Classic Balkans: Croatia to Albania — Self-Launched

Land at Franjo Tuđman Airport and take the 290 bus into the city centre (about 30 minutes, ~£7 return ticket if you buy a return, or ~£4 single). Check into a hostel around the Lower Town and spend the afternoon doing your own orientation walk: Ban Jelačić Square, the Dolac Market, Tkalčićeva street, and the street-art lanes around Medika. Book onward transport at the bus station or online (Arriva/Flixbus) for tomorrow.

🚌Bus 290 airport to city centre ~£4-7

🛏Hostel in Zagreb Lower Town — dorm ~£18-22/night

• →Self-guided Lower Town orientation walk
• →Dolac Market
• →Museum of Broken Relationships (optional, ~£6)

Morning bus from Zagreb to Plitvice (about 2h, ~£10-13 with Arriva or Flixbus; buses run from the main bus station and drop at Entrance 1). Buy your park ticket in advance online for a timed slot — the entrance fee includes the shuttle bus and electric boat on the lakes. Spend the afternoon walking the Lower Lakes (Route B or C takes 3-4 hours). Sleep in a guesthouse in the village of Mukinje or Jezerce, a short walk from Entrance 2.

🚌Arriva/Flixbus Zagreb to Plitvice ~£10-13

🛏Sobe/guesthouse in Mukinje or Jezerce — private room ~£25-35 (or hostel dorm ~£20)

• →Plitvice Lakes National Park full circuit (ticket ~£30-40 in high season, book ahead)
• →Lower Lakes boardwalks and Veliki Slap viewpoint

First bus south to Zadar (about 2h, ~£9-12). Walk the old town on the peninsula — the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun are free — and graze the local food stalls at the market instead of a paid food tour (a couple of small bites and a glass of local wine runs ~£10). Late afternoon bus or train to Šibenik (about 1h15, ~£6-8). Evening wander through Šibenik's stone alleys and up to St Michael's Fortress for sunset.

🚌Bus Plitvice-Zadar ~£9-12, bus/train Zadar-Šibenik ~£6-8

🛏Hostel or sobe in Šibenik old town — dorm ~£18-25

• →Zadar Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun (free)
• →Zadar market food tasting (~£10)
• →Šibenik old town and St Michael's Fortress (fortress ~£7)

Walk to the Šibenik ferry terminal and buy an onward ticket on the local island line. Prvić (Šepurine or Vodice side) has one of the best small-town harbours in Dalmatia and a coral history museum; Zlarin is the car-free coral island with a lovely little port and swimming coves. Ferries between the islands and back to Šibenik typically cost £4-8 per leg — check the current Jadrolinija timetable at the terminal the day before. Evening back in Šibenik.

🚌Jadrolinija ferries Šibenik-Prvić-Zlarin ~£10-16 total

🛏Hostel or sobe in Šibenik old town — dorm ~£18-25

• →Prvić island wander (harbour, fishing village, small folk museum)
• →Zlarin island swim and coral museum
• →Sunset at Šibenik's St Michael's Fortress (optional, ~£7)

Early bus to Krka National Park (Lozovac or Skradin entrance, ~£5-8, park ticket ~£12-22 depending on season) to walk the boardwalks under Skradinski Buk falls and, if time allows, the Roški Slap loop. In the afternoon continue by bus to Split (Krka to Split ~£6-9, 1h15). Check in, then self-orient along the Riva, Diocletian's Palace, and the Grgur Ninski statue.

🚌Bus Šibenik-Krka ~£5-8, bus Krka-Split ~£6-9

🛏Hostel in Split old town — dorm ~£22-30

• →Krka National Park waterfall boardwalks
• →Diocletian's Palace self-guided walk (free)
• →Split Riva evening stroll

Free day in Split. Options: climb the bell tower of St Domnius Cathedral (~£5), take a local bus to the beach at Bačvice, or catch the #10 bus to the Marjan forest park for the hike to Telegrin peak with views over the islands. In the evening grab a burek and local wine in the alleys behind the palace.

🚌Local buses ~£3-5

🛏Hostel in Split old town — dorm ~£22-30

• →St Domnius Cathedral and bell tower (~£5)
• →Marjan Hill hike (free, bus ~£3)
• →Bačvice beach

Bus down the coast to Makarska (about 1h30, ~£7-10). Base here for the Makarska Riviera: pebble beaches, the Biokovo mountain backdrop, and easy access to the Omiš canyon. Afternoon swim at Donja Luka or the main city beach, sunset from the peninsula lighthouse, and an evening in the old town's konobas.

