Balkans 2027 — The Europe That Hasn’t Been Tamed

Day one and already the most famous road in the Alps. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road climbs through curves carved one by one, past viewpoints, tunnels and the glacier that gives its name to Austria’s highest mountain (3,798 m). Then down to Lienz, in the Drava valley, for the first night in the Alps.

A day of alpine passes. The route crosses the border at the Predil Pass, between rock walls and high-altitude lakes, cuts through the Julian Alps and drops steadily towards the sea. Trieste welcomes the group with the first view of the Adriatic and a historic centre of Austro-Hungarian architecture on the waterfront.

The longest day of the first half, and worth every kilometre: the route follows the Croatian coast through Rijeka and Zadar, the sea always on your right and the Dalmatian islands on the horizon. Arrival in Šibenik, a medieval town home to one of the finest cathedrals in Croatia.

A short coastal stretch to Split, city of Diocletian’s Palace, where the bikes board the ferry. Arriving on Hvar changes the rhythm of the trip: stone streets, transparent water and one of the best kitchens in the Mediterranean.

Not a single compulsory kilometre. Beaches such as Dubovica and Pokonji Dol, the old town, the fortress above the city or an optional boat trip around the Pakleni Islands — each at their own pace. A day to recover before the second half, which is the demanding one.

Ferry back to the mainland and one of the most spectacular stretches of the Adriatic Highway (D8) — the sea always on your right, islands on the horizon and the mountain dropping straight into the water. The day ends in Dubrovnik, ringed by medieval walls (UNESCO World Heritage), with free time to walk them at sunset.

We cross into Montenegro and the road follows the Bay of Kotor, the southernmost fjord in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Up the Kotor Serpentines — 25 hairpins zigzagging up the mountain, with a panoramic view of the bay at every level — before continuing along the coast to Budva, a town enclosed by Venetian walls.

The day the trip leaves the sea behind and turns to mountain. The road climbs steadily to the Durmitor National Park plateau, through glacial valleys, forests and high-altitude lakes. Riding unlike anything that came before.

The longest day in the saddle of the whole trip. It starts at the Tara Canyon, one of the deepest in the world (1,300 m), crosses Bosnia with a lunch stop in Sarajevo — where Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and European cultures meet — and ends in Mostar, facing the iconic Stari Most bridge (UNESCO World Heritage) over the Neretva river.

The return begins, but it is not a transfer. The route climbs through inland Bosnia following the Una river, one of the most beautiful in the country, passes through Bihać and crosses back into Croatia already inside the lakes region. Overnight practically inside the park — to wake up the next morning with Plitvice at the door.

The morning belongs to the lakes. A system of 16 turquoise lakes linked by waterfalls and wooden walkways — UNESCO World Heritage and the best-known natural setting in Croatia. We go in before the tour buses, with morning light and empty trails. In the afternoon, a short and easy stretch to Ljubljana, the Slovenian capital.

Last day and the longest leg of the route. It crosses back over the Alps through Austria, passing close to Villach and Salzburg, at motorway pace — the right way to finish, covering distance quickly instead of spending a good day on the road back. Arrival in Munich with time to return the bikes and share the last table together.