asking for Advice and Ideas

I haven't been yet, but Rick & Co. have made Croatia (specifically Plitvice Lakes and several coastal cities) and Slovenia (specifically Lake Bled) look wonderfully appealing.

I have been to both places Robert mentioned. Plitvice is stunning. Lake Bled is merely ok.

It depends on what you are interested in and how you want to do it.

• I once flew from Budapest to Sofia, Bulgaria and then drove to Istanbul. Took not quite a week doing it. I can connect you with the company that set that up.
• I have flown from Budapest to Istanbul direct a number of times.
• I once went from Budapest to Tirana, Albania toured Albania and then flew on to Istanbul.
• I've flown from Budapest to Podgorica, Montenegro, toured the country and then flown out of Podgorica or Tivat direct to Istanbul.
  

All that in part because I would fly Turkish Air from Houston to Budapest and they have most of those other connections. Another good stop is Bosnia & Hercegovina but I haven't gone on yo Istanbul from there yet. But I return every year.

With my current interests and the places I really enjoy I guess I would go to Budapest for a week, then fly from Budapest to Podgorica and spend a week in Montenegro, then cross into Albania for another week, then fly to Istanbul for a week. I can set you up with a company that could set up the trip through Montenegro and Albania.

Here are a couple of videos of Montenegro
Montenegro Places, Along the Coast
Bar https://youtu.be/T36CVTupIu0?si=sXTLf4Ya-BtgqkKG
Budva https://youtu.be/GF7hyxB8Xq4?si=re2lmDTm5pRNpioH
AND the Hotel California https://youtu.be/Ap45GkYMZKo?si=JzlPKod0-ozyPS2e
Čanj https://youtu.be/aiX21f1KWeg?si=9QtS92tZTA50vz_S and https://youtu.be/Z1d818hYy-0?si=Pk_gwlLoQ3GEKibP
Herceg Novi https://youtu.be/nNtT4Mh2ZTc?si=E8XAPiylEc7xlH0m
Kotor https://youtu.be/G7QgBl7XNKU?si=pK1etsEr8UcAlofr
AND Cable Car https://youtu.be/8hVesPAkxac?si=dpFGnxLafV8_zkU5

AND Mountain Coaster https://youtu.be/xiL15FSCIZ0?si=bDDkdsQP_irga6F2
Perast, https://youtu.be/q2nckBnc7_M?si=CohK_4nsI6l7chEB
AND Hotel Conte https://youtu.be/zYJcm2zlXA8?si=w7VstV-oLoVEQLr7
Petrovac https://youtu.be/IfUfXuuGPEg?si=JTG1d9INazz1QUc4
Pržno https://youtu.be/nBq5pHl9EsY?si=xkdTasO0IsRUrC6d
Risan https://youtu.be/gtQjsylYQPI?si=lOu2_06ACSEhX1oT
Tivat https://youtu.be/qQ9SDwZ4scg?si=bmA1Si8PQ684cXkw
Ulcinj, https://youtu.be/SBY7G9HHw5s?si=wjPy2V0P1mhua7Cs

Montenegro Places, Inland
Gusinje https://youtu.be/-DOZ2-U9yUw?si=-yOpR723rlEsJIK7
High Country: https://youtu.be/TC8q0G8JxZE?si=PDJQIK7lJwoGQrAe

Ostrog Monastery https://youtu.be/ixrJu6qv46M?si=WML9Hs2hOQCsKZwE
AND Hotel & Restaurant Sokoline https://youtu.be/miNV1FVK7qI?si=iZC_lViMUEk6JGI
P1 Mountain Road https://youtu.be/QSz5hZVNxQ8?si=kAUpMBWDbSSztzt5
AND Prosciutto at Zora https://youtu.be/08il6EXog3o?si=PkQ6Rrueu6c_-U98
Stari Bar, https://youtu.be/OBU56OT78fw?si=tzF65lSmOXSEpWKZ
Tara River Canyon https://youtu.be/9aGMZB8hB5Y?si=NFKsf6YtGAX2uVCa
AND Motel Tara MB https://youtu.be/wGuRybkymEI?si=TGgevmpFSCGTghPq
Virpazar https://youtu.be/bw3JxXcdDo4?si=4i0wZj-J-VLyFpbz

A few videos of Albania
Komani lake up through the Albanian Alps https://youtu.be/qe4MBi3XOFQ?si=ZHwve4LeER0kBatw
Albanian Alps and Valbone River Valley: https://youtu.be/syPCSI8LOkI?si=r6V8bM3VWUJtV8TT
Saranda https://youtu.be/XKC75JZp1-M?si=lxNmn8K-9aKv2hq9
Gjirokastra https://youtu.be/riYKaco3KgI?si=1GmjX7xaSCcw0Kg5
Favorite Albanian restaurant https://www.instagram.com/reels/DJOrEFFAI_u/