34-Nights Zagreb to Santorini: 35 Unforgettable Days - 18-to-Thirtysomethings

Meteora

The natural sandstone towers of Meteora, Greece, 160 mi/260 km northwest of Athens, are the site of spectacular monasteries. Atop gray-rock pinnacles jutting some 2,000 ft/600 m in the air (meteora means "hanging between heaven and Earth"), these 11th-century religious centers contain ancient manuscripts, ornate icons and Byzantine artifacts.

Spend at least a day in the area and visit the impressive monasteries, including the 615-ft-/200-m-high Megalo Meteoro (Metamorfossis), or Varlaam, which was built in 1542 and features stunning post-Byzantine art. http://www.meteora-greece.com.

For overnight accommodations, you can stay in the town of Kalambaka, located under the rock formations. It has post-Byzantine churches and an 11th-century cathedral (with frescoes) that are worth exploring.

Zabljak

At 4,757 ft/1,475 m above sea level, Zabljak, Montenegro, located 98 mi/158 km north of Podgorica, is the town with the highest altitude in the Balkans. It is also located near the Durmitor National Park, where hiking, mountaineering and other outdoor sports are readily available. Crno Lake, the second-largest mountain lake in Montenegro, is also nearby and provides numerous water-related activities.

Zabljak is primarily a winter-sports center, with skiing a popular pastime there. However, the town is also home to some interesting cultural sites, including three monasteries.

Plitvice National Park

Santorini

Ios

This Cycladic island 125 mi/200 km southeast of Athens is the place to go if you want a wild time in Greece. There are plenty of all-night bars and dance clubs to attract a young (ages 18-25) crowd. You won't be bothered by obligatory tours of cultural sites—there are none.

The island has 365 churches, one for every day of the year, as locals say. You will also find the tomb of Homer there, as the poet is said to have died on the island. During the summer, daily boat service operates from nearby islands and Piraeus.

Paros, Greek Isle

Paros is a pristine escape among the Cyclades, with terraced hills inland accented by windmills and a coastline rich with relaxed, comfortable and traditional Greek towns, of which Paroikia is the central port. This island capital is a labyrinth of white houses clustered around the extraordinary Ekatontapyliani - the Church of a Hundred Doors. Legend says there are 99 doors already discovered and upon finding the hundredth, Constantinople will be reunited with Greece. From antiquity, Paros has been known for its famed, translucent marble; such famous statues as the Venus de Milo was made from it. Also visit the Venetian castle, built on the site of an acropolis and steps away from the sea. From Paroikia you can also go to Naoussa, the Monastery of St John and Prodromos.

Athens

Corfu

Berat

Tirana

Kotor

Sarajevo

Sarajevo is one of the most historically interesting cities in Europe. It is the place where the Western & Eastern Roman Empire split; where the people of the Eastern Orthodox east, the Ottoman south and the Roman Catholic west, met, lived and warred. It has been both an example of historical turbulence and the clash of civilizations, as well as a beacon of hope for peace and tolerance through multi-cultural integration.

Today the city has physically recovered from most of the war damage caused by the Yugoslav Wars of the early nineties. Sarajevo is a cosmopolitan European capital with a unique Eastern twist that is a delight to visit. The people are very friendly, be they Bosniak, Serb, or Croat. There is very little crime, not nearly as many tourists as on the Dalmatian coast and a wealth of architecture (not to mention history) to see.

Dubrovnik

Hvar

Split

Zagreb