Pedal Journeys in the Balkans

Today I woke up early and left Herceg Novi around 6:40 am to avoid the peak hot hours during my ride. I rode 51 km with an 838-meter uphill in about 3 hours. The ride was pleasant, with lovely sea views from the coast as I made my way out of Montenegro. After passing through the border control, which was pretty fast, I headed to the Kupica Peninsula, hoping to find a road along the coast. However, there were only dirt roads, so I returned to the main road and continued to Molunat to check out the beautiful fishing village. After that, I explored the "Dubrovnik Golden Valley." Cycling in this area is amazing: small roads, lots of vegetation, wineries along the countryside, and watermills. It's all pure beauty. I spent some time in the area before reaching my destination: Cavtat.

To avoid pedaling in the midday heat, I woke up very early and started my journey towards Herceg Novi. I pedaled 20 km to the ferry station and another 15 km on the other side of the bay until reaching Herceg Novi. This will be my last day of this Balkan trip in Montenegro, as I'll be crossing into Croatia tomorrow. Herceg Novi is fantastic, with its combination of stone walls, sea views, and relaxed vibes. Don't miss the chance to visit Kanli Kula in the old town. The view from there is stunning! Entrance is 4 euros.

Jon departed today for a week, needing to catch a flight. He asked the owner of Grispolis to store his bike, and the owner kindly agreed without hesitation. It's nice to be back in a place with genuinely good people who take pride in their work. The owner goes out every morning with his team to catch fresh fish for the afternoon, showcasing their dedication and hospitality. Thanks again!

We pedaled 35.8 km in 2 hours at a scorching 38 degrees—the most uncomfortable ride we've ever had. It felt like cycling through a desert, with heat radiating from the asphalt right into our faces. Originally, we were looking for a glamping site and a restaurant in Vranovici, but the town was deserted. So, we recalculated our route and headed to Bigova instead, which turned out to be a great choice! We needed to stay close to the area since Jon had a flight from Tivat Airport the next day. If you find yourself in a similar situation, Bigova Bay is an excellent option. When we arrived, we headed to the only restaurant in town: Grispolis. The place is a paradise with fresh seafood, a fantastic environment where locals arrive by boat to spend the day, and well-cooked food. The restaurant has direct access to the sea, which feels like a big pool. The bay is surrounded by houses with private entries to the water, lots of greenery, and it's a fabulous spot for sunsets. Grispolis als...

We kickstarted the day with a 50km lap around Kotor Bay, completing it in about two hours. Along the way, we discovered quiet, charming towns that offer better options to stay than Kotor. These towns have fewer people, nice entries to the sea with little beaches and platforms to jump into the water, and a more local atmosphere. The architecture is beautiful, with most houses being rock structures adorned with greenery and vines. We particularly liked Prcanj, so be sure to check it out if you're in the area.

Our experience with our accommodation in Kotor was unpleasant. We booked and paid for our stay through Booking.com, and had never encountered any issues with these reservations until that day. The person in charge of the accommodation arrived in the morning, demanding payment that had already been made through the platform, for which we had proof (from the bank and Booking.com). She was very rude, yelling and threatening to call the police, creating an incredibly grotesque scene. If you pass through Kotor, never stay at Ocea Apartments . After dealing with that scam, we continued our journey towards Perast. We pedaled 26.6 km along the bay until we reached our next destination. Perast has a better atmosphere than Kotor but is still a hub for mass tourism. Buses full of tourists arrive throughout the day, along with people from cruise ships, just like in Kotor. The local minimarket also tried to charge us double for some drinks and a bag of chips. When we confronted the cashier, she s...

