1. Home
  2. Europe
  3. Croatia
  4. Essential Southern Balkans

Say hello to the Southern Balkans.

Say hello to the Southern Balkans – steeped in medieval history, overflowing with kooky towns, and blessed with a spectacular coastline. This 9-day tour from Dubrovnik to the Greek island of Corfu is well-rounded, as there’s battle zones, beaches, bunkers and bars all together in one Balkan adventure. Discover Stari Bar and its epicurean delights, explore the political history of Albania’s capital, Tirana, lay beachside on the Albanian riviera and wind up sun-kissed on the beaches of a Greek island. Quit bulkin’ – time to get Balkan.

This trip is for 18 to 29-year-olds

Some of our under-30 travellers prefer to get around with people their own age. If that’s you, you’re in the right place!

Over 29? We’ve got over 900 other great adventures to choose from for solo travellers, friends, families, food lovers, hiking enthusiasts, and more.

10% OFF 18-29s Early-bird

Book an 18-29s trip 9 months in advance or more and get 10% off. Learn more>

Terms & Conditions
Start
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Finish
Corfu, Greece
Destinations
Albania, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro
Style
Basix
Theme
18 to 29s
Code
ZMYA
Physical rating
Ages
Min 18, Max 29
Group size
Min 1, Max 16

Travel solo, together

You're never alone when travelling solo with Intrepid

Why you'll love this trip

  • Walk the walls of the Old City of medieval Dubrovnik and spot the film locations around the city that have been used in worldwide blockbusters.

  • There is no shortage of medieval influences on this tour. Discover the walled cities of Kotor and Stari Bar, teeming with history from a bygone era.

  • Descend into one of the world’s most peculiar contemporary art museums in Tirana, housed in an underground bunker built for the Albanian political elite.

  • The Albanian riviera gives any coastline a run for its money. Float in the sparkling waters of Dhermi beach and explore this local seaside hotspot.

  • Head by hydrofoil to Corfu, one of Greece’s famed islands. Explore the rocky landscapes and relax on one of the island’s many sandy beaches. This is living.

Is this trip right for you?

  • Summer temperatures can be extreme in many of the regions visited (over 40°C), which can be uncomfortable. It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season. Please note that only some of our hotels will have airconditioning, and is virtually non-existent on public transport.

  • As accommodation on this trip is mostly twin-share, (some triple or quadruple share where stated), single travellers will share a room with other travellers of the same sex. This trip is a great opportunity to get to know other like-minded people, so embrace it while you can.

  • For couples, hotels in this region often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together/apart. Rooms can be rather small, especially compared to American or Australian standards, and in most cases bathroom facilities will be shared rather than en-suite. Please note that a single supplement is not available on this trip.

Map of Essential Southern Balkans including Albania, Croatia, Greece and Montenegro
ZCorfu_Greece_Snorkelling
croatia_dubrovnik_city-fortress-cliff
Dhermi_Beach_Albania
montenegro_kotor_bay
croatia_dubrovnik_old_town
Greece_Swimming

Itinerary
Expand All Collapse All

Bok! Welcome to Dubrovnik in sun-kissed Croatia. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. You can arrive at any time beforehand as there are no activities planned until this important meeting. If you do happen to arrive early, good for you! Head to the walled Old City through the Pile Gate drawbridge and explore the confines of this beautiful town. A great way to get a grasp of Dubrovnik is by walking the walls around the Old City. Take your time – as there’s some great vantage points on your walk, plus a bar on the wall to grab a drink and admire the view. In town, there’s a heap of cool eateries and bars, however if a swim is on the cards, head outside the walls to a cove and dive into the azure waters of the Adriatic Sea – our pick is Suluci or Banje Beach.
Accommodation
  • Hostel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Mt Srd Cable Car - HRK150
  • Lokrum Island Boat Trip - HRK150
  • War Photography Museum - HRK50
  • Game of Thrones Tour - HRK200
  • Museum of Croatian War of Independence - Mt Srd - HRK30
  • Three Islands Boat Cruise - HRK300
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. If you can't arrange a flight that will have you arrive at the hotel by early evening, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).

This morning, take a local bus to Kotor in mighty Montenegro. Spend some free time exploring this terracotta-lined medieval town, perhaps walking up Kampana tower to see the surrounding turquoise waters and limestone cliffs or finding one of the many churches dotted around the relatively small town. Continue on to Stari Bar – the old town of Bar. Stepping inside the walls, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time, so spend the night like a medieval ruler. Perhaps try the area's typical drink, beer or wine with pomegranate juice, before exploring the compact town and its surroundings.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • St Tryphon's Cathedral - Free
  • Kotor Fortress - EUR3
  • Kotor Maritime Museum - EUR4
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Get your car games ready for a drive across the border into Albania. Once in Shkoder switch to a public bus to Tirana. Upon arrival, take a leader-led orientation walk around the city to get your bearings. Included for today is a visit to a history and contemporary art museum, Bunk’Art. This museum is quite the experience actually just to get to, as you’ll head through a long, dark tunnel in the hillside that leads you to the entrance, on the side of a still-active Albanian military base. From here, you’ll descend into 3000 square metres of underground space, which was originally meant as a bunker in the 1970s for Albania’s political elite. Now, it houses different exhibitions of Albanian modern history and contemporary art pieces. Afterwards you have time to explore this eclectic city. Perhaps head out to the Block for drinks.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Bunk'Art Bunker Exhibition Visit
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Time to get your hiking shoes on with a hike out of town to Pellumbas, Black Cave and Erzeni River. Firstly, drive out of Tirana to Pellumbas: a small village around 25 kilometres southeast of Tirana, where you’ll pass through villages in the epicurean Erzeni Valley, passing the hilltop Petrela Castle. Once arrived, start hiking to the Black Cave and up Erzeni river canyon, where you’ll find that nature creeps up quickly – think tweeting birds, streaming rivers, and possibly the occasional turtle poking its head out. Continue into the huge entrance of Black Cave and explore the cavern with its spectacular stalactites. Afterwards, prepare for a descend to the rocky Erzeni River down a very steep forest trail. You’ll be rewarded with cool water pools flowing among giant boulders and trees. Later on head back to Tirana for the night.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Pellumbas & Black Cave Day Trip
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Please note that depending on our group size today's trip to Pellumbas will be on a join-in basis, which means that other travellers may join us on our tour.

