Balkan Road Trip Itinerary, Highlights and Interactive Map

Looking for inspiration and the best places to stop on your Balkan road trip? If you are planning a road trip in the Balkans then hopefully you will find this post useful. This itinerary includes motorhome stops and campsites in: Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia and Serbia as well as Budapest, Vienna, Germany and Belgium.

Setting off from Nottingham, this trip covered 5000 miles and took us 5 weeks, travelling without pets or children. We hope it will answer some of your Balkans road trip questions and give you plenty of ideas of where to visit. And what you need to think about before you set off.

This map will give you an overview of the itinerary. Just zoom in and click on any of the points for more information including GPS Co-ordinates, links to campsites, quick notes and photos. You can also view a bigger version of this map if you want to delve a bit deeper! Click on the icon top left in the map below to see a complete breakdown of all the stops.

This Balkan road trip was our first major touring holiday in our VW California Campervan, and we were very new to motorhome touring. Our son was in the GB U23 Canoe Slalom team at the time, competing in a World Cup event in Slovenia and the European Championships in Macedonia. Therefore we had two places we needed to be in June/July 2014: Ljubljana and Skopje, with 3 weeks to fill in-between.

So, with these two dates in the diary we set off with a vague plan of where you might visit in former Yugoslavia, and plenty of enthusiasm. This is the trip where we fell in love with motor-homing, with road-tripping in general, and with all the Balkan countries we visited.

The clickable map above shows you where we travelled, and you might also find the export of all our Balkan motorhome stopovers useful as a starting point for your own road trip plans.

Balkans Roadtrip Itinerary – Excel Format

Balkans Roadtrip Itinerary – PDF Format

You can also view call the stops in a table at the end of this post.

Our best advice if you are thinking about going on a Balkan vacation? Just do it! You will see lakes, mountains, waterfalls, gorgeous azure seas, fabulous beaches, ancient towns, historic bridges, incredible works of arts, and sights quirky, ancient, modern and everything in-between. You will meet like-minded travellers and be endlessly surprised by what you find in this huge and varied area. Here are our top 7 reasons why you should plan a Balkan road trip right now.

1. Experience a great adventure
2. Visit dramatic landscapes and geographical wonders
3. For the warm and sunny climate
4. To broaden your horizons and learn about other cultures
5. Proximity to mainland Europe and ease of getting there – but a very different vibe
6. Relatively low day-to-day living costs (depending on where you visit)

But before you go …

Rather than list specifics here, which may go out of date, here are some key things you should consider and research before you set off with useful links where you can access the most up-to-date advice.

1. Holiday Insurance/EHIC

Make sure you take your up-to-date EHIC card with you, as your holiday insurance company will expect you to have it with you. You can follow this link to find out which countries are covered by the EHIC card scheme.  At the time of writing, the following countries in this itinerary are not covered, so it is essential you take out some form of holiday insurance with health cover too: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Macedonia; Montenegro; and Serbia. When applying for an EHIC card, beware of unofficial websites, which may charge if you apply through them. Always go via the NHS official site in the UK which you can find here.

When you purchase your holiday insurance, double-check the countries where it applies. Often there is more than one ‘European’ option, so make sure the countries you intend to visit are included.

2. Vehicle Insurance and Green Card

Vehicle Insurance when travelling to the Balkans can be a bit of a minefield. If you are driving anywhere in the EEA, Andorra, Serbia and Switzerland then your motor insurance will automatically cover you. However, you must check with your insurance company, and will probably have to pay an additional premium to get a Green Card which covers: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Macedonia; or Montengro. None of these countries are automatically covered by your vehicle insurance company. When we did this trip we had to change insurance companies to get the Green Card we needed.

It is possible to purchase third party green card insurance at the borders. However, although this will make you legally compliant, you do wonder how good it would be in the event of an accident.  For the latest information and more details about the Green Card system, check out the relevant pages on the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (for the UK) and also the Council of Bureaux which is the managing organisation of the Green Card System.

Tip: Do be aware that even if you are only planning to drive in Slovenia and Croatia, if you want drive down the dalmation coast of Croatia from Split to Dubrovnik, you either have to drive a few miles through Bosnia past Neum or you can take a more circuitous route and catch a ferry from Ploce to Trpanj.

3. International Driving Permit

It goes without saying that you will need to take your driving licence with you. But there are also some countries where you will require an International Driving Permit (IDP) as well. The AA have a list of all the countries where you will need one. The IDP is inexpensive, and easy to buy from selected Post Offices.

