Croatia to Montenegro: Nightlife & National Parks — Self-Launched

Fly into Zagreb (ZAG) and take the Pleso Prijevoz shuttle bus to the main bus station (~£7) or public bus 290 for ~£1. Check into a hostel in the Donji Grad / Tkalčićeva area. Do a free self-guided orientation walk: Ban Jelačić Square, Tkalčićeva street, the Stone Gate, St Mark's Church with its tiled roof, and the Upper Town viewpoints. In the evening, hit the bars along Tkalčićeva and the beer halls — Zagreb is cheap by Western European standards with local pints from ~£2.50. Optional: Museum of Broken Relationships (~£4).

🚌Airport shuttle bus ~£7; everything else on foot

🛏Hostel dorm in central Zagreb (~£16-20)

• →Self-guided old town walk
• →Tkalčićeva bar crawl
• →Museum of Broken Relationships (optional)

Take an early public bus from Zagreb Autobusni Kolodvor to Plitvice (2-2.5 hrs, ~£12-15 one way; book on Arriva/FlixBus in advance). Buy the timed-entry park ticket online ahead of time (roughly £30-35 in high season, includes the electric boat and panoramic train) — May-September slots sell out. Walk the Lower Lakes first (Veliki Slap, the boardwalk canyon) then the Upper Lakes, taking 4-6 hours. Sleep in a guesthouse or hostel in the nearby villages (Grabovac/Rakovica), ideally with a lift to the park entrance.

🚌Public bus Zagreb–Plitvice ~£12-15; park shuttle included in ticket

🛏Guesthouse or hostel near Plitvice (~£20-25)

• →Plitvice Lakes full-day boardwalk hike
• →Veliki Slap waterfall
• →Boat crossing on Kozjak Lake

Morning bus to Split (3.5-4 hrs, ~£18-22). Check into a hostel in or near the Old Town / Bačvice. Wander the Riva promenade and get lost in Diocletian's Palace cellars, then walk up Marjan Hill for sunset over the harbour. Split's nightlife is the star of the evening — start at the bars of the Riva, move into the alleys of the Old Town, then hit Bačvice beach clubs. Budget for drinks around £4-5 a cocktail.

🚌Public bus Plitvice–Split ~£18-22

🛏Hostel dorm in Split old town/Bačvice (~£22-28 in season)

• →Riva promenade and Old Town wander
• →Marjan Hill sunset walk
• →Split night out in the palace alleys

Do a self-guided loop of Diocletian's Palace — the peristyle, cathedral of St Domnius (small entry fee ~£5) and the underground cellars. Options for the afternoon: catamaran to Bol on Brač for Zlatni Rat beach (~£8 each way, plus Bol bus), local bus to Trogir (UNESCO old town, ~£3, 40 mins), or the ruins at Solin. Evening free for another night out or a cheap konoba dinner of pašticada or grilled fish (~£12).

🚌Local buses/ferries £8-15 total

🛏Hostel dorm in Split (~£22-28)

• →Diocletian's Palace self-guided visit
• →Trogir day trip (optional)
• →Zlatni Rat beach (optional)

Take the morning catamaran or ferry from Split to Hvar Town (1-1.5 hrs, ~£8-12 each way; Kapetan Luka or Jadrolinija). Climb to the Hvar Fortress for the view (~£8), wander the St Stephen's Square and the old town, then either laze on Pokonji Dol or take a shared Pakleni Islands water taxi/boat trip for coves and swimming (~£15-25 rather than the £90 private cruise). Catch an evening catamaran back to Split.

🚌Return catamaran Split–Hvar ~£18-24

🛏Hostel dorm in Split (~£22-28)

• →Hvar Fortress hike
• →Hvar old town
• →Pakleni Islands shared boat/water taxi

Take the coastal bus Split to Dubrovnik (4-4.5 hrs, ~£18-22). The route passes through Neum in Bosnia, so keep your passport handy. Check into a hostel just outside the walls (inside the Old Town is pricey). Spend the late afternoon walking the Stradun and the harbour, then either swim at Buža bar's cliff steps or ride the Srđ cable car for sunset (~£25 return — or hike up for free). Night out in the Old Town's bars and the Lapad strip.

