Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina & Montenegro
Yes, you can walk the walls in Dubrovnik and take a boat out into the Bay of Kotor, but the beauty of bringing Bosnia-Herzegovina into the mix is that you also get to experience areas that aren't as well known. There simply aren’t the crowds associated with the neighbouring countries, even around the UNESCO sites and on the streets of the capital city, Sarajevo. The rock hewn town of Blagaj on the Buna River, for instance, or the medieval architecture of Mostar or the preserved Ottoman-style village of Pocitelj – these are the places that are sorely missed by the cruise ships and coachloads.
Visiting Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro is a great way to experience the area, as a whole, as well as inviting cultural exchanges with local people across every border.
Our Balkans Holidays
Balkan adventure holiday
Explore Hungary's capital to medieval towns
Dubrovnik to Athens tour
Join us on a whirlwind adventure through the Balkans
Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia holiday
Escape the crowds and explore hidden Europe
Balkan adventure holiday, 15 days
From Hungary through to Croatia
Balkans rail holiday
Travel through seven countries in the Balkans.
Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro holiday
Multicultural diversity of 2 South- European countries
Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro holiday
Discover Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro
Balkans cultural holiday
Best of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro
Balkans tour, Belgrade to Banja Luka
Explore culture, nature & history of Serbia, Kosovo & B&H
Balkans small group tour
Travelling through the heart of former Yugoslavia.
Bulgaria, Macedonia and Kosovo tour in the Balkans
Macedonia tour, with side trips to Bulgaria and Kosovo
Balkans cycling holiday
Some of the most unexplored routes in the Balkans
Holiday to Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina
A magical mixture of European and Eastern culture
Ancient Macedonia tour
Explore eastern Bulgaria, northern Greece and Macedonia.
Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia holiday
See 3 countries on this 10 day tour
Albania to Montenegro cultural holiday, 12 days
Cultural heritage of Balkan highlands
Balkan group tour
A 2 week adventure through Eastern Europe's hidden gems!
Group tours of the Balkans
Discover Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro & Bosnia
Highlights of the Balkans small group tour
Discover where Europe meets the Orient
Highlights of Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro
Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro Tailor made holiday package
The Balkans holiday
Discover the history of Albania, Macedonia & Kosovo
The Balkans small group holiday, bike, hike and paddle
Bike, hike and paddle in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro
Peaks of the Balkans hiking holiday
Remote lifestyle of Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro villages!
Balkans cycling holiday
Cycling in the Balkans: Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia
Cycling holiday in Bosnia & Montenegro
Largely uncrowded roads allow for glorious views
Balkans archaeology tour
Experience the Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians & Ottomans
Western Balkans small group holiday
Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro
“By visiting all three countries on the same trip, you can experience quite a large part of the Balkan peninsula, with all its natural beauty, culture and history and also all the differences. All three of them are neighbouring countries, so you can easily visit on the same trip. Travellers are always surprised by beautiful and pristine nature (mountains, rivers, lakes, sea – there are many natural parks in the region) and hospitality of people from all three of countries. They are also astonished by old traditional villages and medieval towns.”
Religious relatives
One of the most obvious cultural contrasts between the three Balkan nations is religion. The majority of Croatia is Catholic, Montenegro is Eastern Orthodox Christian and Bosnia is a blend of both alongside a Muslim majority. This sort of cultural collision has, unfortunately, led to many of the problems of the all too recent past. However, in these present day, peaceful times it's the architectural contrasts within the churches, monasteries and mosques that provide travellers with fascinating insight into each country's cultural heritage.Architectural influence
Taste the difference
Fish suppers, seafood risottos and buzara-style dishes – shellfish stew from Croatia – are always worth tasting along the Adriatic. Further inland dishes become meatier with Montenegro and Bosnia both favouring chunky stews and seasonal salads served with grilled lamb and mutton. Filo pastry also features further from the coast with cottage cheese, meat and potato pies (burek) conjuring up mouth watering mountain meals whilst baklava and tufahija create sticky treats on city streets.The pace of tourism
One thing you might have to get used to is the pace of life from one country to the next. Croatia, for example, is well accustomed to accepting guests from all over the world whereas tourism in Bosnia-Herzegovina is still starting to regain traction. You're far more likely to meet people in Bosnia who have had little or no contact with international travellers. Go slow and respect the rights of rural people making a living off the land. Don't ask, or expect, too much if you're spending time in the mountains. Life is a lot different to the yacht marinas and five star hotels on the Adriatic coast.Things to do
Best time to go
Although the best time to go to the Balkans is often considered to be the summer, please be aware that the Adriatic coast can get extremely crowded during June, July and August. Either side of summer, in our opinion, is a far better option. Spring flowers cover the alpine meadows of Montenegro in April and May whilst late September signals the harvest as Bosnia’s ancient woodland turns into a kaleidoscope of colour to complement steaming bowls of Bosanski lonac – chunky meat and veg stew. Click the links to read more information on the best time to visit: the Balkans, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina.Our top Balkans Holiday
Balkan adventure holiday
Explore Hungary's capital to medieval towns
2021: 1 Jun, 8 Jun, 6 Jul, 3 Aug, 7 Sep, 14 Sep, 21 Sep
2022: 3 May, 31 May, 7 Jun, 5 Jul, 2 Aug, 6 Sep, 13 Sep, 20 Sep
Top tips for responsible travelling
A tailor-made tour of Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro encourages travellers to book into locally-owned B&B guest houses and city hotels. Each accommodation will offer an authentic and welcoming place to stay as part of an organised tour. Breakfasts, on all sides of the border, are bound to be wholesome and hearty with veritable banquets of freshly sourced local produce setting you up for a day of exploring. Another benefit of breakfasts being included is that you'll also get to visit locally-owned restaurants or tuck into some street food delicacies along the way. This is a far more authentic and organic experience when compared to an all-inclusive hotel option.A tailor-made tour will also provide you with a guide and a driver to accompany you throughout your trip. You can even request the same driver/guide to stay with you in all three countries. Although in some locations, Dubrovnik for example, you will also require a local city guide to show you around. Putting yourself in the hands of a local expert is a great way to find out more about each area that you're visiting as well as being able to ask questions without having to put your hand up in a crowd.