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The Balkan countries are quickly rising in popularity among travelers, thanks to their unique blend of rich history, diverse cultures, and stunning landscapes. Visitors can explore ancient historical sites, relax on pristine beaches, hike through beautiful mountain ranges, and savor delicious, locally-sourced meals.
The Balkan countries are located in southeastern Europe and include the countries Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia.
This Balkan trip itinerary focuses on four countries – Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania.
Fly into Split, Croatia and spend two nights
Split is a fantastic way to start this itinerary, because the city is almost like a living museum. It was built at the end of the third century AD as the retirement home of the Emperor Diocletian.
Before arriving in Split, I assumed that visiting Diocletian’s Palace would be something to check off a list, it would be a site to visit at some point. A more accurate description is that the old city of Split is built into Diocletian’s Palace.
We went to restaurants, souvenir shops, even a grocery store, all built into the palace. It’s even possible to rent vacation apartments that are located within the palace. Seeing the way that the modern people of Split make use of the Roman architecture, honoring the past, but continuing its use was one of the most interesting parts of Split.
Things to do in Split
Take a walking tour of Diocletian’s Palace
Orienting yourself to the city with a walking tour of Split and Diocletian’s Palace is a great way to start your stay in Split. The tour will give you context for what you’re looking at for the rest of your stay. Our tour guide even pointed out places where Game of Thrones was filmed.
Get out on the water
Split is located right on the Adriatic Sea and the coast is a beautiful place to swim or go for a boat ride. We did both!
We booked an Airbnb Experience and went out on the water with our host and another family. He took us to two swimming locations. One was the Blue Lagoon, with very blue and salty water. The other was a bay where the famous Mojito Man pulls up next to the anchored boats to sell his tasty (and incredibly strong) mojitos. The tour also makes a stop in Trogir.
Head to the beach
We stayed within walking distance of Bačvice Beach, which is a large pebbled beach just 1km from the Old City of Split. Plenty of locals gathered at the beach to swim and soak up the sun. On one side of the beach is a long pier with restaurants and shops. On the other side, there’s a bar with beach chairs and umbrellas for rent.
Visit Trogir
Trogir, Croatia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a charming place to visit. In the old town you can wander through narrow, cobblestone streets lined with well-preserved medieval architecture. Trogir is not a large place, but it’s quaint, beautiful, and fun to explore for an afternoon or evening.
Where to stay in Split
We stayed a bit outside of the Old Town, near Bačvice Beach. Either the Old Town or the Bačvice Beach area would be a good place to stay.
Here’s a map of apartments and hotels available in Split that you can customize with your own dates. We found that Booking.com had a better selection of vacation apartments in Split than Airbnb.
Spend two nights in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mostar is a gorgeous city, separated by the Neretva River. It’s famous for its beautiful Stari Most Bridge, and the bridge jumpers who jump off the edge for tips during the summer months.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has a very different feel from Croatia. You’ll hear the call to prayer on a regular basis throughout the day, as the city is relatively evenly divided between people practicing the Muslim and Christian faiths.
The buildings are made mostly of stone, even including the roofs. There are cobblestone bazaars and artisans selling copper. We stayed two nights in Mostar and found plenty to do.
What to do in Mostar
Visit the Stari Most bridge and watch the divers
It’s pretty much impossible to miss this beautiful bridge right in the center of the city (population around 100,000). Stari Most means Old Bridge.
When you visit the bridge, you’ll notice divers casually walking along the ledge of the bridge, outside the railing, collecting tips. As soon as they collect what they consider to be a sufficient amount, they will dive into the water. Sounds simple, right?
This actually takes a long time, much longer than you would think. Part of the fun is how they tease the crowd into thinking they are about ready to jump, only to cross back over the edge and ask for additional tips. With all of the teasing and back and forth – finally seeing a jump feels like a big accomplishment!
Take a walking tour with Sheva Walking Tours
We chose Sheva Walking Tours and were lucky enough to have a tour with Ševko. Ševko had a really unique perspective as someone who was a young soldier during the war in the ’90s. It was clear that he cared very deeply for Mostar and was passionate about sharing the history and culture of his city.
You’ll see all of the big sites, walk across the Stari Most Bridge, walk through the bazaars, and even stop for an ice cream cone. The important thing is that his commentary adds valuable context to what you are looking at. I was very happy we met him and took the tour.
The tour is tip-based, so you can give what you choose to at the end of the tour.
Explore the bazaars
The streets of Mostar are a beautiful cobblestone and there are many streets filled with shops and goods for sale. We especially enjoyed seeing the incredible copper art and browsing the fabrics for sale. The Ottoman feel of the city makes it very different from other places as nearby as Croatia or Montenegro.
Check out my Top 7 Things to Do in Mostar article for more Mostar activities and information.
Getting to Mostar from Split
You can take a bus from Split to Mostar or book a private transfer. We booked a transfer for four people through Explore Mostar Tour Company and were happy with the service.
Where to stay in Mostar
If you can get a view of the bridge, do it! We loved sitting on our balcony and watching the divers jump off the bridge.
Just enter your dates here for a live view of both apartments and hotels.
