Balkans road trip

Day-by-day programme

1. 01

   Day 1≈ 850 km · 11 h

   Switzerland → Rovinj

   We leave Switzerland for Trieste, then head down into Istria. Evening in Rovinj, with its cobbled lanes and St Euphemia's church above the Adriatic.

   
2. 02

   Day 2≈ 402 km · 8 h 30

   Rovinj → Primošten

   Coastal road through Istria and Dalmatia, past hills, terraced vineyards and viewpoints. Night in Primošten, a fishing village on its peninsula, known for its Babić red wine.

   
3. 03

   Day 3≈ 301 km · 6 h 20

   Primošten → Trebinje

   Winding roads between the Adriatic, hills and valleys into Bosnia and Herzegovina. Check-in at a 4-star hotel in the heart of Trebinje, home of Vranac wine.

   
4. 04

   Day 4

   Free day in Trebinje

   A huge biker gathering in Trebinje's streets, 4,000 to 5,000 bikes, free and open to all. Your choice: a surprise ride into Montenegro, or a quiet day in town and at the hotel.

   

   
5. 05

   Day 5≈ 399 km · 8 h

   Trebinje → Düres

   Scenic roads down to Düres on the Albanian coast: beaches, history and local food. In the evening we board the ferry to Italy.

   
6. 06

   Day 6 · FerryFerry · 8–10 h

   Düres → Bari

   Crossing the Adriatic to Bari, with dinner on board and a sunset over the sea. We land and explore Bari, its St Nicholas basilica and Norman castle.

   

   
7. 07

   Day 7≈ 544 km · 10 h

   Bari → L'Aquila

   Bends, hills and Adriatic views up to the Abruzzo mountains. Night in L'Aquila, a 13th-century city rebuilt after the 2009 earthquake.

   
8. 08

   Day 8≈ 470 km · 8 h

   L'Aquila → Mossa

   Villages and Italian countryside up to Friuli Venezia Giulia. Night in Mossa, a village of stone houses and vineyards, over a Friulian dinner.

   
9. 09

   Day 9≈ 515 km · 9 h

   Mossa → Lac de Savine

   Heading for the French Alps through meadows and forests. Evening by the lake, surrounded by mountains, at a renowned restaurant.

   
10. 10

    Day 10

    Lac de Savine → Switzerland

    An early start on back roads and through villages, with stops at local bakeries, all the way home.