Plovdiv was first settled over 8,000 years ago, making it one of the world’s longest continuously inhabited cities. The second largest city and cultural capital of Buglaria, Plovdiv offers a unique blend of ancient ruins, national revival architecture, and a modern economy. Often sited as travelers favorite place in Bulgaria, it is a thoroughly charming city that imprints itself on your heart.

I regularly received this advice about Sofia: it’s not really worth it. Except for travelers who are particularly interested in communist history and digital nomads looking for affordable cities with good internet, I don’t think Sofia offers much for tourists. That said, its enormous parks feel like actual forests - and I really enjoyed watching the off leash dogs bounding around and playing.

Historically known as “Little Paris,” I found the city had all the filth but little of the grandeur of its namesake. What Bucharest excels at for tourists, though, is a loud, busy bar and club scene throughout its old city. It also has the most excessive, wasteful government building in the world - a dictator pet project that was surprisingly designed by a 26 year old woman in the 80s.

Brasov is a well-preserved, enchanting Saxon (German) medieval city that is large enough to be atmospheric and small enough to never be overwhelming. It’s known as a gateway to Transylvania because many travelers stop here first on their way up from Bucharest - and because it offers a good base to explore the area through day trips.

Timisoara is Romania’s third largest city - and is perhaps most commonly known as a gateway to the country. Budget flyers or travelers by road from Serbia and Hungary usually enter the country through Timisoara - and then head to one of the more famous destinations. I think that undersells the city though - because its historic downtown is softly breathtaking - and it is absolutely full of parks.

Belgrade is one of the oldest continuously lived in cities in Europe - but, because it’s been in 115 wars and been razed 44 times, its current form is new. It’s not particularly beautiful, clean or accessible - but it’s full of lively, youth-led businesses that leave quite an impression. It’s a fun place to spend a weekend eating, drinking, and partying your ass off.

Most famous for an annual music festival hosted in its fortress, Novi Sad feels different than the other major Serbian cities because its architectures is predominately Hungarian - a charming, small city that is full of old world charm. It also has one of the more memorable tribute statues for WW2 victims I’ve seen.

Nis is one of the oldest cities in the Balkans - having been a Celtic settlement and then the birthplace of three Roman emperors. Generally known more for its food than its sites, Nis is home to one haunting, grizzly piece of history - a tower of skulls left to remind locals of the risks of defying Ottoman rule.

Under the “Skopje 2014” initiative, the government tried to rebuild the city center to look more classically European. The execution was unrefined - leaving the urban core feeling more Vegas than Paris. It’s kitschy - like a cheap, gaudy wrapper around an otherwise cool city.

I was prepared to be underwhelmed in Pristina - and in some ways I was. For sightseeing, it doesn’t offer much. As a weekend destination getaway, though, Pristina was much more vibrant than I expected. Fueled by youthful energy and repatriation money, the city is full of modern, chic cafes, bars, restaurants and shops. It’s got a scrappy sense of street chic - a city trying to reinvent itself.

Ohrid is one of those places that was recommended to me over and over again by other travelers as a gem of the Balkans and a truly exceptional lake town. I spent four nights in Ohrid and it exceeded all my expectations. One of 28 places that is both a cultural a natural UNESCO heritage site, Ohrid offers both historical charm and exceptional natural beauty. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Gjirokaster is one of Albania’s three UNESCO world heritage sites - for being a well-preserved Ottoman town - and one of its most commonly visited destinations. Known as the Stone City, its houses are built along a mountainside and have grey stone roofs. The city it topped with a stone fortress - built from the rocks it sits on. It’s fun for a few hours - but I don’t recommend staying the night.

Sarande is not the most beautiful or historic strip along the riviera. It has beaches, but they aren’t the sandiest, bluest, or most charming. It has ruins, but not the most impressive. What Sarande offers, though, is a lively local economy and a ton of easy to schedule, affordable options for day trips. It’s the perfect base to leave all day and come back just in time to catch the sunset.

Known as “The City of 1,000 Windows,” Berat has two mirror neighborhoods that rise up opposite sides of the river valley - both with white facades, brown roofs, and equally spaced windows spread throughout the front. What makes Berat rise above similar cities, though, is that its castle quarter is still full of homes, restaurants and shops. It’s not just a relic but living history.

Much of Tirana is loud, chaotic, and dirty - so it took a day or two to grow on me. Once you leave the busiest streets, though, you’ll find a highly pedestrian downtown - modern and chic - and the city bursts with market shopping. Most memorable, though, is the museums - where you can learn about Albania’s history - particularly its recent communist regime.

Perast is a sleepy town of around 250 residents that opens up to the Bay of Kotor. With 17 Venetian-style palaces and 19 churches, the architecture is charming, though not breathtaking. Its primary claim to fame is the Our Lady of the Rocks chapel - built on the Adriatic Sea’s only manmade island and the only chapel in Europe on an artificial island. A great sight that no one really needed to see.