20-day itinerary through the Balkans, in Eastern Europe – Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina

Venturing through little-visited corners of Europe was something I had been wanting to do for a long time. The opportunity arose, and we set off, in the middle of winter, for a roadtrip through the Balkans, the European region that encompasses the countries that were once part of Yugoslavia.

Finding information about these destinations in the blogosphere wasn't easy, so here's a series of posts with everything you need to know to organize your itinerary through the Balkans, in Eastern Europe, and get to know this culturally rich and diverse region.

The former Yugoslavia dissolved in 1991-1992, resulting in six countries today: 6 countries: Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia Herzegovina and North Macedonia. In addition to these, Kosovo still struggles for independence from Serbia; many countries recognize it as an independent state, but not all (especially Serbia).

In this post, you will find our Balkans itinerary, with tips on accommodation, routes and unmissable attractions.

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Balkans in 3 weeks - itinerary overview

We made this trip in winter, however, it can be done at any time of the year.

All the destinations we visited have attractions in every season of the year - in fact, around Kotor, there are great beaches to enjoy if you go during warmer months.

• Day 1️⃣ – Arrival in Belgrade (Serbia), pick up the rental car and check-in at the hotel
• Day 2️⃣ – Belgrade
• Day 3️⃣ – Drive to Zlatibor - Tara National Park
• Day 4️⃣- Tara National Park
• Day 5️⃣ – Drive to Zabljac (Montenegro) – Durmitor National Park
• Day 6️⃣ – Durmitor National Park
• Day 7️⃣ – Durmitor National Park
• Day 8️⃣- Drive to Kotor
• Day 9️⃣ – Kotor
• Day 1️⃣0️⃣ – Kotor
• Day 1️⃣1️⃣ – Budva in the morning, drive to Dubrovnik (Croatia) the afternoon
• Day 1️⃣2️⃣ – Dubrovnik
• Day 1️⃣3️⃣ – Dubrovnik
• Day 1️⃣4️⃣ – Drive to Mostar (Bosnia-Herzegovina)
• Day 1️⃣5️⃣ – Mostar
• Day 1️⃣6️⃣ – Mostar in the morning, drive to Sarajevo, with a stop at Jaorina
• Day 1️⃣7️⃣ – Sarajevo
• Day 1️⃣8️⃣ – Sarajevo in the morning, drive to Belgrade (Serbia) in the afternoon
• Day 1️⃣ 9️⃣ – Belgrade
• Day 2️⃣0️⃣ – flight back home

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What it's like to drive in the Balkans

Driving is an essential part of a roadtrip, right?

During these 3 weeks in the Balkans, we drove almost 2.000 km (precisely, 1.960 km) through 4 countries: we rented the car in Serbia, passed through Montenegro, then Croatia, reached Bosnia, and finally returned to the starting point in Serbia.

We didn't encounter any issues along all those kilometers. 

Except for a short stretch near Belgrade, where we traveled on a dual-carriageway, the entire journey was all on single-lane roads. This entire region is quite mountainous, so these roads have many curves: it's important to pay attention, keep the speed within the indicated limits, and enjoy the scenery (such beautiful views!)

Driving is on the right side (like in the rest of continental Europe): steering wheel on the left and the vehicle traveling on the right side of the road.

We didn't encounter any tolls on the route, nor police checkpoints, police inspections, or anything similar.

In Serbia and Bosnia the signs are in both Latin and Cyrillic characters; in the rest of the countries only in Latin characters.

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About border controls:

We had no problems at any of the borders.

We rent a van, there were 7 of us (4 adults and 3 children) traveling with Brazilian, Italian, and Hungarian passports. Nowhere were we asked for additional information or documents beyond "where are you coming from, where are you going." There were no vehicle inspections at any point.

Exit from Serbia, entry into Montenegro:

We entered Montenegro via Jabuka (Serbian side) and Ranče (Montenegrin side). The wait in both cases was short, about 2-3 vehicles ahead of us.

