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Duration
11 days
Max Group Size
25
Departure Type
Request
Guiding Method
Fully guided
Physical level
moderate
Operated In
Age Requirement
18 - 85 Ages
Tour Overview
You’ll
be surprised by the number of experiences and beautiful sights packed in this this itinerary. From UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Old Bridge in Mostar, Kotor and Perast area in
Montenegro, Gračanica Monastery in Kosovo, Ohrid Lake in North Macedonia, to
the Ottoman heritage of Bosnia and bustling streets of Belgrade with its unique
mix of Roman, Serbian, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman influences, this tour is melting pot of different sights, cultures, traditions, and tastes.
Pick your dates and let us create an experience you’ll remember.
Highlights
Itinerary
·
Arrive at Skopje
International Airport.
·
Our guide will meet you in the arrival hall with
your name on the signboard. He will do the following: help you with your money exchange,
give you essential information about Skopje, help you with your check-in, explain to you the location of your accommodation and advise you how to reach
the main sights, and give you an overview of current happenings in the city.
·
In case your flight is delayed,
there is no reason to worry. We will monitor your flight, and our guide will meet you
accordingly. There are no additional charges for flight delays. After a short
ride of 20 minutes, you’ll be in the city’s center. Check in at the hotel, and
take the rest of the day to get more familiar with Skopje, walk around, or
follow your guide’s recommendation for dinner.
·
Overnight: Skopje
·
After breakfast,
we’ll head for Kosovo. We’ll spend
a full day exploring the natural and cultural beauties of the area.
·
Before we reach
Pristina, we’ll stop at the marvelous medieval UNESCO-protected Gračanica
monastery, completed in 1321 by the Serbian king Milutin. The monastery, which is set on large,
grassy grounds, is one of the most attractive in Kosovo. Here, you
will hear the story about the history of the monastery and the area, about
Orthodox Christianity, and you’ll get a chance to admire the breathtaking
interior, with extraordinary frescoes covering the walls up to the top of the
highest tower.
·
After this serene experience, we will continue to Pristina,
only 20 minutes away. We’ll immediately start with the
sightseeing. We’ll check the sights such as the National University Library of
Kosovo, open-air archeological park, Carshi Mosque, Sultan Mehmet Fatih Mosque, Great Hammam, etc. You’ll have some free time to explore the city on your own or perhaps grab a bite before we proceed
to Prizren.
·
Set on the slopes of
Šar mountain and by the banks of the Bistrica River, Prizren is widely regarded
as the most beautiful city in Kosovo. Its rich cultural heritage
represents a blend of different cultural influences, including Turkish,
Serbian, and Albanian. Here, you will see the Sinan Pasha Mosque, Prizren
Fortress, and Prizren Old Town, with various souvenir shops, restaurants, and
cafes.
·
After some free time, we’ll head back to Skopje,
where we will arrive in the evening.
·
Overnight: Skopje
·
After breakfast, we’ll start with the walking
tour.
·
Skopje, a city
with 2 thousand years of history, the
capital of Northern Macedonia, is the
meeting point of many nations and cultures in the heart
of the Balkans. It attracts
tourists with a fortress, cultural and historical monuments,
archaeological sites, and most of all, very warm, hospital, and welcoming
citizens. During our tour, we will
walk through the narrow Streets of Old Bazaar, the biggest market in the
Balkans; we’ll check the 1500 years old fortress Kale, the monastery St.
Pantaleon with the fresco” Lamentation of Christ,” the Islamic monuments
Sultan Murat’s- Hjunkar
Mosque, the Daut Pasha’s
bath, and the birthplace of Mother Teresa.
·
After the walking
tour, we will continue our trip toward Ohrid Lake.
·
En route, we will stop at the famous Matka
Canyon and enjoy a boat ride through the beautiful gorge. After that, you will have some free time for lunch before we proceed to Ohrid.
·
Arrive at Ohrid in the evening and check in at the hotel. Free
time.
·
Overnight: Ohrid
·
Nicknamed “The Jerusalem of the Balkans,” Ohrid was once the center
of Slavic culture and religion. The natural and
cultural heritage of the Ohrid region is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
·
We will walk through Ohrid’s cobbled Old Town
and up to the hilltop Church of St John at
Kaneo to get the most incredible view over the lake, mountains, and Galiĉica National Park. We’ll check sights such as The Church of St.
Sophia, the Roman amphitheater, and the Samuel Fortress.
· After a short ride of 30 minutes, it’s time to enter one of the perhaps most mysterious and yet-to-be-discovered countries of The Balkans – Albania. The country’s geographical position, political history, and unique language made Albania one of Europe’s least visited countries, which has rapidly changed in the past 10 years.
·
On our way
to Tirana, we’ll make a short
stop at Elbasan, the third-largest city in the
country, right in the middle of Albania.
We’ll check the Castle of Elbasan,
the King’s Mosque, St Mary Orthodox
Church, and the Clock Tower.
·
Check-in at the hotel. Enjoy your free afternoon
discovering Tirana on your own. Perhaps visit the Bunk’Art 1, a
former anti-nuclear bunker now turned into a very interesting historical and
art center, or check out the Dajti Cable Car and enjoy the breathtaking city views.