4. V5C Registration Certificate

Make sure you take the original copy of your V5C registration certificate, not just a photocopy.

Tip: We have scanned a copy of ours and uploaded it to a secure note in LastPass in case the original gets lost or stolen while we are travelling. (LastPass is a brilliant tool by the way). Alternatively, you could store a copy in Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud or equivalent. Ditto for passports and other important documents.

5. Passports and Visas

Don’t forget them! And make sure they are up-to-date with enough time left for your trip and then some. Generally a visa is not required if you are visiting these countries for less than 90 days.

6. Local Driving Laws

Organisations like the AA and RAC have good pages on driving abroad. So do the Caravan and Motorhome Club . In fact, they have a mine of useful information about driving abroad in general. Our favourite road atlas is the Philip’s Complete Europe. It is brilliant for route planning, but at the front has a list of driving regulations by country which is very useful while you are crossing borders and want a quick last-minute check of local Dos and Don’ts

7. Foreign Office Travel Advice

Before you set off, do take a quick look at the Foreign Office website for travel advice by country. It is quick and easy to access, and you can get all the very latest updates.

8. Breakdown Cover

Check directly with the RAC or the AA, both will cover for all the Balkan countries. Just make sure you pick the appropriate zone to make sure you are covered. Plus you can also cover yourself for things like the cost of ferry tickets if you miss your booking and other goodies if you opt for the top-of-the-range options.

9. Navigation

Tip: do not rely solely on your SatNav or a European road atlas to get about! The Philip’s European Road Atlas is absolutely excellent for route planning, but we learned on this trip that you should always buy a larger scale map of the countries you intend to visit. Our favourite in this area are the Freytag & Berndt maps. Buy them before you go, we tried to buy a map in Albania and bought a sealed one from a garage. When we opened it, it was a cartoon map which was no use for navigating.

Our TomTom completely failed us in Albania. Maybe it has improved now? But even with a local map will really help you pick out more scenic routes and local sights and attractions.

The other thing you should consider is download the relevant maps from  maps.me onto your tablet or phone. Then you can use the maps offline as a backup navigation. Plus you can zoom in and find footpaths and cycle routes too.

10. Finding Places To Stay

We used to take away lots of directories, but these days we tend to rely on apps and website databases. These are much more complete and up-to-date than books. You can read very recent reviews so you will find if places have changed recently too. The two we use most often are Camper Contact and Park4Night. Both of these we pay a small amount each year for the ‘pro’ versions which allow you to download the databases for offline use. Brilliant. Other ones we have not tried, but have seen recommended are iloverlander.com, campingcar-infos.com and searchforsites.co.uk.

Many of the databases allow points of interest (POI) downloads to which you can load into your satnav.

Finally, especially if you are travelling outside the peak season, do take advantage of the ACSI card (at least in Croatia and Slovenia). For a few Euros a year, you can camp at special off-peak rates at lots of campsites across Europe.

11. Wild Camping

Can you wild camp in the Balkans? This is often a bit of a grey area, so do check on forums for advice. Check the reviews of places you are planning to visit in the apps recommended above. As a general rule, many people have wild-camped on the coast of Albania without any problem. However in Croatia you must use authorised campsites. As far as we are aware, they do not tolerate wild camping in Croatia and impose heavy fines. Furthermore, the campsites are excellent and really well located, often with private beaches.

We were able to wild-camp for several days in the Matka Canyon near Skopje, but we were given permission by the organisation organising the European championships being held there. As this was our first trip to the Balkans we erred on the side of caution and generally used campsites.

12. Mosquitos

Just thought I’d throw this one in, because mosquitos seem to love me. And although these nasty little creatures did not totally dominate our trip, we had 2 particularly memorable attacks of them. Once in Albania, and then again in Serbia. Both times staying near wetlands in warm weather. So make sure you pack your Skin So Soft (or your own particular favourite insect repellant). We also invested in a 12v Mosquito Repeller. Plus, thank heaven for built-in insect blinds if you have them!

Slovenia

The Republic of Slovenia is a tiny little country, roughly the size of Wales with a population of about 2 million. But whatever you love to do, this small country will certainly be able to accommodate you. It has such a diversity of landscapes, with the Julian Alps, the stunning Lakes of Bled and Bohinj, spectacular caves, sweeping vineyards, dark enchanted forests and deep rivers. Then there is the craggy coastline with historic Venetian architecture resorts, the gorgeously pretty town of Ptuj, and the sophisticated capital of Ljubljana.