We covered 28.21 km with a 449-meter uphill climb in one hour and 49 minutes. The journey was hectic as we took a secondary road (M-11) for approximately 8 km. The route was challenging due to heavy traffic, limited scenery, and many cars speeding by very close to our bikes. The last third of the way featured steep, zigzagging inclines, made even more challenging by the 30-degree temperature. Upon reaching the summit, we snapped some photos of the Bay of Kotor and then began our descent. Once we settled into our accommodation, we went for a walk around the old town, which is enclosed within a spectacular stone wall. There are many options for dining, having a coffee, or enjoying an ice cream. We loved exploring its narrow streets and stopped for a dessert before heading back to our accommodation to rest. Kotor is a bustling city with heavy traffic and crowds. It’s the first time we've felt overwhelmed by tourists during our bike trip in Montenegro. We also found the food and plac...

We pedaled 48 km with a 970-meter uphill climb until we reached the coast of Montenegro. Along the way, we stopped at Sveti Stefani to eat and admire the beach, which is beautiful and perfect for swimming. The water temperature is pleasant, the coast has shallow areas, and there are several restaurants in the area. After our stop, we continued to Budva. In the evening, we walked around the Old Town, where we had dinner, and then strolled to the nearby Mogren Beach, a small bay that feels like a large pool, ideal for a sunset swim.

After yesterday's long journey, we decided to have a relaxing day and swim in the lake. The family at Vržina Farm House offers boat tours, so we chose a 5-hour route and set off to explore the lake by boat. We spent the afternoon surrounded by floating lilies, mountains, small fishing villages, and jumping from the boat into the lake for a swim. A perfect afternoon to recharge our energy!

This was the longest distance we've covered in a day: 152 km with 1232 meters of uphill climbing, taking us 7 hours. We left Eko Oaza at 7 a.m. to start our journey. We began with a light drizzle that occasionally intensified but never turned into a heavy rain. The route consisted mainly of two prolonged ascents followed by equally long descents, with the rest of the trip being mostly flat, especially just before reaching the capital and continuing to the lake. Along the way, we noticed several cars passing very close to us, with two of them accelerating in our lane to overtake other cars. It's important to be cautious on the roads as there isn't much regard for cyclists. Before arriving at our accommodation, we stopped for a snack at Konoba Starcevo , a restaurant with a lovely terrace overlooking the lake. The cold appetizers were top-notch, and the Balkan-style tres leches cake was a marvel! We continued our journey to our destination: Vrzina Farm Stay . On our way up ...

We spent the night in simple accommodation next to Tara Bridge (30 euros with breakfast included). However, if you have the chance, we recommend continuing 22.5km and staying at Eko Oaza, the only place with cabins that have access to the Tara River with a small private beach. We started the day by jumping off the longest zip line in Montenegro for 40 euros. During the descent, you can appreciate the river and the Tara Bridge. It's worth it! Then we pedaled and stopped at several places along the river to jump in the cold water until arriving at Eko Oaza. At the camping place, you can go down 500 meters and reach the private beach. The water is about 8 degrees, turquoise, and surrounded by vegetation, mountains, and lots of butterflies. After the swim, we found out some road works were underway and we couldn’t continue until 6 p.m. when they would open the road again for two hours, so we decided to spend the night at Eko Oaza to jump in the river again the next morning.

Short bike ride day. We started the day swimming at Black Lake, relaxing our muscles and enjoying the National Park. After a huge breakfast in town, we rode 22.6 km to Tara Bridge. The road was mainly downhill. We stayed in a wood cabin by the river (30 euros breaky included) and did some computer work, looking forward to jumping into the zip line tomorrow morning. Good night, world!

Our day started just as we like it: without hesitation, straight into a 14% uphill climb (haha). We bid farewell to the turquoise waters of Piva Lake to ascend one of the most panoramic roads I've ever seen in my life (P14). We climbed for three and a half hours through the canyon, passing through stone tunnels that provided spectacular landscapes. Continuing through Sedlo Pass, we encountered meadows filled with flowers, rocky mountains, cliffs, and caught a distant glimpse of the turquoise glow of the Piva River. We found lakes that appear in the middle of nowhere during the rainy season. It's truly an unforgettable experience that requires great determination to push forward when the climb demands considerable effort. Once the toughest part of the climb was over, we stumbled upon a small cafe bar in the mountains where we could enjoy a good bottle of water accompanied by coffee and local cheese, a true feast! After hydrating ourselves, we continued our ascent until we reac...

