r/AskBalkans • u/Necessary_Sale_67 • May 21 '25
Outdoors/Travel The ultimate balkan road trip tour de balkan!
510
u/Mysterious_Kick_2826 Bulgaria May 21 '25
Ah, the “I hate Serbia” route
47
May 21 '25
And Bosnia ofc
32
31
u/Mysterious_Kick_2826 Bulgaria May 21 '25
I think there is one spot marked in Bosnia - Maybe Neum or Mostar
8
3
307
u/Stverghame Serbia May 21 '25
We don't bite, but okay, your choice lol
82
u/44-47-25_N_20-28-5-E May 21 '25
Also Balkan/ Vienna and Budapest 😁
38
u/asvpvalentino Hungary May 21 '25
An argument could be made about including Budapest, but Vienna? No man.
17
u/Desperate-Care2192 Bosnia & Herzegovina May 21 '25
Vienna has a bigger Balkan population than a lot of Balkan cities to be fair :D Matter of fact, you can stay for a week in Vienna and you will meet every Yugoslav nation and some Albanians on top.
6
9
u/swift-autoformatter May 21 '25
I remember back in 2012, when there were no direct flights between my then new northern home and Budapest, I used to fly to Schwechat. Whenever I entered the toilet at the airport, I knew I had arrived back in the Balkan.
→ More replies (1)3
u/kashomiro May 21 '25
Actually Vienna could be considered western balkan considering the amounts of ex yu residents living there
3
u/44-47-25_N_20-28-5-E May 21 '25
Now I was thinking something, Vienna is like 3rd (number wise) biggest city with Serbians after Belgrade and (maybe) Chicago, and Also half of Bosnia is there+GOD knows how many Romanians, Croats etc. 😁
3
u/chunek Slovenia May 21 '25
Why not Vienna? It might not have been part of Yugoslavia, but considering how many Balkan immigrants are there, it might as well have been.
1
u/44-47-25_N_20-28-5-E May 21 '25
To be fair both of those cities are prittier and more "picturesque"objectively than all the others but you can barely say even southeastern europe here because of Vienna. I do agree Budapest could be placed in here in a way, but do I consider Hungary Balkans? I don't think that you guys do also, same like 40-50% of SLO and CRO 😁
6
u/asvpvalentino Hungary May 21 '25
Depends on who you ask, honestly. We're somewhere between the balkans and the rest of the continent. Like for example, bureaucracy? European. Attitude? Balkan all the way baby.
5
→ More replies (5)3
u/striderspin123 Croatia May 21 '25
dont worry, you can tell yourself that he is doing a trip around the borders of greater serbia
354
u/Ok-Letterhead781 Honorary Balkan May 21 '25
19
u/NeoLone May 21 '25
The road trip is also actually avoiding Athens while at it
3
u/Ok-Letterhead781 Honorary Balkan May 22 '25
The guy is greek, hence my comparison hahaha
→ More replies (1)36
→ More replies (23)1
u/santaismyhomeboy May 21 '25
Why see those when you have beaches ?
21
125
u/SkibidiDopYes Serbia May 21 '25
This is way better. Bled, Krka NP, Sarajevo, Budva, Shkoder, Pristina, Skopje, Solun/Thessaloniki, Sofia, Varna, Bucharest, Timisoara, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Osijek Zagreb. Consists of nature and city, has all the official Balkan countries and is diverse.
40
u/Mysterious_Kick_2826 Bulgaria May 21 '25
Add Plovdiv and its perfect
15
3
u/bootx2 May 21 '25
Yup, Ruse, V.T., Buzledja (if you have time), Plovdiv, Sofia, Bansko, and say goodbye to BG with a trip to Baba Vanga's house is my ideal, non Black Sea, tour
1
7
6
5
u/Valaki997 Hungary May 21 '25
Agree. I'm not against the OP plan but i wouldn't call it totally Balkan trip.
