Introduction: Itinerary 3-week in the Balkans
Let’s explore how to spend 3-week in the Balkans. Great that’s exactly what we did in August 2021. We spent 3-Weeks in the Balkans on a road trip from France to Serbia to visit Tina’s family where we also stayed.
Not only we had 3-week in the Balkans with sun, but it was also much warmer than back in France where we were living. This itinerary is almost what we did! (Apart of the staying with Tina’s family and some improvement from experience)
Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, and Hungary are all on the program.
3-week in the Balkans was a great amount of time to visit the Balkans and you will be able to visit most of the best spots.
So, let’s dive in this Itinerary 3-week in the Balkans
Table of Contents
Mapping the day
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Itinerary 3-week in the Balkans Overview
We will visit Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, and Hungary. For us it was as a roadtrip and actually most people doing such trip are doing so. You have public transportation but then you will be more limited or need much more time.
- Day 1: Arrive in Bled (Slovenia)
- Day 2: Visit Bled
- Day 3: Visit Bled
- Day 4: Visit Bled
- Day 5: Drive and visit Ljubljana and head to Plitvice lakes (Croatia).
- Day 6: Visit Plitvice lakes
- Day 7: Visit Plitvice lakes
- Day 8: Road trip on the Dalmatians coast until Split
- Day 9: Visit Split
- Day 10: Visit Hvar
- Day 11: Drive to Dubrovnik
- Day 12: Visit Dubrovnik
- Day 13: Drive and Visit Mostar (Bosnia & Herzgovina)
- Day 14: Drive and visit Sarajevo and then drive to Zlatibor (Serbia)
- Day 15: Visit Zlatibor
- Day 16: Visit Zlatibor
- Day 17: Drive and visit Belgrade
- Day 18: Visit Belgrade
- Day 19: Drive to Budapest (Hungary)
- Day 20: Visit Budapest
- Day 21: Return
Itinerary 3-week in the Balkans Day by Day
Day 1: Arrive in Bled (Slovenia)
Arrive in Bled and head to your accommodation. For us, we arrived super late and went straight to bed.
Where to stay: (€): Apartma Gaby, (€€): Apartments & Rooms Sebanc by Lake, (€€€): Sovica
Read More: The Genuine Bled Travel Guide
Day 2: Visit Bled
Start early and discover Soteska Vintgar. Then go for a walk around the lake and stop at Bled Caslte. At the end of the day, rent a rowing boat and go on Bled Island to the Assumption of Maria Church. Finish with a sunset Hike on Ojstrica
Where to stay: (€): Apartma Gaby, (€€): Apartments & Rooms Sebanc by Lake, (€€€): Sovica
Read More: The Genuine Bled Travel Guide, How to Spend 3 days in Bled – Day 1
Day 3: Visit Bled
Today let’s make a complete road trip of one of the nicest national parks in Europe: Road Trip in Triglav National Park
Where to stay: (€): Apartma Gaby, (€€): Apartments & Rooms Sebanc by Lake, (€€€): Sovica
Read More: The Genuine Bled Travel Guide, How to Spend 3 days in Bled – Day 2
Day 4: Visit Bled
Let’s do some hiking on this last day in Bled. In the morning hike to Viševnik and in the afternoon go chill by the Lake Bohinj.
Where to stay: (€): Apartma Gaby, (€€): Apartments & Rooms Sebanc by Lake, (€€€): Sovica
Read More: The Genuine Bled Travel Guide, How to Spend 3 days in Bled – Day 3
Day 5: Drive and visit Ljubljana and head to Plitvice lakes (Croatia).
Time to leave early morning to head to Ljubljana. Once there, you can spend a few hours walking around the city center and visit its castle. Then head back to your car and drive to Plitvice lakes.
Where to stay: (€): House Nada, (€€): Studio Apartments Eagle, (€€€): B&B Lower Lakes Plitvica Selo
Read More: The Genuine Ljubljana Travel Guide, The Genuine Plitvice Travel Guide
Day 6: Visit Plitvice lakes
We recommend spending 2 days in the park. On this second day, do the full turn of the lakes using the Program K. It will be some 18km of hike, only walking not using the transportation available in the park.
Where to stay: (€): House Nada, (€€): Studio Apartments Eagle, (€€€): B&B Lower Lakes Plitvica Selo
Read More: The Genuine Plitvice Travel Guide, How to Spend 2 days in Plitvice Lake – Day 2
Day 7: Visit Plitvice lakes
Wake up early to be the first in one of Europe’s nicest natural parks, Plitvice lakes. On this first day, you can do the Program C, so the upper and lower lakes. Take the boat and the train within the park, visit the cave, the big waterfalls, and the upper cliff viewpoints.
Where to stay: (€): House Nada, (€€): Studio Apartments Eagle, (€€€): B&B Lower Lakes Plitvica Selo
Read More: The Genuine Plitvice Travel Guide, How to Spend 2 days in Plitvice Lake – Day 1
Day 8: Road trip on the Dalmatians coast until Split
Hit the road to Split following the coastline (and not the highway) and make a couple a stop along the way at Zadar, Šibenik, Trogir and finally Split. Take between 2 and 3h for each stop. Our favourite being Šibenik and Trogir
Where to stay: (€): Apartments Varos, (€€): Situs Residence, (€€€): Apartment Carnation
Read More: The Genuine Split Travel Guide, The Genuine Zadar Travel Guide, The Genuine Šibenik Travel Guide, The Genuine Trogir Travel Guide, 1-Day Croatia Road Trip (Dalmatian Coast)
Day 9: Visit Split
Time to relax a bit in the morning and take it easy. Have a nice and quiet breakfast before going around the old city of Split. Maybe even take a boat to some of the island around or just chilled the day there. You can also consider going straight to Hvar and spend the night there.
