Balkan Express - Northbound. Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia

Itinerary:

Day 1. Arrival. Sofia
Arrival in Sofia and transfer to your hotel (check-in starts at 14:00h.) Free time to explore the Bulgarian capital.

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. Departure

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If you are interested in visiting the rest of the Balkans, please check the other half of the journey - Balkan Express - Southbound - here, or the whole itinerary for 14 days - Balkan Kaleidoscope - here.