I’m not even sure I had heard of the term “Balkan Countries” before I went to Sarajevo in Bosnia Herzegovina in 2013. I know for certain I couldn’t spell Herzegovina. There is some debate about which countries are included in the Balkan Region, but it is generally it is accepted that there are eleven.

Bosnia Herzegovina to this day remains one of my favorite countries and led me to learn and visit the Balkans. The Balkans are at the southeast corner of Europe and the gateway to many different civilizations and cultures. It makes it an intriguing part of the world to explore.

Which Countries are the Balkans?

The eleven countries that make up the Balkans are Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Albania. I found that visiting the Balkans Bakeries is an unrivaled joy. The coastlines here are magnificent, I’ve driven and gotten lost around these countries, tried and loved burek and cevapi, wondered at the mountains and coastal views, and the character of this melting pot of a region. Travel in this region tends not to be expensive, which is an extra bonus towards enjoying these wonderful countries.

Cloud Nine Goals

Visiting the various Soviet Republics was something of an obsession for me. Visiting The Balkans also became part of my ‘Cloud Nine Goals’ on my Travel Completist list. No two ways about it, each of these countries is wonderful, and why is that important today, I have just gotten to Albania, my final Balkan country. I’m presently driving around Albania, seeing more, and doing more adventures.

Getting lost, obviously.

Come to the Balkans, you would be crazy not to!