town and take in the excellent architecture that drew the attention of the monster series, G.O.T.

After a long day on the beach, make sure you catch the sunset at one of the seaside cliffside bars offering happy hour at golden hour. You may need to arrive early at a few more popular spots – especially during the busy season – and be ready to witness magic in the sky as the colors change all sorts of vibrant colors. Dubrovnik is one of the best places in the Balkans for sunset magic.

• Your Guide To Dubrovnik And What To Do There
• Where To Stay In Dubrovnik
• Renting A Car In Croatia
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Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina (1 Day)

After Dubrovnik , whether you decide to spend a night in the city or not, you can drive to your next destination in Bosnia and Herzegovina – a much quieter destination for a good night of sleep – in a tiny valley village called Mostar.

It is due north, about 2.5 hours from Dubrovnik , and has a tremendous nighttime ambiance that you will appreciate. It will likely be late by that time, so you can check into your hotel and get ready to witness the largest city in Herzegovina in the morning.

Despite being the largest city, there is no need for concern. It is quaint but full of dark history. You can hike the hills, but watch out for undetonated landmines. This might be a bit intimidating, so if you’d like, you can stay in town and witness its history on the walls – literally. Bullet holes still grace the concrete and stone walls around town. It is a tell-tale sign of a violent past, but do not fret; Mostar is such a peaceful place today.

Most people hang around the enchanting famous Old Bridge (Stari Grad), where the two sides of the town connect over the river. You can join if you dare (the bridge is about 60 feet high). If you are lucky, you may catch the locals jumping from the bridge into the river – a sort of tradition in town.

Spend the afternoon walking around the cobblestoned town, and when you feel like you have walked around the entire city, you can grab a drink and get a good night’s sleep or head to your next destination – back to Croatia !

• Your Guide To One Day In Mostar
• Where To Stay In Mostar
• Renting A Car
• Guide To The Mostar Bridge Jump

Split, Croatia (1-2 Days)

You will cross borders several times, and here you are crossing back into the long, narrow nation of Croatia to the most famous seaside town, Split.

Split has become one of the hottest destinations in the Balkan peninsula . If you are road-tripping during the summer, you may have to book accommodation in advance – especially when arriving in the nighttime; you don’t want to be left without a place to sleep.

Split is the second-largest city in the country and the largest in the Dalmatia region. Despite all the people, we like Split because of its blend of modern living and ancient history.

You only need one day to see the sites in Split , but you will notice many people hanging around at the resorts and taking boat trips for an extended stay.

Whatever you do, there are a few things we suggest, none of which include beaches or lazing in the sun.

The Old Town and its maze of narrow streets and cafes are worth getting lost in. We’d also suggest climbing the Bell Tower of St. Domnius Cathedral for unparalleled views of the city and the fifty shades of blue in the Adriatic Sea. Lastly, you must visit Diocletian’s Palace – especially as a Game of Thrones fan, as multiple scenes were shot here at this UNESCO World Heritage Site .

Alternatively, if you want to run away from the crowds, consider traveling just a short half-hour down the coast to Omis , which is regarded as very similar to Split in architecture but half the price and size (and madness) of Split.

After a full day in Split, you will need to be well-rested for your longest drive of the road trip , but don’t worry; the time is well worth it, and the ride is beautiful.

• Your Guide To Split And What To Do There
• Where To Stay In Split
• Best Clinic In Split
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Zagreb, Croatia (3 Days)

Four hours north of Split is Croatia’s stunning capital in the northern part of the country, Zagreb. It is one of the best cities in the Balkans to to walk around and experience the culture vibrating off the walls. We love Zagreb for many reasons and believe it is worth at least two days of your itinerary .

There are so many things to see as far as sites go; however, our favorite part of the city is probably its most popular. Gornji Grad – the upper town – with its cobblestoned streets and head-turning architecture, is worth at least a few hours of walking around and grabbing photographs.

Though we could argue your time isn’t wasted leisurely strolling its streets, it is fair to assume that some people would like to stay busy seeing the sites. No worries; there are plenty of things to do in Zagreb too.

One of the more entertaining things you can do in Zagreb is spend an hour or two in the Museum of Broken Relationships. People worldwide have submitted their sob stories about lost loves, and is there anything more amusing than complicated love stories (ask Nicholas Sparks)? And yes, it is precisely what it sounds like. The museum is so well done and has become Zagreb’s top tourist attraction based on pure intrigue.

There is also a booming street art scene in the city, which has turned the dull walls into a collection of youth culture and talents, making the city the most beautiful it has ever been.

