Serbia and Bosnia in February

Belgradefag here

Just come in spring. Trust me. April-October is the best time to visit Balkans.

Did a few days in both these countries while on a larger tour from Budapest to Dubrovnik. Did a single night in Belgrade, the citadel and Zemun are nice places to visit there and Sundays in the city are free public transport because apparently conductors don't work on Sundays. A few people recommended visiting a restaurant that for some reason I remember being called either "?" or "!" it was nice traditional food but your standard tourist trap, i'm sure nicer places are around.

I then went onto Sarajevo. The nightlife here is cool. Spent an evening just chilling with the countless Aussies you meet on the road in a hookah bar eating kebabs. The city isn't dry which wasn't what i was expecting for a muslim city. Also check out the facebook page called "Sarajvo Tours with Muhammad" or something like that, hes a local guy that gives a really good tour. Also took a bus to Konjic from here and did a day of white water rafting with some crazy Bosnian tour guides.

My final stop was Mostar. very pretty and nice for a swim if you go in summer. Which is would totally recommend. Its as hot as spain or greece and a fraction of the price and the people are x100 nicer. They mostly all speak english or german too.

from a backpacking Brit.

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>>1058826
Bosnians always drank alcohol. When the Ottomans came, that practice stayed. To a lesser extent Turks also drink but pretty much every Bosnian does. We have our own beers and national drinks

>>1058750

Here's two albums of pics and descriptions. Might come in handy

http://imgur.com/a/4s0Rc
http://imgur.com/a/W63BH

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>>1058750
>>1058847

Also I forgot, you can ski or snowboard in Sarajevo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=47&v=P7zZgtZZI6k

>>1058750
I spent about a month in the balkans in the summer of 2012, so I can't really comment on the winter weather. But I would definitely recommend visiting some of the croatian national parks

>>1058771
OP. Problem is I have University during those months.
I'm trying to make the most of the time I have before I start Uni again.
Hoping I can make a decent trip in February.

I love Scandinavia in winter.
How are the Balkans in winter? Or is it really better to visit in summer?
I am very interested in the Balkans. How is safety?

>>1059006
I'd say summer is the time to visit Balkans. It can be alright in winter, but summer is the bomb here.

>>1059023
>How is safety?

It's safe as fuck. Really. Unless you're some pink wearing transfaggot skinny feminazi retard

Visit from April-October.

>>1059147
Don't be stupid and piss off some hooligans / hook up with someone of the same sex in public and you're good. Don't bring up the war or make any judgment on nationalism/who's fault it was, etc.

Chill about drugs as well, although I wouldn't take anything else than weed when you don't know the person.

>>1059147
>>1059154
Alright thanks, I'm straight m8, and I don't do drugs, so I think I'm alright.
I am looking for a destination for New Year, that's why I'm asking it here and I have always been interested in the Balkans.

>>1059161
I will always recommend people to go to Sarajevo, I can't get enough of the city. But if you want to party, I would rather go to Belgrade or Croatia, at least during winter (for new year's for example), don't expect wind parties in Sarajevo.
It's absolutely beautiful, but a bit empty during the winter. Don't let it put you off though.

>>1059198
I never party but thank you for your recommendation. I always visit for art and culture: museums, old palaces and the such. I've read a good deal of yugoslav (and serbian) literature so now I'd like to go see with my own eyes.
I would like to ensure that safety is good. My gf is a little paranoid.
I will probably come in summer then.

>>1059214
>I would like to ensure that safety is good.

In balkans you are pretty much safe to walk anywhere even during night, because we don't have here ethnic minorities controlling parts of the city like you have in the West / USA. Getting in trouble here means you either had VERY VERY VERY bad luck or you are guilty of getting your ass kicked.

I really recommend coming in summer.

>>1059220
Thanks a lot! That's excellent. Looking forward!

>>1059147
I'm pretty set on going this February.
I've read some travel blogs and it still seems like a beautiful place to go despite the weather.
I might regret it.

Is Serbia a safe place to visit?
I want to go but my folks are giving me a hard time. They're worried I'm going to be robbed at knife point at a hostel or something.

So yeah, is Serbia a safe place to visit as a solo backpacker?

>>1059927
28 years in Serbia and so far not a single bad thing have happened, not knife pulling, no thefts etc

Yeah, it's safe. Whole Balkans region is really safe for a foreigner, especially if you're random white guy

>>1059927
There's an old adage (can't remember the wording) about Balkan countries being surprisingly safe given how good they used to be at killing each other. It varies a bit between the really safe (Slovenia) and the somewhat dodgy at times (Albania), but Serbia is gonna be fine.

>>1058750
Not really backpacking, but apparently you can take a bus from Sarajevo to the nearby mountain that I'm lazy to google but probably can't spell. (Bjelasnica or something similar.) Ski rental and hotels are a lot cheaper than in most of Europe, you might want to fit that in.
Also there is some huge spa right outside Sarajevo, if it's really cold, you might want to just hang out there for a day.

I can imagine Bosnia being pretty depressing without snow, but if they have proper snow, the nature should look awesome.

>>1059220
>we don't have here ethnic minorities controlling parts of the city

Really? First thing I passed through driving out of Sofia airport was a Roma ghetto.

>>1060054
there are gypsies in Serbia but their cardboard cities are somehow getting smaller and smaller and are being transfered to places where even locals couldn't find it. You should be really drugged or drunk to find where they sleep