Classic Balkans: Croatia to Albania — Self-Launched

Fly into Zagreb (Franjo Tuđman Airport), take the airport bus or shuttle to the main bus station (~£6). Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse near Ban Jelačić Square. Do the classic orientation loop yourself: Ban Jelačić Square, Tkalčićeva street, Dolac Market, the Stone Gate and St Mark's Church, then ride the world's shortest funicular up to Gradec. Dinner of ćevapi or štrukli in the lower town (~£10).

🚌Airport bus to city ~£6

🛏Hostel/guesthouse near the centre, private twin ~£28–35 (dorms from £15)

• →Self-guided old town walk (Dolac, Stone Gate, St Mark's)
• →Zagreb funicular

Morning bus from Zagreb bus station to Plitvice (Entrance 1 or 2), roughly 2–2.5 hours, ~£9–12 with FlixBus/Arriva. Buy your Plitvice ticket online in advance (timed entry, ~£30 in peak season, less off-peak) and spend the afternoon on the lower lakes boardwalks and boat crossing. Stay in a guesthouse in Jezerce/Mukinje just outside the park.

🚌Zagreb–Plitvice bus ~£10

🛏Guesthouse in Jezerce ~£28–35 double

• →Plitvice Lakes National Park entry (book direct online)
• →Lower lakes boardwalk + electric boat

Early entry to the upper lakes before the crowds, then a noon bus south to Šibenik via Knin or Split (~£12, 2.5–3 hrs). From Šibenik take a local bus to Lozovac for Krka National Park and walk the boardwalks to Skradinski Buk falls (park entry ~£15–20; note swimming is limited seasonally). Evening: self-guided food stroll in Zadar's old town if you stop there, or eat in Šibenik's old town — pršut, pašticada, cheap local wine.

🚌Bus Plitvice–Šibenik ~£12; local bus to Krka ~£3

🛏Hostel/sobe (private room) in Šibenik ~£28–35

• →Plitvice upper lakes (same ticket)
• →Krka National Park entry ~£18
• →Old town food wander

Walk down to Šibenik harbour and take the local Jadrolinija passenger ferry to Zlarin (coral jewellery, car-free, ~30 min) and then hop to Prvić (Faust Vrančić's birthplace) — day tickets cost only a few pounds and are buyable at the pier. Afternoon back in Šibenik for St James' Cathedral (UNESCO) and the fortress viewpoints (St Michael's ~£7).

🚌Jadrolinija island ferries ~£6 return

🛏Same Šibenik hostel/sobe ~£28–35

• →Zlarin & Prvić ferry hop
• →St James' Cathedral
• →St Michael's Fortress

Bus to Split (~1.5 hrs, £6–8), drop your bag at the bus station lockers and spend the morning self-touring Diocletian's Palace, the Riva promenade and the fish market (palace is free to wander; cathedral/crypt small fee). Late afternoon bus along the coast to Makarska (~1.5 hrs, £7). Base in a hostel or sobe just off the harbour.

🚌Buses Šibenik–Split ~£7, Split–Makarska ~£7

🛏Hostel/sobe in Makarska ~£25–30

• →Diocletian's Palace self-guided
• →Riva promenade
• →Makarska harbour evening

Choose your adventure: the local bus/ferry to Brač and the beach at Bol (Zlatni Rat), or join a small-group zip-line and tuk-tuk tour in Tučepi (book via GetYourGuide/Klook, ~£35–45), or hike into Biokovo Nature Park for the Skywalk viewpoint (park entry ~£8, plus taxi/trailhead transfer). Afternoon swim at Nugal or Osejava. Easy, cheap dinner of grilled fish and local wine.

🚌Local bus/ferry to Brač ~£8, or taxi to trailhead ~£10 shared

🛏Same Makarska hostel/sobe ~£25–30

• →Biokovo Skywalk or Brač day trip
• →Zip-line Tučepi (optional, £40)
• →Beach time

Bus along the coast to Ston (change at Ploče or direct services, ~2 hrs, £10). Stop at Ston: self-book a short oyster-farm boat and tasting at one of the Bistrina bay farms (~£25–30) and climb the Ston city walls (~£8) if you have energy. Continue by local bus or a cheap rideshare to Dubrovnik (~1 hr, £8). Check into a hostel in Gruž or the old town.

