Zagreb to Corfu: Epic Hikes & Medieval Fortresses (Self-Launched)

Arrive into Zagreb airport and take the Pleso Prijevoz shuttle bus to the main bus station (~£7, 30 mins), or city bus 290 for ~£1. Check into a central hostel around Donji Grad or near Jelacic Square. Self-guided orientation walk: Ban Jelacic Square, Dolac Market, Tkalciceva Street, St Mark's Church with its tiled roof, and the Stone Gate. Grab a cheap strukli dinner (cheese-stuffed pastry, ~£7) and try Zagreb's craft beer bars in the evening.

🚌Airport shuttle bus ~£7; everything central is walkable

🛏Central hostel dorm, Zagreb (~£18)

• →Self-guided old town walk
• →Dolac Market
• →Museum of Broken Relationships (~£4, optional)

Book the direct Zagreb–Plitvice bus (Flixbus/Arriva, ~£13, 2h15). Buy your Plitvice entrance ticket online in advance via the official np-plitvicka-jezera.hr site — prices are seasonal, roughly £24–£32 in summer including the boat and panoramic train inside the park. Walk the Lower Lakes boardwalk circuit (Entrance 1) in the afternoon, then overnight in a guesthouse in Mukinje or Rastovaca village just outside the park.

🚌Public bus Zagreb–Plitvice ~£13

🛏Guesthouse near Plitvice (~£22)

• →Plitvice Lakes lower lakes boardwalk
• →Veliki Slap waterfall viewpoint

Use your 2-day ticket (or re-enter early) to walk the Upper Lakes and the boat crossing before catching the afternoon bus to Split (~£18, 3h30). Arrive in Split, self-guided stroll through the Diocletian's Palace cellars and the Riva promenade at sunset, then join a hostel pub crawl or the Bacvice beach bars for a night out.

🚌Public bus Plitvice–Split ~£18

🛏Hostel dorm in Split old town (~£20)

• →Plitvice upper lakes walk
• →Evening walk on the Riva

Do a self-guided morning around Diocletian's Palace — free to enter the complex, with the cathedral and bell tower ticket around £6 if you want to climb. Join a pay-what-you-like walking tour or a GetYourGuide 'Diocletian's Palace & Old Town' tour (~£15). Afternoon: hike up Marjan Hill for the viewpoint (free, 45 mins), swim at Kasjuni or Bacvice beach, or take the local bus to Solin's Roman ruins. Optional day trip by catamaran to Bol on Brac for Zlatni Rat beach (~£12 each way).

🚌Walking; local bus ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm in Split (~£20)

• →Diocletian's Palace self-guided visit
• →Marjan Hill hike
• →Swim at Bacvice beach

Take the morning Jadrolinija or Krilo catamaran from Split to Hvar town (~£10–£13, 1h). Climb to the Spanjol Fortress (~£8) for the view, then either swim off the rocks or join a small-group Pakleni Islands boat cruise (~£30–£40 on GetYourGuide/Klook) stopping at secluded coves. Return by the evening catamaran to Split.

🚌Catamaran Split–Hvar return ~£22

🛏Hostel dorm in Split (~£20)

• →Hvar Fortress
• →Pakleni Islands boat trip
• →Hvar old town stroll

Take the morning bus Split–Dubrovnik (~£16, 4h30; book Flixbus or Arriva ahead in summer). Afternoon self-guided walk of the Stradun and the Old Town lanes (free), sunset from the Buza cliffs bars, then dinner and drinks in the old town. If you want a proper night out, head to Banje or the Lapad strip.

🚌Public bus Split–Dubrovnik ~£16

🛏Hostel dorm in Dubrovnik (~£25)

• →Old Town orientation walk
• →Sunset at Buza
• →Lapad nightlife

Walk the Dubrovnik city walls early (~£32 high season, £16 off-peak — go at 8am to beat the heat and the cruise crowds), or take the cable car (£25) up Srd for the view. Mid-afternoon, take the bus Dubrovnik–Trebinje (~£6, 1h; note the border crossing — carry your passport). Taxi or local bus to Tvrdoš Monastery for the wine tasting (~£6), stop at Hercegovačka Gračanica for the city view, and walk over the Arslanagić Bridge. Evening stroll in Trebinje's plane-tree-shaded old town.

