When people search for the best beach destinations in Europe, they often think Italy or anywhere along the Mediterranean Sea. And while a trip to the French Riviera in France or the Almafi Coast or Cinque Terre in Italy sounds idyllic, there are other places to consider for a beach holiday in Europe. For example, there are a plethora of more affordable beach holidays in the Balkan countries such as Croatia and Montenegro. So let me introduce you to a collection of gorgeous seaside towns along the Adriatic Sea at a fraction of the price you might pay anywhere else in Europe.

You may not know it, but there are more things to do in Slovenia than just visiting Ljubljana or Lake Bled. And perhaps it may come as a surprise to you, but Slovenia also has a little sliver of beautiful coastline along the Adriatic Sea. While we settled in Piran (Pirano), the gem of the Slovenian Riviera, for our 4 day Easter weekend, it’s also an easy day trip from both Ljubljana and Lake Bled and I can say with absolute certainty that if you’re planning a Balkan road trip, you will want to add this to your itinerary! But what makes this enchanting city along the Adriatic so special?

We traded in Roman ruins, Venetian architecture, delicious pasta and gelato in Italy for a two week road trip through the Balkans visiting new, up & coming destinations as the mysterious veil over Eastern Europe is slowly disappearing. While we had wanted the romance of Tuscany and the Almafi coast, we decided that Italy is 1. Expensive. 2. Crowded 3. Typical for honeymooners. Don’t get me wrong, I have a serious love affair with Italy and I still want to go, but I found myself more intrigued by the lesser known. 

Ok, by now you’ve heard of Bucharest and the country’s most impressive castles and learned about the myths and legends of Dracula, but have you ever heard of Timişoara? Probably not. As the third largest city in Romania, it’s one of the loveliest urban centers as it shakes off the remnants of a dictatorship and is today one of the top destinations in the Balkans to visit.

Bucharest. A sprawling capital city with over 500 years of fascinating history and culture, blending old crumbling buildings with new, hip cafes and shops. Wait, are you sure I didn’t mean Budapest? Yes, I’m sure. Wouldn’t want to mix up the two cities like Michael Jackson did during his visit in 1992. But to find these cool and unusual places in Bucharest, you have to break out your investigative skills.

What better way to introduce you to Romania than by starting with some of the country’s most renowned and impressive castles beyond the capital of Bucharest? Scattered throughout Transylvania are a plethora of castles, but three of the most well-known are all a hop-skip and a jump apart from each other making for an easy two day visit.

Set on a rocky peninsula jutting out into the Black Sea, the ancient Bulgarian town of Old Nessebar is one of the country’s few UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Today, it is one of Bulgaria’s most popular tourist destinations, and for good reason: it’s packed with exceptionally picturesque wooden houses and churches. The small peninsula is connected to the main land via a man-made isthmus meaning “narrow strip of land connecting two areas of land” in Ancient Greek.

Before I discovered Rila Monastery, I knew next to nothing about Bulgaria. The country wasn’t even on my radar and I wasn’t even entirely sure if it was safe to visit the country. Over time, I started collecting other beautiful pictures of stunning buildings throughout Bulgaria. Before I knew it, the country made it on the itinerary for our honeymoon road trip.

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Ever dreamed of rubbing elbows with the rich and famous? Ever dreamed of laying on a private beach completely to yourself, without any screaming children, obnoxious tourists or loud cars? Ya, me too! Does a place even exist?