Day 1 – Ljubljana, Slovenia
The 3 weeks Balkan tour starts from any location in Ljubljana, Slovenia (airport or hotel)
→ City tour of Ljubljana, Slovenia
The Dragon Bridge; Tromostovje (The Triple Bridge is a group of three bridges which connects the historical part of Ljubljana with the modern part of the city); Preseren Square (The central square in Ljubljana part of the old town’s pedestrian zone), Franciscan Church of the Annunciation (17th-century Franciscan church famous with its interior). Robba fountain (18th-century fountain made of limestone and marble); The Butcher’s bridge; The town square; Ljubljana Town Hall; The city market of Ljubljana; The Ljubljana cathedral (Roman Catholic cathedral with a baroque interior, including gilded columns & ceiling frescoes).
→ Visit Lake Bled in the afternoon
Overnight in Ljubljana.
→ Transfer to Zagreb, Croatia
→ City tour and free time in Zagreb, Croatia
Visit the Old Town; The Zagreb Cathedral; St. Mark’s church (Monumental, medieval-style, Serbian Orthodox church); Dolac Market (Large market with many stands offering flowers, fruits, veggies & meats in an indoor/outdoor setup); The Lotrscak Tower; The Medieval Stone Gate; The Lenucijeva Potkova. Ban Josip Jelačić Square (The central square of Zagreb)
Overnight in Zagreb
Day 3 – Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
→ Transfer to the Plitvice lakes National Park
Explore the UNESCO protected national park
→ Transfer to Zadar, Croatia
Free time in Zadar
Overnight in Zadar
→ Transfer to Split, Croatia
→ Visit Sibenik and Trogir on the way
→ Split old town tour
Visit the old town, The Diocletian Palace; The Cathedral of Saint Domnius (Built in 4th century AD); The Riva (The central part of Split); The Old Jupiter’s Temple (build in 3rd century AD); The “Let me pass” street; The Golden Gate (4th-century Roman stone entryway to Diocletian’s Palace, with arches & ornate statues);
→ Free time in Split
Overnight in Split
Day 5 – Dubrovnik, Croatia
→ Transfer to Dubrovnik, Croatia
→ Dubrovnik old town city tour
Visit the Old town, the Ancient city walls, the Dubrovnik “Saint Saviour” church (16th century church with Renaissance architecture); the Dubrovnik cathedral (Early 18th-century baroque cathedral); The Onofrije’s fountain, The Franciscan Monastery (Landmark monastery built in the 1300s, noted for its cloister, library & historic pharmacy displays); the Gates of Pile; the Old port; the Clock tower, the Sponza Palace, the Rector’s Palace; the Fort Saint John; the Stradun (The main walking street in Dubrovnik old town);
→Free time in Dubrovnik in the afternoon
Overnight in Dubrovnik
Day 6 – Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
→ Transfer to Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
→ Walking tour of Mostar old town
Visit the Old bridge, The Old city, The Old turkish bazar “Kujundziluk”, The Old turkish quarter, “Koskin – Mehmed pasha’s” mosque, Tito’s palace, “Mehmed Karadoz” Mosque.
→ Transfer to Blagaj
Visit the Blagaj monastery
→ Transfer to Sarajevo via Konjic
Overnight in Sarajevo
Day 7 – Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
→ City tour of the old town in Sarajevo
Visit the Bascarsija (The historical Turkish market); Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque (Ottoman mosque from 16th century); The Latin Bridge/ The Assassination Bridge (Ottoman-era stone bridge near the site of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s 1914 assassination); The Sebilj Monument (Famous 18th century wooden fountain); the “Sacred Heart” Cathedral (Gothic cathedral from the 19th century); The Sarajevo city hall, The Abandoned Bobsleigh Track (Built in 1984 for the Winter Olympic games in Former Yugoslavia The country opened its doors to the international community to celebrate sport, after the breakup of Yugoslavia, during the long Sarajevo siege the bobsleigh track been used as a base for the artillery); The Tunnel of Hope (Military-history museum at the site of a storied Bosnian War–era underground tunnel);
→ Free time in Sarajevo in the afternoon
During your free time in Sarajevo you can enter the Museum of Sarajevo 1878–1918 (Compact museum dedicated to historical events in Sarajevo during the Austro-Hungarian period.); The War Childhood Museum (Prominent museum featuring exhibits & videos on the children who lived through the Bosnian War.); The Museum of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide
Overnight in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Day 8 – Kotor, Montenegro
→ Transfer to Kotor
→ Kotor old town tour
Visit the Kotor old city, Kotor harbour, city walls, St Tryphon cathedral, St Nicola church, Piaza of the arms, Church of St Luke, Gurdich gate, Clock tower, Grubonja palace, Karampana well, Drago palace, Pima palace, Beskuca’s Palace, Grgurina Palace, Bizanti Palace, Prince’s Palace, Sea gate, Old Kotor prison building
→ Free time in Kotor for lunch (optional)
→ Transfer to Budva, Montenegro
Overnight in Budva
→ Transfer to Tirana, Albania
→ Tirana walking tour
Visit the “Skanderberg square”, the “Ethem bey” mosque, the “Enver Hoxha” pyramid, the Peace bell, the Polytechnic University of Tirana, the Building of the historical museum of Tirana, a Preserved bunker, Maria Theresa boulevard, the University of Tirana, the Old government square.