🚌Bus Split-Makarska ~£7-10

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Makarska — dorm ~£20-28

• →Makarska Riviera beaches
• →Old town and St Peter's peninsula sunset (free)
• →Optional Biokovo Skywalk (bus + ticket ~£12)

Longer bus day south along the coast (Makarska to Dubrovnik about 3h, ~£13-18; buses run via Neum through Bosnia). Check into a hostel just outside the Old Town walls (Old Town dorms are pricier — staying 10 minutes' walk away in Ploče or Gruž saves a lot). Evening: walk the Stradun and watch the sunset from Fort Lovrijenac terrace or the free viewpoint at Bosanka.

🚌Bus Makarska-Dubrovnik ~£13-18

🛏Hostel near Dubrovnik Old Town (Ploče/Gruž) — dorm ~£25-35

• →Stradun and Old Town evening walk
• →Sunset viewpoint (free)

Walk the city walls early (ticket ~£30, or ~£15 with the Dubrovnik Pass which also covers several museums — worth it if you want both). In the afternoon, book a sea-kayaking trip around Lokrum island directly with a local operator (about £40-50 for a half-day, and the operator will often do it cheaper if you join a scheduled departure rather than a private one — this is the same optional activity G Adventures sells for ~£45).

🚌Walking; local bus ~£2 if needed

🛏Hostel near Dubrovnik Old Town — dorm ~£25-35

• →Dubrovnik City Walls walk (~£30 or Dubrovnik Pass ~£15-30)
• →Sea kayaking around Lokrum (~£40-50)

Cross into Bosnia. There's a direct bus Dubrovnik-Mostar (about 3h, ~£15-20). Mostar's Old Bridge, the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque, and the bazaar are all walkable. Stay in the Old Town — small guesthouses look right at the bridge. Have dinner at a local ćevapi grill (£5-8) and try a Bosnian coffee on the terraces overlooking the Neretva.

🚌Bus Dubrovnik-Mostar ~£15-20

🛏Guesthouse in Mostar Old Town — private room ~£20-28

• →Stari Most (Old Bridge) and Old Town bazaar (free)
• →Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque minaret (~£3)
• →Optional day-trip info for Blagaj and Kravice falls from local agencies

Rent a bike or take a local bus/taxi to Blagaj Tekke (about 15 minutes from Mostar, bus ~£2, taxi ~£10 each way) to see the Sufi monastery at the source of the Buna river. In the afternoon, join a shared minibus or small-group day tour to Kravice Falls (~£15-20 including transport, entry ~£6) — swimming in the pools under the waterfalls is the highlight. Return to Mostar for the evening.

🚌Local bus/taxi to Blagaj ~£5-10, shared minibus to Kravice ~£15

🛏Guesthouse in Mostar Old Town — private room ~£20-28

• →Blagaj Tekke and Buna river springs (entry ~£4)
• →Kravice Waterfalls swim (transport + entry ~£20-25)

Train or bus to Sarajevo (train is scenic and cheap at ~£5-8; buses run more frequently at ~£9-12, about 2h30). Check into a hostel in Baščaršija. Spend the afternoon on the free-ish sights: the Old Bazaar, Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, the Latin Bridge where Franz Ferdinand was shot, and the 'Sarajevo Meeting of Cultures' line.

🚌Train Mostar-Sarajevo ~£5-8 (or bus ~£9-12)

🛏Hostel in Sarajevo Baščaršija — dorm ~£12-18

• →Baščaršija Old Bazaar
• →Latin Bridge and assassination site (free)
• →Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque (~£2)

Visit the War Childhood Museum or the History Museum (each ~£4-6) and walk the Tunnel of Hope site near the airport (taxi or tram + walk, entry ~£5). Ride the Trebević cable car (~£8 return) for views over the valley, then walk down to the abandoned Olympic bobsled track. Evening in the Baščaršija courtyards with a Bosnian coffee and baklava.

🚌Tram and taxi around town ~£6-10

🛏Hostel in Sarajevo Baščaršija — dorm ~£12-18

• →War Childhood Museum (~£5)
• →Trebević cable car and bobsled track (~£8)
• →Tunnel of Hope (~£5 plus ~£8 transport)

Bus south to Kotor via Trebinje or Dubrovnik (about 6-7h, ~£20-28; some services involve a change at Trebinje, so check schedules the day before and book early). Arrive in Kotor Old Town — base yourself inside the walls. Evening walk the marble lanes and the seafront, and eat at a konoba inside the old town.