Exit from Montenegro, entry into Croatia:

From Montenegro to Croatia, we went through Debeli Brijeg (Montenegrin side) and Karasovići (Croatian side). The queue for entry into Croatia was huge, with a wait of about 1 hour.

Exit from Croatia, entry into Bosnia-Herzegovina:

There was no border control when entering Bosnia - they only checked our documents when leaving Croatia (at Zaton Doli), but we didn't pass through any border posts when entering Bosnia Herzegovina.

Exit from Bosnia-Herzegovina, entry into Serbia:

We left Bosnia through the eastern border with Serbia (at Sepak), where there were passport controls both when leaving Bosnia and entering Serbia, but in both cases without long queues and without major questioning.

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Where to stay in Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina

Throughout these nearly 3 weeks we stayed in 7 different accommodations. There was everything from traditional hotels, family-run guesthouses, mountain chalets, to rustic Airbnbs.

In two apartments – one rented via Airbnb and the other via Booking – our reservation was canceled at the last minute by the respective hosts , and we had to scramble to find another lodging option. This had never happened to us before; it might have been just bad luck and coincidence, but in any case, it's a warning to be extra cautious with cancellations in the region and always have a plan B ready.

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Where to stay in Belgrade, Serbia

We arrived at Belgrade, the capital of Serbia on a low cost flight at 3 am, so when booking, I looked for a traditional hotel with 24-hour reception to avoid any hassle in the wee hours on our first night in Eastern Europe

It was the right strategy: we stayed at Belgrade Inn Garni Hotel, in the central region of the city, very close to Republic Square and Kneza Mihaila, the pedestrian street full of little shops, bars and restaurants. The hotel was okay in terms of comfort; the beds were of decent size (although the sheets were small), the breakfast was okay (although it fell short compared to the photos in the Booking listing), the hotel staff was great and even kept the boots I forgot there on the first day and I went to pick it up on the last day of the trip when we returned to Belgrade (yes, I did that, I forgot my winter boot sin the first accommodation and went through the entire trip with regular sports shoes). 

We returned to Belgrade on the last day of the tripand we stayed at Public House Hotel – for the date, it had a better price than the Belgrade Inn Garni Hotel, and  we thought it would be a good idea to stay in another part of the city to explore it better.

It was excellent: Public House Hotel was much better, in terms of comfort, and newer, than Belgrade Inn Garni Hotel. We stayed in a family apartment with 2 bedrooms, a living room and a bathroom, perfect! The location is great, there are several shops and restaurants nearby – we went toNjegoseva streetfor dinner and breakfast. From the hotel we walked to the Waterfront, a good and pleasant walk.

Take the opportunity to check availability and prices here:

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Where to stay in Zlatibor, Serbia

Zlatibor is a small town in the mountains of Serbia that we used as a base to explore Tara National Park. It has a ski resort, being one of the best spots in Serbia for winter sports.

We stayed in a charming chalet,  The Crown Lodge, it was new and clean.

However, we had a major issue with the host, as the listing stated there was a sofa bed in the living room, which didn't actually exist, as well as a jacuzzi, which the host informed us two weeks before our trip only worked during the summer. With no other option, we had to squeeze in, with 1 adult and 2 children sleeping in a double bed, and the youngest child (ten years-old at the time) in a crib.

The place would be excellent for up to 5 people, maximum  , but be aware that there is only 1 bathroom. 

In the Zlatibor area, I had pre-selected the Hotel Tara and Apartments Milic, which were closer to Tara National Park – who knows, maybe we would have had better luck there? Another option that caught my attention was the Lake House Perucac: a floating house, on the banks of the Drina River, which would have been amazing for a summer trip – as it was winter, I didn't think we would enjoy it as much.

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Where to stay in Zabljac, Montenegro

Arriving in Montenegro, our first stop was in Zabljac, in the region close to Durmitor National Park, the main area for winter sports in Montenegro.

We had booked the Villa Ama (via Airbnb), but the host informed us a few days before the trip that the house heating had collapsed.

