The 7 Best Road Trips in the Balkans

The Balkans, comprising several countries in Southeast Europe – namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, mainland Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and European Turkey – are some of the most unique parts of the European continent. While the region has had a fairly rocky history, it is also home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, and the best way to explore this beautiful region is by car.

Whether you want to explore the coastline of Croatia or the mountains of Montenegro, we’ve got you covered. Here are the 7 best road trips in the Balkans.

Explore Southeast Europe with These Top Balkan Road Trips

1. Split to Ksamil (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania)

Starting things off with a 10-hour journey that traverses four countries (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania), you will start your road trip in the southern Croatian city of Split, perhaps most famously known for one of the main filming locations of HBO’s Game of Thrones TV series.

You will cross the Croatian-Bosnian border and drive into Bosnia and Herzegovina, continuing onwards into Bosnia, passing through stunning countryside towns and villages like Berkovići. After continuing through Bosnia and Herzegovina, you will cross over the border and into Montenegro, one of the smallest Balkan countries.

Montenegro is more mountainous, and its name translates into English as “Black Mountain”. On the way, you will pass through the country’s capital (Podgorica), before reaching the Albanian border.

Once you are in Albania, you will make your way southwest, taking a coastal route, bypassing Tirana (the capital), but instead seeing other major cities such as Durrës. You will eventually end up in Ksamil a few hours later, which has been dubbed ‘the Maldives of Europe’, and with its pristine white sands and beach huts, it's easy to see why.

Distance: 545km

Route highlights: Diocletian’s Palace, Balkan countryside, coastlines, Ksamil

When to do it: Summer for the best weather.

2. Bucharest to Sarajevo (Romania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina)

While this next trip is not for the faint-hearted, clocking in at a whopping 875km and taking around 13 hours by car. Therefore, stopping off somewhere is essential.

You’ll start your journey in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, which in itself is an excellent city to visit, with beautiful architecture and excellent markets. You will then head east, passing other cities like Pitesti and Craiova, before eventually reaching the Serbian border.

Serbia is a hugely underrated country as far as holidays go, and on this journey, you’ll see exactly why. Unspoiled country landscapes will make way for the urban setting of Belgrade – the country’s capital – a couple of hours before you reach the Bosnian border.

Once you arrive at the Bosnian border, you can either choose to follow the M18 for a more direct route or the M19 for a more scenic route to Sarajevo.

Distance: 875km

Route highlights: Bucharest, rich Balkan history, endless mountains.

When to do it: Any time of year.

3. Athens to Podgorica (Greece, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro)

This is an excellent road trip for those who want to experience the best that Southeast Europe has to offer, and it’s an epic, long journey, clocking in at over 1,000km.

Starting in the Greek capital, Athens, you will make your way north into their neighbouring country, North Macedonia (formerly known as Macedonia until 2019), but not before you have passed plenty of Ancient Greek ruins.

On this road trip, you will also pass through each of the aforementioned countries' capitals, which is an excellent way to experience and visualise their culture. Skopje (the capital of North Macedonia) makes for an excellent stop-off point before heading northwest and crossing the border into Kosovo.

Visit Pristina (the Kosovan capital) along the way, and hear the Islamic call to prayer in the city while you enjoy some authentic Balkan food on an evening. Continue west before reaching the Kosovo-Montenegro border, where Podgorica is only a short drive away.

Distance: 1,030km

Route highlights: Ancient Greek ruins, Balkan culture, capital cities

When to do it: Any time of the year. Good for winter sun.

4. Tirana to Sunny Beach (Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria)

A route that traverses the southern Balkans from west to east, this journey starts in Tirana and ends on the shores of Sunny Beach, Bulgaria.

Tirana is a simply stunning city, with a range of beautiful museums, restaurants and bars to cater for all tastes, and it’s very easy to fly to from the majority of UK airports.

You will make your way east through North Macedonia, taking the time (on this 12-hour drive!) to make the most of the glorious rural Macedonian scenery, which transforms as you go through the country, from flat desert-like settings to lush green hills.

