Best of the Balkans: From Medieval Fortresses to the Majestic Adriatic Sea

This was a wonderful and informative program! I knew very little about the Balkans before this trip, and I learned so much! Big kudos go to our leader, Bashkim, who was not just excellent, but rather extraordinary! His knowledge was encyclopedic, and his caring for every one of us was evident every day. I can't wait to go on another RoadScholar trip!

One of the best tours my husband and I have taken. The tour director really made the trip extra special in so many ways! It merits a 5 out of a 5!

Best of the Balkans was a perfectly enjoyable learning experience. It helped me clarify my understanding of centuries of conflicting powers in the region, especially in the late 20th century to the present.

Great first-time experience with Road Scholar and will definitely try them again. Thank you Bashkim and Kresho!

I learned so much about this part of the world. All my life I have heard references to the area that was once Yugoslavia. I came away with a greatly expanded understanding of the history and current way of life. There was some extended driving on a couple days which was necessary to reach certain areas. However, the beauty of this area was spectacular. Mountains, pretty villages, beautiful rivers and ocean.

Road Scholar provides an experience that is the right blend of lectures, guided tours and free time. Our guide was very knwledgeable and enjoyable. The food, acomodations and pace of travel were great!

The Balkans are breathtakingly beautiful and provide important and amazing lessons in history. Best of the Balkans: From Medieval Fortresses to the Majestic Adriatic Sea Is a well organized and presented introduction to both the area and the history. Highly recommended!

There’s only one way to understand the complex history of the former Yugoslavia and that is to experience it first-hand. Thanks to informative lectures, site visits, and a very capable guide, my goal in visiting this beautiful part of the world has been accomplished.

This trip was fantastic! We stayed in great hotels, had an amazing bus and bus driver, and Petra was such a great tour guide! The educational part of the tour was great for the most part, although some of the local guides went on way too long. Being in Bosnia and seeing the destruction from the war was emotionally taxing, but I am glad that I am now informed about what happened. I am in awe of their resilience. The only downfall of this trip was the food. No one seemed to understand that a vegetarian dish should actually contain vegetables. Instead I was given pasta, risotto, and tons of cheese. The last dinner we had as a group had a fantastic vegetarian meal. This lack of healthy vegetarian food gives me pause as to whether or not I would do another trip with Road Scholar.

An extraordinary educational experience in this historic cultural and political crossroads of significant international import. I had wanted to come to the Balkans to better understand all these facets for myself, and directly experiencing the Slavic culture under the guidance of our expert group leader Srdjan Boskovic met my expectations in every way.

This was a wonderful trip! Our guide was fantastic!! Beautiful country! I couldn't have enjoyed it more!!

Our tour of the Balkan countries was very informative with breathtaking sights and historical buldings and cities. I learned much from guides that I did not know prior to this trip about the past and modern hstory.

Just returned home for The Best of the Balkans trip with Road Scholar. It was an amazing and memorable experience. Beautiful scenery, exciting cities, historical sites, wonderful lectures and local guides, great local food, just the right amount of free time, amazing group leader, and great fellow travelers. Left with amazing memories and beautiful pictures to help me remember my wonderful experience.

Evan was the greatest bus driver. His navigation skills were amazing and the bus was always clean

This was a great trip and I learned a lot about the area comprised of 6 of the nations of the former Yugoslavia. The program was Keep the Pace and it was active. Lots of hotel changes and walking over some uneven surfaces. A bit unnerving in the rain but we all managed. Our leader, Srdjan was very knowledgable and our driver Ivan was a lovely, humble individual who was very helpful.

Traveling through the Balkans was beautiful and thought provoking. I knew little of its history before the trip, but with our exceptional guide, Srdjan, and the many guest lecturers, I have gained a new understanding of this part of the world. From sea to mountains, each city we visited was filled with picture perfect scenes of medieval forts and churches, stunning architecture, and immersion into city life.

Fantastic program! Our Group Leader Alan was exceptional; he possessed a wealth of knowledge about the Balkans and was personable too. Marco, the bus driver, carried us safely to every destination and became a daily fixture in our program. The participants came from varied backgrounds yet we became a cohesive group. The highlights of every country visited are memorable.

If you never try Road Scholar program, you should do so. RS travel included more educational information than general pleasure travel you experience. I felt like I went back to school to learn, but yet not overwhelming by the amount of information presented.