Because Slovenia is so small, you can cover a lot of ground quickly. It’s a country we have revisited again and again, each time finding something new. But here are just a few highlights from this particular road trip.

Lake Bled

Yes, Lake Bled is one of the most popular tourist spots in Slovenia, for many good reasons. One of which is it really is that amazing blue colour. Lake Bled is a simply stunning lake, with the gorgeous Bled Island in the middle, crowned by the exquisite Church of the Assumption. Surrounded by mountains and woodlands, you can take a gentle walk right around the lake. It takes about two and a half hours, allowing for stops to admire the scenery.

The Vršič Pass (or Russian Road)

No road trip through Slovenia would be complete without driving, or visiting, the Vršič Pass. This spectacular scenic road is the highest mountain pass in the country, linking the Upper Sava and Soča Valleys. It consists of a series of 50 hairpin bends, 24 on the Kranjska Gora side, 26 on the Trenta side. Each one numbered and the altitude recorded.

The upper elevations of the road are rendered impassable by heavy snowfall during much of winter. The road was greatly improved in late 1915 to supply the Isonzo front of World War I, and the name Russian Road refers to the approximately ten thousand Russian prisoners of war used as labourers in the 1915 construction. You will see amongst other things the particularly poignant Russian Chapel, built as a memorial by remaining POWs for the approximately 110 prisoners and 7 guards killed in an avalanche while constructing the road.

We drove this pass in our VW van, the road is not suitable caravans or trailers. If you are not sure about doing the drive, then between June and September there are 4 buses a day hauling themselves up and down the pass. Around this area is the most superb hiking in stunning scenery.

Ptuj

Ptuj is an absolute gem of a town. It is the oldest continuously settle site in Slovenia, and the most important settlement outside Ljubljana. With a two-thousand year history, expect to see historic squares, Romanesque and medieval townhouses, built-in Roman monuments and tombstones, and ancient Mithras shrines. Ptuj has a picture-perfect setting on the banks of the winding Drava River, surrounded by lush green countryside.

You should also check out …

• Piran and the gorgeous Slovenian coastline (a small stretch of coast, but perfectly formed)
• The Škocjan Caves – including the world’s largest underground canyon
• Predjama Castle – with secret passages and underground caves
• Lake Bohinj – Bohinj literally means ‘God’s corner’, a stunning lake that is less visited and therefore more peaceful and serene than Lake Bled
• The Soča Valley – a magical glacial river that winds its way through fabulous mountain scenery
• Ljubljana – with its Baroque and Habsburg architecture and chilled out cafe culture by the river

Croatia

It is impossible to see everything there is on offer in Croatia in just one visit. Which is why we have been back to this country several times since. So these are just a few highlights from our first visit there as part of this Balkan road trip.

Zagreb

Croatia’s capital city often gets overlooked by visitors but Zagreb is definitely worth a visit. If you love cafe society, alternative music, night-time promenading, contemporary art, quirky attractions – including the Museum of Broken Relationships – as well as historic buildings and the fabulous Dolac market, then you will enjoy the laidback vibe of Zagreb.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

The Plitvice Lakes National Park is an exquisite sequence of waterfalls and turquoise lakes, surrounded by densely forested hills. Your visit is cleverly organised with well-laid-out paths, boat rides and shuttle buses. The only downside is its popularity. So try and visit off-peak if you possibly can.

Zadar

In 1964 Alfred Hitchcock famously described the sunset in Zadar as “the most beautiful in the world”. Nowadays, sunsets are quite an event here as people gather to watch the sun go down accompanied by light effects of the Greeting to the Sun installation along with the sound of the Sea Organ. A magical place.

Split

Split is simply one of the most beautiful and fascinating cities in the world. It has everything going for it: a gorgeous and sophisticated waterfront lined with bars and restaurants to greet the cruise ships; the Roman Diocletian’s Palace with its layers of history and tangle of narrow streets; delicious food in the form of fresh grilled fish, seafood stews and slabs of beef stewed in prunes and red wine; and long days of sunshine that make the city famous for its outdoor life.

Dalmation Coast

The coast between Split and Dubrovnik is a dramatic and breathtaking combination of deep turquoise sea, craggy pink cliffs, palm trees, olive groves and acres of gorgeous beaches. The spectacular scenic coast road below Split is green for a reason in the road atlas. We based ourselves in Zaostrog for a few days, where there is an historic monastery, botanical gardens, a beautiful beach and a string of tempting seafood restaurants.