After traversing the entire width of North Macedonia, you will reach the Bulgarian border, where the majority of this road trip takes place, as you will now traverse the length of the country.

There are numerous spots to stop and take photographs – you will even pass through the capital, Sofia, before eventually reaching the popular tourist resort town of Sunny Beach on the shores of the Black Sea. A great place to put your feet up and enjoy a couple of cold ones, beachside.

Distance: 880km

Route highlights: Mountains, Sofia, beaches

When to do it: Spring for a quieter road trip.

5. Istanbul to Zadar (Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia)

You may be surprised to know that the western side of Istanbul (or the ‘European’ side) is classed as being a part of the Balkans, although it is the furthest east you can get in this region.

So, for those who want to really push themselves and their driving and navigating abilities, why not travel from the eastern Balkans to the western Balkans, on a 1,600km, 19-hour road trip that will see you pass through 6 countries?

The journey starts in the world-famous city of Istanbul, surrounded by the numerous markets and bazaars that the city is famed for. You will make your way over the border into neighbouring Greece, briefly driving through the most northerly part of the country, before driving north and over the border into Bulgaria.

Once in Bulgaria, you will pass through major cities such as Plovdiv, Pazardzhik and Sofia, before you reach the Serbian border. Once in Serbia, you will continue northwest, bypassing some major cities but taking advantage of the wonderful, wild countryside. 

You can then drive over the border into Bosnia and Herzegovina, driving through the beautiful north of the country, which contains a small section of the Dinaric Alps, and is known for its rural villages and mountainous landscapes.

Finally, you will cross the Croatian border and head south until you reach the beautiful coastal city of Zadar, where you can enjoy basking under the sunshine and taking a dip in the Adriatic Sea.

Distance: 1,611km

Route highlights: A tour of the Balkans in under 24 hours!

When to do it: Anytime of the year.

6. Sarajevo to Skopje (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia)

Slightly shorter but just as scenic as the previous route, this 560km road trip takes you through four countries in just over 9 hours, so it’s definitely possible to do it in a day if you share the driving with someone else. There are some states in the US where you can drive for that amount of time and still be in the same state, let alone in a completely different country!

Starting in the Bosnian capital, you will head southeast, crossing the border into Montenegro. You can take a short diversion here to see the Tara River Canyon, one of the most beautiful valleys in the Balkans.

Continue south, where you will cross the border into Kosovo on the boundaries of the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park, a stunning area of Kosovan wilderness that showcases the country’s natural beauty and wildlife excellently.

Head southeast and make a stop-off in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, before continuing south and over the border into North Macedonia. Skopje – the capital – is just a short drive from the Kosovan border, and is an excellent place to end your journey.

Distance: 502km

Route highlights: Natural beauty, National Parks, Old Towns in capital cities

When to do it: Anytime of the year.

7. Pula to Podgorica (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro)

Last but not least, this road trip through the western Balkans is a geographer’s – and a road-tripper’s – dream. Think rugged mountains, stunning coastlines, gorgeous beaches, cultural diversity, clear rivers and warm hospitality, all in the space of less than a ten-hour drive.

You will begin this route in Pula, at the very tip of northwest Croatia. The journey will then take you south along the entire Adriatic coast of Croatia, passing towns and cities including Rijeka, Zadar and Split, before reaching the border crossing where you will drive into Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Here, you can either cross straight back over the border to Croatia to pass through the famous city of Dubrovnik, or go slightly inland to experience more of Bosnia & Herzegovina. If you choose to do the latter, we highly recommend visiting the historic village of Medjugorje, a popular site for Catholic pilgrimage with a monastery that has stood since 1566.

Continue south before crossing the border into Montenegro, whose mountainous landscapes and beautiful rivers have inspired countless creatives for centuries. Your journey will come to an end in the country’s capital of Podgorica, which is an amazing city to explore.

Distance: 820km

Route highlights: Coastlines, beaches, rivers and mountains.

When to do it: Any time of the year. Autumn and winter are quieter.