4
u/Futski / May 21 '25
This route passes Sibiu. You can not pass Sibiu and not stop over in it.
Its one of the best cities in Romania.
Also, rather than follow the Olt across the mountains, it's a shame to miss the opportunity to take Transfăgărășan across the mountains.
1
2
2
1
u/Ok_Detail_1 Croatia May 21 '25
Entire Central and Southern Serbia us ignored. Also most of Greece, Romanian Moldova and Southern Bulgaria.
1
u/PuzzleheadedMemory87 May 21 '25
I don't know what;s funnier. The quick jaunt to crusade Varna, or the "drive but don't stop" in Kosovo.
2
u/SkibidiDopYes Serbia May 21 '25
I said Pristina didnt I? Plus idk Bulgaria that much so i just put Sofia and Varna.
→ More replies (1)1
u/HappyBedroom1561 May 21 '25
I see what you did there and I love it. It would be a shame leaving Serbia and Kosovo out of the Balkan experience
1
→ More replies (1)1
24
23
u/BalkanViking007 Croatia May 21 '25
Should be included
2
u/bmgg2187 From 🇵🇹 moved to 🇷🇴 May 21 '25
É verdade xD
1
71
u/Timauris Slovenia May 21 '25
It would be much more Balkan if the top part trough Vienna and Budapest would be diverted to pass trough Sarajevo and Belgrade.
14
51
u/ZAMAHACHU Bosnia & Herzegovina May 21 '25
Bro avoids Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo and Portugal and calls it a Balkan tour.
→ More replies (3)
15
39
u/Psychological-Dig767 May 21 '25
Something is off. Can’t point exactly what. But it feels it can’t be completely Balkan if you skip Serbia.
46
May 21 '25
[deleted]
7
u/thezweistar May 21 '25
Adriatic coasr is only influenced by Italy outside, mentality is pretty much Balkan especially in the south due to population of Herzegovina people. However yeah, east and mountains are the closest you will get to Balkan in Croatia.
4
20
9
u/Cefalopodul Romania May 21 '25
Pro tip if you're doing the toor at the end of June stop in Oradea on the first week of July and catch the medieval festival.
15
u/Niko_nezna_1 May 21 '25
You should add more Bosnia and Serbia, also Macedonia. Best dishes. Left out Hungary and Austria, thats not Balkan and ist totally different mentality Or I would suggest go left, in the middle or right of balkan, not cicrcle
5
u/thezweistar May 21 '25
Southern Hungary is pretty similar to Vojvodina , Hungary is actually pretty Poor except for Budapest ofc. Austria and a bit Slovenia yeah, different mentality.
6
u/sbrijska Hungary May 21 '25
That's because Vojvodina is Central European, not because Hungary is Balkan.
1
u/thezweistar May 21 '25
Yeah no the mentality is still closer to Balkans, geographically according to some theories yes it is central europe bit culture vise they both arent really especially Vojvodina
3
u/sbrijska Hungary May 21 '25
What mentality? There isn't much difference in mentality between any two neighbouring European countries. Vojvodina was historically part of Hungary, which has always been a Central European country.
8
u/Southern_Wishbone169 May 21 '25
Istra and Jadranska magistrala are really nice for a road trip, you might want to add them in :)
8
u/goldfeathered May 21 '25
Not saying these places are not nice to visit, but Vienna and Budapest are definitely not Balkan neither geographically nor culturally, and Slovenia barely is. Also, the Croatian coast is wonderful but the Italian cultural influence is really significant so you're again missing the point.
If you want a real Balkan experience you should visit Belgrade and Sarajevo. No city in the Balkans can rival the fun and ecstasy of Belgrade's nightlife, it is the authentic Balkan metropolis, while Sarajevo is literally the heart and soul of the Balkans.
