It’s very safe to travel in the Balkans. The Great Balkan Ride is a drive-what-you-can rally through some of Europe’s most beautiful and underrated countries. It isn’t even the most challenging Travel Scientists‘ event (that honour, we reckon, goes to the Central Asia Rally). However, some people may still presume that the Balkans is a […]
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Great Balkan Ride 2017: Team Interview 1
We interview Rob and Amy about the Great Balkan Ride 2017. At the end of the Great Balkan Ride, in fact during dinner in Thessaloniki, we interviewed some of the teams about their experience of the event, and their thoughts on the Balkans generally. The first team were Rob & Amy. Rob is a Travel […]
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The Great Balkan Recap: What We Loved in Thessaloniki
Nobody should waste a chance to see Thessaloniki. Officially, we had waved goodbye to the Balkan Ride 2018, with a fantastic last day, which continued late into the night. Some teams braved hangovers to head home, or to further adventures, while others took the chance to explore the city a little. Still, there was a […]
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The Great Balkan Recap: Day 8
A memorable last day of the Great Balkan Ride 2017. Photo by Theodore Marković The final day of the Great Balkan Ride was eventful, as we squeezed in sightseeing, another border, and a fantastic final meal. We departed the picturesque City of Stone and travelled through (very underrated) Northern Greece, on our way to one of […]
Continue ReadingThe Big Book of Balkan History
You can read 700 pages in a year, right? Besides the incredible scenery — mountain peaks, tranquil lakes, golden beaches, and more — and of course the warm hospitality, a great attraction of visiting the Balkans is the rich and complex history. There’s no better way to learn about the region’s past than by visiting […]
Continue ReadingHow NOT to Get Help When Lost in the Balkans
How to NOT make friends in the Balkans. Photo by Cameron Strandberg Every year, the Balkan region is hit by spates of dangerous forest fires. This year has been particularly bad, with sustained spells of high heat with no rain. So when a tourist in Montenegro got lost, his method of alerting rescuers did not […]
Continue ReadingThe Great Fire of Thessaloniki
The Great Fire of Thessaloniki changed the city forever. When the Great Balkan Ride reaches Thessaloniki on August 12th, the city that meets us will be quite unlike the one that stood one hundred years before. We will arrive just one week before the centenary of perhaps the most consequential event in the city’s history: […]
Continue ReadingSarajevo to Yerevan: The Perfect Summer Adventure
The Great Balkan Ride and the Caucasian Challenge are designed to be combined. We can’t wait for the inaugural Great Balkan Ride: we’ll discover Sarajevo, explore Albania, then have fun in Greek sun. But if that’s not enough, the 10th edition of the Caucasian Challenge, is taking place right afterwards. Departing from Istanbul, participants will […]
Continue ReadingMeteora: Monasteries in the Sky
One of the most spectacular sights in Europe, Meteora must be seen to be believed. The Great Balkan Ride passes many magnificent sights, from historic Sarajevo to the mountains of Montenegro, the surprising beauty of Kosovo to the stunning Albanian Coast. However, for an amazing combination of unusual nature and human ingenuity, it’s hard to […]
Continue ReadingThe Languages of the Balkans
Who speaks what, where? Introducing the languages of the Balkans. During the Great Balkan Ride we’ll cross many borders, and that means entering different cultures, with separate traditions, and (usually) a new language. Things are never simple in the Balkans, though, so let us explain exactly what the languages of the Balkans are, and how […]
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