🚌Public bus to Trebinje ~£6; local buses/taxis ~£5

🛏Guesthouse/sobe in Trebinje (~£18)

• →Dubrovnik city walls
• →Tvrdoš Monastery wine tasting
• →Arslanagić Bridge

This is the one day worth hiring a driver — a private day-hire taxi or local tour from Trebinje/Livno covering Počitelj's Ottoman fortress and art colony, Kravica Waterfalls (entry ~£4, swim there) and a late-afternoon jeep safari on the Livno plateau searching for wild horses (~£30–£40, bookable through your guesthouse). Support local alternatives where possible: nearby hostels can arrange shared jeep tours. Overnight in Livno with a simple local BBQ (cevapi) dinner.

🚌Private driver day-hire ~£60 split between travellers; jeep safari ~£35

🛏Guesthouse in Livno (~£18)

• →Počitelj fortress
• →Kravica Waterfalls swim
• →Sunset jeep safari for wild horses

Bus or shared taxi south to Mostar (~£8–£12, 2h), stopping at Blagaj where the Dervish Monastery sits at the mouth of the Buna river spring (entry ~£3, coffee by the water highly recommended). Continue to Mostar and join a free walking tour of the old town (~tips £5–£10), then linger at Stari Most at golden hour and watch the divers. Dinner of local dishes along the Neretva.

🚌Bus/shared taxi ~£10

🛏Hostel dorm in Mostar old town (~£15)

• →Blagaj Dervish Monastery
• →Free walking tour of Mostar
• →Stari Most at sunset

Hop the morning train (or bus) Mostar–Konjic (~£4, 1h) — the railway follows the Neretva gorge and is one of the region's great scenic rides. Book a half-day whitewater rafting trip on the Neretva (~£30–£40 with BBQ lunch, via GetYourGuide or your hostel). Afternoon: relax by the river, or visit Tito's Bunker (ARK D-0, ~£10, bookable locally). Riverside overnight.

🚌Train Mostar–Konjic ~£4

🛏Riverside guesthouse/hostel in Konjic (~£16)

• →Scenic train ride
• →Neretva whitewater rafting
• →Tito's Bunker (optional)

Morning train Konjic–Sarajevo (~£4, 1h30). Join a small-group or pay-what-you-like Bosnian food tour (~£25–£35 on GetYourGuide, or the free-tour version with tips) sampling cevapi, burek, sirnica and Bosnian coffee in Baščaršija. Afternoon free: walk the Ottomans-era bazaar and the Latin Bridge.

🚌Train ~£4; city tram ~£1

🛏Hostel dorm in Sarajevo (~£15)

• →Bosnian food tour
• →Baščaršija bazaar walk
• →Latin Bridge

Free day. Options: Gallery 11/07/95 and the Tunnel of Hope with an in-depth local tour (~£25 combined), the History Museum, or take the funicular up to the 1984 Olympic bobsled track and walk down. Afternoon hike in the Rakitnica or Trebevic trails if you want more mileage. Then regroup for a big night out — Sarajevo's bar scene around Ferhadija and the brewery pubs is excellent and cheap.

🚌Walking, tram ~£1, taxi ~£4

🛏Hostel dorm in Sarajevo (~£15)

• →Tunnel of Hope & war history tour
• →Olympic bobsled track
• →Night out in Sarajevo

Long travel day: bus Sarajevo–Trebinje (~£10, 4h) and change for Trebinje–Kotor (~£12, 2h, crossing into Montenegro — carry your passport). Or do the whole route as one coach booking if available. Arrive into Kotor's walled old town in the late afternoon, orientation walk along the harbour and the sea gate.

🚌Public buses ~£22 total

🛏Hostel in Kotor old town (~£20, book ahead in summer)

• →Kotor old town walk
• →Harbour sunset

Hike up to Kotor Fortress / San Giovanni early (entry ~£8, goes up to ~£12 in summer) — 1,350 steps and the best view in Montenegro, best done before 9am. Afternoon: join a small-boat tour of the Bay of Kotor and Our Lady of the Rocks (~£20), or take the local public boat across the bay for pennies. Evening in the old town.

🚌Walking; boat ~£20

🛏Hostel in Kotor (~£20)

• →Kotor Fortress hike
• →Bay of Kotor boat tour
• →Our Lady of the Rocks

Bus Kotor–Žabljak (~£14, 3h30, scenic through the mountains). Afternoon circular hike around Crno Jezero (Black Lake) in Durmitor National Park (~£3 park fee, 2h easy loop) and catch a glimpse of Nevidio Canyon viewpoint on the drive if you hire a local transfer. Overnight in a mountain guesthouse.