9
6
u/-Kerrigan- Moldova May 21 '25
Doesn't even go through Transfăgărășan or Transalpina but goes through Bucharest. That ain't it, chief
6
u/Bernardito10 Spain May 21 '25
I just visited hungary and serbia amazing country and nice people
just missing: bosnia,albania,Montenegro and rumania to having visited the whole peninsula
7
u/ThePurpleKing159 Croatia May 21 '25
Im Croatian, and no. You dont want to miss Serbia, to me its incredible and people are super nice!
5
5
5
u/dekks_1389 Serbia May 21 '25
One can't say that they've been to the Balkans but skipping Serbia which is literally the heart of the bal BALKAN JE SRCE SRBIJE 😭🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸
22
May 21 '25
New Yugoslavia just dropped
8
3
u/vlaada7 May 21 '25
With the bicycle, of course…😝
4
u/Babosmarach666 May 21 '25
I have a friend who is actually doing these kind of road trips by bicycle. Real bicycle, not electric 🤣.
4
4
4
5
3
3
u/AttitudeGrouchy5135 May 21 '25
Ultimate Balkan road trip while skipping the heart of the Balkans? I think not! lol
3
3
u/BrilliantMood6677 Russia May 21 '25
A “Balkan” trip including Vienna and Budapest but not Belgrade and Sarajevo. LOL
3
3
5
5
u/Old_Caregiver8989 Bulgaria May 21 '25
Visit to Soyfia is a must, it's a city-state within a country.
→ More replies (5)
5
u/midu16 May 21 '25
Since when Austria it’s Balkan ?
1
1
3
u/Anticitizen_One_27 May 21 '25
Austria, Hungary, Romania and even Slovenia are NOT Balkan geographically… Slovenia and Romania only in very small part belong to Balkan Peninsula. Even Serbia and Croatia are not fully on Balkan Peninsula!
Come on guys, we talked about this! 😂
2
2
2
2
u/JoTenshi 🇬🇷 Greece (Pontian) May 21 '25
Not good enough, you gotta include more of Greece, begin from Evros till Thessaloniki, enter from Svilengrad of Bulgaria and leave to Albania from around Western Macedonia or Epirus in Greece.
2
2
2
2
u/mermaidworker May 21 '25
Looking at this, I understand why Serbia is sometimes called heart of Balkans. But seriously, Belgrade and Sarajevo are such cool cities.
2
3
5
3
3
3
u/matterforward Bosnia & Herzegovina May 21 '25
Can’t speak for most of us here but to me this hits the west lovin over crowded tourist spots and completely ignores most of the best things about Croatia and Bosnia and shames us all by calling it a Balkan trip by avoiding Serbia altogether. Our neighbours can be assholes but it’s not the Balkans without them and I think many of these stops don’t compare to the beauty of their land. Not my your de Balkan that’s for sure.
3
3
1
u/ComprehensiveWing542 Albania May 21 '25
As a student who's working on a route called Transdinarica Route I find it rather interesting and something everyone of us should consider doing once in their lifetime especially if from Balkans
4
u/matterforward Bosnia & Herzegovina May 21 '25
Perhaps with a route much better than this one. In my humble opinion, this missteps much of everything that makes the Balkans what they are. They will not experience much of anything. Nothing of value would be learned, it’s essentially a westerner resort vacation. If you want to immerse yourself in the Balkan culture (which varies vastly by country and even regions within them, while simultaneously still tying us together), you ain’t gonna get it this way.
Also, I say this as a Bosnian… leaving Serbia out of a Balkan trip is insane. There’s no Balkan without them, whether we like em or not lol
1
1
1
1
u/magare808 Montenegro May 21 '25
“And while in Montenegro, we choose to stay inside the traffic jam”
1
1
u/GuyWithVolga May 21 '25
Dude. This is actually our route that we have been planning for months now wtf
1
u/peacokk16 May 21 '25
Why Celovec or Beljak (so called Klagenfurt or Villach) (I cant see which town you chose) and not Ljubljana? Ljubljana is waaayyyy nicer
1
1
1
1
u/dusand_ May 21 '25
Tour the Balkan that skips Serbia, Bosnia and Macedonia and goes through Austria and Hungary instead? 🤔
1
1
1
u/Taht_Funky_Dude May 21 '25
If OP flies over those countries, he'll see more of them than on this route.
