Europe >> Balkans

The Balkans is a region that includes countries on the Balkan Peninsula in the southeast of Europe, including the former Yugoslavia.

Countries

Slovenia is sometimes considered to be part of the Balkans, but it is increasingly being included in tour packages as part of Central Europe, such as Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland. Slovenians consider themselves Central European too due to their long ties to Austria. This is probably also correct as the Balkan peninsula is, according to some definitions, what lies south of the rivers Sava and Danube from the city of Belgrade. This definition however then would rule out part of northern Serbia, known as Vojvodina, a good part of Croatia, Romania and of course Slovenia. Historically all these countries/regions were usually considered to be part of the Balkan countries, as Slovenia too was once part of Yugoslavia. It is their recent independence that has allowed for the Slovenes to re-proclaim their desire to be considered Central European! Lastly, It should be remembered that the Balkans and nearby Anatolia in Turkey are the cradle of European civilisation.

Cities

Other destinations

Culture and History

Talk

The main languages spoken in the Balkans are: Greek, which is spoken mainly in Greece; Macedonian, which is spoken mainly in Macedonia; Serbian, which is spoken mainly in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro; Albanian, which is spoken in Albania and Kosovo; Bosnian which is spoken in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgarian, which is spoken in Bulgaria; and Croatian, which is spoken in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some other useful languages might be Turkish, which many people in Greece and Bulgaria speak, and Gypsy may be useful in all of the Balkan states. Most of the people, especially in cities and touristic areas speak English. And sometimes German, Italian, French(in Romania).

Travel to Balkans - Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Balkans

There are several international airports in the Balkans.

By boat

Tours and Getting around Balkans

Balkans tourist attractions and sightseeing

Itineraries

Balkans city tours

Events

  • Guca festival, Guča (Гуча) Serbia, [1] - An annual "Trubacki" music festival held in the summer. This genre of music is best known as ethnic jazz, and is best played by the Balkan Roma people.
  • EXIT Festival, Novi Sad, Serbia, [2] - An annual rock festival held from July 6 - July 9, which many musicians and bands from all over Europe attend.
  • Ohrid Summer Fesitival, Ohrid, Macedonia - An international culture festival held annualy from July through August.

Balkans Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Balkans nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Stay safe

Get out

Destinations in Balkans:

This page was last edited by Peter Fitzgerald. Based on work by Colin Jensen, www.volimzlatibor.com, Milo Lekic, Stefan Ertmann and Daniel, Wikitravel user(s) Eiland, Morph and Jabbalzar, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license

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