Balkans Rail Adventure

Explore Worldwide’s small-group Balkans Rail Adventure follows a varied route through seven countries of the former Yugoslavia, starting in Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana. Here, the castle overlooks a peaceful riverside centre, and a short bus ride takes you to Lake Bled, where a pletna boat waits to cross crystal-clear waters to an island church.

Train journeys play a big part in this holiday. From Zagreb’s Austro-Hungarian streets, you travel south through the rural Pannonian Plain to Bosnia’s mountainous Sarajevo and Mostar, where the rebuilt Ottoman-era Old Bridge connects divided banks of the Neretva. Later, Adriatic coastlines and Montenegrin marinas lead to a sleeper train bound for Serbian Belgrade. The final days visit Nis, North Macedonia’s Skopje and lake-side Ohrid, ending in Kosovo’s lively capital, Pristina, accessed via a long border-crossing drive.

This is a fast-paced rail adventure with both charming towns and complex histories, where reasonable delays at borders and early starts are part of the rhythm. There are plenty of chances to stretch legs on foot, enjoy local food, and get a sense of the region beyond the headlines.