This Road Scholar adventure is top notch from beginning to end. Incredible natural beauty, a rich & complex history, and many wonderful adventures.

Loved learning further about the history of this important part of the world. Lovely scenery in particular Dubrovnik to Split

Certainly the “Best of the Balkans” with sunny coastlines, impressive mountains, and everything in between. Delightful and charming cities! But the bonus is a fascinating look at the former Yugoslavia and how the countries have transitioned to independent republics. I grew up hearing about all of the conflicts in this region, but didn’t fully understand the how and the why. A great group and a great group leader, Alan!

I can not praise Road Scholars enough. Just took my first Road Scholar's trip, 16 days in the former Balkans, and was blown away. I just showed up with a suitcase and pretty much everything was planned for me. Mercedes tour bus with an excellent driver, 4 star hotels, extremely knowledgeavble tour guide that made everything run seamlessly, excellent local experts, amazing scenary. In addition, the optional travel service providers are excellent. Top to bottom, way to go!

This tour of the Balkans demonstrated how stereotyping the Other, in this case, by religious affiliation, results in disaster. Many of the Balkan states problems are grounded in centuries old beliefs which have been exploited by governing bodies - Ottomans, Local nobles and the AustroHungarian government. The results have been devastating for the governed. The individual citizens we met were courteous, affable and willingly shared their culture but the results of their history were always in view.

Most people know so little about this region: the conquests; the movement of large populations (ethnic groups and religions); and the Balkan wars which have left such a mark, both emotionally and physically. Each country has its own unique story. And each country has pride in their history. I enjoyed this trip very much. The accommodations were excellent (no need to worry about that). The food ranged from excellent to good. The coast is exquisite and the mountains are majestic. This is an important trip to take. You will learn a lot. Not to forget our wonderful Guide Sinisa. He made our trip a delight. Sheryl Oliver

outstanding program with excellent balance of places visited. Well organized. Excellent value too. Would recommend to anyone seeking insight and knowledge into this complex history and region.

Our trip to the Balkans was a great way to learn about a part of the world with which I was less familiar. Hearing differing points of view on the policial history and current situation helped with understanding and growth.

Excelente trip, enjoyed from day one to the last day!

Another excellent Road Scholar program in the books!

Due to Covid, we seriously debated canceling our trip. The confusing requirements between the airlines and countries were daunting! I’m so glad we persisted. Everyone was required to wear masks at the airports and on flights. Our vaccinated group dropped from 22 to 11, so there was plenty of space for social distancing on the bus. Hotels and restaurants also took precautions. Crowds were down in populated areas and we returned home, Covid free.  If you are looking for a well-rounded experience, diverse cultures, and topography and want to time travel through the centuries, I highly recommend this adventure! Srdjan Boskovic, our personable guide/host, knows the history of this area inside and out. Each of the local guides is just as passionate and knowledgeable about their areas. Covid restrictions and weather limited some activities, nevertheless, our guides offered us a full experience. The food choices were basic. Poultry, pork, beef and fish prepared in the local custom with spices, potatoes and vegetables. We spent a lot of time on the bus between destinations. The diverse scenery never gets tiresome. We traveled along the seacoast, through rugged mountains and fertile plains. Srdjan kept our interest with anecdotes and tales from the history of the area. He also generously shared local sweets he picked up during our breaks along the way. The cities we visited are time capsules, spanning centuries of architectural and historic treasures. The program is correctly rated as “keeping the pace”. Wear sturdy shoes for walking on cobblestone streets and stone steps. Your feet will thank you!! The only complaint — the trip ended too quickly.

This trip is a very solid experience from beginning to end. It is well paced, but it is a steady pace. Occasionally, if a member became tired, they simply took an afternoon off, and the rest of us were happy to share our experiences with them at the evening meal. Our whole group was exceptionally congenial and supportive.

Fascinating part of the world!!

It is one of the best Road Scholar trips I have taken where you enjoy the fresh clean air, surrounded by nature, centuries old history and the beautiful cultures . Our guide, Srdjan Boskovic, was excellent! He was very passionate about his country and its history. Learned a lot from him.

Each country we visited has been shaped by its early history more recent socialist history and the current over governance but they all had so much to show and share with us.You will come away from this trip with a different attitude about these countries. Each guide had a distinct outlook on his/her city or part of the country It was well directed by Klemon our leader. It was a positive experience all round