28-Nights Zagreb to Athens: Monasteries & The Mediterranean - 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.

Budva

Budva, Montenegro, located 45 mi/75 km southwest of Podgorica, is one of the busiest resort towns along the country's coast. Budva was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1979 but was rebuilt, including the Venetian-style old town center and its surrounding wall. The city has a solid tourist infrastructure with large hotels, holiday apartments, well-developed sports facilities and the liveliest nightlife on the coast. It has expanded rapidly in recent years, with a profusion of hotels covering the coast.

Down the coast is Sveti Stefan, a spectacular little gem of an island. Once a fishing village, Sveti Stefan is now a resort island run by Aman Resorts. Other nearby beach resorts include Becici, Rafailovici, Przno and Milocer.

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.

Mostar

Mostar is a small historic town in southwestern Bosnia, surrounded on three sides by rugged mountains. Mostar is Bosnia's most famous and popular destination, mainly because of its impressive Ottoman-era historic district and famous Ottoman-built arched stone bridge over the Neretva River gorge. Although quite small, Mostar is the capital of the Herzegovina district.

Since Mostar lies on the trading route between the Adriatic Sea and mineral-rich Bosnian lands, the site was occupied for many centuries prior to Ottoman rule of the region. However, it was the Ottoman Turks who established the present-day town when taking control of the region in 1468. They began building many Ottoman-style buildings, Turkish-style mosques and large private mansions for wealthy citizens. Their most-acclaimed architectural structure is the arched stone bridge, Stari Most, built in 1566.

Like nearly every town and city in Bosnia, Mostar was badly damaged by the 1990s regional wars. Many historic mansions and buildings, private homes and all of Mostar's bridges were completely destroyed. A major incident in Mostar took place in 1993, when Bosnian Croats began a 10-month siege of the Muslim quarter of the city, rendering its landmark, stone-arch bridge, Stari Most, and mosques to rubble.

Fortunately, Mostar has been able to rebuild, in great part thanks to various international organizations and governments contributions. The reconstruction of Stari Most (the Old Bridge) has been completed and it is well worth a visit. On the other hand, many large buildings have been left in states of destruction, complete with bullet and grenade holes, providing a stark reminder of the devastation. Rebuilding of the city continues, and tourists are warmly welcomed.

The annual bridge jumping competition from Stari Most into the Neretva River below is famous throughout the regions. Having taken place for more than four centuries, this competition attracts both swimmers and spectators from all over Europe.

Plitvice National Park

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