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 –
North Macedonia is one of Europe's most underrated destinations. Tucked away in the heart of the Balkans, this small country is packed with ancient history, dramatic mountains, UNESCO-listed sites and a fascinating mix of cultures. From Europe's oldest lake and medieval monasteries to London buses, secret pearl-making techniques and some of the Balkans' best wine, here are 12 fun facts about North Macedonia that reveal why this country deserves a place on your travel list. 1. North Macedonia is home to Europe's oldest lake Lake Ohrid is not just one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe – it is one of the oldest lakes on Earth. Estimated to be between 1.3 and 2 million years old, this ancient lake reaches almost 300 metres deep and is home to more than 200 species found nowhere else on the planet. Its crystal-clear waters are shared between North Macedonia and Albania and have earned UNESCO World Heritage status thanks to its extraordinary natural and cultural importance. Even more remarkably, nearby Lake Prespa is just as ancient and connected to Lake Ohrid through underground waterways beneath the Galičica mountains. 2. You can ride a London bus in Skopje Arriving in Skopje, you might wonder if you have accidentally landed somewhere much closer to home. The Macedonian capital is famous for its fleet of bright red double-decker buses inspired by London's iconic Routemaster. Some are genuine former London buses, while others were made in China to recreate the classic British design. This is one of the few places outside the UK where you can hop on a red double-decker to do your sightseeing. 3. Ohrid Town was once known as the "Jerusalem of Europe" Today, Ohrid is a peaceful lakeside town of cobbled streets, cafés and beautiful churches. But during the Middle Ages, it
North Macedonia is one of Europe’s most underrated destinations. Tucked away in the heart of the Balkans, this small country is packed with ancient history, dramatic mountains, UNESCO-listed sites and a fascinating mix of cultures. From Europe’s oldest lake and medieval monasteries to London buses, secret pearl-making techniques and some of the Balkans’ best wine,
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
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