Balkans
Our Balkan Peninsula Collection
A melting pot of culture, customs, history and architecture – the Balkan states of Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia truly do offer something for any holiday. Roman ruins, Austro-Hungarian villas and Ottoman bazaars combine with the natural imposing mountains and stunning national parks, laid back villages and towns all topped off with delectable gastronomy.
The stunning coastline of Croatia hugs the azure waters of the Adriatic. Venetian harbour towns and over a thousand islands are linked by ferries and hydrofoils which criss-cross the waters regularly thus enabling visitors to experience the best of both worlds. The natural beauty of the coastline, forested hills and craggy mountains complete with terraced waterfalls and rivers that are just perfect for a cooling dip can be visited along with mediaeval cities and ancient fortresses and roman remains – Croatia really makes any visitor fall for its’ charms.
The cities of Dubrovnik and Split – both complete with alleys and squares begging to be explored are the main jumping off points for further exploration of this beautiful country.
Bordering the southern extremity is the tiny country of Montenegro. Just 100km from north to south, it offers a beautifully diverse landscape combined with rich history from the Austro-Hungarians to the Ottomans. The coastline is fringed with sandy beaches and backed by rocky mountains where olive tree covered foothills overlook the beautiful visa of the Adriatic. The most famous is world-heritage listed Kotor – here the mountains sweep majestically down to the sea to create southern Europe’s deepest sea fjord and the old city is encircled by Byzantine walls which made it one of the best fortified settlements on the whole of the Adriatic coastline.
Inland is North Macedonia with its capital city Skopje. Here, black-clad Orthodox priests walk the same streets as the modern visitor. The Ottoman influence is still very much in evidence throughout the city. Away from Skopje, the country offers gleaming lakes, remote stone villages and stunning well-reserved UNESCO-listed churches, basilicas and monasteries. The remote hills are home to some of Europe’s last wild brown bears. For nature and wildlife lovers, North Macedonia remains something very special.
To the north of Croatia, tiny Slovenia is among few locations where visitors can walk in snowy alpine fields in the morning and bathe in the warmer waters of the sea in the afternoon. Holidays here offer culture and relaxation as well as adventure for alpine ski enthusiasts. The capital, Ljubljana, is a modern city with a cross sections of architectural style from Art-Nouveau to the stark era of socialism. Coastal towns and villages still proudly display their Venetian heritage.