Across the cities of former Yugoslavia, striking concrete buildings in a style known as brutalism rub shoulders with more classical European or Ottoman architecture. Some people think the Yugoslav legacy is ugly, others love it. There's even a cult following devoted to old brutalist buildings on social media. We love the mix of both - cobbled lanes of old bazaars, elegant church towers and mosque minarets, and then an interesting sculptural lump of concrete next door! Between the 1960s and the 1980s, Yugoslav architects were handed large budgets, prominent sites and an unusual amount of creative freedom, and they built a new form of brutalist architecture. What they produced still stands in town squares, on hillsides and along the Adriatic coast, housing department stores, churches, libraries, spas and apartment blocks that people use every day. We've written before about the spomeniks, the abstract war memorials scattered through forests and national parks across the region. This piece covers the buildings that came out of the same decades and the same ambition, including several you'll pass on our routes and one or two that justify a detour of their own. Montenegro: brutalism by the coast and in the mountains Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Podgorica. Built: 1969 Podgorica's only Catholic church was designed by Zvonimir Vrklja to resemble a ship, its hull of raw concrete rising to a 40m freestanding bell tower with a spiral staircase inside. The facade was never finished. Inside, the space is dark until a 25m light shaft drops a column of daylight onto the altar. Vrkljan taught architecture in Zagreb and built this for the city's Albanian Catholic community after the original church was destroyed in the Second World War. Most visitors pass through Podgorica on arrival or departure, which makes this an easy add
Across the cities of former Yugoslavia, striking concrete buildings in a style known as brutalism rub shoulders with more classical European or Ottoman architecture. Some people think the Yugoslav legacy is ugly, others love it. There’s even a cult following devoted to old brutalist buildings on social media. We love the mix of both –
Simon Reeve’s new Wilderness series is a reminder of just how remote some of the planet’s wild places remain (which is why they’re still wild). But you don’t need to take a long-haul flight or trudge for days through a rainforest to find landscapes where nature still sets the terms. The Balkans are home to some of Europe’s wildest places: primeval forests, free-flowing rivers, high mountain pastures frequented by bears and wild horses, and wetlands alive with birds. Increasingly, their importance is being recognised internationally, including through UNESCO designations. But what do we mean when we talk about wilderness? Strictly speaking, true wilderness means large, little-disturbed areas without permanent human settlement. There is very little of that left in Europe. Most of the places on this list are better described as wild: landscapes where nature remains dominant, but where people have lived, farmed, fished, grazed animals and travelled for centuries. These aren't places to rush to before they're “gone”. They're living landscapes and the best way to experience them is responsibly. Here are seven of the Balkans' wildest places — many of which you can visit with us on our adventure holidays. 1. Perućica Forest, Bosnia and Herzegovina Located in Sutjeska National Park, Perućica is one of Europe's most remarkable surviving primeval forests. Mighty beech and fir trees, some centuries old, rise from untamed limestone slopes and tumbling streams. The forest has never been commercially logged and is protected as a strict nature reserve. It is also on Bosnia and Herzegovina's tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage status – recognition that would underline its extraordinary ecological importance. Getting into Perućica isn't a case of simply turning up and following a trail. Access is restricted and visitors must be accompanied by a specialist guide to manage impact and protect this precious
Simon Reeve’s new Wilderness series is a reminder of just how remote some of the planet’s wild places remain (which is why they’re still wild). But you don’t need to take a long-haul flight or trudge for days through a rainforest to find landscapes where nature still sets the terms. The Balkans are home to
Originally published: 10 June 2026 Last updated: 21 October 2026 Editor's note: We've updated this guide to reflect recent protests in Albania, including what they mean for travellers and whether they affect the safety of visiting the country. We'll continue to review our advice as the situation develops. Mention you're heading to Albania, Serbia, Bosnia or Kosovo and someone will inevitably ask "is that... safe?" The answer, overwhelmingly, is yes. We've been bringing groups of travellers to holiday in Albania and the Balkans for many years and, as founders, used to live close to the Montenegro-Albania border with our kids. While the region experienced devastating conflicts in the 1990s, today's Balkans are very different from the picture many people have in their heads. What you'll find is boundless hospitality, extraordinary food, a family-friendly society and locals who will invite you in for coffee before you've even asked for directions. A word about recent protests in Albania... Is Albania safe to visit right now? With riot police, tear gas and water cannons making international news, tourists are understandably asking whether Albania is still safe to visit. While our 2026 Albania season has ended, we keep a close eye on social media and see the same questions coming up daily: Will I be safe? Should I cancel my trip? Will it be OK to visit Tirana during the protests? What about the rest of the country? Here's our response: The short answer is that Albania is safe for tourists, but you need to take care. What began in May as a peaceful movement against a billionaire-backed mega tourism development in a protected area on the coast has escalated in October into clashes with police, largely in Tirana. The most recent demonstrations are youth and student-led and express broader discontent with perceived corruption.
