Balkan Kaleidoscope - 8 Balkan Countries in 14 Days

Once upon a time people said that the Balkans were the “powder-keg of Europe”. Indeed, history is full of sudden burst of the strong Balkan passions. But wars are left in the past. We can now only enjoy the beautiful features of the sunny face of the Balkans – beautiful and preserved nature, old monasteries, cozy towns – a different and slightly old-fashioned Europe.

We offer you to tour together several countries and see the most interesting places in each of them - Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania and Macedonia - all alike but at the same time very different in their own way. This is the place, where Europe meets the Orient, where Christians and Muslims have lived together for centuries, where old traditions coexist with the rhythm of XXI century.

Highlights:
♦ Sarajevo - the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina
♦ Mostar whose old part is a World Heritage Site
♦ Dubrovnik – the masterpiece of the Adriatic, the sea and commercial rival of Venice, under the auspices of UNESCO
♦ The picturesque Kotor Bay and the town of Kotor, forming a beautiful ensemble of natural, historic and cultural heritage, under the auspices of UNESCO
♦ Visoki Decani Monastery with the largest medieval church in the Balkans, under the auspices of UNESCO
♦ Tirana – the capital of Albania
♦ Ohrid – a medieval literary center and the last capital of the First Bulgarian Kingdom. Together with the Ohrid Lake the town is under UNESCOs protection

View Route Map

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Itinerary:

Day 1. Sofia.
Arrival in Sofia and transfer to your hotel (check-in starts at 14:00h.) Free time to explore the Bulgarian capital. If you allow a couple of days in Sofia, here are our suggestions for day tours One day trip to Rila Monastery / One day trip to Plovdiv and Bachkovo Monastery

Day 2. Sofia - Belgrade (Serbia)
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, departure to Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.  After check-in into the hotel we will have a short walking tour in the city centre with a local guide. We will visit Saint Michael's cathedral - one of Belgrade’s most significant religious landmarks. Then we will continue our walk to Belgrade's fortress, situated in Kalemegdan park. It was declared a Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and is protected by the Republic of Serbia. From there we will continue to Skadarlija street, where well-known restaurants, hotels, art galleries, antique and souvenir shops are located. Free time to explore the city by yourself. Overnight in Belgrade. B/-/-

Day 3. Belgrade - Sarajevo (Serbia/Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Today we head to Bosnia and Herzegovina. After crossing the border we continue straight to Sarajevo. Check-in into the hotel. In the afternoon we will have a city tour of Sarajevo, whose mosques and old Turkish bazaar with shops and cafes still keep the traditional oriental atmosphere of the region. We will start our tour from Pigeon square, then we will continue to Sarajevo City Hal(outside) l and the historical and significant place of city where Franz Ferdinand was killed. We will visit the eternal fire in honor of Yugoslavia's ex leader Josip Broz Tito. Free time to explore the city by yourself. B/-/- 

Day 4. Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Today you have free time to continue exploring Sarajevo on your own. Some of the most interesting sites you can visit in the surrounding area include the Tunnel of Hope, the only way in our out of Sarajevo during the prolonged Sarajevo siege (1992 - 1996) and the Abandoned Bobsled Track, built for the 1984 Winter Olympics. If you prefer to stay in the city, there are multiple interesting museums you can visit, like the Museum of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide, The War Childhood Museum, The National Museum and others. One of the notable remnants of Ottoman heritage in Sarajevo is the hammam tradition. Hammams (Turkish baths) are still easy to find in the city (е.g Isa Begov Hammam Hotel) and are a great way to take a break and recharge for the following travel days. B/-/-

Optional half-day trip: “Sarajevo Under the Siege” (your tour leader will give you more details about the tour on the first day) (Price: around 35 EUR - 40 EUR)

Day 5. Sarajevo- Mostar - Blagaj Tekija - Trebinje
Our first stop for the day - Mostar, is famous for its old houses and the old bridge, a symbol of peaceful coexistence of different cultural and religious communities in the Balkans. Afterwards we continie towards the historic Sufi monastery Blagaj Tekija, set at the source of the river Buna. In the afternoon, we will reach our last stop for the day - the charming town of Trebinje, where we will spend the night. B/-/-

Day 6. Trebinje- Dubrovnik(Croatia).
We start our day early with a transfer to one of the highlights of the trip - the city of Dubrovnik. We will do a s short walking tour in the historic part of the town - the Pile Gate and Stradun Street, the Franciscan Monastery, the Dominican church, the Sponza Palace, Rector’s Palace, "St. Blaise" cathedral and others. In the afternoon, you will have free time to continue exploring it on your own. Overnight in Dubrovnik. B/-/-

Day 7. Dubrovnik – Herzeg Novi – Kotor (Croatia/Montenegro).
Our tour of the Balkan countries continues with Montenegro. After crossing the border, we will drive all day long on Bay of Kotor, which is often compared to to Italy's Cinque Terre and French Riviera. Our first stop is Herzeg Novi or Castlenuovo (New Castle) in Italian. A history of diverse occupations of the city  has created a blend of mixed and picturesque architectural style. On the way to Kotor, we will have a short stop in Perast - rich in Venice style architecture, which includes sixteen Baroque places, seventeen Catholic churches, several important Orthodox structures and a series of nine defensive towers. Continue to Kotor. After check-in into the hotel, we will have a walking tour in Kotor, which includes fortress walls, St. Luka square, Beskuća Palace, St. Trifon’s cathedral. Overnight. B/-/-

