Exploring the Gems of the Balkans: A journey through Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia&Herzegovina

Wandering through Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina felt like stepping into Europe’s best-kept secret, a realm both breathtaking and blissfully untouched by the crowds that flock to France, Italy, Switzerland or Greece. Here, the landscapes unfurl with unguarded beauty—from the golden vineyards to the whispering shores of secluded beaches, where autumn casts a spell of deep russet and amber hues over ancient towns and rugged mountains. We arrived in mid-October, drawn by our love for fall colors, and were greeted with an intimacy few destinations offer: quiet cobblestone streets, shimmering lakes, and warm, genuine smiles from people who felt like family. These places have forever etched themselves into our hearts, for they have touched and transformed us in ways beyond words. We leave with a piece of their beauty woven into our souls, forever changed by the spirit of this land.

Best time of visit: Anytime of the year as every season has something unique to offer though Spring and Summer are popular with tourists. We chose autumn – Mid October when its almost end of season as it wasn’t crowded and could immerse ourselves in cinematic fall colors.

This comprehensive travel guide covers Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia & Herzegovina, perfect for a combined two-week adventure. Each country also offers enough to stand alone as a unique travel experience. For in-depth guides to each destination, see the links below:

Croatia -< Link to be updated>
Slovenia – https://www.somedaynomadic.com/alpine-dreams-come-alive-exploring-slovenias-lake-bled-lake-bohinj-and-the-julian-alps/
Bosnia & Herzegovina: https://www.somedaynomadic.com/bosnia-herzegovina-magic-of-mostar-majesty-of-kravice-falls/

The Itinerary we followed:

Improvizations to Itinerary:

You can skip staying in Zagreb on Days 10 and 11. Instead, on Day 10, drive directly from Plitvice to Lake Bled and continue the itinerary from there as outlined. Use the extra day you would have spent in Zagreb to add another day in Dubrovnik, allowing for a day trip to Montenegro (another country to explore!).
On Day 12, consider staying in Lake Bohinj instead of Ljubljana.
On Day 13, take time to explore Ljubljana further or enjoy hiking in the Julian Alps. You might also stroll around Lake Bohinj, visit valleys like the Voje Valley, or try the Double Lakes hike, which takes about 3–4 hours. From Lake Bohinj, head straight to an airport hotel for an overnight stay.

Travel Tips:

Visa: Apply for Multiple Entry Tourist Schengen visa with Croatian Embassy. Ensure to apply 60 days in advance though we applied 29 days ahead of trip and was lucky to get the visa. With multiple entry Schegen visa it is possible to enter Bosnia&Herzegovina and also Montenegro
Rental car: Needed from Split in Croatia from Day 9 to Day 14. Rent from any popular vendor like Europcar, Hertz, Enterprise, Sixt, Avis etc. We went with “Nova-Rent-A-Car”. Rented from Split City center and dropped off at Zagreb Airport
Local SIM: We went with international roaming option. Possible to get tourist prepaid SIM from airport kiosks. Recommended networks TMobileT-Hrvatski Telekom) Croatia and A1 Croatia
Food: Easy to find Vegetarian and Vegan options
Gear: For hiking, advised to wear good shoes with ankle support and comfortable athleisure pants/tshirt with a light jacket if needed. Hiking poles are optional or you could easily pick up a long wooden stick from the trail to serve as hiking stick for core support.
Finally, this is a DIY trip. Book your hotels through Agoda, Booking.com or any hotels’ website. Use a combination of this itinerary and google maps to do it yourself. You do not need any travel agents except during the day trips recommended. In any of any clarifications, leave a comment and I will respond with details at the earliest possible time.

Here are highlights per itinerary.