🚌Makarska–Ston ~£10, Ston–Dubrovnik ~£8

🛏Hostel in Gruž/old town, private twin ~£35–45 (dorms £18–25)

• →Oyster farm boat & tasting ~£28
• →Ston city walls ~£8

Walk the city walls early (~£30, or free viewpoints from Fort Lovrijenac with the combined ticket), explore the Stradun, Rector's Palace and the old port, and take the cable car up Srđ for sunset (~£20 return — or hike up free). Afternoon: book a guided sea-kayak trip around the walls and Lokrum (~£30–35 via GetYourGuide) for the best view back at the old town.

🚌Local bus/pass ~£5

🛏Same Dubrovnik hostel ~£35–45

• →City walls ~£30
• →Srđ cable car ~£20
• →Sea kayaking ~£32

Cross into Bosnia & Herzegovina by bus from Dubrovnik (via Trebinje, ~1.5 hrs, £8–10; passport handy at the border). Trebinje is cheap and lovely — check into a budget hotel or guesthouse. Walk to Tvrdoš Monastery in the afternoon and do a self-arranged wine tasting at their cellar (~£6–10 for a flight), then stroll the plane trees of the old town square.

🚌Dubrovnik–Trebinje bus ~£9

🛏Guesthouse/hotel in Trebinje ~£22–28

• →Tvrdoš Monastery & wine tasting ~£8
• →Trebinje old town

Saturday is best for the Trebinje market — grab local cheese, honey and rakija. Arrange directly (Airbnb Experiences or a local farm) for a hill-village apiary visit and a home cheese-making lunch with a family in the surrounding villages — often ~£20–25 per person including food and transport share. Alternatively rent a bike and cycle the Hercegovina wine road.

🚌Shared taxi/local arrangement ~£8

🛏Same Trebinje guesthouse ~£22–28

• →Trebinje market
• →Apiary visit + farm cheese lunch ~£22

Take a morning bus toward Stolac to see the stećci tombstones necropolis (UNESCO), then a local bus/minibus to Ljubuški for Kravica Waterfall (~£5 entry) — the big emerald curtain falls — and Kočuša nearby. Buses in Herzegovina are sparse, so a shared taxi for the day (~£30 split) is often the realistic option. Overnight in Čitluk wine country at a small guesthouse or sobe.

🚌Shared taxi/bus day ~£20

🛏Guesthouse in Čitluk ~£22–28

• →Stolac necropolis
• →Kravica Waterfall ~£5
• →Kočuša Waterfall

Morning tasting at a Čitluk/Međugorje family winery (Žilavka and Blatina grapes, ~£10–12 for a tasting with snacks). Then the short bus to Mostar (~45 min, £4). Self-guide the old town: Stari Most, the coppersmith street, and the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque minaret view. Overnight in a hostel near the old bridge.

🚌Bus Čitluk–Mostar ~£4

🛏Hostel in Mostar old town, private twin ~£20–26

• →Family winery tasting ~£12
• →Stari Most & old bazaar
• →Mosque minaret ~£3

Early local bus to Počitelj (~30 min) for the fortress and stepped village, then to Blagaj for the Dervish Monastery at the Buna spring (short entry fee) and an uphill walk toward Blagaj fortress. Return to Mostar and take the afternoon train to Sarajevo (~2 hrs, ~£6 — one of Europe's most scenic rail rides) or the bus (~2.5 hrs, £8). Check into a hostel in Baščaršija.

🚌Local buses ~£4; Mostar–Sarajevo train ~£6

🛏Hostel in Baščaršija, private twin ~£24–30

• →Počitelj fortress
• →Blagaj Dervish Monastery & Buna spring
• →Scenic rail to Sarajevo

Ride the Trebević cable car (~£8 return) up to the abandoned 1984 Olympic bobsled track and walk back down through the forest. Afternoon: join a small-group Sarajevo food tour booked via GetYourGuide (~£30–35, includes tastings) or self-crawl Baščaršija for ćevapi, burek, and Bosnian coffee. Evening in the lively bar street.