🚌Bus ~£14; local taxi ~£8

🛏Mountain guesthouse in Žabljak (~£18)

• →Crno Jezero loop hike
• →Durmitor viewpoints

Hire a local taxi/transfer to the Lower Ostrog Monastery (cliff-carved, free, ~£35 return from Žabljak or arrange a transfer route to Niksic then bus onwards). Continue by bus to Budva (~£10–£14). Evening orientation walk of Budva's old town and a swim at Mogren beach.

🚌Taxi/transfer ~£35; bus ~£12

🛏Hostel dorm in Budva (~£20)

• →Ostrog Monastery visit
• →Budva old town walk
• →Mogren beach swim

Morning at the Budva Riviera beaches, or take a catamaran cruise to the Blue Cave and Sveti Stefan viewpoint (~£25–£35 on GetYourGuide/Klook). Beach afternoon, then drinks in the old town for a final Montenegro night out.

🚌Boat cruise ~£30; local bus ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm in Budva (~£20)

• →Blue Cave boat cruise
• →Sveti Stefan viewpoint
• →Budva old town night out

Bus Budva–Tirana (~£15, 4h–5h with a border stop at Hani i Hotit; book through a local agency or Flixbus where available). Orientation walk of Tirana: Skanderbeg Square, the colourful Pyramid, Bunk'Art 1 (~£5) and the Blloku district nightlife. Evening Albanian food — tavë kosi or fergese.

🚌Bus ~£15

🛏Hostel dorm in Tirana (~£15)

• →Tirana orientation walk
• →Bunk'Art 1 (optional)
• →Blloku neighbourhood

Local furgon (minibus) to Krujë (~£2, 1h) — walk the bazaar, the Skanderbeg Museum and the castle walls. Back in Tirana, book an afternoon Albanian cooking class (~£30 on Airbnb Experiences/GetYourGuide — byrek, tavë, and raki). Evening free.

🚌Furgon ~£4 return; city bus ~£1

🛏Hostel dorm in Tirana (~£15)

• →Krujë castle & bazaar
• →Albanian cooking class

Furgon/bus Tirana–Berat (~£4, 2h30). Walking tour of the Mangalem and Gorica quarters and the Berat Castle (free to walk, castle church/museum ~£2). Sunset from the Gorica bridge is the money shot. Stay in a guesthouse in the old town.

🚌Furgon ~£4

🛏Old town guesthouse in Berat (~£18)

• →Berat Castle walk
• →Mangalem & Gorica quarters
• →Gorica bridge sunset

Bus Berat–Vlorë (~£5, 2h30). Afternoon exploring the Vjosë-Nartë Delta Protected Area — a boat trip or guided birdwatching in the lagoon (~£15, arrange locally) or simply cycle the Narta spit and swim. Overnight in Vlorë near the promenade.

🚌Bus ~£5; bike hire ~£5

🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Vlorë (~£16)

• →Vjosë-Nartë wetlands visit
• →Narta lagoon swim
• →Vlorë promenade

Bus Vlorë–Himarë along the Albanian Riviera (~£4, 2h). Walking tour of Himarë's old town and castle (~£10 with a local guide, or self-guided), then afternoon hike to a shepherd outpost in the surrounding hills for a home-cooked lunch of local cheese, lamb and olive oil (~£15–£20, arranged through your guesthouse or a local guide). Swim at Livadhi beach in the evening.

🚌Bus ~£4; local taxis ~£5

🛏Guesthouse in Himarë (~£18)

• →Himarë old town walking tour
• →Hike to shepherd outpost with lunch
• →Livadhi beach

Bus or shared taxi Himarë–Saranda (~£4–£8), then the Saranda–Corfu ferry (~£12–£18, 1h–1h30 depending on operator — book online with Finikas or Ionian Seaways). Note the short sea crossing enters Greece, so bring your passport. Arrive on Corfu and check into the old town. Sunset from the Old Fortress or the Liston, then a final big night out in Corfu's old town.

🚌Bus/taxi ~£6; ferry ~£15

🛏Hostel/hotel dorm in Corfu old town (~£22)

• →Saranda–Corfu ferry crossing
• →Corfu old town walk
• →Old Fortress sunset

Morning coffee at the Liston, a swim at Faliraki beach or the Mon Repos estate walk, and last-minute shopping in the old town. Corfu airport is a short bus ride (~£2) or taxi (~£12) from the centre. Depart, or extend south along the Greek coast.

🚌Local bus ~£2 or taxi ~£12

🛏Depart (or extra night ~£22)

• →Corfu old town free time
• →Beach swim
• →Airport transfer