·
Overnight: Ohrid
·
Breakfast and off we go, to explore this vibrant
city, famous for its non-stop energy and motion. During our tour, we’ll see the Mosque of Et’hem
Bey and the 35 m high Kulla e
Sahatit or the Watch Tower.
·
Moreover, we will visit the famous Mosaic
uncovered on the floor of an old Roman lodge. Its center configures the walls of the castle of the Roman emperor Justinian (A.D. 520). The monumental Tomb of Kaplan
Pasha and the Ura e Tabakëve (a bridge constructed at the beginning of the 19th century,
located on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard) are a few other interesting places we will visit.
·
After a short refreshment, it’s time to leave
Albania behind us and start revealing another not-so-often-visited Balkan
country – Montenegro. On our way, we will drive through
the National Park and pass by Southern Europe’s largest lake– Skadar.
·
Our first stop will be the charming
town of Shkoder. Even before we enter the Old Town, we’ll be impressed by the mighty
former Venetian fortress – Rozafa, the largest one in Albania. We’ll check
Shkoder’s main sights, including
Shkodra Cathedral and Ebu Bekr Mosque. After a short refreshment, we’ll hit the
road and drive along the beautiful Adriatic coast until we reach Budva – the
tourist capital of Montenegro. Check-in at the hotel. Free time. Use this
evening to walk by the sea or explore Budva’s Old Town.
·
Overnight: Budva
·
After breakfast, we’ll leave Budva behind us and ride towards the stunning
Bay of Kotor, the longest and deepest
fjord in Southern Europe. Our first stop will be the charming coastal town of Perast, one of the most beautiful towns on the Adriatic Sea, with
only 300 residents. We will
walk along the Perast promenade and admire the beautiful baroque palaces of
noble families.
·
Following, we
will take a short boat ride to the
15th century “Our Lady of the Rocks”
Church perched on an islet in the bay. Once there, we will visit the Roman
Catholic Church, which has an interesting interior.
Ne xt stop is Kotor, where we will have a
guided walking tour. This old Mediterranean town, surrounded by formidable city walls,
was built between the 12th and
14th centuries. Its medieval
architecture and other
cultural monuments are why UNESCO included the city on the list of
“World Natural and Historical Heritage Sites.” We’ll check out the Cathedral of St. Tryphon, Maritime Museum,
numerous Palaces, and Old Square and get to feel the atmosphere of this unique
medieval town. Here, we will have a lunch break.
·
Later on, we will proceed to Bosnia and
Herzegovina. We’ll end the day in Trebinje, a charming and picturesque little
town on the banks of the Trebišnjica River, with a laid- back atmosphere and an
interesting mix of Mediterranean, Central European, and Ottoman influences. You can use the evening to stroll around
small streets or have a nice
dinner.
·
Overnight: Trebinje
·
After breakfast, our trip continues to Blagaj (a
site on the UNESCO Tentative List), an old town from the first half of the 16th century and a beautiful
representation of Ottoman architecture. Blagaj was the crib of Islam of today’s
Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the short tour, enjoy the view of the monastery in a fairy-tale environment beneath the cliffs on the shores of the
emerald-green river Buna.
·
Our next stop will be Mostar, a medieval town in northern Herzegovina and one of the Balkan’s top ten sights. With cobblestoned streets,
old stone buildings, and its beautiful
bridge spanning the picturesque Neretva River, it attracts thousands of
visitors.
·
We will walk through its narrow
streets to soak up the atmosphere and learn more about
the history of this magnificent place. We will cross the
·
reconstructed Old Bridge, a staunch symbol of
freedom on the Neretva River, and a UNESCO-protected landmark. If we are lucky, we may even witness some brave divers jumping from the bridge, following
a tradition that lasts for a couple of centuries in Mostar.
·
We will proceed
to Koski Mehmed
Pasha Mosque, the Crooked
Bridge, and the Old Town, or Čaršija as locals call it.
·
You will have some free time in Mostar for lunch on the banks of the Neretva River, with an amazing bridge view.
·
We’ll end the day in Sarajevo, a beautiful city with a complicated history.
·
After check-in, enjoy a free afternoon in
Sarajevo and visit some of the most famous restaurants in the city, offering the famous “ćevapčići,” a traditional Bosnian
dish, a small rolled patty of
ground beef meat.
·
Overnight: Sarajevo
·
Breakfast. After breakfast, we’ll start exploring the capital of Bosnia & Herzegovina and one of Europe’s most historically rich
cities.
·
We’ll start from the picturesque Turkish Bazaar
(Bascarsija), an old trading place with artisan workshops. We’ll check many examples of splendid Ottoman
architecture around the city
center. The city is truly a “living history museum” where mosques built by the
Ottomans sit alongside buildings created by the Austro-Hungarians and the
Orthodox Churches. We’ll see the Gazi Husrev-bey Mosque, the most prominent
Islamic structure in the country, one of the world’s finest examples of Ottoman
architecture. We’ll drive past the now-neglected stadium from the 1984 Winter
Olympic Games and the Gavrilo Princip Museum. On our walk, look for the
poignant Sarajevo Roses, flower-shaped memorials in the pavement filled with
red cement, one of the few reminders left of the war.
