The British newspaper “The Guardian” published an article on journey, updating our region, which he also called the “Far East”. Five countries and their tourism potential were presented, including our country.
“No more Spain, Italy and Greece? These countries offer spectacular landscapes, unspoilt swimming areas, ancient cities – and affordable prices,” is how “The Guardian” began the article on Balkan tourist destinations.
Montenegro
With the Adriatic Sea to the south and mountain ranges to the north, Montenegro is a good place to combine a beach vacation with a more active vacation. The beach is centered on the medieval town of Budva, which has a 35 km long sandy and rocky coastline. Lake Skadar, the largest in southern Europe, is about an hour’s drive away and is perfect for boating and enjoying the natural beauty.
Don’t miss Bokokotor Bay, which looks like a fjord and is surrounded by mountains. This place is also protected by UNESCO. Around its coast are several medieval towns, numerous churches and monasteries. Tourists can visit the baroque town of Perast, as well as the island of Our Lady of Skrpjela. In the town of Kotor, 1,355 steps lead up to Saint Ivan’s Fortress, with spectacular views. To the north, sights include the mountain mausoleum of 19th-century ruler Petar II Petrović Njegoš, then Cetinje, the ancient capital, and the rock-built Ostrog Monastery.
“There is also the Durmitor National Park with its forests, lakes and mountains, which is the ultimate outdoor adventure destination in Montenegro. Žabljak, the highest town in the Balkans (1,456 meters), is also a good base. Visitors can zipline 1.3km of the deep Tara Canyon, raft the Tara River and swim in the Black Lake,” the Guardian wrote.
Kosovo
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and remains a largely unknown tourist destination, perhaps still associated with the year-long war in 1998. But today it is a safe place to travel, with few people and low prices. Although landlocked, Kosovo is made up of two large plains surrounded by mountains with 50 peaks exceeding 2,000 meters. That means great hiking, horseback riding and skiing. Since there is no sea, swimming in natural pools is popular: Mirusha Falls features canyons, caves and 13 lakes.
Nightlife is vibrant in the capital, Pristina, and the second city, Prizren. This is partly because this Balkan country has the youngest population in Europe – more than 65 percent of the population is under 30 years old. These two cities also have many mosques, museums and monuments.
The main tourist sites include four UNESCO-protected monasteries and churches – Decani, Pec, Gračanica and Ljevish, then the Bear Sanctuary, which is home to European brown bears rescued from captivity by the humanitarian organization Chetiri Shepi, and the Cave of marble or Gadime, full of stalagmites and crystallized stalactites.
Slovenia
Slovenia has a charming capital – mountains, lakes and forests, top-notch wines. Ljubljana, a compact capital, is built around the Ljubljana River, with Baroque and Habsburg buildings on both banks. You can enjoy a glass of wine on a riverside terrace, and the town also has a hilltop castle, art galleries, theaters and museums (with Europe’s only complete mammoth skeleton at the Musée d natural history), iconic 20th century architecture and the wooded Tivoli Park. .
In the northwestern part of the country, the main tourist sites are the spectacular Lakes Bled and Bohinj. On the other side of the mountains, the less-visited Soča Valley offers hiking, rafting and kayaking in summer, and skiing and snowboarding in winter. Further south, the Postojna and Shkočjan caves as well as Predjam Castle, built at the entrance to the cave, are must-sees. Piran is a postcard coastal town, with Italianate architecture reflecting centuries of Venetian rule.
Eastern Slovenia is a wine region – the bustling town of Maribor has the oldest vines in the world – and is a good choice for a farm stay. Ptuj, the oldest town in Slovenia, is a nice place for a day trip.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Another country linked to the wars of the 1990s, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is back on the “backpack trail”. The capital Sarajevo has been compared to Istanbul or Jerusalem because of its old town, Baščaršija, full of bazaars, mosques and restaurants. But recent history should not be forgotten, which is why you can visit the History Museum and the Rescue Tunnel Museum, which tell the story of the four-year siege that killed 10,000 people in the years 1990.
Mostar, in the south, is the country’s second biggest attraction, a city famous for its magnificent old bridge – visitors can pay to jump off it if they dare. Less touristy (and longer) is the Arslanagića Bridge in the beautiful town of Trebinje in the far southwest. Other famous towns are Travnik, the former Ottoman capital, and Jajce with its spectacular waterfall.
Rafting is popular from March to October, and one of the best areas for rafting is around the town of Bihac, on the rapid Una River. Other options include multi-day hikes in Sutjeska National Park, overnight stays in mountain huts, and a 10-day mountain bike trail from Mostar to Sarajevo. Drivers stay in guesthouses and private accommodation and eat local food. In winter, skiing is available in Bjelašnica and Jahorina, south of Sarajevo.
North Macedonia
North Macedonia is a mountainous but green country in the Balkans. Although it is landlocked, it is full of lakes, the most famous of which is Lake Ohrid. It is one of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe, but there are also Prespa, Dojran and more than 50 smaller lakes.
The UNESCO-protected Lake Ohrid is the biggest attraction, surrounded by ancient monasteries, beach bars and fish restaurants. Activities include lakeside cooking classes, e-bike rides, boat tours and paragliding. The town of the same name is full of churches and monuments, and along the lake there are picturesque fishing villages.
Skopje, the capital, is less attractive but has a Byzantine fortress as well as modern additions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art. Mavrovo National Park, located on another lake and home to bears, wolves and lynx, offers hiking, cycling, horse riding and swimming in summer, as well as skiing in winter. There is also the picturesque 11th-century monastery of St. Jovan Bigorski. Other national parks are Galichica, located between Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa, and Pelister, a mountain with two lakes.