We decided this summer to explore some of the former Yugoslavia. The country of Yugoslavia broke up in 1991, and throughout the years, separate parts of the country declared their independence, leading to multiple military operations and wars. The countries are now: Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia. And because of limited flights, we finished our trip in one of our favorite cities, Venice.
Tip: Click on each day to explore the hotels, restaurants, and tours featured in the itinerary.
Day 0, Wheels up!
Our travels start with a trip from Knoxville to Sarajevo. There are currently only direct flights from the US to Belgrade, Serbia, and Dubrovnik, Croatia. We wanted to start in Sarajevo, so we flew United and Lufthansa through Frankfurt. We organized a transfer from the airport that allowed for a first stop at the Tunnel of Hope (we stopped here right away because it is located at the airport). After a short walk through the tunnel and a 20-minute video, he drove us through Sniper Alley to our accomodations for 2 nights at Hotel President Sarajevo. This hotel’s location is perfect, and we spent the night walking around the market area and eating Puffy Lil’ Pancakes, one of our favorite pancake places ever.
Day 1, Discovering Sarajevo
Once in Sarajevo, we strolled around the Old Town, Coppersmith Street, and the renowned Bascarsija Bazaar, all of which were close to our hotel. After seeing the moving Gallery 11/07/95 and the Latin Bridge, which is where the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which ultimately triggered World War I, took place in Sarajevo. Dinner at Careva Cuprija completes the evening.
Day 2, War History and Local Insight
Our morning is devoted to an impressive “Sarajevo and War Times” tour, which includes the Tunnel of Hope, Sniper Alley, and expansive views from Brdo Zuc and Trebević Mountain. This tour is completely customizable, as we have already visited these locations before. A knowledgeable local guide leads this more in-depth exploration of Sarajevo’s history. A reservation is made for dinner at the well-liked neighborhood eatery Dveri.
Day 3, Road Tripping to Kotor
We go from Sarajevo to Kotor today, stopping in Mostar, the Blagaj Tekija Monastery, and Trebinje for cultural and scenic reasons. We reach Kotor just in time for sunset and a meal by the sea at Konoba Bonaca after navigating the twisting mountain roads of Montenegro’s coastline.
- Rental🚗: https://www.avis.com/en/home
- Hotel🛏: https://www.booking.com/hotel/me/c-group-apartments-kotor.html?aid=2440491&label=cht532js-1BCAsojwFCEmMtZ3JvdXAtYXBhcnRtZW50c0gJWANorwKIAQGYATG4AQfIAQ3YAQHoAQGIAgGoAgO4Asyu8MIGwAIB0gIkYjkyMWJiNzEtOTExNS00OTFkLThjMmYtNTBiYmJmNTM5YjRl2AIF4AIB&sid=b0af3b062d703e682c1d15759c89f801
- Eats🍽: https://www.facebook.com/konobabonacakotor
Day 4, Bay of Kotor by Boat
We spent the morning on a private boat cruise to the Bay of Kotor, which included swimming in the Blue Cave, visiting Our Lady of the Rocks, and discovering secret subterranean passages. We had dinner at Moments in Montenegro to cap off the day after spending a leisurely afternoon exploring Old Town and tasting wines at Kraken, a floating bar.
Day 5, Climbing Castles & Dubrovnik Nights
We got off to a great start, scaling the ancient walls of Kotor and then traveling to Dubrovnik by car (the border control can be quite busy, so you may want to go early). We made a brief stop at Herceg Novi before arriving at the “Pearl of the Adriatic” in time for a tour of Old Town featuring Game of Thrones. If you are a GOT fan, this is a perfect way to get the history of the city and see the iconic sites from the show. We ended the evening perfectly with dinner at the classy Nautika, which had amazing views and atmosphere.
Day 6, ATVs, Ancient Walls & Cliffside Views
This morning, we had the opportunity to do an ATV tour, we rode the ATVs through rural mountain villages, on top of mountains for amazing view of the city and coastline, and even did a little boulder climbing that would impress an adventurer. We ended with a glass of wine and charcuterie at a local restaurant. This was a highlight of the trip and one of our favorite tours ever. We continued our visit to the Minceta Tower, strolled through the city walls, and a stop at Buza Bar, which is situated atop a cliff overlooking the ocean (an Instagram worthy spot). Tonight’s dinner we found a Asian fusion restaurant within the city walls that we all loved called Azur.