🚌Bus Sarajevo-Kotor (via Trebinje) ~£20-28

🛏Hostel or rooms in Kotor Old Town — dorm ~£20-28, private room ~£30-40

• →Kotor Old Town evening walk (free)
• →Maritime Museum if open (~£4)

Climb the Kotor Fortress (San Giovanni) early to beat the heat — there's now an entry fee (~£7-10) collected at the trailhead. The full circuit to the top takes 1-1.5h up. Afternoon swim at Dobrota or take a local bus to Perast (~£2) and a short boat out to Our Lady of the Rocks island (~£5-8 return boat). Back to Kotor in the evening.

🚌Local bus to Perast ~£2 each way

🛏Hostel or rooms in Kotor Old Town — dorm ~£20-28

• →Kotor Fortress/San Giovanni climb (~£7-10)
• →Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks boat (~£8-10)
• →Dobrota swimming

Short bus ride down the coast to Budva (about 45 minutes, ~£4-6). Spend the day between the old town's Venetian walls, Mogren beach, and the string of coves along the Budva Riviera. Sunset from the Mogren fortress trail is free and excellent. Evening strolling the Slovenska plaža promenade.

🚌Bus Kotor-Budva ~£4-6

🛏Hostel in Budva — dorm ~£18-28

• →Budva Old Town (free)
• →Mogren beach and fortress trail (free)
• →Stari Grad cafes and promenade

Bus or shared minibus to the Albanian border and on to Shkodër via Ulcinj or directly to Podgorica then Shkodër (about 4-5h total, ~£12-18 with changes, or a cross-border direct minibus from Budva to Shkodër ~£15-20 if available). On arrival in Shkodër, check into a guesthouse near the pedestrian street and walk the Rozafa Castle evening light (free entry or small fee ~£2).

🚌Bus/minibus Budva-Shkodër via border ~£12-20

🛏Guesthouse in Shkodër — private room ~£18-25

• →Rozafa Castle and viewpoint (free-£2)
• →Shkodër pedestrian street and Marubi photo museum (~£3)

Book a locally-run Lake Skadar boat or kayak trip through a Shkodër outdoor shop (~£25-40 for a half-day, depending on group size) — the lake's birdlife, lotus fields, and sunken fortresses are best seen on the water. If you'd rather keep it cheap, cycle to the lake shore on a rented bike (~£8/day) and swim. Evening back in town for traditional Albanian food at a local grill.

🚌Local transport / bike hire ~£8

🛏Guesthouse in Shkodër — private room ~£18-25

• →Lake Skadar boat trip (~£25-40)
• →Cycling to the lake shore (~£8)
• →Albanian grill dinner

Bus or shared minibus across the Kosovo border to Prizren (about 3-4h with a change at Kukës, ~£10-15; check whether it runs via Gjakova). Prizren is one of the prettiest small cities in the Balkans — the Old Bridge, the Sinan Pasha Mosque, and the Kalaja fortress above town are all free. Stay in a hostel or guesthouse in the old quarter.

🚌Bus/minibus Shkodër-Prizren via Kukës ~£10-15

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Prizren — dorm ~£12-18, private ~£20-28

• →Prizren Old Bridge and Bazaar (free)
• →Kalaja Fortress sunset walk (free)
• →Church of Our Lady of Ljeviš

Bus from Prizren back into Albania and down to Tirana (about 4-5h via Kukës, ~£12-16; some services connect at the border, so confirm the day before). Check into a hostel in the Blloku or Bazaar district. Afternoon on foot: Skanderbeg Square, the colourful Soviet-era painted buildings, the Pyramid, and the free-to-wander streets that gave the trip its 'Soviet-era cities' hook.

🚌Bus Prizren-Tirana ~£12-16

🛏Hostel in Tirana — dorm ~£14-20

• →Skanderbeg Square and Bunk'Art (BunkArt ~£5)
• →Pyramid and Blloku district walk (free)
• →National History Museum (~£3)

Minibus or bus to Berat (about 2h30, ~£5-8). Berat is the UNESCO 'city of a thousand windows' — check into a traditional stone guesthouse in the Mangalem quarter. Afternoon on foot through the old town, the Gorica bridge, and the Berat Castle, still inhabited and full of chapels. Sunset over the windows from the castle walls is the classic shot.

