16 Places to Visit in Europe’s Coolest, Most Underrated Region

The situation of Europe ’s most recent warfare is probably not top of intellect whenplanning your next European vacation . And why the snake pit not ? The Balkan Peninsula is a domain where the hoi polloi are as varied and complex as the gorgeous landscapes , where a calico demography of creed and ethnicities spots the hillsides and village , and the still - cure wounding of tragedy are meet with old - world hospitality and wry sarcasm . By some token , it might be the best place to get a feeling for the Europe that once was .

Most American visitant to the orbit make a few stops alongCroatia ’s gleam Adriaticcoastline , or hightail it all the way down to Istanbul orGreece . The rest of the peninsula lurks in mirky fuzziness : post - Soviet , Eastern European , conversant yet curious at the same time . But there ’s much more to the Balkans thanGame of Thronestours in Dubrovnik . excavate deep and you ’ll find progressive , youthful enclave of hard - partying folks , quaint small towns steeped in history , and drop stagnant gorgeous scene . Here are 16 of the peninsula ’s good rule .

Albanian Riviera, Albania

Unbeknownst to many , Albania possesses what might be the Mediterranean ’s last bit of pristine untouched coastline : the 150 kilometer - long stretch of sand and cliffs between the towns of Vlorë and Sarandë . Also know as North Epirus , the area is dotted with a picturesque collection of ancient villages clinging to its coastal hills . Himare is the most salient : its break down rook , situated high up on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean sea , affords breathtaking purview . emphatically spend sentence on the beach , though . There are some hotel , but the best way to enjoy these secluded strands is in a collapsible shelter – campgrounds abound .

The one must - do matter : slack up on the beach , manifestly . steer down to Jala for a truly spectacular beach day .

Skopje, North Macedonia

After decade of being cognise as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ( FYROM for short ) , new rechristened North Macedonia is a seriouslyunderrated state to visit– it ’s grease cheap , boasts beautiful Greek and knotty ruin , and is home to some incredibly kind people . Its chapiter city , Skopje , sports a tortuous Albanian one-quarter double-dyed with ancient mosque , bustle markets , and one of the neighborhood ’s skillful party scenes . Outside of the Albanian quarter , the fresh build up governmental center exudes a Vegas - esque Caesar ’s Palace vibe intend to call forth Macedonia ’s “ glory days ” – 2,000 years ago , the time of Alexander the Great . Visit the great valet himself in all his metallic glorification : a 78 - foot statueof an unnamed ( for political reasons ) warrior - B. B. King on a monolithic , anatomically correct sawbuck , its beachball - sized bronze ballock gleaming proudly in the sunlight . Truly a sight to lay eyes on .

The one must - do affair : Check outKapan An , a nightclub built into a historical fifteenth - hundred caravanserai , a traditional Muslim lodge and trading house in the Old Bazaar dominion . In the warmer months , party in the edifice ’s broad central court last until the early sunrise hour .

Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

North Macedonia ’s premier tourist address , Ohrid ’s main draws are its charming Old Town showcasing its Ottoman heritage , gorgeous ancient monasteries , and the monolithic lake that gives the townsfolk its name . Take a boat ride on the serene waters , and get a look at the spectacularChurch of St. John at Kaneo , a 13th - C Byzantine Roman basilica perched on a pitcher’s mound overlooking the clear blue water .

The one must - do thing : Take the 2.5 - minute ferry ride across the Lake Ohrid to the spectacular 1,000 - year - oldmonastery of St. Naumon the Albanian border and inebriate in the views along the way .

Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Just a short ride from Dubrovnik in Croatia , Trebinje in Bosnia ’s Eastern Herzegovina region is a stark entree point to Bosnia ’s taciturn Serbian half , the Republika Srpska . Fenced in by eminent scenic mountains , the metropolis ’s clearly Mediterranean feel is tempered by Cyrillic - lettered signage and Byzantine cupola . The magnificent blue - light-green Trebisnjica River placidly corrals the crumbling honest-to-god townsfolk from the ( also crumbling ) new , reflect the weather stone building on a absolutely smooth surface before go away underground to reappear in Croatia . To properly revalue Trebinje ’s glory , head to nearby Leotar mass and catch a paragliding circuit over the city and surrounding area .

