Balkans Grand Tour

We will begin our trip to croatia and bosnia in Budapest, an incredible city in its own right. Make sure you visit the most famous sites in this city such as the Jewish quarter, where the largest synagogue in Europe, and second largest in the entire world, is located. Go up another level and visit the elegant avenue of Andrassy, the Basilica of St Stephen, where, for those of you who are interested, the Hungarian football legend Puskas is buried. You must also visit the Neo-Gothic symbol par excellence of the 56 revolution and of Budapest in general: the parliament of Hungary.

After crossing the legendary bridge of chains, we will reach the green hills of Buda, which offer everything ranging from a place to eat, the bastion on the fisherman and most importantly, incredible views. Tired of all of this walking? Don´t fall asleep, it is time to have a shower, get something to eat and get yourself ready for a crazy night…. The Ruin Bars await us!!!

Did you know that…

• The yellow metro line in Budapest is the second oldest in the world. Built in 1896 it is only beaten by the London Metro.
• In Budapest there are 118 thermal springs that range from 21 degrees to 78, exceeding 70 million liters per day.
• According to a survey done by the British Foreign Office, Hungarian is the most difficult language in the world to learn.

Still need some convincing?

Read this article: 10 reasons to travel to Budapest.

Today we will wake up in Budapest to embark on our adventure to Zagreb on this trip to croatia and bosnia. We’ll cross the border and leave Hungary behind. When we arrive in Zagreb, it won’t take long for us to leave things at the accommodation because the city is waiting for us! We have arrived in Croatia and could not overlook the capital.

In the afternoon we will visit the most emblematic points such as its Cathedral, dolac Market or the Church of San Marco.

Did you know that…

• The cable car in Zagreb is the shortest in the world, since it is only 66 meters long and it takes about 55 seconds to travel down its entire length. It has been in action since 1890, all thanks to the steam engine.
• In Zagreb you can find a pharmacy that has been in operation since 1355, in which Nicolo Alighieri (the great grandson of Dante, author of the Divine Comedy) works.
• The morning greeting here is “Dover Yuto” and from 12 o´clock in the afternoon it is “Dover Dam”.
• The prices in Croatia are rather expensive; especially considering the average salaries on the people who work here (the currency is called Kuna).

After a night’s rest we will have to leave Zagreb behind. Our next destination, Zadar, awaits us on this trip to croatia and bosnia. We’ll be out after a good breakfast.

When you arrive in the city, you will have an hour to visit the most important points such as the walled city and the city gates, Naradodni trg Square, The Cathedral of Santa Anastasia.

Did you know that…

• Zadar is the oldest village in the Adriatic, with more than 3,000 years of history old town of Sarajevo follows the same structure it had when it was formed in Ottoman times (15th century).
• Zadar became part of Croatia in 1993 after the passage through several foreign civilizations.
• The Croatian currency is the “Kuna”, a euro is 7.5 kunas.
• The greeting, in the morning is “Dover Yuto” and from twelve  it is “Dover Dam”
• Prices in Croatia are rather expensive, especially with the country’s average salaries in mind.

At the end of our visit, we can head to one of Croatia’s best-known cities: Split.

After checking in at our accommodation, we will travel to the center to visit the main places and enjoy the nightlife. It has an impressive old town that will not leave you indifferent.The center is full of shops, stalls, restaurants and pubs that make Split a city with incredible life and dynamism.

Did you know that…

• Split has been the scene of several scenes from the Game of Thrones series. In general in Croatia quite a few scenes have been shot, with Split being one of them.
• In Split there are not only remains of the Roman Empire, we can also find medieval buildings such as the Town Hall dating from the fifteenth century, or Gothic and Renaissance palaces.

Welcome to one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean: Hvar. Today on our trip to croatia and bosnia, we will wake up in this paradise and after breakfast we can explore the island, probably the longest in the Adriatic Sea. The main village, is called as the island itself, Hvar and is characterized by its small alleys, its great atmosphere and its beautiful promenade. We can see his Cathedral and the Lodge with his watch. If you dare, you can climb to the old Spanish Fortress where you can take in the incredible views from above the castle.

You will have time to rest on one of its many beaches or explore the island. For this we recommend renting a motorbike to take advantage of the time. You can visit the oldest village on the island, Stari Grad, or travel to the beach of the Golden Horn of Brac.