Today, we arrived in Montenegro after a scenic 3-hour, 48-km ride with a 798-meter ascent. The route was breathtaking, as we pedaled alongside a river framed by majestic canyons. The road was quiet, adding to the serene beauty of the journey. Reaching the border, the uphill climb became more challenging due to strong winds. However, the Montenegrin landscape made it all worthwhile. The contrast of tunnels, canyons, natural rock formations, and the turquoise river below was truly mesmerizing—one of the most stunning parts of our trip so far. We found accommodation right by the lake, thanks to a listing on Booking.com at 35 euros. Initially, we had hoped to stay at Bungalows Konak, but they were fully booked. However, our alternative turned out to be great. Our room came with a washing machine, which was perfect for getting our clothes cleaned after just arriving in Montenegro. Finally we went for lunch-dinner at Restoran Sočica and closed the night with a jump into Piva Lake.

Next day we visited the City Hall. On Sundays, the Franz Ferdinand Museum is closed, so we couldn't visit it, but we explored the history of Sarajevo through the explanations at City Hall. You can follow the narrative of how Bosnia was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, how it became part of Yugoslavia, the impact of WWI (which began after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand on the famous bridge of Sarajevo), their fight for independence, and the collapse of Yugoslavia. It's definitely worth the visit! After enjoying Sarajevo we were ready for our next destination: Brod. We covered 78 km and climbed 870 vertical meters to reach Brod. The ascent was steady, followed by a long, exhilarating descent. However, be cautious—there are several tunnels after the descent, and two of them can be particularly daunting without a head torch and back light. Make sure to have them ready! However, if you have the chance, go a bit further before the border where you'll find bungalows along ...

After our hosts gave us a ride to Sarajevo and Jon´s tire was repaires we headed to our home for the night: Isa Begov Hamam i Hotel . Isa Beg Hamam is Sarajevo's oldest bath, it boasts over 500 years of history and was once a Waqf (Islamic charitable endowment) building donated by the founder of Sarajevo, Isa-beg Ishaković. If you are in town, don't miss the opportunity to take a Turkish massage at the hammam. After our relaxing time at the baths, we went for a walk across the city. We loved exploring the little streets and enjoyed a fantastic meal at Dvari restaurant.

After having breakfast at our guesthouse, we went for a walk through the charming hilly town before hitting the road again. We rode about 10 km when Jon’s tire split. He changed the inner tube, but the puncture was so deep that it went through the entire tire. From that moment on, Jon had to push his bike. We hoped to hitchhike to Sarajevo to find a bike repair shop, but traffic in the hills was sparse, and the passing cars didn’t have enough space to help us. We continued walking until we arrived in Brda, where we found Edelweiss Mountain Lodge . To our great surprise, we discovered an amazing spot run by fantastic hosts. The place is spectacular, with a stunning morning view from the terrace. The lodge is managed by a couple of experienced mountain climbers who treated us to a spectacular dinner and shared great conversations, offering invaluable tips about Bosnia, routes, and biking. Later on, we found out that they are part of the Transdinarica hubs and are pioneers in adve...

After our time at Glamping Bagrem, we set off for Lukomir, the highest village in Bosnia. This journey is not for the faint-hearted—the road is incredibly steep, with a 12% incline on a dirt path that seemed to stretch on forever. We ended up pushing our bikes for about five hours, covering two-thirds of the distance on foot. Despite the grueling effort and the intense heat, we were fortunate to find water sources along the way. The rugged beauty and expansive views of the breathtaking landscapes made every challenging step worth it. We took the most challenging route and had to push our bikes most of the time due to the dirt road and steep incline, which made it really hard to ride our road bikes. After 45km, we finally arrived in Lukomir at 10:30 pm, guided only by the faint glow of our lights and accompanied by the distant barking of shepherd dogs. The sunset views during our journey were out of this world, painting the sky with breathtaking hues. We were lucky to find our magical...