The one must - do thing : company . On summer nights , the city ’s old town turns into what add up to an open - air fête , with unrecorded music alfresco and disk jockey spinning in the town ’s surprisingly abundant nightclub .

Niš, Serbia

Dating back to R.C. time ( Constantine the Great was born here 1,800 twelvemonth ago ) , Serbia ’s third - largest city is stud with end of the past . Historically characterized as a gateway to the eastern United States , the city changed deal dozens of times over history , a fact borne witness by the still - telling fortifications scattered throughout itsthe centre . Now a hub of culture in Serbia , the citizens of Niš host a identification number of festivals throughout the class and bask a lively coffee bar and streak conniption .

The one must - do affair : See what remains of the metropolis ’s violent past tense at the Skull Tower . The vengeful Ottoman vizier Hurshid Pasha constructed a tugboat out of the skulls of his vanquished foes to serve as a warning to succeeding enemy .

Rijeka, Croatia

The southern city of Dubrovnik , aka King ’s Landing fromGoT , is indisputably beautiful , but the summer month see its limestone artery overload with tourists clamoring for a taste of Westeros . Rijeka is one lay - back northerly alternative . Though the city has a heavy Italian influence , Austrian - elan coffee bar finish is the name of the game here , and you ’ll see local anesthetic relaxing in the many outdoor cafes on its primary boulevard , Korzo . For a mo of exercise , climb up to the brow Trsat Castle and admire a panoramic scene of the city and the Rječina river that winds through it .

The one must - do thing : Take a day trip to Krk island , home to beautiful beaches , precious piffling small town , and one of Croatia ’s most delicious wines – the golden - colored Vrbnicka Zlahtina , an indigenous white grape vine variety .

Kotor, Montenegro

nestle deep into the bay laurel that shares its name , Kotor has one of the most scenic shorelines in Europe , ringed by old towers and villa and exorbitant tidy sum that move up precipitously from its recondite blue - gullible waters , speckled by sailing boat . Kotor ’s monumental 15th - C Venetian walls hold in a hive of twisted , medieval street bursting with restaurants , bars , basilicas , shrines , and hostels . Montenegro is like acheaper , teensier variant of Italy– get a sense of taste in Kotor before explore other beautiful small towns like Perast and Budva .

The one must - do thing : Climb up the 1300 - odd footstep to the mountaintop fort that rises steeply above Kotor ’s sometime town to trance the sundown . It ’s sweaty work , but the opinion here is unparalleled : the Bay of Kotor mull the set sunshine , its twinned islands barely visible in the distance . handwriting down , one of Europe ’s best panoramic views .

Thessaloniki, Greece

Though a century of Greek governance has reoriented the city toward the Aegean , for millennium , Thessaloniki ( or Salonica , or Salun , or any of the many names the urban center has gone by over the years ) served as the gateway to the Balkans . It was be intimate as the general second capital of the Ottoman Empire , and later its large historical Judaic universe earned it the nickname “ female parent of Israel . ” Ravaged by a ruinous flak a hundred years ago , the city was reconstruct on top of the old , the ruin of which are visible in the tunnel of city ’s novel metro system . Venizelou station control an open archeologic site where commuter train can look up to 84 metre of ancient marble - paved route .

The one must - do matter : Eat seafood and toast wine-colored ! Thessaloniki ’s life is in its street cafes , of which it has more per caput than any other city in Europe . Take a easygoing promenade down the waterfront , an body process so intrinsic to local polish that it has its own name , Conte Alessandro Volta .

Pristina, Kosovo

Perhaps owing to its roily past and late war of independency , Kosovo does n’t make it onto many tourist must - see lists . But there ’s a silver grey lining here : thanks to Clinton ’s intervention into the conflict , the Kosovar mass have it away Americans ! Here , travelers from the United States Department of State will be welcomed like long - lost siblings . It does n’t cease there : Pristina , the working capital of Europe ’s youngest nation ( in more manner than one – the median age here is 28 ) is astonishingly cosmopolitan . The EU has a big mien here , and the city is home to a significant expat universe and a lively bar and coffee shop finish .

The one must - do affair : shoot the breeze the Bill Clinton statue on its eponymous boulevard ( constructed to give thanks for American help during the Kosovo War ) and give Slick Willy a high - five .

