If Europe Feels Too Familiar, Head to the Balkans

Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Bosnia offer discoveries — not a checklist.

At A Glance

The Balkans offer many of Europe’s highlights—with fewer crowds and a greater sense of discovery.
Expect medieval towns, Roman ruins, Ottoman architecture, Alpine lakes, and the Adriatic coast—all in one trip.
Perfect for travelers who think they’ve “seen Europe” and are looking for something new.

We recently spent five weeks traveling through Eastern Europe, and it was different from any other trip we’ve taken to the continent. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I was discovering places instead of reviewing them.

There are still plenty of famous European destinations I haven’t visited in person. But many of them already seem overexposed. I’ve seen them in movies, TV shows, travel magazines and countless social media posts.

Plitvice Lakes was one of the most beautiful national parks we’ve ever visited.

The Balkans were different. With a couple of exceptions — James Bond made a brief stop in Montenegro and Game of Thrones used Dubrovnik as King’s Landing — most of the sights were entirely new to me. I wasn’t viewing them through someone else’s camera lens — I was seeing them for the first time with my own eyes.

So many things changed each time we crossed into a new country: the history, the architecture, the religion and even the words on the street signs. One day, we were standing in a Roman emperor’s palace in Split; the next, we were wandering an Ottoman bazaar in Mostar. Catholic cathedrals, Orthodox churches, mosques and synagogues all existed within a short distance of each other. It’s hard to imagine Yugoslavia having held such different cultures together for as long as it did. (See box.)

The scenery was just as diverse. The Adriatic coast, dramatic mountains, clear rivers, waterfalls and alpine lakes were all part of the itinerary. Because I hadn’t spent a lifetime looking at photos of them, they were full of genuine surprises and unforgettable “wow” moments.

If you want more surprises in your travels, the Balkans are a good place to start.

A masterpiece of Ottoman engineering—Stari Most is one of the Balkans’ most iconic landmarks.

Wait……Where are the Balkans?

When I first started telling my husband that we ought to visit Montenegro and Croatia, he referred to them as “the Balkans.” I remember thinking, Hmm, are they part of that? When we later told friends we were traveling through the Balkans, we were met with plenty of puzzled expressions.

Now that I’ve read some of the history, studied the maps, planned the trip and visited the region, I understand exactly why people are unsure what the Balkans include. Within my lifetime, Yugoslavia broke apart into several independent countries during a series of wars in the 1990s. Before that, the region had already been reshaped by World War II—and, centuries earlier, by the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires. It’s no wonder so many of us have trouble keeping it all straight.

A Comparison of the Places We Visited

Destination	History	Natural Beauty	Crowds	Best For	Our Favs
Dubrovnik	★★★★★	★★★★☆	🔴	Walled city & Views	❤️❤️❤️❤️
Kotor Bay	★★★★☆	★★★★★	🟡	Fjord-like scenery	❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Mostar	★★★★★	★★★★☆	🟢	Ottoman culture	❤️❤️❤️❤️
Split	★★★★★	★★★★☆	🟡	Roman history	❤️❤️❤️❤️
Plitvice Lakes	★★★☆☆	★★★★★	🟡	Waterfalls	❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Rovinj	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	🟢	Romantic old town	❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Lake Bohinj	★★★☆☆	★★★★★	🟢	Alpine hiking	❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Lake Bled	★★★☆☆	★★★★★	🔴	Postcard scenery	❤️❤️❤️❤️

Crowds: 🟢 Low 🟡 Moderate 🔴 Heavy (based on our late spring visit)

Lake Bohinj was the perfect base for hiking, swimming, and soaking up the Julian Alps

Continue Exploring the Balkans

Coming Soon

Rovinj: Croatia’s Most Charming Coastal Town?
The Best Time to Visit the Balkans
A Five-Week Balkans Itinerary for Independent Travelers
How to Plan an Independent International Trip
How We Pack for Five Weeks with Just Three Outfits

I’d Love to Hear From You

Have you visited the Balkans? Which destination surprised you the most?