→ Transfer to Ohrid, North Macedonia
Overnight in Ohrid, North Macedonia
Day 10 – Ohrid, North Macedonia
→ Walking Ohrid City tour
Visit the Ohrid lake, the Monument of St. Naum of Ohrid, the Monument of St Kliment Ohridski, Catcher of a cross monument, the Church of St Sofia, “St Kiril and Metodius” monument, the Ancient theatre of Ohrid; the St John at Kaneo church.
→ Visit the St. Naum Monastery
→ Free time at the afternoon
Overnight in Ohrid
Day 11 – Skopje, North Macedonia
→ Transfer to Skopje, North Macedonia (3-4 hours)
→ Walking city tour (1.5 – 2 hours ) and free time in the afternoon
Visit the Old muslim quarter, the Stone bridge, the Macedonia square, the Memorial house of Mother Teresa, the “Warrior on a horse” monument, the “Mustafa Pasha” mosque, the Skopje art bridge, the “Daut Pasha” Hamam, the “Mothers of Macedonia” fontain, The Divers statue, Kapan Han, the King Samuil monument, the Archeological museum building
Overnight in Skopje
→ Depart from Skopje after breakfast
→ Transfer to Prizren, Kosovo via the mountain road
→ Walking tour Prizren
Visit the city center; Our Lady of Ljeviš Church (14th-century Serbian Orthodox church); Sinan Pasha Mosque (17th Century mosque)
→ Transfer back to Skopje
Overnight in Skopje
Day 13 – Rila Monastery, Bulgaria
→ Transfer to the Rila monastery, Bulgaria
Guided tour of the monastery complex
→ Transfer to Sofia, Bulgaria
→ Free time in Sofia
Overnight in Sofia, Bulgaria
→ Sofia city tour in the morning
Visit the: St. Nedelya square; Nedelya church; St Sofia Monument; St. Petka Church; The old Serdika Ruins; The mineral springs; The council of ministers; The Rotunda “Saint George”; The Presidency; The mosque “Banya Bashi”; The National archaeology museum (not going inside); The National Bank of Bulgaria; Knyaz Alexander Battenberg Square; The King’s palace; The Russian church; St. Sofia Church; The National Theater; The Monument of the “unknown soldier”; The Alexander Nevski Memorial Church; The city garden.
→ Free time in Sofia in the afternoon
Overnight in Sofia
Day 15 – Plovdiv, Bulgaria
→ Transfer to Plovdiv area, Bulgaria
→ Visit Bachkovo monastery
→Plovdiv city tour
Visit the Old town from the 19th century; the Ethnographic museum; Balabanov house; the Ancient theatre of Philipopolis; the Ancient stadium of Philipopolis, The St St Constantin and Elena church, The Djumaya mosque and square, The building of the Regional Historical Museum, the Main walking street, “The Trap” neighborhood; Nebet tepe.
→ Free time in the afternoon
Overnight in Plovdiv
Day 16 – The Rose Valley and Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
→ Transfer to the Rose Valley and Kazanlak area
Explore the Thracian tomb in Kazanlak
→ Transfer to Veliko Tarnovo via Shipka pass
→ Veliko Tarnovo walking tour
Visit the Tsarevets fortress and the craft street
Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo
Day 17 – Bucharest, Romania
→ Transfer to Bucharest, Romania
→ Bucharest city tour
Visit the Palace of Parliament, Old town, Piata Victoriei, Cec Palace, unirii Square, Revolution square, National museum of Romanian history, Constitution square, Lui Carol monument, Palace of justice.
→ Free time in Bucharest in the afternoon
Overnight in Bucharest
Day 18 – Sinaia – Bran – Brasov, Romania
→ Transfer to Transilvania area, Romania
Visit the Peles castle in Sinaia and Dracula’s castle (Bran castle)
→ Transfer to Brasov, Romania
→ Free time in Brasov
Overnight in Brasov
Day 19 – Sighisoara – Sibiu, Romania
→ Transfer to Sighisoara, Romania
→ Sighisoara city tour
Visit the Sighisoara Citadel, The Clock tower, The Vlad Dracul House
→ Transfer to Sibiu, Romania
→ City tour of Sibiu
Visit the Consul tower of Sibiu, the Large Square, the bridge of Lies, Sibiu Lutheran Cathedral;
→ Free time in Sibiu
Overnight in Sibiu
Day 20 – Timisoara, Romania
→ Transfer to Timisoara, Romania
→ City tour of Timisoara
Visit the Orthodox cathedral, the Piata Unirii and Victoriei Square
→ Free time in Timisoara
Overnight in Timisoara
Day 21 – Belgrade, Serbia
→ Transfer to Belgrade, Serbia
→ City tour of Belgrade
Visit the Belgrade fortress “Kalemegdan” (Enduring fortress built in 535 BCE) with a view to Sava and Danube rivers; The Pobednik Monument (Monument inside the Belgrade fortress); Church of the Holy mother of God / Crkva Ruzica (Serbian Orthodox church located inside the Belgrade fortress); The “Knez Mihaylova” pedestrian street; t. Sava cathedralS (The biggest Orthodox cathedral in the Balkans ); The House of Flowers (Josip Broz Tito mausoleum); History museum of Yugoslavia; The Republic square, The National Assembly, The bombed buildings,
During your free time you can take a walk around the Belgrade waterfront or enter some of the museums in Belgade: Nikola Tesla Museum; The History museum of Serbia; etc.
Overnight in Belgrade
End of the tour