Day 7, Cable Cars & Shopping Sprees
We decided to take it easy today and hang out at the beach overlooking the city. With great food and cocktails, we all enjoyed a relaxing day. We had a fantastic dinner at Ezza Steak and Cocktail Bar to finish off the day.
- Cable Cars🚠: https://www.dubrovnikcablecar.com
- Eats🍽 : https://ezzarestaurant.com
Day 8, Hello, Split!
Following a leisurely morning trip to Split, we went up Marjan Hill to enjoy expansive views of the shore. Dinner at Biberon Sushi Bar and a stunning suite with a sea view at the Radisson Blu made for a laid-back and picturesque evening.
Day 9, Thrones Tour & Coastal Views
Originally, we had planned a five-hour private Game of Thrones tour that would take us to filming locations like Klis Fortress and Diocletian’s Palace. But in true vacation fashion, we forgot about the scheduled tour and ended up doing it on our own instead, exploring the same iconic spots at our own pace, which turned out to be just right for us. After a relaxed afternoon visit to Bacvice Beach, we capped off the day with a phenomenal dinner at the Michelin-starred Duor, hands down, a must-do while in Split.
Day 10, A True Beach Day
Today was all about the vacation. We stayed nearby and beside the beach, enjoying the sun without any plans. The Radisson’s Mistral Beach Club served a modest, chic, and beautiful dinner.
Day 11, Plitvice Wonders & Lake Bled Arrival
In preparation for a spectacular day at Plitvice Lakes National Park, we got up early. Our morning was packed with scenic walks, ferry excursions, and waterfalls. After that, we traveled through Slovenian villages straight out of a fairy tale, reaching Lake Bled just in time for a sunset meal at Old Cellar Bled.
Day 12, Bled’s Beauty by Boat and Castle
Following a sunrise trek to Mala Osojnica, we headed to Bled Castle, which we had entirely to ourselves at that early hour. The views from the top were absolutely breathtaking, made even better over lunch at the Castle of Lake Bled(reservations highly recommended). We later took a traditional pletna boat across the lake to Bled Island (don’t forget to bring euros for the oarsman!) and spent the afternoon strolling around the town, soaking in the charm from every angle. With a view of the church, the castle, and the island all in one frame, Lake Bled far surpassed my expectations-each element beautiful on its own, but together, truly magical. The evening concluded with another unforgettable meal at the Michelin-starred Julijana, reserved just for the adults.
Day 13, Gorges, Falls & Flight Above Bohinj
We started the day with a visit to Savica Waterfall, followed by a scenic stroll through the breathtaking Vintgar Gorge, which reminded us of rivers back home in East Tennessee, except the water here was a stunning glacier-blue. After lunch by the lake, some of us experienced the thrill of paragliding over Lake Bohinj. Not our first time, but definitely the best time, we literally ran off the side of the mountain, soared above the lake and surrounding peaks, and Rowan even got to guide her parachute. We spent the night at Hotel Jezero, perfectly situated in this charming mountain town tucked away in Slovenia’s natural beauty. If there’s one thing I’d change about this itinerary, it would be to spend more time in Bohinj. For dinner, we headed to Karakter Bar. Everyone was ready for a good burger, fries, and onion rings, and their gin and tonics hit the spot too.
Day 14, From Mountains to Venice
The day started with a last excursion to Triglav National Park, which included visits to Kozjak Waterfall and Tolmin Gorge. We then traveled into Italy and took a water taxi to Venice. We enjoyed our first Venetian evening after checking into our hotel beside the canal and going to La Colonna for dinner.
Day 15, Murano Magic & Lido Breezes
The combination of beach time on Lido and glassblowing on Murano created a fantastic island-hopping day. After grabbing pizza and coffee at Café Florian near San Marco Square, we had supper at Gios by the water to cap off the day.
Day 16, A Perfect Venetian Finale
We explored San Marco Square, the Rialto Bridge, a gondola ride, and sunset cocktails during our final full day in Venice. Dinner at Osteria Ka’D’Oroallavedov, a local favorite and ideal farewell, marked the trip’s lovely conclusion.
One of our favorite cities in the world. This is our 3rd time here, but first for the kids. We happened to be here on a national boat competition day. All speedboats are cancelled, and the canals are full of kayaks, rowers, and gondolas.
Roaming with Rowan 