You’ll have a free morning in Tirana before taking our private minibus to Dhermi Beach: a stunning stretch of Albania’s coastline. You’ll have time to laze on the golden beaches and swim in the shimmering waters of the Adriatic. Spend some time at one of the beachside bars with your group – a night of good food and good company is definitely on the cards.
Accommodation
  • Hostel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Sky Tower - ALL400
  • National History Museum - ALL700
  • National Art Gallery - ALL200
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Wake up on the calming shores of Dhermi Beach, with your day being as clear as the blue waters of the surrounding seas. There’s a range of optional activities that might take your fancy: think hiking, sea kayaking, or even a boat excursion to the Karaburun Peninsula. The best thing is that there’s no need to rush – go as fast or as slow as you want! Today, you call the shots. If you want some more recommendations on what to do, hit up your group leader – they know the ropes.
Accommodation
  • Hostel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Boat Transfer to Pirate Cave - EUR8
  • Boat Trip to Pirate Cave, Pigeon’s Bay, Gjipe Bay (includes guide & picnic lunch) - EUR99
  • Day Trip to Llogara National Park (including transport, guide & lunch) - EUR86
  • Snorkelling Equipment Hire - EUR10
  • Sea Kayak Rental (half day) - EUR20
  • SUP Board Rental (per hour) - EUR15
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Leave the sparkling Adriatic shores behind and take private transport to Gjirokaster, stopping at Blue Eye Spring en route. This feat of nature has to be seen to be believed – a kaleidoscope of blues and greens pulsating from a natural river spring from a depth of more than 50 metres. Take the time to explore the surrounding parks and take in the different vantage points of the spring. Onwards to Gjirokaster: a well-preserved Ottoman town in Albania’s south. Once arrived, visit one of the traditional tower houses with a local guide and taste their traditional coffee 'on the stone', roasted on the fire right in front of you. If you are lucky you may even get your fortune read. You’ll spend the night here, so explore the quaint cobblestoned streets and perhaps find some speca me glize (stuffed peppers) to have for dinner.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Zekate Tower House
  • Gjirokaster Local Guide
  • Blue Eye Spring
  • Turkish Coffee 'on the Stone'
Optional Activities
  • Ismail Kadare's House - ALL200
  • Gjirokastra Fortress - ALL300
  • Ethnographic Museum - ALL200
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Hop on a local bus south to Saranda – a coastal resort town near the Albania-Greece border. Then, take a hydrofoil ferry to Corfu, an island off Greece’s northwest coast in the Ionian Sea. Corfu is known for its mountainous landscapes that extend to the shores, and its cultural heritage, spent under rule from Venetian, French and British influence, before being united with Greece in 1864. Your group leader will take you on an orientation walk near where you’re staying to direct you to the best places, and afterwards, the afternoon is free for you to explore every corner of the island, or simply pull up a towel on one of the island’s many beaches.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Palaiopoli Archaeological Site - EUR4
  • Paleokastritsa Monastery - Free
  • Mon Repos Summer Palace - EUR4
  • Archaeological Museum - EUR6
  • Corfu Fortifications - EUR5
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

With no activities planned and no accommodation organised for tonight, you’re free to leave at any time. But, if shorelines and souvlakis are still on the cards, you don’t have to leave just yet! If you would like to spend more time on Corfu, we’ll be happy to organise additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.

Meals

7 breakfasts

Transport

Public bus, Private vehicle, Ferry

Accommodation

Hotel (5 nights), Hostel (3 nights)

Included activities

  • Bunk'Art Bunker Exhibition Visit
  • Pellumbas & Black Cave Day Trip
  • Zekate Tower House
  • Gjirokaster Local Guide
  • Blue Eye Spring
  • Turkish Coffee 'on the Stone'

Dates & availability

Trip search is unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Essential Southern Balkans trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

Prices may change, so secure your trip today!
Jump to a departure month
Travel lightly with Intrepid. We’ve offset the main sources of carbon emissions from this trip on your behalf, including transport, accommodation & waste. Read more

Important notes

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A single supplement is not available on this trip.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

View Essential Trip Information

Reviews

Go to dates