In the afternoon, you can also have fun in one of the most famous beach bars: Hula Hula, where people from all over the world have fun and dance enjoying spectacular views.

In the evening of this trip to croatia and bosnia you can enjoy the island party. Hvar is comparable to Ibiza in terms of party and musical culture. Without a doubt this point on the itinerary will be the most relaxed of the trip where you can enjoy paradise.

Did you know that…

• Hvar was declared a Best European Destination in 2018
• Hvar self-proclaimed as the sunniest destination in all of Europe
• Hvar is comparable to Croatia’s Ibiza

It’s time to say goodbye to our Hvar Island. After breakfast, we will travel to the port to catch the ferry back to Split. Once there we will set sail for a new country, Bosnia-Herzegovina. After crossing the border, we will reach stunning waterfalls that you would never expect to be there: The Kravice Cascades.

There we will have time to enjoy nature, bathe and take some pictures. After a few hours, we’ll set course for Mostar on this trip to croatia and bosnia.

We could not overlook a city named after its most famous bridge, the “Stari Most” or Old Bridge that was destroyed during the Bosnian War in 1993.

Thanks to reconstruction efforts today you can continue to walk along this beautiful medieval bridge declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. However, we will not stop here as we have to tour its bazaar of the Muslim quarter or Kujundziluk, where the tower that served as a prison for centuries is located.

After the visit, we will have free time to dine and visit the city.

Did you know that…

• In Bosnia and Herzegovina, 45% of the population is Muslim, 36% Orthodox and only 15% Catholic.
• The walls of kravice waterfalls form a vertical garden almost 30 meters high.
• The Serbian anthem took 10 years to have text because there was a lot of ethnic diversity and all had to be identified.

After breakfast and check-out at our accommodation, we can head to Sarajevo. We will leave our luggage at the hotel and start the visit of the city. We will go through every corner of the capital and soak up its culture. We will visit places such as the town hall, the square of the town where you will find the old bazaar, the Latin bridge or the Sebilj fountain.

We will have free time on this trip to croatia and bosnia to visit the city at our air and in the evening there will be time to go to dinner and enjoy the nightlife of the city.

Did you know…

• The old town of Sarajevo follows the same structure it had when it was formed in Ottoman times (15th century).
• In Sarajevo, the incident that began world War I, the assassination of the Archduke of Austria on the Latin Bridge, occurred.
• In the streets of this city you can find painted “roses” symbolizing the bombings suffered in this city and its victims.

Did you know…

• The main religion in Serbia is the Orthodox church.
• It is a country rich in raspberries, since about 95% of the world’s cane raspberries come from Serbia.
• Serbs love partying. In Belgrade, its capital, you can party every day.
• They don´t mind about punctuality. If you stay with a Serb at a certain time, it is understood that you can arrive 1h or 2h later without anything having happened. At meal times, they don’t have anything closed. Inconceivable in the rest of Europe!

In the morning of this trip to croatia and bosnia, after breakfast, we will have to go out with strength to tour the city of Belgrade. We have a whole day to enjoy this wonderful city.

Mandatory stops are: the Republic Square, the center of Belgrade where the National Museum and the National Theatre are located, the Knez Milhailova Street, protected by law as a monument of the city, or the Kalemegdan Park, where the Roman city that has evolved to the Belgrade that we have known today was founded.

In the morning, we’ll have some free time. To finish this Grand Tour of the Balkans, we will have one last stop again.
We will stop halfway in Novi Sad, one of the most beautiful cities in Serbia, bathed by the Danube River. You can see the Freedom Square, where you will also find several palaces and other important buildings of the city.

Did you know that…

• A tram-shaped bar is located in the town of Novi Sad.
• In the same city you can find a clock tower that seems cut in half on top of a hill
• Snow tourism attracts people from all over Eastern Europe to Serbia, as it has numerous ski resorts with hotel facilities.
• As in Hungary, in Serbia the culture of spas is very common and you can find around the country thermal centres that open all year round.

Last day in Budapest and on this trip to croatia and bosnia! We have enjoyed 11 days of travelling through cities and countries, however it is time to return home.

The memories you will take with you will always last and that is why, adventurous Unitripper, we hope you want to discover more places in the future and meet again on our tours. Remember that not only does the destination matter when you travel, but also with whom you share the way, we hope to share it with you again in the future!