Where to stay: (€): Veroko, (€€): So Hvar so Good! Spacious with terrace, (€€€): Boutique old town house Karkovich
Read More: The Genuine Split Travel Guide, The Genuine Hvar Travel Guide
Day 10: Visit Hvar
Take an early boat for the island of Hvar (or take it the day before). Once there you can rent a scooter or a car and go on a road trip around the island.
Where to stay: (€): Veroko, (€€): So Hvar so Good! Spacious with terrace, (€€€): Boutique old town house Karkovich
Read More: The Genuine Hvar Travel Guide
Day 11: Drive to Dubrovnik
Time to get south of Croatia and hit the road again toward Dubrovnik. Along the way, be sure to follow the coast. You can make some stops at Omis, the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, or any of the numerous beaches on the way.
Where to stay: (€): Guesthouse Vicelic, (€€): Apartments Zicara, (€€€): SUNce Palace Apartments with Free Parking
Read More: The Genuine Dubrovnik Travel Guide
Day 12: Visit Dubrovnik
Now, you will have a full day to discover Dubrovnik. Its main attraction being its old city center and its viewpoint. For lunch, make a stop at Nishta to eat on the smaller streets of the city.
If you already want to keep going in the evening, you can go on to Trebinje for the night which is right across the broder in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Where to stay: (€): Apartment Maša, (€€): Kamena kuća-Stone house, (€€€): Integra Hotel
Read More: The Genuine Trebinje Travel Guide
Day 12: Visit Dubrovnik
Now, you will have a full day to discover Dubrovnik. Its main attraction being its old city center and its viewpoint. For lunch, make a stop at Nishta to eat on the smaller streets of the city.
If you already want to keep going in the evening, you can go on to Trebinje for the night which is right across the broder in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Where to stay: (€): Apartment Maša, (€€): Kamena kuća-Stone house, (€€€): Integra Hotel
Read More: The Genuine Trebinje Travel Guide
Day 13: Drive and Visit Mostar (Bosnia & Herzgovina)
Time to get to one of the most known bridges in the world in Mostar. On the way to Mostar make a stop in Blagaj to visit its fort and the Dervish house. In the afternoon, visit Mostar and have dinner with a view of the bridge.
Where to stay: (€): The Lookout Apartment, (€€):Urban Residence Apartments, (€€€): Hotel Mepas
Read More: The Genuine Mostar Travel Guide
Day 14: Drive and visit Sarajevo and then drive to Zlatibor (Serbia)
Early morning return to the old city center of Mostar to see it completely empty. Then pack your bag and let’s drive to Sarajevo. In the afternoon, visit Sarajevo and its old quarter. (We found Sarajevo quite small, so we prefer to keep on straight to Serbia and Zlatibor)
But if you want to stay overnight in Sarajevo, you also could and then drive to Serbia in the morning
Where to stay: (€): Villa Aba apartments, (€€):Apartment Milk&Honey – free Parking, (€€€): Hotel President Sarajevo
Read More: The Genuine Sarajevo Travel Guide
Day 15: Visit Zlatibor
In this first day in Zlatibor, time to hang around the old town and hike to Monument to the Executed Partisans of Zlatibor in the morning. In the afternoon, go visit Stopić Cave and Gostilje waterfalls
Where to stay: (€): Apartments Marjanović, (€€):Calido Apartman Zlatibor, (€€€): Hotel Buket Zlatibor
Read More: The Genuine Zlabitor Travel Guide
Day 16: Visit Zlatibor
On this second day in town, hike in the Tara national park. One of the wildest parks in the region.
Where to stay: (€): Apartments Marjanović, (€€):Calido Apartman Zlatibor, (€€€): Hotel Buket Zlatibor
Read More: The Genuine Zlabitor Travel Guide
Day 17: Drive and visit Belgrade
Next destination il Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. In the morning drive there and stop on the way to visit the Avala Tower and the Monument to the Unknown Hero. Once in Belgrade, go for a walk on the Sava promenade.
Where to stay: (€): Natalie’s Studio (€€):Belgrade Center Apartment II, (€€€): Prezident Palace Belgrade
Read More: The Genuine Belgrade Travel Guide
Day 18: Visit Belgrade
Discover the heart of the city of Belgrade with its Fortress, museums, churches… At night go to Skadarlija for a dinner in the gypsy street.
Where to stay: (€): Natalie’s Studio (€€):Belgrade Center Apartment II, (€€€): Prezident Palace Belgrade
Read More: The Genuine Belgrade Travel Guide
Day 19: Drive to Budapest (Hungary)
Drive to Budapest. Once there, spend the night on Buda Hill to get amazing views of the parliament and discover this stunning district at night
Where to stay: (€): Astoria (€€):Christine Apartment close to the Buda Castle, (€€€): Matild Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel
Read More: The Genuine Budapest Travel Guide
Day 20: Visit Budapest
Budapest is an amazing city, in this last day of visit you will discover almost the complete city. It will be intense but worth it!
Where to stay: (€): Astoria (€€):Christine Apartment close to the Buda Castle, (€€€): Matild Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel
Read More: The Genuine Budapest Travel Guide
Day 21: Return
Time to return home 😊 We hope you enjoyed this guide and this trip because we sure did.
“All he needed was a wheel in his hand and four on the road.” – Jack Kerouac
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