Spend two nights in Dubrovnik, Croatia
Dubrovnik is a beautiful coastal city in Croatia known for its stunning setting on the water and impressive stone walls. Game of Thrones fans will recognize it as site of King’s Landing. The city’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, featuring a labyrinth of cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and bustling squares.
What to do in Dubrovnik
Walk the city walls
Dubrovnik’s walls were built over the course of 500 years, between the 12th and 17th centuries. Walking the walls requires a ticket which can be purchased at any entrance location. Keep in mind that there isn’t much shade, so opt for a cooler time of day and be sure to wear sunscreen and a hat!
Explore the Stradun
The Stradun is the main street in the heart of Dubrovnik’s Old Town. It’s lined with souvenir and novelty shops and restaurants. Although the entire Old Town area of Dubrovnik is pedestrian-only, the Stradun is the center of the Old Town and a particularly nice area to walk.
Take the cable car up Mount Srd
Head over to the Dubrovnik Cable Car and take the four minutes ride to the top. It’s the best place in Dubrovnik for views of the city and the Adriatic.
Getting to Dubrovnik from Mostar
You can take a bus from Mostar to Dubrovnik or book a private transfer.
Where to stay in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is the most expensive place on this itinerary, so it might be a good time to transfer some Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt to book the Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik, available for as little as 24,750 points.
If you prefer a vacation apartment or a different hotel, take a look at the map below.
Spend three nights in Kotor, Montenegro
Not only is Kotor an incredible city in its own right, but we will be using Kotor as a base for a day trip to northern Albania.
Kotor is a walled medieval city, situated on a bay, and surrounded by gorgeous mountains. It’s full of winding pathways, little shops and restaurants, and well-fed, friendly cats.
What to do in Kotor
Explore the streets of the walled city
There’s a surprise around every corner in this beautiful medieval city. Kotor is home to a number of happy cats that you’ll encounter as you walk along. Stop for a seafood meal in one of the many outdoor cafes and watch the people go by.
Visit the beach
Kotor Beach is a short walk from the Old Town of Kotor. It’s surrounded by beautiful mountains and the water is a stunning shade of blue. There are beach chairs and umbrellas available for a small fee at the beach. The days can get very warm in Kotor, so the umbrella will be much appreciated.
Take a day trip
There are a number of interesting places to visit in the area. We took a full day tour to northern Albania from Kotor with Montenegro Hostel Tours. We visited Rozafa Castle, the city of Shkoder, and an agrotourism restaurant. Read more about a day tour to Albania from Kotor here.
Other short trips include a trip to the Blue Cave, to Perast and to Budva.
Getting to Kotor from Dubrovnik
You can take a bus from Dubrovnik to Kotor or book a private transfer.
Where to stay in Kotor
We stayed at the Lana and Ena Apartments, right in the heart of the city. The owner is very friendly and made sure that we had everything we needed. The apartment is perfectly located in the middle of everything, but stayed very quiet. We enjoyed the exposed stone inside the rooms. There was even laundry available, which works well with our packing strategy.
If you’re interested in booking with Ultimate Rewards points, you can choose to book any hotel through the Chase Travel Portal or transfer points to Hyatt to book the Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay for 15,000 points per night. The Hyatt is outside of the Old Town though, so make sure to keep the location in mind if that’s important to you.
Spend one night in Podgorica, then fly home
We didn’t find many attractions in Podgorica, but it is the capital of Montenegro and home to an airport that’s relatively well-connected and easy to fly out of. I recommend simply using it as an overnight spot before a morning flight back to the USA.
Book plane tickets for this Balkan trip itinerary
The easiest way to make this itinerary work is to book two one-way tickets, one flying into Split and the other flying out of Podgorica.
We transferred Ultimate Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic to book a Delta/KLM flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam to Split. On the way home, we used United miles (combined with a few Ultimate Rewards points) to book Austrian Air and Lufthansa flights home from Podgorica. Booking with points and miles is great because there’s no penalty for booking one-way flights. If you haven’t gotten started with points and miles, check out this post for more information and next steps.
If you don’t have any points or miles to buy your tickets, I recommend searching one way tickets on Google flights. Google flights makes it easy to see which dates will give you the best deal. You can even include nearby airports in the search, in case the price is better.
What to pack
I recommend packing light, only bringing a carry-on suitcase and a backpack. Leaving the large suitcase at home will make the transfers between cities much easier. Your airport experience will be faster as well, since you won’t have to wait for your luggage at the luggage carousel or deal with lost luggage.
Don’t forget if you’re bringing electronics from the USA, you’ll need a plug adapter to plug them in in Europe. My favorite plug adapters have multiple outlets and USB ports on each one. You may also want to bring a satellite WiFi HotSpot, in case the hotel WiFi isn’t working well, or in place of an international data plan for your phone.
Final thoughts
This part of the world has so much to discover, but this Balkan trip itinerary is a great way to get a taste of four unique and beautiful countries. This trip was one of my favorite family trips – you don’t have to fight crowds at big tourist sites and it’s easy to relax and enjoy the beauty all around you. Once you travel to the Balkans, you’ll definitely want to return!