Balkan Essentials: Self-Launched 12-Day Route from Belgrade to Zagreb

Land at Nikola Tesla Airport and take bus 72 or the A1 shuttle into the city centre (~£1-3), or a taxi for around £12-15. Check into a hostel or small guesthouse in Stari Grad, within walking distance of Republic Square. Spend the late afternoon orienting yourself on Knez Mihailova, then walk up to Skadarlija, the cobbled bohemian quarter, for a dinner of grilled meat, kajmak and a local wine at a kafana with live tamburica music. Cash (Serbian dinar) is useful here; most places take cards but small kafanas may not.

🚌Airport bus 72/A1 into the city (~£1-3); everything else on foot

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Stari Grad, Belgrade (~£15-20/night dorm or budget double)

• →Evening stroll along Knez Mihailova
• →Dinner in Skadarlija at a traditional kafana with live music

Start with a free walking tour of the city centre (pay what you think it's worth, ~£5 tip) covering Republic Square, Knez Mihailova and the Kalemegdan area. Continue on your own into Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park for Danube/Sava views. Take trolleybus 40 or bus 41 up to the Temple of Saint Sava (free entry) for the mosaics and the crypt. In the late afternoon, book a Belgrade sunset river cruise on the Sava and Danube via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£12-18), or grab a drink at the oldest taverns near the fortress. Dinner of ćevapi or a fish plate in Dorćol.

🚌Trolleybus/bus tickets ~£0.80 each; city is walkable

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Stari Grad, Belgrade

• →Free walking tour of the city centre (tip-based)
• →Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park (free)
• →Temple of Saint Sava (free)
• →Sunset river cruise on the Sava and Danube (~£12-18 via GetYourGuide)

This is the day the original tour uses a private vehicle, so self-launchers have two options. Easiest: book a small-group Šumadija/Oplenac wine day tour from Belgrade via GetYourGuide (~£55-70, includes transport, Oplenac royal mausoleum entry and a winery tasting). Cheaper DIY: take a bus from Belgrade to Topola/Aranđelovac (~£4-5, 1h45), visit the Oplenac church and Karađorđe's mausoleum (entry ~£2-3), taxi to a nearby winery for a tasting (~£8-12), then continue by bus to Užice and onward to Zlatibor (~£8-10 total). In Zlatibor, walk the town centre promenade and have a traditional dinner of rakija, proja and grilled lamb. Note that this is a long transit day; you can also base in Užice/Čajetina for a cheaper bed.

🚌GetYourGuide small-group tour (~£60) or DIY buses via Aranđelovac/Užice (~£15 total)

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Zlatibor town (~£18-22/night)

• →Oplenac Royal Mausoleum and St George's Church
• →Winery tasting in Šumadija (three varieties)
• →Evening walk around Zlatibor town centre
• →Traditional Serbian dinner

Catch an early bus or shared taxi from Zlatibor to Mokra Gora (~£4, 45 min). Visit Drvengrad (Wooden Town, entry ~£3) — it's a short taxi or 30-minute walk from the station. Book the Šargan Eight 'Nostalgia' heritage train online in advance for the 2.5-hour loop (~£10-12; morning departures sell out in summer). Afterwards, take a local bus from Mokra Gora/Šargan to Višegrad (~£4-5) to see the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge (the 'Bridge on the Drina') and Andrićgrad stone town. Then continue by bus to Sarajevo — direct buses run in the afternoon/evening (~£10-12, 2.5-3h); if not, route via Užice. Check into a guesthouse in Baščaršija.

🚌Buses Zlatibor–Mokra Gora (~£4), Mokra Gora–Višegrad (~£5), Višegrad–Sarajevo (~£11)

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Baščaršija, Sarajevo (~£16-22/night)

• →Drvengrad wooden ethno village
• →Šargan Eight heritage railway ride (book ahead, ~£10-12)
• →Andrićgrad and the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad

Join a free walking tour of Sarajevo (~£5 tip) that covers the Eternal Flame, the Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Ferhadija pedestrian zone, the old Orthodox church, Viječnica (City Hall) and the Latin Bridge. Continue independently through Baščaršija: the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque (~£3), the Bezistan market and the Sahat Tower. Eat your way through the day: burek with yoghurt (~£2.50), ćevapi at a Baščaršija grill house (~£5), baklava and Bosnian coffee in a traditional coffee house (~£3). Optional: the Tunnel of Hope or the War Childhood Museum (~£5) if history is your thing.

🚌All on foot; trams ~£0.80 if needed

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Baščaršija, Sarajevo

• →Free walking tour of Sarajevo (tip-based)
• →Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque and Baščaršija bazaar
• →Viječnica City Hall and Latin Bridge
• →Burek, ćevapi, baklava and Bosnian coffee tastings

Take the scenic morning train from Sarajevo to Mostar (~£6, 2h — book the window seat, the Neretva canyon section is superb) or a bus (~£7). Drop bags and walk Mostar's old town: the Old Bridge (UNESCO), Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque (minaret climb ~£3 for the best bridge photo), the Crooked Bridge and the Tabhana tanners' quarter. Optional copper-engraving workshop in the old bazaar (~£10-15). Mid-afternoon, take a bus from Mostar to Trebinje (~£6-7, 2h). Wander Trebinje's Poet's Square and Arslanagića Bridge at sunset and eat Herzegovinian wine and trout.

