If you’ve been reading any of our recent posts about our road trip through Europe’s Balkan States you know that we had quite the adventure. We hit 3 countries, stayed in 9 cities, explored 6 national parks, and saw countless beautiful sites over a period just shy of 3 weeks. We absolutely loved this trip, so much that we want to share our full itinerary with you. We hope this helps as you plan your own adventure and that it inspires you to visit some of these fantastic places.
Here’s a map of the sites we visited:
Link to map: Our Big Balkan Adventure Map
Day 1: It All Started in Zagreb
We only spent one night in Croatia’s capital, wanting to quickly head out to the more popular parts of the country, but we discovered that Zagreb is definitely a destination of its own. It’s a hipster city with an up and coming vibe, lots of great restaurants, unique shops, and a very reasonable price point. We stayed at Hotel Central which was nothing special but lived up to its name and was very central!
We rented a car to explore the Balkan States and we’re so glad we did – many of the places we went weren’t accessible any other way. We used Alamo through Rentalcars.com which worked out perfectly for us, but there are lots of options. Two things to keep in mind: first, most cars are standard (you’ll pay a premium for an automatic) and second, if you’re going to cross non-EU borders in a rental car then special documents are required. Be sure to reach out to the local rental office at least a week ahead of time so that they can prepare the paperwork before you arrive.
Days 2-5: To Istria!
From Zagreb we took a three hour drive southwest to explore Croatia’s Istria Peninsula. This area feels a lot like Italy, but can be explored at a much lower cost. We based ourselves out of Rovinj, a lovely coastal town that rivals Dubrovnik in beauty. We loved our central Airbnb and highly recommend it! Other notable places to explore include the hill-top town of Motovun, the fresh seafood of Fažana, and the colosseum of Pula.
Our Istria Blog Post: Istria: Croatia’s Italian Peninsula
Day 6: Waterfalls Galore at Plitvice Lakes
Next, we went to one of Croatia’s greatest tourist attractions, the beautiful waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes. The drive from Rovinj to Plitvice took about 4 hours and we left early in the morning with hopes of exploring most of the park in the early afternoon. Some intense rain put a damper on the first few hours of our hike but it eventually let up and we were able to see fantastic waterfalls and some truly awesome autumnal scenery. We spent the night drying out at a cozy guest house, Pansion Breza that had a delicious dinner and some of the best doughnuts ever with breakfast.
Day 7: Drive to Split with More Waterfalls Along the Way
Our seventh day was a pretty heavy driving day, packed with two waterfall spots. We drove from Plitvice Lakes to the Štrbački Buk waterfalls on the Bosnian border (about an hour and a half drive), then made a stop for a swim at Krka Waterfalls (a three hour drive), and finally spent the night in Split (an easy one hour drive away). It was an aggressive schedule but we got to see so much beautiful Croatian countryside.
In Split we stayed at the B&B Castel Split which was nothing special and a bit small, but very central. Split is a beautiful city that we could have spent another day in, but we really wanted to get to the island of Hvar.
Our Croatian Waterfalls Blog Post: Chasing Croatian Waterfalls
Days 8-11: From Split to Hvar (Relaxation)
That brings us to our early afternoon, 2 hour ferry ride from Split to Hvar on Jadrolinija. We decided to pay to take our car on the ferry since parking in Split is expensive and our Airbnb in Hvar came with a free parking spot. This island was one of the most relaxing parts of our trip and also one of our favorites. Going in the off-season (October) made a huge difference here, as we had whole beaches to ourselves, didn’t need reservations for any of the restaurants, and generally experienced no stress. Don’t miss taking a boat trip to the amazing blue caves and be sure to have at least one meal at Dalmatino’s!
Our Hvar Blog Post: Finding Heaven in Hvar
Day 12: Drive to Mostar
On the 12th day god created… wait never mind, on the 12th day we took an early morning ferry and drove from Hvar to the Bosnian town of Mostar, which took about 5 hours (including the border crossing). Mostar is a fascinating ancient city with a unique variety of cultures and a famous ancient bridge. Be sure to wait around to watch one of the locals jump from the bridge! We stayed at Hotel-Restaurant Kriva Ćuprij, which has a great location and the friendliest staff.
Day 13: Drive to Durmitor National Park with Stops at Kravica Waterfalls and Počitelj
From Mostar we headed to two other Bosnian sites: Kravica Waterfalls (cold, but pretty) and Počitelj, a lovely old city that has so far escaped the tourist crowds. We then crossed over the border to Montenegro and went to the town of Žabljak, the gateway to Durmitor National Park. It was a long day, with about 6 hours of driving (including the border crossing), but it was beautiful and worth it.
Our Bosnia & Herzegovina Blog: 24 Hours in Bosnia & Herzegovina
Day 14: Hike Bobotov Kuk in Durmitor National Park
Hiking Bobotov Kuk was one of our best hikes on this entire journey, and we were lucky to have near perfect weather. Durmitor National Park has a unique but beautiful landscape with jagged peaks, lots of rocks, and very few trees. We also really loved out guest house, Zabljak City Center Apartments, as the owner went above and beyond with local advice (and shots of schnapps).
Our Bobotov Kuk Blog: Hiking Bobotov Kuk: Durmitor’s Highest Peak
Day 15: Beautiful Drive to Kotor
From Durmitor National Park we drove through the beautiful Tara Canyon and then on toward Kotor Bay. Along the way we made a stop at the famous Mausoleum of Petar II Petrović-Njegoš, which sits on top of Mount Lovćen and offers fantastic views of the coast and Kotor Bay. This route also took us on one of our most white-knuckled drives, as the road from Mount Lovćen down to Kotor consists of steep, extremely narrow switchbacks. It was a full day and about 4.5 hours of driving…and we highly recommend doing it during daylight.
Days 16-17: Explore Kotor Bay
There’s plenty to discover in the Old Town of Kotor, whether it’s climbing the stairs to St. George’s castle or taking a boat tour of the bay. Don’t miss some of the cities on the nearby coast as well: Budva, Stari Bar/Bar, and Sveti Stefan. The furthest of these is only 1.5 hours away so you can hit a few spots if you’d like. We stayed right outside of Kotor in an Airbnb with both a parking spot (very convenient) and an amazing view!
Our Bay of Kotor Blog: Dipping our Toes in Kotor Bay
Day 18: Heading to Dubrovnik
From Kotor Bay we took a 2 hour drive to Dubrovnik, where we spent one night. We were warned by multiple travelers that the walled city gets insanely busy and can be expensive, and those warnings proved accurate – even in October. We also discovered that there’s a reason this city is so popular: it’s absolutely gorgeous. The red roofs, the high city walls, the impeccable limestone buildings, and the Adriatic Sea create a scene that feels like it’s right out of a movie (or a Game Of Thrones episode…). That said, we felt a full day here was enough to experience the highlights and we wouldn’t recommend more than two nights. Our favorite activities: walking the city walls (for $30 USD each, yikes!) and taking a swim in the Adriatic Sea near the base of those walls (this is free). Both experiences are beautiful.
As for places to stay, we found a somewhat affordable hotel, Kamara Dubrovnik, for $100 USD a night in Lapad, which is about a 20 minute walk from the walled city. It was a good hotel for the price and you’ll be hard pressed to find anything cheaper!
Day 19: Bye Bye Balkans!
Sadly we had to leave the Balkans to fly to Jordan, but we’ll be back for sure!
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