Highlights of the Balkans

Belgrade
Belgrade has been the Serbian capital since the early 15^th century, becoming the capital of Yugoslavia in a Serb dominated union. Having expanded dramatically since the end of the Second World War, much of the city still has rather a Communist feel in terms of architecture, but new developments are bringing it more in line with other European cities these days. The city is overlooked by an 18^th century fortress and still holds a few old Ottoman monuments; the most interesting part of the city is undoubtedly Stari Grad, or the ‘old town’.

Biogradska Gora National Park
Although it’s relatively small, Biogradska Gora National Park contains great diversity of flora and fauna. There are around 220 different plants, 150 species of birds, and 10 species of mammals here and in its forest, there are 86 species of trees and shrubs. Rainfall is extremely high in the area, averaging up to 100 inches per year, and allows the growth of temperate rainforest. One of the unique features of the park is its pristine forest with trees over five hundred years old.

Kotor
The medieval walled city of Kotor dates to the time of the Byzantine Empire, and occupies an enviable position on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, within its ramparts lie a mixture of architectural styles, and the lack of vehicles within the walls makes it a relaxed place to explore. It is a dramatic town where the present lives in the maze of medieval churches, cathedrals, Venetian palaces and pillars. Kotor is made up of contrasts – the old squares with modern cafes, the sounds of serenade and live music, the echo of the footsteps down the narrow cobblestone alleys and the lazy purr of cats lying under the balconies with wrought iron railings, decorated with petunias.

Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is one of the finest cities in the Balkans, a walled citadel facing the sea, with marbled streets and red roofed houses. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site it is home to a remarkable collection of old buildings and monuments; highlights include the Franciscan Monastery, a Baroque building dating to the 18^th century purportedly containing the oldest pharmacy in the world, the splendid Sponza Palace, and the Rector’s Palace with its mixture of Venetian and Gothic styles. Dubrovnik is remarkably well preserved, and its extensive walls and ramparts give fantastic views over the city.

Mostar
Lying on the both sides of the River Neretva, Mostar was a major centre of the Ottoman occupation and many monuments from that time remain. The most famous was the Old Bridge, which dated back to the 16^th century and united both parts of the town. Mostar suffered enormously during the conflict of the 1990s, with the bridge being destroyed and the eastern, Muslim part of the town under siege for eleven months, a time which has left a deep psychological imprint upon the people here. The bridge was rebuilt in 2004 along the same style, and today people dive from it into the river as ever before, a Mostar tradition. The town is one of the most beautiful in Bosnia, with a number of mosques, markets and hammams giving it a flavour of the east.

Sarajevo
Bosnia’s capital is best known for its fateful place in history; it was here that the Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip assassinated the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, sparking the European powers to enter into the First World War, with tragic consequences for the entire continent and beyond. It’s also one of the most culturally mixed cities in Europe, drawing influences from Rome, the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, the Venetians and more. It’s said to be one of the few places where one can find a mosque, synagogue, Catholic and Orthodox churches all in the same square, a reflection of its cultural and ethnic diversity.

For many, Sarajevo will always be associated with the horrors of the Balkans War. Despite supposedly being under UN protection, Sarajevo suffered enormously and was besieged for three years by Serbian forces, resulting in the deaths of over 11,000 people. Since then the city has undergone a facelift, with many buildings having been restored, but it has lost none of its charm; wander the narrow streets of the old Turkish quarter or stroll through Ferhadija with its Austro-Hungarian buildings, and it’s not hard to fall a little bit in love with the city.

Zagreb
The capital of Croatia, Zagreb, sits on the Sava river at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Often overlooked, the city is one of the greenest in Europe and has an interesting history dating back over a thousand years to the first Roman settlement. The city is divided into the Upper Town – a network of cobbled streets and the oldest part of Zagreb, and the bustling Lower Town, home to the city’s quirky museums and architectural highlights such as St Mark’s Church and the neo-Gothic Cathedral. Zagreb is known for its café culture, urban art and vibrant street life, with frequent events throughout the year, and the best way to absorb the culture here is on foot.

Vukovar
The city of Vukovar – in previous incarnations a Paleolithic settlement, a medieval fortress, and a royal seat – rose from the devastation of an eighteenth-century Turkish occupation to become one of the largest and most significant cities in Croatia. The city’s Baroque core, which contained some of the most outstanding symbols of Croatian cultural identity, faced its biggest threat in 1991, when the occupying Yugoslav National Army launched a half-million missiles into the city, sometimes at the rate of 12,000 a day. Nowadays much restoration has taken place and the city is starting to revert to some of its former glory, with important monuments such as the Franciscan Monastery well worth a visit.

Fruska Gora
Fruska Gora rises up from the Vojvodina plains in the north of Serbia, and was proclaimed a National Park in 1960. The higher sections of Fruska Gora consist of thick forests, whereas the lower valleys of the mountain contain orchards and centuries-old vineyards. Within its slopes lie sixteen orthodox monasteries famous for their specific architecture, dating back to the 16^th century and holding impressive religious icons and frescoes.