🚌Tram/bus ~£3; cable car ~£8

🛏Same Sarajevo hostel ~£24–30

• →Trebević cable car & bobsled track ~£8
• →Sarajevo food tour ~£32

Free-ish day for the war history: the Tunnel of Hope / Times of Misfortune tour (~£15–20 booked directly or via GetYourGuide), Gallery 11/07/95 (~£5), and the History Museum. Wander the Austro-Hungarian quarter and the Latin Bridge. Late afternoon is free for a hammam or a slow coffee in the old town.

🚌Tram/bus ~£3

🛏Same Sarajevo hostel ~£24–30

• →War Tunnel & Times of Misfortune tour ~£18
• →Gallery 11/07/95 ~£5
• →Latin Bridge & old town

Long transfer day: bus Sarajevo to Kotor via Trebinje or Podgorica (~6–7 hrs, £22–28, book with a local operator at the station; some services run via Dubrovnik/Croatia — check passport stamps). Arrive Kotor, check into a hostel inside or just outside the walls, and do a sunset orientation walk of the UNESCO old town and the harbour.

🚌Sarajevo–Kotor bus ~£25

🛏Hostel in Kotor old town, private twin ~£28–36

• →Kotor old town evening walk

Take a shared small-boat tour to Our Lady of the Rocks and Perast (~£15–20 per person, join at the pier) — much cheaper than a private charter. In the afternoon climb the San Giovanni fortress trail above the town for the best bay views (entry ~£8). Optional sea kayaking in the bay (~£20 via local operators).

🚌Local walk/boat ~£5

🛏Same Kotor hostel ~£28–36

• →Our Lady of the Rocks boat trip ~£18
• →Kotor fortress trail ~£8
• →Optional kayaking ~£20

Early bus down the coast to Budva (~40 min, £3) for the old town walls and Mogren beach, then a bus back up and inland via Nikšić. Stop at Ostrog Monastery, the white cliff-clinging monastery (~free entry; local bus to the lower monastery, £4). Continue to Žabljak for two nights in a guesthouse in Durmitor National Park — nights here are cold even in summer.

🚌Buses/segtax to Ostrog and Žabljak ~£15

🛏Guesthouse in Žabljak ~£22–28

• →Budva old town
• →Ostrog Monastery
• →Durmitor arrival

Morning loop hike around Crno Jezero (Black Lake) in Durmitor National Park (park entry ~£3–4). Then take the afternoon bus toward Kolašin (~1.5 hrs, £7) and explore Biogradska Gora National Park — one of Europe's last primeval forests — with a lakeside walk and optional rowboat/kayak hire (~£8). Sleep in a Kolašin guesthouse or apartment.

🚌Bus Žabljak–Kolašin ~£7; local transport ~£4

🛏Apartment/guesthouse in Kolašin ~£22–28

• →Black Lake loop hike
• →Durmitor park entry ~£4
• →Biogradska Gora forest walk

Option: book a half-day 4x4 off-road or Tara canyon rafting trip through a local Kolašin operator (~£40–55). Otherwise hike the nearby trails or take it slow. Late afternoon bus to Podgorica (~2 hrs, £7). Evening orientation walk of the old town — the clock tower, the Ribnica river and the Ottoman-era neighbourhood.

🚌Bus Kolašin–Podgorica ~£7

🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Podgorica ~£25–32

• →Optional 4x4/rafting ~£45
• →Podgorica old town walk

Bus from Podgorica to Shkodër (~2 hrs, £6–8) — the price drops as you enter Albania. Drop bags at a guesthouse in Shkodër, then take a local bus or shared taxi to Lake Skadar's Virpazar side for a boat trip through the lily pads and birdlife (~£12–15). Back for a lakeside fish dinner.