🚌Train Sarajevo–Mostar (~£6) or bus (~£7); bus Mostar–Trebinje (~£6-7)

🛏Guesthouse or small hotel in Trebinje old town (~£18-25/night)

• →Sarajevo–Mostar scenic railway
• →Mostar Old Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque minaret and Tabhana
• →Optional copper-modelling workshop (~£12)
• →Trebinje Poet's Square and Arslanagića Bridge at sunset

Start at Trebinje's morning market for cheese, figs and honey. Take a bus to Herceg Novi (~£4), cross into Montenegro, then a local bus along the Bay of Kotor to Perast (~£3). From Perast's waterfront, take the small boat shuttle to Our Lady of the Rocks island (~£5 return) and visit the church (~£2). Continue by local bus to Kotor (~£2) for a self-guided walk of the UNESCO Old Town — St Nicholas, St Luke's and St Tryphon's Cathedral — and optional free climb of the city walls. Late afternoon bus from Kotor to Dubrovnik (~£15-18, 2-2.5h, cross-border). Book a hostel or room in Lapad or inside the old town.

🚌Buses Trebinje–Herceg Novi (~£4), to Perast (~£3), to Kotor (~£2), Kotor–Dubrovnik (~£16); boat to Our Lady of the Rocks (~£5)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Lapad / Dubrovnik old town (~£25-30/night dorm)

• →Trebinje morning market
• →Boat trip to Our Lady of the Rocks, Perast
• →Self-guided Kotor Old Town walk
• →Optional Kotor city walls climb (free, ~£0)

Enter the old town early via Pile Gate and walk the Stradun before the cruise crowds arrive. Buy the City Walls ticket (~£30 — the main splurge of the trip; a Dubrovnik Pass can bundle it with museums) and do the full 2km loop for the terracotta-roof views. Visit the Rector's Palace and the city port, then take the cable car up Srđ Hill (~£22 return) or hike up for free via the Zig Zag path. Late afternoon: swim off Banje beach or Buža bar outside the walls, and finish with a seafood dinner in Lapad (cheaper than inside the walls).

🚌Local bus to Pile Gate ~£1.50; everything walkable

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Lapad / Dubrovnik old town

• →Dubrovnik City Walls walk (~£30)
• →Rector's Palace and city port
• →Cable car to Srđ Hill (~£22) or free hike
• →Banje beach swim / Buža cliff bar

Take the local bus to Ston (~£6, 1h) and walk a stretch of the Ston Walls (~£8) or simply admire them from below. Sample oysters straight from the bay at a Ston konoba (~£10-15) and do a Plavac Mali tasting at a Pelješac winery (Mili or Grgić, ~£10-15 by appointment or drop-in). Continue by bus along the coast to Split (~£15-18, 3-4h, or via Ploče). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in the old town or Varoš. Evening stroll on the Riva promenade with a glass of local wine.

🚌Buses Dubrovnik–Ston (~£6), Ston–Split (~£16)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Split old town / Varoš (~£22-28/night)

• →Ston Walls walk (~£8)
• →Oyster tasting in Ston (~£12)
• →Pelješac Plavac Mali wine tasting (~£12)
• →Riva promenade evening

Book the morning high-speed catamaran from Split to Hvar town (~£12-16 each way, 1h; Krilo or Jadrolinija — book online a few days ahead in summer). Wander Hvar's harbour, the Renaissance cathedral, the Benedictine convent (lace museum ~£3) and the Franciscan monastery. Walk the coastal path towards Milna Bay for a swim, or take a small boat to the Pakleni Islands (~£10 return from the harbour). Catch the late-afternoon catamaran back to Split. Save money by eating at a konoba up a side alley rather than on the harbour front.

🚌Catamaran Split–Hvar return (~£26-32); local boat to Pakleni (~£10)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Split old town / Varoš

• →Hvar town self-guided walk (cathedral, Benedictine convent, Franciscan monastery)
• →Swim/walk to Milna Bay
• →Optional Pakleni Islands boat (~£10)

Explore Diocletian's Palace early (free to wander; cathedral and Temple of Jupiter each ~£3-5) and stroll the Riva. Then take the 11:00-ish direct bus Split to Plitvice (~£15, 2.5-3h) — or, for a smoother day, take the direct Split–Zagreb bus and visit Plitvice as a day trip from Zagreb instead. At Plitvice, buy the timed-entry ticket online in advance (~£33 in high season, includes park bus and boat) and do the 3-hour upper-and-lower-lakes loop on marked trails. Late afternoon bus from the park entrance to Zagreb (~£13, 2.5h). Check in near Ban Jelačić Square.

🚌Bus Split–Plitvice (~£15), Plitvice–Zagreb (~£13)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse near Ban Jelačić Square, Zagreb (~£20-25/night)

• →Diocletian's Palace, cathedral and Temple of Jupiter (self-guided, ~£8)
• →Plitvice Lakes National Park timed entry (~£33) and 3-hour lakes loop

Do a free walking tour of Zagreb (~£5 tip) covering Ban Jelačić Square, Kaptol, the Franciscan monastery and 13th-century St Francis church, the 18th-century St Mary's church and the Dolac farmers' market — go early for strawberries, strukli and štrukli cheese. Finish with a coffee on Tkalčićeva street. Airport bus (Pleso Prijevoz, ~£8, 30-40 min) or a local bus/ZET route to Zagreb Airport for your flight out.

🚌Zagreb airport shuttle bus (~£8)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Free walking tour of Zagreb (tip-based)
• →Dolac farmers' market
• →Kaptol, St Mary's and St Francis churches
• →Tkalčićeva street coffee