The magic of the Balkans

Whenever “The Balkans” comes to mind, the first thought that comes to mind is: “I want my next vacation SOON.”

The Balkans are in every respect one of the most interesting and attractive areas in Europe for motorcyclists from all over the world. History, multiculturalism, landscapes, charming cities, gastronomy, monuments, nightlife, character of the people, sea, cathedrals, natural parks, customs and all this at prices that are sometimes much cheaper than in any other destination in Europe. It seems that we can find any attraction we are actually looking for there.

However, it is not always easy to plan a route through these magnificent landscapes, with their coasts washed by the Adriatic and medieval cities. Unlike other more touristy destinations, where we can plan our route from home down to the last detail, in the case of the Balkan countries it is not always so easy. Improvisation, background knowledge and more precise planning is necessary on many occasions and that is why I will gather a lot from my experience of touring the Balkans on my BMW motorcycle in order to be able to report as much information as possible about it.

What is the Balkans?

We refer to the area of ​​about 660,000 km² between the Balkan Mountains themselves and the Dinaric Alps, an area that includes almost all the countries of the former Yugoslavia: Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia, as well as mainland Greece, Albania, a small part of Italy, part of Romania, Bulgaria and the Turkish region of Eastern Thrace.

In this post we will refer in particular to the countries of the former Yugoslavia.
In our case, after several weeks of planning and deciding to start the route in Croatia and end it again in Croatia, we finally planned two possible routes:

1) The coastal route: I will focus on Croatia, travel the country's extensive coastline and visit the cities of Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik, tour to Bosnia to visit Mostar, continue my journey through Montenegro to Durmitor National Park, then to Albania and then travel back to Split in Croatia.

2) The inland route: I will visit the capitals of Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia and North Macedonia, as well as important cities such as Maribor, Banja Luka or Niš, to return to Croatia later.

Finally, we decided on the first option. We knew it was interesting, but also that in the summer period when we would be doing the route, this area would be very busy with tourism, which could lead to a "crowd" of tourists and difficulties in booking accommodation, not to mention the price increases. What interested us even more about the Balkans, on the other hand, was its history and the routes that you could travel on a BMW motorcycle, and we thought that the best way to understand it was to visit the less explored routes, routes where the traces of the history of that time are still very present.

IMPORTANT!

Documentation and visas. Currently, citizens of the European Union do not need to apply for a visa in any of the countries in this region. In many cases, a passport is even unnecessary, except in Albania. For citizens from outside the EU, a passport is essential and it is advisable to carry it with you at all times. The Class A motorcycle license (EU compliant) is recognized by all of these countries. Otherwise, it is generally advisable for non-EU citizens to carry an International Drivers Permit.

Currencies and prices:

In general, everyday life in the Balkans is much cheaper than north of the Alps. With the exception of Slovenia and Greece, where the currency is the Euro, and some tourist destinations on the Croatian and Montenegrin coast (Dubrovnik, Split, Kotor...), where prices throughout our tour are more similar to those we are used to. When traveling through the inland of Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Albania, prices are in many cases less than half compared to Western Europe or the coastal region of the Adriatic.

How to get to the Balkans?

Of course, there are many ways and means of transport. But let's be honest, we often take many unnecessary detours and end up disappointed, often because of too high expectations, and have to extend our journey by several hours.

For this reason, it should be a well-intentioned piece of advice to rent a BMW motorcycle in Croatia. There are a variety of BMW GS models.

Accommodation and food:

The hotel offer in this region of Europe should not be a problem at all, as both in the big cities and in the most touristy rural and coastal areas there is a wide, varied and affordable choice for all budgets. During our stay in the Balkans, our experience was that we found an equivalent or even better service. All of them usually have free internet connection, maps and city information and some have breakfast included in the price.

As for the gastronomy, this is undoubtedly one of the trip's strong points. Very good, varied and inexpensive. And don't forget the desserts, pasta, soups, all kinds of meat, grilled dishes, cheeses, sweets, wines and a culinary mix of Italian, Greek and Turkish influences will ensure that it will be a delight. Don't forget to try burek, a puff pastry filled with meat, cheese or vegetables, cevapcici, grilled minced meat served with bread, onions and white sauce, and sweets such as baklava, made with almonds, hazelnuts and honey.

Language:

One of the most common concerns before travelling to the Balkans is the question of language, an aspect which, as we will see, is often easier in practice than we think.

However, to travel through the Balkans, at least a basic knowledge of English is essential, as most young people speak English. In hotels, restaurants or train stations in big cities, there is always someone who speaks English and can help.

When to travel?

In our opinion, the best time to travel to the Balkans is spring and autumn. It doesn't rain often and the heat isn't overwhelming, so there are often sunny days with temperatures around 25°C.

The locals:

In short, the population of the countries of the former Yugoslavia is characterized by friendliness and hospitality towards foreigners.

Safety:

In general, the Balkans is a very safe region.

Health:

The level of hospitals and health centers in this region is acceptable, at least as far as the urban centers are concerned. However, we recommend taking out private health insurance.

Traveling in and through the Balkans is undoubtedly a very enriching pastime and experience in every respect. Enchanting places, landscapes, gastronomy, culture and, above all, the friendliness of the people. A trip that, regardless of the time of year, duration or itinerary, will certainly not disappoint you. So what are you waiting for to discover this region?

The Balkans are waiting for YOU!