🚌Bus Podgorica–Shkodër ~£7; local bus to Virpazar ~£4

🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Shkodër ~£18–24

• →Lake Skadar boat trip ~£14
• →Shkodër old town

Catch the early furgon (shared minibus) to Theth (~3 hrs, £8–10, bumpy but spectacular) and hike the Theth–Grunas waterfall and Blue Eye trail (~3–4 hrs, park area fee small). If you'd rather not commit to the long furgon day, join a small-group Theth day tour via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£35–45 including transport). Overnight again in Shkodër.

🚌Furgon Shkodër–Theth return ~£16

🛏Same Shkodër guesthouse ~£18–24

• →Theth valley & Grunas waterfall hike
• →Blue Eye of Theth

Morning self-guided or free-tip walking tour of Shkodër — Rozafa Castle (~£3), the Mesi Bridge and the Marubi photo museum. Early afternoon bus to Tirana (~2 hrs, £5). Evening in Tirana's Blloku district: bunker-turned-bar hopping, cheap Albanian food (~£8) and the colourful façades of the Pyramid area.

🚌Bus Shkodër–Tirana ~£5

🛏Hostel in Tirana centre ~£18–24

• →Rozafa Castle ~£3
• →Marubi Museum ~£4
• →Tirana Blloku evening

Furgon to Krujë (~£3) for Skanderbeg's castle, the Ethnographic Museum and the old bazaar — great for rugs and copper. Mid-afternoon return to Tirana, then bus to Durrës (~45 min, £2) for the Roman amphitheatre, then onward bus to Vlorë on the coast (~2 hrs, £6). Overnight near the promenade.

🚌Furgons/buses ~£10 total

🛏Guesthouse/hotel in Vlorë ~£20–26

• →Krujë castle & bazaar
• →Durrës Roman amphitheatre

Arrange directly with a local guesthouse or guide in Tragjas/Karaburun for the shepherd outpost hike (~4–5 hrs, ~£20–25 including a traditional farm lunch of byrek, cheese and raki) — or go via GetYourGuide if you prefer a vetted small-group booking. Evening swim at Orikum or Dhërmi if you have a car share. Slow, scenic day.

🚌Local transport to trailhead ~£6

🛏Same Vlorë guesthouse ~£20–26

• →Shepherd outpost hike & lunch ~£22
• →Beach swim

Bus down the Albanian Riviera to Himarë (~1 hr, £4) for the beach and Ali Pasha's castle at Porto Palermo, then continue to Sarandë and Butrint National Archaeological Park (~£9 entry, Greek/Roman/Byzantine ruins under the trees). Late afternoon furgon inland to Gjirokastër (~1.5 hrs, £5). Check into a guesthouse in the stone old town.

🚌Buses Vlorë–Butrint–Gjirokastër ~£12

🛏Guesthouse in Gjirokastër old town ~£20–26

• →Porto Palermo castle ~£3
• →Butrint National Park ~£9
• →Himarë beach stop

Morning: self-guided walk of Gjirokastër's cobbled hillside streets, the castle (entry ~£3) with its captured aircraft and the Bazaar Street, and optionally the Skenduli or Zekate house (~£2). Afternoon tasting at a local winery with a light dinner — small tasting flights ~£10–15. Pick up a bottle of Gliko wine.

🚌Walking day

🛏Same Gjirokastër guesthouse ~£20–26

• →Gjirokastër castle ~£3
• →Bazaar & old town
• →Winery tasting + dinner ~£14

Furgon to Berat (~1.5 hrs, £4) for a walk through the UNESCO-listed town: the Mangalem and Gorica quarters, the Ottoman houses stacked on the hill, and a steep climb to Berat Castle (free to wander, small chapel museums). Coffee with a view before heading back to Tirana (~2 hrs, £5). Wrap up with an early dinner and flight out — allow a mid-afternoon departure or fly the next morning.

🚌Furgons Berat–Tirana ~£5

🛏Departing (or one last night in Tirana ~£20 if flying early)

• →Berat Mangalem & Gorica walk
• →Berat Castle
• →Optional hostel night in Tirana