The Beautiful Balkans (with a side of Istanbul)

In October 2024, we decided it was time for a warmup trip to ignite our wanderlust and prepare for full-time travel. Leaving our fur baby at home, we set off on a 7-week journey through Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, and wrapped it all up with a stop in Istanbul, Türkiye before heading back to Australia.

Croatia is captivating with its blend of history and natural beauty. A coastal landscape of ancient stone villages clinging to cliffs that plunge into the sparkling Adriatic Sea, while cascading waterfalls and wooded mountains create a beautiful nature retreat.

With 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites to explore, Croatia offers an incredible mix of man-made wonders and stunning natural landscapes. The natural Plitvice Lakes will satisfy any nature lover with their pools and lush surroundings, though be prepared to share the kilometers of winding wooden boardwalks and damp trails with the masses.

While the historic cities of Split and Dubrovnik are unmissable, iconic and steeped in history, the charming village of Primosten was a standout with its picturesque beauty and small village vibe. Each destination seemed to cast its own unique spell, making Croatia a place we’ll undoubtedly return to.

The Durmitor National Park and mountain region were the highlight of our visit to Montenegro. The many hues of autumn were just appearing, the temperature crisp, the crowds lighter and the ski season not yet starting. The ski towns all hurriedly building new chalets were a surprise as we hadn't considered the country being such a big skiing location, but the landscape seemed perfect.
The picturesque town of Perast, and in our opinion the prettiest town in Montenegro, on the Bay of Kotor was an ideal spot to spend a couple of relaxing days indulging in fresh seafood and oysters plucked straight out of the water by the oyster farmers and served directly to your waterside table.

Before departing for Romania, we visited Montenegro’s four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, grabbing a glimpse of the country’s rich history and natural glory.

The beauty of Romania in Autumn is a sight to behold. The mountain passes breathtaking, the towns charming, the people welcoming and the food amazing.
Every region surprised us with something unique that far exceeded our expectations including the traditional clothing still worn by many locals. The historic town of Sibiu quickly became one of our all-time favorites, and the country’s abundant National Parks are places we plan to return to for more exploration in the RV. Romania in autumn is simply stunning.
Our hot tip, drive it! Everywhere is beautiful and a car will allow you access to the best parts and to see the traditional horse and carts on the roads.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Montenegro

Croatia

Romania

Türkiye

Istanbul is truly a feast for the senses. A blend of beauty, history, and culture that we fell in love with. Defined by iconic landmarks like the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace we wandered through throngs of tourists and locals navigating stall holders and touters in the bustling, but anticlimactic, Grand Bazaar. We found the commercialism of the Grand Bazaar disappointing, so with a bit more research decided to visit The Egyptian Spice Bazaar which ended up being more of what we envisaged the Grand Bazaar to be with vibrant colours, fragrant spices and meandering alleys and stalls.

The city’s cuisine offerings are excellent, but you can't beat the baklava!

The few short hours' drive from Croatia, and we arrived in UNESCO listed Mostar. A mountainous and pretty drive which sadly was burdened with rubbish and stray dogs. The small town is intriguing and pretty with ancient, cobbled walkways that were brutal on the feet and luggage wheels but worth a day or 2 to visit, topped off with one of the best meals we experienced during our 7-week escape at Vrata Orijenta.
Bosnia has numerous UNESCO medieval tombs (stećci) which we briefly visited as well as the newly listed Vjetrenica Cave, Ravno. Being the sole visitors to the unique, and most biodiverse cave in the world, on the day, the informative tour took approximately 30 minutes and cost €10 each. Take a coat.
A further brief side trip took us to 500-year-old Blagaj Monastery. Expect to pay for parking in the village and walk to the site along the Buna River packed with tourist stalls and restaurants.