🚌Public bus Split–Dubrovnik ~£18-22

🛏Hostel dorm in Dubrovnik (~£25-35)

• →Stradun and Old Town walk
• →Buža cliff swim
• →Srđ sunset (cable car or hike)
• →Dubrovnik night out

Get up early and walk the city walls (~£30, allow 1.5-2 hrs) before the cruise crowds land. Swap the pre-booked day: opt for one of the kayak tours around the walls from GetYourGuide (~£30-35) if you want the water perspective, or a morning at Lopud island by ferry. In the afternoon take a public bus or marshrutka-style shared minivan to Trebinje (2 hrs, ~£10-12). Check into a guesthouse, walk the old town and the Arslanagić Bridge, and visit Tvrdoš Monastery for a wine tasting (~£3-5). Dinner of Herzegovina fare — pršut, cheese, local wine — for around £10.

🚌Public bus/minivan Dubrovnik–Trebinje ~£10-12; city walls on foot

🛏Guesthouse in Trebinje old town (~£18-22)

• →Dubrovnik city walls
• →Sea kayaking (optional)
• →Tvrdoš Monastery wine tasting
• →Arslanagić Bridge

Without a private bus this is a big day, so either hire a local driver for the loop (~£60-80 split across a few travellers — ask your guesthouse or book via GetYourGuide) or take buses Trebinje–Ljubuški–Vitina and use local taxis. Stop at Počitelj's Ottoman fortress and art colony, swim at Kravica Waterfalls (~£5 entry), then head north to Livno. Near Livno, book a short jeep safari or ride out with a local guide at sunset to spot the wild horses on the karst plateau (~£20-25). Evening: a simple guesthouse stay with a homemade dinner and a few beers around a fire.

🚌Shared driver or local buses + taxi ~£40-50 share

🛏Guesthouse/sobe in Livno (~£18-22)

• →Počitelj fortress and art colony
• →Kravica Waterfalls swim
• →Sunset wild horse jeep safari

Bus or shared car south to Blagaj (about 45 mins from Mostar) to see the Dervish Monastery at the Buna river spring — free to walk the terrace, small fee for the monastery interior. Continue to Mostar by local bus (~£2). In the afternoon, join a cheap Mostar walking tour (many free/donation-based tours leave from the Old Bridge area, or a GetYourGuide tour for ~£12-15) to hear the history of the bridge and the war, then linger for photos at sunset. Dinner by the Neretva with ćevapi and a Bosnian coffee (~£8-10).

🚌Local buses/taxi Blagaj–Mostar ~£5-10 total

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Mostar old town (~£15-20)

• →Blagaj Dervish Monastery and Buna spring
• →Mostar Old Bridge sunset
• →Local walking tour

Take the spectacular morning train Mostar–Konjic (about 40 mins, £2-3) through the Neretva canyon — one of the great Balkan rail rides. Drop bags at a hostel or riverside lodge, then join an afternoon whitewater rafting trip on the Neretva (~£30-35 with BBQ lunch included; book direct with a Konjic rafting operator or GetYourGuide). Optional extra: Tito's Bunker tour just outside town (~£10, requires advance booking). Evening relaxing by the river with grilled trout.

🚌Train Mostar–Konjic ~£2-3

🛏Hostel or riverside lodge in Konjic (~£15-20)

• →Scenic Neretva canyon train
• →Neretva whitewater rafting with BBQ
• →Tito's Bunker (optional)

Another gorgeous train ride from Konjic to Sarajevo (1.5-2 hrs, ~£5). Drop your bags at a hostel near Baščaršija and book onto one of Sarajevo's excellent small-group food tours (GetYourGuide/Airbnb Experiences, ~£30-35, 3-4 hrs) — expect burek, ćevapi, baklava and kebabs in the bazaar and beyond. Spend the evening in Baščaršija's courtyards and the craft streets, then find a pub with local craft beer.

🚌Train Konjic–Sarajevo ~£5; tram ~£1

🛏Hostel dorm in Sarajevo (~£14-18)

• →Neretva canyon railway
• →Sarajevo food tour
• →Baščaršija bazaar evening

Free day: the Tunnel of Hope and the Siege-related sites (take the tram to Ilidža then local bus; the tunnel tour is ~£10), Gallery 11/07/95 (~£5), the War Childhood Museum, or the National Museum. Ride the funicular up to the 1984 Olympic bobsled track for the graffiti-covered walk, and hike part of the Rakitnica canyon if you want a bit of leg work. Regroup in the evening for Sarajevo's famous nightlife — the bazaar courtyards, jazz bars and clubs — splitting the bill of a big night out with new hostel mates.