🚌Bus/minibus Tirana-Berat ~£5-8

🛏Traditional guesthouse in Berat Mangalem — private room ~£18-28

• →Berat Castle (Khasa) walk (~£3 entry)
• →Mangalem and Gorica old town quarters (free)
• →Onufri Museum inside the castle (~£4)

Take a local 4x4 or shared minibus up Mount Tomorr (~£20-30 return from Berat if you share costs, arranged through your guesthouse) — this is Albanian pilgrimage country with huge views. If you'd rather stay low, head to the Osumi Canyons for a rafting/boat trip (~£25-35 with a local operator) or the Bogova waterfall for a swim.

🚌Shared 4x4/minibus ~£20-30 (split between group)

🛏Traditional guesthouse in Berat Mangalem — private room ~£18-28

• →Mount Tomorr 4x4 excursion (~£20-30 shared)
• →Osumi Canyons boat trip (~£25-35)
• →Bogova waterfall swim (cheap option)

Bus or shared minibus south to Gjirokastër (about 3h, ~£7-10). Gjirokastër is the second UNESCO city — grey stone Ottoman houses stacked up the hill under a massive fortress. Stay in a traditional guesthouse in the old town and walk down to the bazaar. Allow time for the excellent Ethnographic Museum and the Skenduli House of the castle.

🚌Bus/minibus Berat-Gjirokastër ~£7-10

🛏Traditional guesthouse in Gjirokastër old town — private room ~£18-25

• →Gjirokastër Castle (tickets ~£3-5)
• →Ethnographic Museum (~£3)
• →Old Bazaar evening walk (free)

Spend the morning at the Cold War tunnel beneath the castle (entry ~£3) and the Labëria museum if open. In the afternoon, take a local bus or taxi to the Skenduli area and the ruins associated with Ali Pasha of Ioannina — the fortifications above Gjirokastër connect to that story and make the 'Castle of Ali Pasha' hook real. Evening back in the old town.

🚌Local bus/taxi ~£4-8

🛏Traditional guesthouse in Gjirokastër old town — private room ~£18-25

• →Cold War tunnel under the castle (~£3)
• →Ali Pasha-linked fortifications walk (free-£2)
• →Zekate House Ottoman mansion (~£3)

Minibus down to Sarandë (about 1h, ~£3-5). Drop bags and continue to Butrint National Park (bus from Sarandë or a local taxi/minibus, entry ~£8-10) — the UNESCO Greco-Roman site on a wooded peninsula, with a theatre, basilica, and lake views. Evening back in Sarandë for the promenade and seafood.

🚌Minibus Gjirokastër-Sarandë ~£3-5, local transport to Butrint ~£5-8

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Sarandë — dorm ~£15-22

• →Butrint Archaeological Park (~£8-10 entry plus transport)
• →Sarandë promenade (free)
• →Seafood dinner on the waterfront

Take a shared minibus or local bus up to the Blue Eye spring (Syri i Kaltër, about 30 minutes inland, entry ~£3) and walk the cool green pools and source. In the afternoon head to Ksamil for its white-sand-turquoise beaches — arguably the best beach in Albania. Return to Sarandë in the evening.

🚌Shared minibus/bus to Blue Eye and Ksamil ~£12-15

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Sarandë — dorm ~£15-22

• →Blue Eye spring (~£3 plus transport ~£8)
• →Ksamil beaches and islands swim (free)
• →Optional boat out to the Ksamil islets ~£5

Bus back up to Tirana (about 5-6h, ~£10-14; several daily services from the Sarandë bus terminal). Check back into a hostel and use the final afternoon for anything you missed: the Grand Park, Blloku cafes, or a last wander around the painted buildings and the Pyramid. Farewell dinner in the Bazaar district.

🚌Bus Sarandë-Tirana ~£10-14

🛏Hostel in Tirana — dorm ~£14-20

• →Grand Park of Tirana (free)
• →Blloku cafe and bar district
• →Last-minute souvenir shopping at the Bazaar

If your flight is later in the day, use the morning for a final coffee and a walk through the Bazaar. The airport bus (Rinas Express) leaves from Skanderbeg Square every 30-60 minutes and costs about £2-3, taking 30-40 minutes; taxis run ~£20. Make sure your departure is after 14:00 if you follow the original tour's timing — but as a self-launched traveller you can fly any time.

🚌Rinas Express bus to airport ~£2-3 (or taxi ~£20)

🛏—

• →Bazaar coffee and morning walk
• →Rinas Express airport bus