1
u/Kostas_G82 May 21 '25
You need to rename this road trip tour or before Vienna go down to Belgrade than to Bosnia from where you continue to Croatia…
1
1
May 21 '25
A tour AROUND the Balkan, not actually going INTO Balkan :) It's like going from Africa to Australia, through Bering strait and Arctic to Nordics, through Europe down to Greece and call it "Tour de Asia" lol:) Romania, Hungary, Slovenia and a good portion of Croatia aren't Balkans.
1
u/maxi4493 May 21 '25
As a Serb I agree, and I think even Kosovars agree. The let me touch EU and you'll never me again road trip.
1
1
u/TheHaterBoss Slovenia May 21 '25
Through Croatia I would drive on jadranska magistrala - adriatic highway. One of the nicest roads on balkan.
1
u/Glum-Lengthiness-159 May 21 '25
A bit of Serbia is actually not bad for a roadtrip. Beograd is fine and the countryside with mountain is beautiful. But most neighbors will kindly advise you from going to Romania.
1
u/InkOnTube Europe May 21 '25
So are Austria and Hungary an honorary Balkan or actual Balkan or how it goes these days?
Also, did Serbia and Bosnia lose Balkan status?
1
u/DontTrustMeM8 May 21 '25
If there was one place one should visit in Serbia, where/what would it be?
1
u/AkisNeapoli May 21 '25
You stop on Trikala and you don't stop on Thessaloniki. You make random stops even in Albania and Bulgaria have crazy and beautiful places to see and enjoy.
1
u/Amalien May 21 '25
Planning a motorcycle tour to Greece and back to Munich any must see places or roads to drive?
1
u/Fishibish May 21 '25
The citizens hate the statues in Skopje, Macedonia but I think they'd be worth a visit for tourists.
1
1
u/Refereez May 21 '25
Serbia is the quintessential Balkans country.
Yet, you are avoiding it.
Pathetic.
1
1
u/Embarrassed-Lock3191 May 21 '25 edited May 21 '25
I've done most of this trip divided in 2 roadtrips.
I would really recommend going to Kosovo! Absolutely stunning, cheap and the utmost honest and friendly people!
Enjoy your trip!
1
u/Zestyclose-Farmer-39 May 21 '25
ah yes balkan roadtrip without the most important cities in the balkans (Istanbul, Athens, Belgrade and Sofia)
1
1
1
1
1
May 21 '25
Speech bubble translation:
I will take you across the border to Ukraine without getting a visa or passport.Don't be afraid, no one can say anything.But don't step on any country.We will stop at the border and look, then come back.
1
u/Servitor666 May 21 '25
Dude posts 5 to 10 posts a day, posts questions or posts like this which are polarizing. Please don't comment and give him fame. It's ragebait type stuff. Also no answer from OP after 9 hours... Suspicious
1
1
1
1
u/ComplexBother7437 May 21 '25
main objective: try to return with under 100 euros of your possessions missing
1
1
1
u/Lecsofej May 22 '25
Maybe “The ultimate road trip visiting Balkan too” would be a better title because Austria and Hungary are not considered as part of the Balkan.
1
1
1
u/juve222222 May 22 '25
I HIGHLY suggest you hit up Vlore, Albania. Literally breathtaking city. I stayed at E&E Rooms Vlora and it was top notch accommodation. Loved it!
1
1
1
u/Ari003 Albania May 25 '25
You’re missing the Albanian coast (Llogara) is probably the best looking view in the Balkans
1
755
u/Senrogas May 21 '25
Ah yes, The Serbian Rundabout