We then booked two chalets in Maple Village; each of them suitable for up to 4 people. The chalets were made entirely of wood, with a small kitchen and bathroom. Despite accommodating 4 people, we found it a bit cramped, especially the living room and kitchen area. The bathroom was very simple.

Other options I had researched, but were already booked when we had to resort to plan B, were Holiday Home Vile Calimero and Guest House Sky Blue.

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Where to stay in Kotor, Montenegro

One of the most beautiful towns on the Adriatic Sea, Kotor is really worth a few days of your visit.

But here we had another accommodation mishap. We had booked the Guest House Rose, however the host informed us, the day before, that she had Covid and could not receive us. 

Fortunately, one of the options I had pre-selected on Booking was still available (I always bookmark all the accommodations that seem interesting in a list, either for situations like this or to include them in a detailed post here on the blog).

So we went to Stone House Kotor, where our host Darko was very attentive and helpful. The house faces Kotor Bay, a short walk from the old town, and accommodates a large group like ours well (there were 7 of us). 

For other accommodation options in Kotor, check out our post about what to do in Kotor.

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Where to stay in Dubrovnik, Croatia

In Dubrovnik, we stayed in an excellent house, Emma's Cottage, , just a few meters from the walls of the old town, one of the best accommodations of the trip.. The host, also named Darko, gave us several tips, including restaurants (unfortunately closed due to the low season) and recommended a parking lot with a very reasonable price.

By the way, if you are traveling by car, when booking accommodation in Dubrovnik, pay attention to the parking issue: it is VERY expensive to park in the town, specially close to the old town. If you are staying at Emma's Cottage, as soon as you confirm your reservation, get your parking details from Darko and reserve your spot.  

Other options for staying in Dubrovnik that I had pre-selected were Villa Ragusa Vecchia and, within the Old Town, Apartment Maru Prestige and Dubrovnik Old Town Apartments.

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Where to stay in Mostar, Bosnia Herzegovina

As I already said in the specific post about Mostar, we chose to stay in a hotel on our first stop in Bosnian lands.

We chose Hotel Sinan Han and I highly recommend it . It is just two blocks from Stari Most, the town's postcard bridge, and countless restaurants, shops and markets; the room is comfortable and clean and the hotel staff is simply amazing.

We had booked a family room (deluxe suite) that was supposed to be suitable for 4 people, but the sofa bed was quite small and wouldn't be comfortable for our two pre-teens to sleep on. I asked the reception if it would be possible to add an extra bed to the room, but they offered us a complimentary double room instead! It was perfect. So, if you're traveling with 4 people, I recommend getting 2 double rooms.

In the post about Mostar, I also suggest other accommodation options in the town.

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Where to stay in Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina

At Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we chose a house, rented through Booking, Villa Kuna. It's within walking distance of Bascarsija, the central historic area, where you can find the market, the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, the Catholic Cathedral, the Orthodox Cathedral and the Synagogue, as well as some great museums and historic places.

The host was very attentive and arranged for us to use the neighbor's garage, as our car was large and it would be difficult to park it in the house's garage. The house is comfortable and accommodated our group of 7 people very well.

Other options I had selected for Sarajevo were Hotel Aziza, Miaap Apartments and Hotel Sana, all with great locations.

Check out our post on what to do in 1 or 2 days in Sarajevo, there are other great accommodation options in the city.

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What to know before visiting the Balkans

Here are some objective pieces of information that might help you when traveling to the former Yugoslavia region:

• In Serbia the Cyrillic alphabet is used, similar to that used in Russia. In many places, there is also writing in the Latin alphabet, but not everywhere. Therefore, always travel with an international cell phone chip, as Google translator will be one of your best allies in the country.

• In Serbia, smoking is allowed inside restaurants. In Montenegro, smoking is allowed inside bars and cafes, but in restaurants only outside. In Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, smoking is permitted in outdoor areas. So, if you (like us) are a non-smoker and are bothered by the smell of cigarettes, be prepared as it can be quite unpleasant.

