Fantasy Destinations - Balkans

The Balkan Peninsula has many destinations including the states of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, the Republic of Macedonia, and many others. Despite the history of its disputed borders, The Balkans have much to offer any traveler and many areas lack the hordes of tourism you would find in the rest of Europe.

Breathtaking Landscapes

The Balkan mountain range - a mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The mountains are the source of the name of the Balkan Peninsula. They provide many activities for tourists such as hiking, climbing, wildlife viewing and winter sports. The mountain range forms the watershed between the Black Sea and Aegean Sea catchment areas, with the exception of an area in west, where it is crossed by the spectacular Iskar Gorge. There are a large number of caves, including Magura, featuring the most important and extended European post-Palaeolithic cave painting. The most notable rock formation are the Belogradchik Rocks in the west. There are several important protected areas: The Balkan Mountains are remarkable for their flora and fauna. Edelweiss grows there in the region of Kozyata stena. Some of the most striking landscapes are included in the Central Balkan National Park with steep cliffs, the highest waterfalls in the Balkan Peninsula and lush vegetation. Most of Europe's large mammals inhabit the area including the brown bear, wolf, boar, chamois and deer.

Botev Peak, Bulgaria -  7,795 ft above sea level, the highest peak of the Balkan Mountains. It is located close to the geographic center of Bulgaria, and is part of theCentral Balkan National Park. The average temperature is 16 °F in January and 46.2 °F in July. the easiest route for climbing is a two and a half hour climb from Ray Resthouse at the south foot. 

Cappadocia, Turkey - Anatolia’s volcanoes erupted with such genius persistence that they created one of the most fantastic landscapes on the planet: valleys strewn with sand cones; tall stone pillars with triangular roofs all causing the imagination to soar as you view them.

Differing Climates

On the Adriatic and Aegean coasts the climate is Mediterranean, on the Black Sea coast the climate is humid subtropical and oceanic, and inland it is humid continental. In the northern part of the peninsula and on the mountains, winters are frosty and snowy, while summers are hot and dry. In the southern part winters are milder. 

Amazing History

Golubac Fortress, Serbia -  a medieval fortified town on the south side of the Danube River, 4 km downstream from the modern-day town of Golubac, Serbia. The fortress, which was most likely built during the 14th century, is split into three compounds which were built in stages. It has ten towers, most of which started square, and several of which received many-sided reinforcements with the advent of firearms. Golubac Fortress has had a tumultuous history. Prior to its construction it was the site of a Roman settlement. During the Middle Ages, it became the object of many battles, especially between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary. It is a popular tourist attraction in the region and a sightseeing point on Danube boat tours.

Apollonia Ruins, Albania - These ruins are situated in the Fier region, near the village of Pojani, in modern-day Albania. Apollonia was founded in 588 BCE by Greek colonists from Corfu and Corinth, on a site initially occupied by Illyrian tribes and was perhaps the most important of the several classical towns known as Apollonia. Apollonia flourished in the Roman period and was home to a renowned school of philosophy, but began to decline in the 3rd century AD when its harbor started silting up as a result of an earthquake. It was abandoned by the end of Late Antiquity.

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