Dubrovnik

The best introduction to the ancient and beautiful city of Dubrovnik is to walk its walls. From there you get to see the whole of the city, and its incredible setting. It’s an epic 2km walk around King’s Landing with towers, bastions and a unique view over the terracotta rooftops.

Montenegro

Bay of Kotor

One of the best things about road tripping is when someone you meet on the road gives you an ace tip about where to go next. A fellow traveller we met along the Dalmation coast told us that if we were driving as far as Dubrovnik we should definitely carry on and visit the Bay of Kotor.

So we did.

Catching the ferry across the bay from Kamenari to Lepetane, we then drove toward Kotor with our jaws dropping in wonder. The narrow road seems to weave forever along the side of the water, with steep mountains climbing up each side. The road is pretty narrow, and so many of Kotor’s visitors seem to arrive by cruise ship. We stayed at a basic but fabulously located campsite, and cycled up to the exquisite old city of Kotor.

Albania

The driving in Albania is notoriously crazy, and many of the roads were ‘under development’ back in 2014. However, we received a warm welcome and found this country absolutely beautiful. We were only here a few days, and Albania is definitely on our list for a return visit.

Lake Shkodër

Anyone who visits the Lake Shkodra Resort campsite in Albania will fall in love with it. Of all the places we have visited by motorhome, this is definitely in the top 10. Not only is it stunningly located on the banks of Lake Shkodër, the campsite has luxury marble bathrooms, romantic glamping opportunities, and the owners organise brilliant and great value excursions to Shkoder, Lake Koman, Kruja, Thethi and Valbona. Everything a campsite should be and exceptionally good value for money too.

Kavajë

Another memorable camping experience, this time on the coast not far from Durrës at Camping Pa Emër When we arrived the owner was fast asleep, so he missed out on some custom. We saw FIVE Italian mobile homes travelling in convoy arrive and then leave after failing to rouse the proprietor. However, we followed the instructions of a fellow camper, parked up and settled in.

This campsite is a very ambitious project, with huge terraces, a restaurant with panoramic view, and its own man-made island. Everything was very overgrown, and the owner was eccentric to say the least. But here we experienced fantastic camaraderie with the other travellers who had made it here, and the meal we had of fish, potatoes and salad was simply excellent.

Berat

Whilst visiting Albania, we decided to drive down to the city of Berat which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, we certainly felt the lack of a functioning SatNav and a decent local map, as navigating was very difficult. In addition, the main road was being completely rebuilt so we drove most of the 70-odd km on hard core. However it was worth the pain – just! The picture below is a fair representation of what the roads were like.

Berat comprises an old fortified city filled with churches and mosques painted with grandiose wealth of visible murals and frescos.  It is renowned for its historic architecture and scenic beauty and is known as the “Town of a Thousand Windows”, due to the many large windows of the old decorated houses overlooking the town. It is unclear whether it really means “Thousand” (një mijë) or “One over Another” (një mbi një) windows. Whichever it is, Berat is an interesting city. And with luck, the main road will be finished now and getting there will be easier than it was.

Macedonia (FYROM)

Like Slovenia, this is another tiny country, with only a small population. Macedonia’s economy suffered under the imposition of sanctions during the Yugoslav wars, and the 2001 Albanian crisis caused further destabilisation. But despite Macedonia being one of the poorest countries in Europe, it has made significant progress in developing an open, market-based economy. We found Macedonia another stunningly beautiful place to visit, and wherever we went we received a warm and friendly welcome. Furthermore we chanced upon another of our all time favourite campsites. One more to revisit!

Lake Ohrid

The lush Lake Ohrid is the deepest lake in the Balkans, and definitely one of the most beautiful, with its mountainous sides and deep blue colour. We stayed for several days on a tranquil waterside pitch at Camping Rino, a campsite that is definitely on our list to go back. Not only was the location idyllic, the friendly owners greeted us with a schnapps on arrival, and brought round coffees to every camper in the morning as ‘a gift from the house’. Gorgeous.

Skopje

The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC, but much of the ancient city was devastated by an earthquake in 1963 leaving the city with few historical monuments, apart from the Ottoman Old Bazaar. It is difficult to describe what you can expect to see in Skopje, it is certainly unique! Here is an extract from the Wikipedia page that perhaps gives you a bit of an idea.