It is a vibrant city full of young people, bustling chic cafes, talented and entertaining street performers, and green parks around every corner you least expect it. The city is forever in our hearts, and we are sure it will find a place in yours, too.

• Your Guide To Zagreb, And What To Do There
• Where To Stay In Zagreb
• How To Get To Zagreb
• How To Go From Zagreb To Plitvice Lake

Ljubljana (2-3 Days)

We end our itinerary a little under two hours northwest of Zagreb in a new country – in the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana. It is another city with a young identity and lively streets. You can walk along the river and be entertained for hours. Or, set up shop on the river at a cafe and spend time watching life go by.

Speaking of capital cities in Europe with a lot of green space, Ljubljana has set a precedent in that category, making it one of the prettiest urban cities in Europe – and it is hard to dispute that once you see it.

Spend the majority of your stay in the gorgeous Old Town, soaking up the excellent vibe of restaurants serving up delicious traditional Slovenian foods . If you still have time left for your vacation, you MUST visit Lake Bled , which is the country’s biggest attraction and one not to be missed.

• Where To Stay In Ljubljana
• Renting A Car In Ljubljana
• Bridges In Ljubljana
• Day Trips From Ljubljana
• Your Guide To Ljubljana And What To Do There

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Enjoy your balkan road trip.

The Balkans are a vastly underrated road trip destination in Europe. As a matter of fact, when you combine its lovely coastal drives among pristine, crystal blue waters of the Adriatic, its mountainous terrain, Transylvania’s wooded forests , quaint Black Sea coastal towns , stunning old-world architecture, and wondrous lakes and waterfalls , the Balkans region is genuinely incomparable to anywhere else in the world. And the affordable prices to travel around the area don’t hurt either.

Even though this region of Europe is often forgotten, it is no less beautiful than anywhere else on the continent and deserves more attention as a holiday oasis.

Don’t be shy. Comment below if you have any questions regarding a vacation to the Balkans.

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Comments (5)

I appreciate this article and it brings to mind an experience I have already had in this area. I have been to Montenegro and entered with a tour group out of Croatia. We spent over an hour waiting while the bus driver and tour guide spoke with the border guards and bribing them to get them to let us cross the border. I remember the tour guide making a comment once back on the bus, “that was cheaper this time” and laughing. The bus driver stepped on it across the border before the guards changed their minds. I don’t feel any need to return to Montenegro. What has been your experience with border guards in this region? Thank you!

If you don’t mind me saying so, Mostar is NE of Dubrovnik not “due north”. Due North would be Split. I teach world history and geography, so I tend to pay attention to directions. Thanks!

This is very helpful thanks. Aiming to do Balkans for 5 weeks in July and August. Looking at doing about 9 countries. Taking your tip on the smaller car + green card. Any specific countries that you found one should avoid? Or need special papers or visas?

Hi and thanks for this detailed information! It is very useful. I was wondering how easy is to collect the hire car from Tirana airport and then drop off in Croatia?

Thank you in advance

You are welcome. Choosing the airport depends on what places you want to go to and where you can get connections.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

World’s most expensive ski resort will ‘ruin you’ for other holiday destinations

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It’s no secret that visiting the US can get pretty expensive, but certain locations undoubtedly cost more to travel to than others.

And there’s one town in America in particular that is known for being incredibly expensive, and those who’ve visited have shared a ‘warning’ for others thinking of going.

We’re talking, of course, about Aspen, a ski resort town in Colorado that was revealed as the world’s most expensive ski resort in 2023 by German real estate company, Engel & Völkers, with chalets selling for a staggering £60,000 per square metre.

If that weren’t enough, the town has also just been named as one of the most expensive holiday destinations in the US by Optimos travel.

Optimos Travel found that a week long trip costs holidaymakers and ski enthusiasts on average £4,217 ($5,330) per person.

The daily cost for one person in the opulent town is a whopping £602.48 ($761.39). Hotels or rental chalets will set travellers back on average £391.34 ($494.56) with food alone costing around a hundred dollars.

But is it worth it? While one Reddit user described it ‘a billionaires mall’ with ‘absurd’ prices, another warned that it was so good ‘You’ll be ruined…no other ski resort will ever be able to compare’

If you love skiing and are curious as to what makes Aspen so great, here’s a closer look at the town and all it offers…

@kaylaseah your sign to take a ski trip with friends❄️ #aspen #aspenskiing #skitrip #wintervibes #aspencolorado #skioutfit ♬ som original – Lana🌸

