A Region Worth Slowing Down For: The Balkans

Southeastern Europe has a habit of getting skipped over by people planning a first big European trip, who default instead to the more obvious western capitals. That’s a shame, because the stretch of countries running from Slovenia down through Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and into Albania offers some of the best value and most dramatic scenery on the continent, often within a short drive of each other.

Coastlines and mountains within the same afternoon

One of the strangest and best things about this region is how quickly the scenery changes. You can be swimming in the Adriatic in the morning and looking down over a limestone gorge by the afternoon. Croatia’s coastline gets most of the attention, understandably, but Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor and Albania’s quieter beaches further south offer similar drama with noticeably fewer crowds.

Inland, the landscape shifts again just as quickly, into forested mountains, alpine lakes and small farming villages that feel a world away from the coast. A single week long trip can genuinely include a beach day, a hike, and a night in a mountain town, something that would take far more planning and distance in most other parts of Europe.

History that’s still being reckoned with

Cities like Sarajevo and Mostar carry a recent history that’s impossible to ignore, and that’s part of what makes visiting them so worthwhile. Walking through Sarajevo’s old town, where Ottoman era markets sit a short walk from buildings still marked by the 1990s conflict, gives a far richer sense of the region than any beach ever could. It’s not always a comfortable kind of travel, but it’s an honest one.

Local guides in these cities are often extremely open about discussing what happened, and a good walking tour here tends to leave a stronger impression than almost anything else on a trip through the region. It’s history that shaped people still living there, not something read about in a textbook.

It’s still genuinely affordable

Compared to Western Europe, prices across most of the Balkans remain noticeably lower for food, accommodation and transport, without any real drop in quality. A good dinner with wine can cost a fraction of what you’d pay in Italy or France just across the water. That combination of affordability, scenery and history is becoming harder to find elsewhere in Europe.

As more people discover the region, prices in the most popular coastal spots have started creeping up during peak summer weeks, so travelling in late spring or early autumn still gets you the best combination of good weather and lower cost.

For more inspiration, take a look at our guide to Things to Do in Berlin.

You might also enjoy our guide to Things to Do in Brighton if you are still planning your itinerary.