• The food was not, for us, a highlight of the trip. The best gastronomic experiences we had were at Bosnia Herzegovina, with cuisine that blends Eastern European and Arab influences.

• Dubrovnik is VERY expensive (compared to the other destinations on this itinerary), especially food and tours. Pay close attention to restaurant and cafe menus: check all prices before ordering. Even with a lot of travel experience, we fell for a restaurant scam: there were no prices for drinks and bread on the menu, and when we paid the bill, we found out that the water was €10 and the measly bread was €3 per person - a rip-off! On Stradun (the central street of the Old Town), it was common for an espresso to cost €5,00

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• Bosnia-Herzegovinasheep was the most surprising highlight of our trip: a country full of unique charm and character, often making us feel like we were far from Europe. However, it’s also a land deeply scarred by one of the most brutal wars in European history, with the remnants of that conflict still visible everywhere.

• Communicating in English was easy throughout the trip : we didn't have any communication difficulties at any point.

• In Croatia and Montenegro the currency is the EURO, which makes life much easier for the traveler. In Serbia, it's the Serbian Dinar, and in Bosnia, it's the convertible mark, also called the Bosniak.

• All countries are in the same time zone, GMT + 1 (the same as in central Europe), but be aware of the dates when daylight saving time starts.

• LGBTQIA +: Serbia and Montenegro are known as countries not very open to displays of affection outside the traditional version of a heteronormative family. If you identify with such groups, research specific sources to avoid discomfort while traveling in the region.

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What it's like to travel in the Balkans in winter

We took this trip during the last week of December and the first two weeks of January, right at the beginning of winter.

he temperatures we encountered ranged from 14ºC in Dubrovnik one afternoon to -5ºC in Žabljak, Durmitor National Park, Montenegro. However, these were the extremes.

For most of the trip, temperatures hovered between 2ºC and 8ºC—cold, but manageable (considering we live in the tropics, where temperatures never drop below 7ºC). That said, appropriate clothing was essential: windproof and snowproof jackets, thermal pants, scarves, hats, and gloves were part of our daily attire.

It snowed one day in Zabljac and one day (very little) in Sarajevo, at the end of the trip – to the sadness of the children, who were expecting heavy snowfalls throughout the roadtrip:-)

We planned to ski in Montenegro at the Savin Kuk ski resort near Žabljak in Durmitor National Park. Unfortunately, we visited in the last days of December, and there wasn’t enough snow—the season hadn’t started yet. The previous year, the resort had opened just after Christmas, but during our visit, it only opened in the second week of January. there wasn't enough snow, the season hadn't opened yet. The previous year, the ski resort had opened just after Christmas, but when we were there, it only opened in the second week of January.

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I hope this Balkans itinerary helped you plan your trip and explore this fascinating region of Europe.

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Map of our roadtrip through Eastern Europe

Our nearly 3-week itinerary through Eastern Europe took us through 4 countries: Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia Herzegovina.

We covered 1.960 km in 18 days , with the first and last days set aside for travel between the airport and hotels.

The map below details our itinerary through the Balkans—Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Feel free to click and save it to your Google account for easy access when planning your own Eastern European adventure. our itinerary through the Balkans – Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, just click and save it to your Google account. When you plan your next trip to Eastern Europe, you already know where to start 😉

In this post, I explain how I use Google MyMaps to plan my trips. It’s an amazing tool for saving locations, calculating routes and distances, and organizing your entire journey. I highly recommend giving it a try!

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How to use this map: Click the tab in the upper left corner to access various layers, including points of interest and routes. You can toggle these layers by selecting the checkboxes. For more details on specific points of interest, click the corresponding icons on the map.

To save this map to your Google Maps account: Just click the star icon next to the map title. To access it later on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, tap the menu button, go to “My Places,” select “Maps,” and you’ll find this map listed among your saved maps.

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Before going on a trip, be sure to have the you cell phone ready!I have been using AIRALO virtual chip – if you want to test it, on your first purchase use the coupon DANAE2375, you'll you get $3 off (and so do I 🍻)

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