@avantgardeaspen Aspen, Colorado Christmas #aspen #aspencolorado #aspenchristmas #aspencolorado #aspenholidays #aspenco #aspensnowmass #aspenmountain #holidays #holidays2023 #holidaydestination #holidaytiktok #holidayvibes #holidaymodeactivated #holidaylights #holidaydecor #christmasinaspen ♬ Carol of the Bells – Instrumental – Russell Davis & Roy Vogt & Michael Green & Marty Crum & Jeff Kirk & David Angell & Carrie Bailey & Steve Patrick & Nancy Allen & Ginger Newman & Sarah Valley

@thrillist Spend 24 hours in Aspen with us 🏔️ #24hoursin #aspen #colorado #mountaintown #skitown #skiing #snowshoeing #food #music #apresski #coloradolife #travel #traveltiktok #traveltok #skitok ♬ Storytelling - Adriel

Things to do in Aspen 

Although Aspen is known as a winter resort, it’s also beautiful in the other seasons too. In the summer it comes alive with colourful wildflowers whilst in autumn it’s a peaceful golden leaved escape. Though it is most magical in the winter, with fresh snow glittering on the trees and the town strewn in fairy lights.

There are four different ski resorts in Aspen – Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Snowmass and Aspen Highlands with something to suit all skill levels. 

While Aspen Mountain has exhilarating vertical drops, Snowmass is more family friendly and a perfect place for beginners. Buttermilk similarly is more sprawling whilst the Aspen Highlands are known for being rugged and in places steep. 

The good news is you can try all four (or as many you like) of the ranges as they’re all available when you purchase a life ticket for any resort. The bad news is a lift ticket costs £192 ($239) per day for adults and £139.85 ($174) for children per day.

If you’d like to get out in nature but skiing isn’t your thing, there’s a wide range of winter outdoor activities to try including ice fishing, hiking, birdwatching and snowshoeing.

There’s also a rich arts and culture scene in Aspen, with a trip to the free Aspen Art Museum being a must see for art lovers.

The Wheeler Opera House is a stunning 133 year-old Victorian theatre which nowadays hosts everything from comedy shows and concerts to festivals and dance performances. 

If shopping is more your sport than skiing the town is home to many high end brands such as Ralph Lauren, Prada and Gucci. But there’s something for everyone with gorgeous antique stores and little bookshops lining the streets. 

For foodies, the town is known for Roaring Fork Valley is known for deep flavours such as Colorado lamb and grilled escarole. There many cafes and restaurants around the different ski resorts for a bite to fuel your day or adventure where you can ski in and out of. But there are also more chill cookhouses and taverns to people watch from and enjoy some delicious seafood. 

A budget-friendly alternative to Aspen...

If you’re looking at this and are dreaming of a ski trip but can’t afford Aspen, then don’t worry as there are plenty of budget-friendly destinations you can head to.

Borovets in  Bulgaria  may not be as well known as Aspen, but it’s a fabulous choice for  travellers . Research by the foreign exchange company, eurochange, has found that this ski resort in Bulgaria is the cheapest for the cost of food and drink during après, ski hire, lift passes and accommodation. 

A beer there costs just £1.17, and a lift pass costs £29 per day. Compare that to €8 (£6.90) for a beer in Chamonix, and you could save some real cash.

Borovets is located in the Rila mountains in southwest Bulgaria, and offers luxury amenities at very reasonable prices. It’s relatively easy to get to, situated 12km from the nearby town of Samokov and 72km from Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia.

A car is perhaps the easiest and most comfortable mode of transport. However, there is a bus transport system from Sofia’s South Station to Samokov which leaves every four hours. The journey lasts an hour-and-a-half and is a steal at around £1-£3, according to Rome2Rio. From Samokob you can catch another bus to Bavorets, which departs hourly and takes 30 minutes.

Set among pine forests covered in snow, there are scenic slopes lined with trees and various après to enjoy, from clubs and bars, to traditional Balkan pubs.

Skiers can make a beeline for the Borosport Snow Park to rack up some much-need time in the snow without splashing too much cash. With a length of 520m it is made up of three different lanes at different levels of difficulty and is said to be well suited for both newcomers and freestylers. 

Other more affordable options for skiers include Jasná Nízke Tatry in Slovakia, and Poiana Brașov in Romania.

How to get to Aspen

Whilst Aspen has it’s own airport, from the UK you need to fly via Denver. With a stop off in the neighbouring state the flight is around 12 hours from Heathrow and according to SkyScanner will cost around £13,00.

Best time of year to go to Aspen

If you love skiing the best time to go is from December to April, when temperatures average around -8C.

However there’s lots to do in the other months too, but be warned you shouldn’t expect a scorcher.

Your Daily Horoscope

What does the week have in store? Your tarot horoscope reading for April 29 to May 5

The average temperature for July is around 15c and September around 10C.

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