Day 8. Kotor - Pec (Montenegro/Kosovo).
In the morning we will start with driving up the scenic road above the Kotor Bay, admiring some breathtaking views towards the Adriatic Sea. Then continue to the border with Kosovo. Overnight in the vivid town of Pec. B/-/-

Day 9. Pec - Prizren (Kosovo).
In the morning we will visit Visoki Decani Monastery - built by Serbian King Stefan Decanski in 14th century, the monastery is often considered to be one of the most endangered European cultural heritage sites. Today it is still guarded by KFOR. Then continue to the town of Prizren, the second largest city in one of the youngest countries in the world - Kosovo. Walking tour in the center of the town - Sinan Pasha Mosque, Our Lady of Ljevis, the Old Stone Bridge. Overnight. B/-/-

Day 10. Prizren - Tirana (Kosovo/Albania).
Drive to the capital of Albania, or as the ethnic Albanians call it Shqiperi - Land of eagles. Walking tour in the afternoon - Skanderbeg Square, which is the main square of Tirana, where the Albanian national hero's Monument dominates the surroundings. Tanner's bridge and also the residence of Enver Hoxha - the Albanian communist Chief of State, who managed to transform  the country from a semi-feudal region of the Ottoman Empire into an industrialized economy with the most tightly controlled society in Europe. Free time.Overnight. B/-/-

Day 11. Tirana - Ohrid (Albania/Macedonia).
Today we are heading to Macedonia commonly known as FYROM. Our first stop is the monastery of St.Naum of Ohrid, which was established in 10th century A.D. Here we will enjoy the scenic view of Ohrid Lake. After this we are heading to city of Ohrid, which was included in Cultural World Heritage site of Unesco. We will spend the afternoon strolling along the shores of Ohrid Lake and roaming the narrow streets of Ohrid, where we will see Samuil’s fortress, the churches St. John Kaneo and St. Pantaleimon. Overnight. B/-/-

Day 12. Ohrid - Skopje (Macedonia).
The road will take us about 2 hours, when we are going to reach our first stop on the day itinerary. Admire the natural beauty of Matka Canyon - the oldest artificial lake in the country, also a home of several medieval monasteries. Check-in into the hotel in Skopje. Afternoon walking tour in the capital of Macedonia. Visit the Old Bazaar(the oldest and largest marketplace in the Balkans) and explore the architecture, and the curious and controversial statues around Macedonia Square. B/-/-

Day 13. Skopje - Sofia (Macedonia/Bulgaria).
Departure to Bulgaria’s capital – Sofia. Free time in the city. (250 km). B/-/-

Day 14. Departure
Transfer to the airport for departure. B/-/-

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Airport Transfers
Private airport transfers to/from your scheduled hotel are included in tour price on the arrival and departure days, as set in the program (Day 1 and Day 14 respectively), no matter of the time of arrival at Sofia Airport. There is an additional charge for transfers on different dates pre- or post-tour. It's not possible to arrange transfers to/from other places than airport-scheduled hotel-airport. Should you add additional overnight pre- or post-tour, additional airport transfers must be booked too or arranged on your own.

Penguin Tour Leader and Local Guides
During the trip you will be accompanied by a tour leader representing Penguin Travel, who is responsible for the logistics of the tour – updating you on the daily itinerary, arranging your passport checks at the border-crossings, handling the check-ins at each hotel, driving/communicating with the driver and arranging the local guides as scheduled in the program.

Accommodation
The accommodation of the tour is in standard mid-range hotels, providing all the necessary sanitary conditions and comfort for a day and multi-day stay. Please keep in mind that  some of the hotel do not have elevators, and consider the size of your luggage accordingly.

Travel Insurance Made Easy with Penguin Travel and IATI

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Price Includes:
all transport according to the itinerary in a comfortable tourist A/C minibus
accommodation in standard 3* hotels (en-suite rooms)
local English-speaking guides during the city tours
English-speaking tour leader from Penguin Travel (at min. 10 people)
meals according to the itinerary (B-breakfast/L-lunch/D-dinner)
airport transfers on days 1 and 14 (there is an additional charge for transfers on different dates pre- or post-tour. It's not possible to arrange transfers to/from other places than airport-scheduled hotel-airport)

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Not Included:
international flight tickets
visas (if applicable)
entry fees around 30 EUR (to be paid cash on the spot)
drinks and meals not mentioned in the program
personal expenses
tips (5 EUR/USD per pers./day)

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Additional Services:
airport transfers outside the tour itinerary: 20 EUR per transfer per person
change of time/hour of airport transfers: 10 EUR per change

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Vacation Extensions:
The Heritage Of Transylvania (Romania)
The Land Of Count Dracula (Romania)
Best of Bulgaria Roundtrip

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Gallery

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