Originally published: 10 June 2026 Last updated: 21 October 2026 Editor’s note: We’ve updated this guide to reflect recent protests in Albania, including what they mean for travellers and whether they affect the safety of visiting the country. We’ll continue to review our advice as the situation develops. Mention you’re heading to Albania, Serbia, Bosnia
While people travel thousands of miles paying top dollar for indigenous tourism experiences, the Balkans is home to some of the richest and oldest traditions, making it the best place for authentic travel in Europe. When we say ‘indigenous’, the word often conjures an idea of traditions practiced far away in Asia, South America, or Africa – but remember that mountain communities in the Balkans have preserved age-old traditions. Ancient culture really is alive and well here, from the elaborate 'Gelina' bridal makeup in Bulgaria and Kosovo, to the delicate crafting traditions of Sarajevo's Baščaršija. These traditions often mesh old pagan practices with Christian or Islamic rituals and local necessity. Some are recognised by UNESCO as protected intangible heritage. In this blog, we want to answer the question: as travellers, how can we encounter these local traditions in an authentic way? We've been looking to solve that question on our small group holidays in the Balkans, and tailor-made trips, designed around exactly these kinds of experiences. Authentic Balkan travel is possible! Here are 10 authentic cultural experiences in the Balkans that you don’t want to miss, from Serbia's kafanas to Macedonia's honey farms — all of them things we do with our guests on the ground. And remember, the Balkans reward return visits, slow travel, and the willingness to follow an invitation wherever it leads — into a family home, a vineyard, or a festival that has been happening in the same village for five hundred years. 1. Kafana music in Serbia and other Balkan folk traditions Accordions, trumpets, double bass and violins, soulful singing— this is the folk music you find in 'Kafanas', Serbia's pub-restaurant-music taverns. The experience of going to a kafana combines eating (usually large meat platters), drinking (rakia) and singing (with as much soul as possible). It's
While people travel thousands of miles paying top dollar for indigenous tourism experiences, the Balkans is home to some of the richest and oldest traditions, making it the best place for authentic travel in Europe. When we say ‘indigenous’, the word often conjures an idea of traditions practiced far away in Asia, South America, or
Scattered across the mountains and national parks of the former Yugoslavia — in countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia — are hundreds of striking brutalist monuments. These are Spomeniks: abstract brutalist monuments commissioned during Yugoslav times to honour WWII's fallen. Some look like gigantic fists, alien spacecrafts, or wings in flight. All are extraordinary. Spomeniks are most often found 'in the wild': buried in forests, rising out of national parks, and squatting on mountain peaks. This is one of rare instances where nature adventure lovers and architect enthusiasts combine: each masterpiece of brutalism can be reached on a Balkan hiking holiday or road trip. Their striking futuristic designs have several explanations: after the war and the establishment of Yugoslavia in 1963, Tito had to forge a united country from a federation that included multiple religions and ethnicities. Architects and sculptors were briefed to create something that would not offend the different sides. Instead of war heroes, neutral abstract designs were chosen, aligning with modernist trends of the 1960s to 1980s. Of the thousand-plus former Yugoslav spomeniks that once existed, only a few hundred remain. Some are well maintained, with museums and parks attached. Others were destroyed during the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s; or were vandalised, forgotten, or reclaimed by nature. Some have been stripped to their concrete skeletons, like the Monument on Mount Makljen (Tito's Fist). A comprehensive Spomenik database was created in 2016 by Donald Niebyl which documents every monument of the region. Here, we narrow it down to the spomeniks you can experience along beautiful hiking routes or scenic drives – including several we visit on our small-group adventures in the Balkans – and how to incorporate these fascinating sculptures into an adventure into nature. Bosnia & Herzegovina: brutalist monuments in the heart of the
Scattered across the mountains and national parks of the former Yugoslavia — in countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia — are hundreds of striking brutalist monuments. These are Spomeniks: abstract brutalist monuments commissioned during Yugoslav times to honour WWII’s fallen. Some look like gigantic fists, alien spacecrafts, or wings in flight. All are