Edirne, Turkey

Turkey ’s own slice of the Balkans is small these days , but boasts a plenteous account . Last diaphragm on the road to Istanbul ( or Constantinople , depend on when ) , Edirne has been the site of dozens of major battles since the Hellenistic era , when it was hump as Adrianople . Its most far-famed attraction is the mammoth sixteenth - century Selimiye Mosque that dominates the visible horizon . Edirne is perhaps one of the best places in the existence to prize traditional Ottoman computer architecture – especially nosepiece . Take a walk along the protracted Maritza bridge deck and admire unnumbered minaret from the lookout at its centre . The urban center ’s central place in Turkish acculturation is also testify by the interesting Turkish mutation of crude wrestling , and a fete commemorating the custom is held every June .

The one must - do thing : Drink vino ! Thrace ’s wine route , known asTrakya Bag Rotasiin Turkish , starts in Edirne . From here , you may take after the itinerary through XII of historic vineyards , each gasconade its own characteristic tang and varietals .

Danube Delta, Romania

Why you take to go : The sprawling delta of the Danube is the terminus of Europe ’s retentive river , which weave its way from Southern Germany to the Black Sea . These immense and sparsely populated waterway , knit together by narrow epithelial duct , are the country ’s tummy and home to a UNESCO - protected wetland racy in wildlife and biodiversity .

The one must - do matter : Book a sail through the scenic waterways and dine on delicious local fish and caviar .

Osijek, Croatia

Why you need to go : Well away from Croatia ’s to a great extent touristed Dalmatian coast , Osijek is the center of Croatia ’s Eastern Slavonia realm . Heavily ravaged during the warfare of the ' XC , the city has been mostly reconstruct . Slavonia is renowned across Croatia for its food , a heady mix of Croatian , Serbian , and Magyar culinary art representative of Osijek ’s multiethnic inheritance , and noted for its spiciness and freshness .

The one must - do thing : Go wine tasting in the countryside around the metropolis , and sample Graševina , Croatia ’s most famous wine , at its informant .

Accursed Mountains, Albania

Why you need to go : Albania ’s darkly named mountainous northern region is one of the least - develop part of Europe , home to a tribal cultivation with beginning stretching back centuries . The towering drop of the Albanian Alps frame Greenwich Village frozen in clip , primeval timberland , and barren sheep pastures , progress to the hazardous region a destination for in - the - know nature lovers .

The one must - do thing : Take the old , eat - out Lake Koman ferry from Koman to Fierze . The three - hour ride across the lake ’s perfectly still open go steep cliffs and lush green great deal and is one of the most scenic journeys in the Balkans .

Bitola, Macedonia

Why you call for to go : walk through Bitola , one of the oldest cities in Macedonia , one can see the progression of the metropolis ’s varied history . Once the seat of European consul in the Ottoman Empire , Bitola boasts okay examples of 19th - century romantic architecture juxtaposed with its ancient Turkish bazaar – a pot direct out of the Middle East .

The one must - do thing : Take a mean solar day misstep and drive to Ohrid , an ancient , beautiful city , nestled against a stack lake and home to uncountable churches , basilica , and Orthodox shrines .

Aladzha Monastery, Bulgaria

Hewn into the living rock of a perpendicular karst cliff in Northeastern Bulgaria , the ancient Aladzha Monastery is one of Europe ’s most esoteric Christian monasteries . Monks carved livelihood quarter , crypt , and even a small chapel into the limestone . A poor hike through the timberland brings you to a catacomb dating even further back in time , where they eked out a meager creation over 1,500 years ago .

The one must - do thing : have a few coin onto the carpet floor of the monastery ’s chapel for some good luck .

Sozopol, Bulgaria

Why you need to go : The ancient town of Sozopol on the Black Sea Coast is one of Bulgaria ’s most historic urban center . Dating back even before the time of Ancient Greece , the metropolis ’s old town features cobblestone street and the characteristically bedraggled two - story houses common in Ottoman cities . In the summer time of year , it is a merry recourse town for Bulgarian tourer who fall for Sunday , good nutrient , and the wild beaches .

The one must - do matter : Stroll through the picturesque onetime town before hitting the waterfront for a spyglass of local wine and some serious sunbathing on the beautiful Harmani beach .

Kotor in a beautiful summer day, Montenegro