Balkans Travel Blog
Travel tips and resources for travellers: Travel guides, itineraries, abandoned places, street art and off-the-beaten-path places in the BalkansHello and welcome to our Balkans travel blog. You will find all our blog posts from the European countries collectively known as the Balkans in this section of our website.
Maybe you found our Balkans travel blog because you are considering a visiting the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, or perhaps you are partway through planning a trip to the Balkans. Whatever the reason, we hope we can provide some useful resources and travel tips for the Balkan countries.
Which countries are included in the Balkan region is often cause for debate. The Balkan Peninsula lies in southeastern Europe and typically includes the seven countries that make up the former Yugoslavia plus three more bringing the total number Balkan states to ten. The countries are Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia. Some sources include Moldova as a Balkans country, but for the purpose of organising our posts, we’ve categorised Moldova as the former USSR. Some people exclude Slovenia from the list, but include Hungary. Arguably part of Turkey (the European part west of Istanbul) and northern mainland Greece have one foot on the Balkan Peninsula.
Geography and politics both come into play when defining the Balkan countries and settling on which countries make the list could turn into a much longer post than we have room for on our Balkans travel blog page.
As you would expect from a region that stretches from Central Europe to the Black Sea, the Balkans comprises a myriad of landscapes, experiences, cultures, cuisines and history. It’s impossible to pick a favourite, and the Balkans cannot be summed up in a singular cliched strap-line, other than “something for everyone”!
Our Balkans blog posts are generally aimed at independent travellers and backpackers like us and have a strong focus on travelling around using public transport, staying in budget accommodation and exploring off-the-beaten-path and lesser-visited places.
Browse all of our Balkans blog posts
Street Art in Pristina… and the Newborn Monument
Seeking out street art in Pristina plus a look at the changing face of the Newborn Monument – a guide for independent travellers to Kosovo in the Balkans.
Belgrade’s Modern City Gates | Serbia Travel Guide
What and where are Belgrade’s Modern City Gates? Visiting the Genex Tower and Rudo, iconic tower blocks in the Serbian capital.
Seeking out Street Art in Skopje, Macedonia
To be honest, we were expecting a lot more when it came to street art in Skopje. However, the Macedonian capital has only a few pieces of art and graffiti.
Where to break the journey between Belgrade and Budapest
Where to break the journey between Belgrade and Budapest. Novi Sad, Subotica, Szeged and Kecskemet in Serbia and Hungary are all worth a visit.
Our 2017 Travel Review in Photographs
And a preview of what's on our travel agenda for 2018 Oops, we did it again! On not slowing down… 2017 saw us pass our 9-year travelversary but didn’t see us slow down very much! We stayed in a handful of places for a week which, to be honest, is quite an achievement...
Street art in Mitrovica, Kosovo
The street art in Mitrovica was an unexpected surprise during our visit to Kosovo, but there was a big contrast between the Serbian and Kosovan sides.
The House of Revolution (Dom Revolucije) in Niksic, Montenegro
Urban exploration in Montenegro’s second city, Niksic: the House of Revolution. Once an impressive SpomenDom, today it’s nicknamed the ‘House of Death’.
Street Art in Podgorica, Montenegro
It takes a bit of effort to find the best street art in Podgorica, but during our recent visit to Montenegro we delved a bit deeper and found quite a lot.
Where to break the journey on the Belgrade to Bar train
Read our suggestions for interesting places to break the journey on the Belgrade to Bar train, the most scenic railway trip in the Balkans.
The Park-Monument of the Bulgarian-Soviet Friendship in Varna
Situated in the port city of Varna, the Park-Monument of the Bulgarian-Soviet Friendship is one of Bulgaria’s most imposing Socialist-era relics.
Where to break the journey between Skopje and Lake Ohrid
Places to visit between Skopje and Ohrid in North Macedonia if you are interested in seeing some smaller, less-visited cities and towns.
New Kids on the (Urbex) Block …
Although we like the idea of urbexing, the sound of glass breaking underfoot, the stench and the risk of finding someone make us nervous urban explorers.
Visiting Mitrovica, a Divided City in Kosovo
History and politics in Kosovo are complicated and it doesn’t get much more complicated than Mitrovica, a small city in the north of the country.
The Air Force Command Building in Belgrade, Serbia
Discovering the Air Force Command building in the Belgrade municipality of Zemun. The building was attacked in the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia.
Suggested Balkans Itinerary: Podgorica to Corfu Town the Long Way
A suggested Balkans itinerary for independent travellers and backpackers, travelling from Podgorica to Corfu Town via Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia.
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