·
After finishing the Sarajevo tour, we
will proceed towards
a town called Višegrad, where
we will see the famous Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, a UNESCO site and the most
beautiful example of Ottoman architecture in the Balkans. Also, we’ll have a
lunch stop in Stone Town, another
interesting project made by Emir Kusturica. After a lunch break, we’ll proceed
toward Zlatibor.
·
We will finish
our day in Serbia, in the tourist center
of Zlatibor mountain. The region of Zlatibor
is famous for its healthy air, folk architecture, native culture and
traditions, wealthy and diverse ethnic heritage, widely-renowned culinary
specialties, healthy food, and balmy climate. After the check-in and dinner,
you’ll have free time to enjoy and relax.
·
Overnight: Zlatibor
·
After breakfast, it’s time to hit the road toward Western
Serbia, known for its wild and untouched nature, tasty cuisine, and
friendly and hospitable people.
·
Our first stop is the famous Sargan Eight
railroad. A unique narrow-gauge railway nowadays serves only for amusement. We will pass
and stop at several viewpoints during our ride, from which
one can see fabulous views over Mokra Gora. Authentic cars with wooden seats, wood-burning stoves, and characteristic rattling
sounds will take us back in time.
· The next stop is Wooden City. The famous director Emir Kusturica (two times Palme d’Or in Cannes winner) decided to build it during the shooting of his film “Life is a Miracle.” He chose to convey ruined wooden chalets from the mountain’s slopes, restore them, and form a new settlement. Here, we will have a lunch break.
·
The next sight on our way is one of the most famous
attractions in Serbia, “The House on Drina
River”, an isolated house made of logs on a river stone. After a photo stop and
refreshments, we will continue our trip to Belgrade.
·
After check-in, use this afternoon to say farewell
to Belgrade, walk around, or go for dinner
following your guide’s recommendation.
·
Overnight: Belgrade
·
Breakfast. After breakfast, we’ll start with our Belgrade
sightseeing tour. Today we will
show you almost all the most important sights in the city.
·
We’ll start at
the daunting Belgrade Fortress, dramatically perched above the
confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. We’ll check the Victor Monument,
Monument of Gratitude to France, Zindan Gate, The Chapel of Saint Petka, Clock Gate, and The Clock
Tower.
·
Once we finish with the fortress, we will start
our panoramic ride through New Belgrade – Belgrade’s largest
municipality, with impressive modern
architecture. Here, we will see some remarkable buildings such as the
Ex-Central Committee of the Communist Party, Federal Executive Council, also
known as the Palace of Federation, Genex Tower or Western Gate of Belgrade,
Sava Center, Belgrade Arena, and many more.
·
After New Belgrade, we’ll reach Zemun, the
northern area of Belgrade, which is characteristic of its Central
European appearance, charming
quarters, cobblestone streets, and fish restaurants on the
Danube River banks. Its curvy cobblestone streets and small houses will give
you the impression that Zemun is a melting pot of Mediterranean and Middle
European cultures.
·
After Zemun, we’ll drive through Dedinje, Belgrade’s most luxurious residential area, before we reach the imposing
Saint Sava Temple, one of the world’s
largest Orthodox churches.
·
After the sightseeing tour, spend this afternoon on your own. Maybe check out Nikola Tesla’s Museum or the National
Museum, or wander around the central streets.
·
In the evening, visit the Old Bohemian
Quarter of Skadarlija, frequently compared
to Montmartre in Paris, both in appearance and artistic atmosphere. It’s
a perfect opportunity to familiarize yourself with traditional Serbian cuisine
and the famous Belgrade nightlife. (Optional = 30€ per person)
·
Overnight: Belgrade
Breakfast. Free time until your flight.
Transfer to the airport. End of services.
Have a safe flight!
Trip includes
Included
· 10 nights 4* accommodation
· 2 nights in chosen
hotel category in Skopje
·
1 night in chosen hotel category
in Ohrid
· 1 night in chosen
hotel category in Tirana
·
1 night in chosen hotel category
in Budva
· 1 night in chosen
hotel category in Trebinje
·
1 night in chosen hotel category
in Sarajevo
·
1 night in chosen hotel category
in Zlatibor
· 2 nights in chosen hotel category in Belgrade
English speaking professional tour manager from day 2 to day 10
Guiding Method
Fully guided
11 meals: 10 breakfasts and one dinner
(Zlatibor)
All fuel costs, parking fees, and road tolls.
Arrival &
departure airport transfers.
Transfers according to the itinerary
in a modern, air-conditioned vehicle.
Entrance fees: Gračanica Monastery, Matka Canyon boat ride,
Rozafa Castle, boat ride to
Our Lady of the Rocks, Blagaj Tekke, the Wood Town, Sargan Eight train ride,
Saint Sava Temple in Belgrade
Excluded
·
Arrival and departure flights
·
Food & drinks
·
Optional expenses
·
Food & drinks
·
Optional expenses
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