Hiking in Kosovo: the ethereal beauty of Rugova Canyon Kosovo is the most underrated but exciting new destination for adventurers. Balkans travel writer Camilla Bell-Davies shares her firsthand account of hiking and wild swimming in the Rugova Canyon. Last year in June, in search of wild swimming, I hiked the Liqenati lakes trail in Kosovo's Rugova Canyon with Fatos, who leads our Kosovo multi-activity holiday. We met in Peja (or Peć), a town set like a full stop at the end of the dramatic Rugova gorge. Behind it are Kosovo's rolling plains; ahead, the valley walls tighten and the limestone cliffs rise sharply, funnelling the road deep into the mountains. From Peja to the Liqenati lakes After spending a night in Peja, I met Fatos early in the morning and we drove a short way to the start of the Liqenati lakes hiking trail. The first part of the climb was the steepest and most challenging, and already the sun was beating down, carrying the scent of hot soil and pine up from the ground. When the terrain evened out and we were able to speak without huffing and puffing, Fatos told me some of the history of the area. 30 years ago, it would have been impossible to cross these mountains from Kosovo to Albania. When communist dictator Enver Hoxha sealed Albania off from the rest of the world, families living in these borderlands were split overnight, stranded on opposite sides of the mountains. For nearly 50 years, they didn’t see one another. The closest people could come was to stare across the valley through binoculars, sending signals just to show: “I am alive.” That was all. Today, you can cross freely on foot (provided you have the right visa, a guide or hiking permit). It's a reminder that despite
Hiking in Kosovo: the ethereal beauty of Rugova Canyon Kosovo is the most underrated but exciting new destination for adventurers. Balkans travel writer Camilla Bell-Davies shares her firsthand account of hiking and wild swimming in the Rugova Canyon. Last year in June, in search of wild swimming, I hiked the Liqenati lakes trail in Kosovo’s
This week, we invited journalist and travel writer Camilla Bell-Davies to be a guest blogger and tell us which Balkan countries are on her radar in 2026. Camilla lived in Serbia and often travelled to Bosnia and Kosovo for a change of scene. She wrote about Balkans travel for The Financial Times, The Guardian and Telegraph Travel. I first stumbled into the Western Balkans as a student backpacker in the 2010s and was instantly drawn to its rich culture and gorgeous landscapes. It wasn't long before I made the Balkans my permanent home, as a writer based in Belgrade. With free reign to wander, I came to know the many wonderful places on the Undiscovered Balkans radar. Every country has so much to recommend, but if I was to pick the top three rising stars for 2026, it would be these: Beyond Belgrade: Serbia's wild places I may be bias given I lived there, but 2026 really is the moment for Serbia to step into the spotlight. The country saw record visitor numbers in 2024 and 2025, travel magazines are calling it 'Europe's most under-the-radar destination', and it has affordable prices that make slow, immersive travel possible. I say visit now before Serbia becomes the next big thing! Belgrade, Tašmajdan park in the snow Serbian hospitality is soulful and spontaneous, guesthouses are rustic and full of charm, and cities feel refreshingly untouristy. Venture beyond Belgrade’s café-lined streets and legendary nightlife to the wild 'Eagle Canyon', or the mighty Iron Gates at Djerdap Gorge on the Danube river, where you can kayak for hours to peaceful birdsong. Going with a local guide is the best way to enjoy a Serbia adventure. Belgrade has seen peaceful student protests ongoing for a year, but these are confined to
This week, we invited journalist and travel writer Camilla Bell-Davies to be a guest blogger and tell us which Balkan countries are on her radar in 2026. Camilla lived in Serbia and often travelled to Bosnia and Kosovo for a change of scene. She wrote about Balkans travel for The Financial Times, The Guardian and
If taking on a marathon, triathlon or other sporting challenge is in your New Year’s resolutions, why not tag a holiday onto it? Apparently it’s a thing: the ‘race-cation’ (when you complete some sort of outdoor challenge either side of a holiday) is rising in popularity and we're here for it—what a great excuse to book a holiday! The Balkans is host to lots of marathons, triathlons, vertical kilometres and swim races in 2026, where you’ll compete against the backdrop of the Dinaric Alps, Dalmatian coast, ancient forests and crumbling old towns. Many pair up nicely with our adventure holidays. Read on to find out what's happening in Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and more throughout 2026 and start planning your race-cation now. Marathons & sporting events in Croatia 2026 From running to wild swimming and high-altitude challenges, there’s lots for sporty folk in Croatia. After an adrenaline-fuelled event with hundreds of people, slow things down and rejuvenate with our Southern Dalmatia holiday, which blends sightseeing with adventure activities in the incredibly pretty and peaceful Ston. XTERRA Croatia When: 8–10th May 2026 Where: Mali Lošinj This three-day off-road triathlon takes place in the beautiful coastal town of Mali Lošinj and offers thrilling challenges for all abilities, from elite competitors to weekend warriors and kids. Over the course of three days, you’ll trail run, swim and mountain bike your way to victory. Youth Skyrunning World Championships When: 8–10th May 2026 Where: Makarska This year will be the 10th edition of the Youth Skyrunning World Championships in Croatia, where young athletes embark on a scenic high altitude running challenge in the picturesque port town of Makarska. UltraSwim 33.3 Croatia When: 15–18th May 2026 Where: Hvar Hvar isn’t just for beach parties—the UltraSwim 33.3 open-water swim challenge starts in the ancient town of
