Serbia is right in the heart of the Balkans, but sadly it is not on the radar for most climbers and tourists. For example, Spain receives around 120 times more tourists per year than Serbia. Those who make the effort to go will be rewarded with stunning mountains, rivers and serene forests that can be enjoyed in solitude. For climbers, there are already several great crags to choose from, but like most of the Balkans there is the potential for much more development in the future.
Slovenia is a relatively small country, but it packs in an incredible amount of beautiful natural spaces for its size. A climber will have a choice of long mountain routes, abundant sport climbs and bouldering. Slovenian climbers are known for being very good and have made an incredible mark on the competition scene. The routes are of a similarly high standard and there aren’t any soft grades here. The country has lots of outdoor activities other than climbing and Slovenian people have a great love of the outdoors.
POST UPDATED 2026
Bosnia and Herzegovina is hands down one of the best countries in the Balkans, and it is one of the most interesting and unique countries in all of Europe. For climbers, Bosnia is a real treat, with loads of great crags and a variety of styles – tufas, pockets, slabs, overhangs and many multipitches as well. The crags are often near historical sites of great interest or national parks of immense natural beauty, meaning you will always have something enjoyable to do on your rest days. The people of Bosnia are incredibly friendly and welcoming, you will meet lots of great people here and it is easy to feel a connection to the place. Despite all of the great things about Bosnia, it is not yet affected by the mass levels of tourism that many parts of Europe struggle with more and more. This means you often get to enjoy some truly spectacular places completely crowd free, especially if you visit outside of the summer. Considering all this, there really isn’t any reason not to visit Bosnia, so go and enjoy it for yourself!
We love Bosnia so much that we have visited 4 times, totalling around 3 months in the country. This blog post is an amalgamation of all of our experiences in Bosnia across these trips, including from our latest visit in 2026.
The Crag Journal 