🚌Tram/bus £3-5

🛏Hostel dorm in Sarajevo (~£14-18)

• →Tunnel of Hope and war museums
• →Olympic bobsled track funicular
• →Sarajevo bar and club night out

The Sarajevo–Kotor run is long (9-11 hrs) so consider breaking it with an early departure or taking the evening bus and sleeping on the way. Alternatively bus to Trebinje then on to Kotor, or fly the short hop if time is tight. Arrive at the Bay of Kotor in the evening, check into a hostel in the walled old town, and take an orientation wander through the squares and along the waterfront. Eat fresh seafood or a cheap Montenegrin grilled lunch (burek or pljeskavica ~£5-7).

🚌Long-distance bus ~£25-30 (or split the journey via Trebinje)

🛏Hostel dorm in Kotor old town (~£18-25)

• →Kotor old town orientation walk
• →Bay of Kotor waterfront

Start early to climb the Ladder of Kotor / city walls to San Giovanni fortress (~£8 entry, 1-1.5 hrs up, steep but the bay view is worth it). Spend the mid-afternoon cooling off with a shared hop-on boat across the bay, or join a small-group boat trip to Our Lady of the Rocks and Perast (~£25-30 instead of a private charter). Back in Kotor for a cheap dinner and sunset drinks on the old town walls.

🚌Boat across the bay £8-12; walking for the hike

🛏Hostel dorm in Kotor (~£18-25)

• →Kotor fortress hike
• →Shared bay boat trip or Perast/Our Lady of the Rocks
• →Sunset on the walls

Pick up a shared transfer or take the local bus via Nikšić towards Žabljak (~4 hrs). If you want the canyon experience, stop at Nevidio (guide and equipment required, ~£40-50; book direct) — otherwise take in the Piva canyon viewpoints and the views from the road. Settle into a guesthouse in Žabljak, which is a base for Durmitor National Park. Cook or eat a simple dinner; evenings here are cool and quiet but the stargazing is excellent.

🚌Bus/shared transfer ~£15-20

🛏Guesthouse in Žabljak (~£18-22)

• →Piva canyon viewpoints
• →Nevidio Canyon canyoning (optional)
• →Wilderness stargazing

Spend the day in Durmitor National Park (~£4 park fee). The classic loop is the easy 3-4 hr trail around Crno Jezero (Black Lake), but you can extend up towards Barno Lake or towards the Sedlo pass for bigger mountain views. Optional via ferrata or guided hike up to Bobotov Kuk for strong walkers. Back in town, eat a hearty Montenegrin dinner of kačamak and lamb (~£10) and get an early night.

🚌Walk to trailhead / local taxi ~£3

🛏Guesthouse in Žabljak (~£18-22)

• →Crno Jezero (Black Lake) loop
• →Durmitor mountain viewpoints
• →Optional guided peak hike

Bus or shared transfer from Žabljak via Nikšić to the Lower Ostrog Monastery — the white monastery built into the cliff face is free to visit and a highlight of Montenegro. Continue by bus or shared taxi to Budva (~3 hrs total, ~£20). Check into a hostel near the old town beach, walk the Venetian old town and the citadel, and enjoy the first proper night out on the Budva riviera — beach bars and clubs run late in summer.

🚌Buses/shared taxi ~£20-25

🛏Hostel dorm in Budva (~£20-28)

• →Lower Ostrog Monastery
• →Budva old town and citadel walk
• →Budva night out

Finish with a morning boat trip to the Blue Cave and along the Budva Riviera (~£25-35 on a shared excursion, cheaper than a private catamaran) — or just swim at Mogren beach and the Slovenska plaža. Spend the afternoon on the last swim and a slow lunch, then fly out from Tivat (TIV, 20 mins from Budva) or Podgorica, or take the bus onwards to Albania if you're continuing your gap year travels.

🚌Local bus to Tivat airport ~£5; shared boat £25-35

🛏Hostel dorm in Budva (~£20-28) or depart

• →Blue Cave boat trip
• →Mogren beach swim
• →Budva Riviera last afternoon