If taking on a marathon, triathlon or other sporting challenge is in your New Year’s resolutions, why not tag a holiday onto it? Apparently it’s a thing: the ‘race-cation’ (when you complete some sort of outdoor challenge either side of a holiday) is rising in popularity and we’re here for it—what a great excuse to
Booking your September sun holiday in Europe and not sure where to go? Look no further than the Balkans. Croatia, Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina all remain hot and sunny well into October (which is why lots of our trips run until then). In fact, our active holidays such as hiking and kayaking trips are best enjoyed during shoulder season, when it’s slightly cooler. With the kids back in school, you’ll be holidaying with a more mature crowd—ideal timing as it’s wine making season and we’re known to linger longer at wineries for tastings when there are no children around. Or leave it until October for the chance to try making rakija and forage for pomegranates. Related: Festivals in Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia & Kosovo in 2026 'Race-cations' and marathons in the Balkans in 2026 How fit do you need to be for an active holiday? (plus 8-week training plan) Croatia in September Ever been island hopping in Croatia? We bet you’ve never done it like this. Choose between two action-packed adventures in Southern Dalmatia in which you’ll kayak to some of Croatia’s best kept secrets and have a chance to see Dubrovnik with far fewer people clogging up its cobbled streets. Based in Ston, our seven-day Multi-Activity Holiday in Southern Dalmatia takes place around the beautiful Peljesac Peninsula, an hour away from Dubrovnik. You’ll discover the rich nature of the Neretva Delta, marvel at the lost Roman city of Narona, sip and cycle in Croatia’s wine country, taste some of the world’s best oysters and hike ‘Europe’s Great Wall of China’. There’s also the option to visit Dubrovnik for the day. Alternatively, paddle to secluded beaches, hidden caves and picture postcard monasteries around the Elafiti Islands on our 10 day Croatia to Montenegro lake & sea kayaking holiday. We’ll
Booking your September sun holiday in Europe and not sure where to go? Look no further than the Balkans. Croatia, Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina all remain hot and sunny well into October (which is why lots of our trips run until then). In fact, our active holidays such as hiking and kayaking trips
If you’re in Albania, Montenegro or Croatia in July, your first question may be, "is it always this hot?" The answer is—well, yes. Welcome to a Balkan summer. ☀️ But unlike what some of the British media headlines might suggest, this is no freak heatwave. For those of us who live in the Balkans—and love nothing better than jumping into rivers or the sea, or kayaking to hidden beaches—this is just normal. It’s supposed to be hot in Southern Europe. That’s the point—and you just need to embrace it. Yes, temperatures can reach the high 30s, but this isn’t the sticky, airless heat of a terraced house in August. It’s dry, breezy and delightfully swimmable. The Mediterranean sun sets the pace here—and if you follow its rhythm, you’ll not only cope, you’ll thrive. Here’s how we—and our guests—stay cool, while loving every sweaty second of our adventure holidays. So, how hot is the Balkans in summer? Along the coast and inland valleys, daytime temperatures tend to hover around 35°C from late June to July and August, sometimes a little more. In higher areas, it can be 10-15 degrees cooler – another reason to love the mountains this region is famous for. The heat is dry, not humid. That means shade and water go a long way, and evenings are often breezy and a bit fresher. British guests sometimes find it a shock at first – but that’s mostly a matter of expectations. If you’re coming from 18C and drizzle, of course it’ll feel intense. But this isn’t dangerous heat, as long as you follow these top tips. Related: When’s the best time to visit the Balkans? How to pack light for an adventure holiday in the Balkans From eSIMs to currency: Preparing to travel in the Balkans Where to find
If you’re in Albania, Montenegro or Croatia in July, your first question may be, “is it always this hot?” The answer is—well, yes. Welcome to a Balkan summer. ☀️ But unlike what some of the British media headlines might suggest, this is no freak heatwave. For those of us who live in the Balkans—and love
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