The reconstruction, conducted between the 1960s and 1980s, turned Skopje into a modernist but grey city. At the end of the 2000s, the city center experienced profound changes. A highly controversial urban project, “Skopje 2014”, was adopted by the municipal authorities in order to give the city a more monumental and historical aspect, and thus to transform it into a proper national capital. Several neoclassical buildings destroyed in the 1963 earthquake were rebuilt, including the national theatre, and streets and squares were refurbished. Many other elements were also built, including fountains, statues, hotels, government buildings and bridges. The project has been criticised because of its cost and its historicist aesthetics. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skopje)

Expect to see over-sized statues, over-embellished buildings with strange proportions, and bridges straining under the weight of the lamp-posts and decoration. Skopje is a fascinating city to visit, and one with a great vibe especially along the river. There were plenty of great bars and restaurants, and very welcoming locals proud of their capital city. We stayed for a couple of nights in Camping Bellevue Skopje, which is a reasonable base for visiting Skopje in a motorhome, although it is quite a way from the city centre.

The Matka Canyon

As this was the venue for the 2014 European Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom Championships, we were fortunate to spend a few fabulous days wild camping on the banks of the river Teska at the Matka Canyon. Whether wild camping is normally tolerated we do not know, but a number of supporters were permitted to stay below the slalom course for this occasion. There is a canoe club based here, so you could check with them.

Matka is one of the most popular and scenic outdoor destinations in Macedonia and is home to several medieval monasteries. The Matka Lake within the Matka Canyon is the oldest artificial lake in the country. It is created by the Matka Dam which miraculously survived the 1963 earthquake. Surrounded by mountains, you can take a fantastic boat ride through the canyon, which incorporates a visit to an extraordinary bat cave. There is also a superbly located hotel right on the edge of the water, with a lovely restaurant.

The Matka Canyon is a famously brilliant area for hiking.

Serbia

We only spent one night in Serbia, as by now we were thinking about starting to make our way home and definitely wanted to get as far as Budapest before turning back. But it turned out to be yet another piece of Balkan heaven.

Zasavica

We spent one night at Camping Zasavica, located in the Special Nature Reserve of Zasavica. The campsite itself was excellent, with luxurious bathroom facilities and lovely flat pitches adjacent to the Nature Reserve. We ate at the restaurant in the reserve, and were served the most delicious goulash. The reserve itself is lush and tranquil with a mosaic of forests, meadows, river banks and marshes. One word of warning. On the evening we were there as the sun set there was an invasion of mosquitos – so be prepared!

Budapest and Vienna

Once you have crossed over from Serbia into Hungary, then technically you are no longer in the Balkans. However, if you have completed a circular tour of the Balkan countries finishing up in Serbia, as we did on this road trip, then driving up to Budapest and across to Vienna makes sense before you head home across Germany. Both these cities are very easy to visit with a motorhome or campervan, and, of course, both equally mind-blowing.

Budapest

There are some cities that are particularly brilliant to visit by motorhome, and Budapest is one of them. The reason? The very well-located and super-friendly Haller Camping. A short walk from the campsite you catch the number 2 tram along the river to the heart of the city. One of the most iconic tram lines in the world, you get a spectacular view of Budapest from the side of the Danube – the whole of this part of the city is a Unesco World Heritage site.

We enjoyed a visit to the Szechenyi Baths and Pool which is the biggest of the thermal bath complexes. There are pools of all shapes, sizes and temperatures here, and the architecture is fabulous.

Some people prefer the more low-key Gellert Spa. It was a difficult choice! Whichever you pick, a visit to the thermal baths is a uniquely Budapest experience.

Do also make time to visit the distinctly quirky and fascinatingly dilapidated Ruin Pubs.

Vienna

As you drive home from Budapest, it would be rude not to call in to Vienna. It is barely a detour. Vienna describes itself as the coffee house capital of the world and so even if you just want an excellent cup of coffee and a slice of apple strudel or Sachertorte to send you on your way you won’t have to search for long.

Vienna is another city that is easy to visit in a motorhome. We stayed at the Kritzendorf Stellplatz which is free, and located opposite the train station, so it is very easy to get into the city. The area around the Stellplatz itself is very pleasant, and we were not particularly disturbed by the trains. so this was the perfect stopover on the way back.

The table below is a detailed list of all the places we visited on this road trip, along with links to campsite/stopover web sites and GPS points. You can sort by each column, you can search within the table, and you can choose the number of rows to show from the dropdown list at the top. So if you just want to see the campsites in Croatia, type Croatia in the search box.

We hope you find our Balkan road trip both informative and useful. Let us know what you think. And what did we miss? Post a comment below and let us know of any places we definitely should visit next time we go back to this fabulous corner of the world.

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