WESTERN BALKANS
Day 1 LJUBLJANA arrival
Arrival at Ljubljana. Meet & greet followed by a private transfer to your hotel
Day 2 LJUBLJANA – BLED - LJUBLJANA
Tour of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Here you will view the Central open-air Market, Baroque Town Hall, Robba’s Fountain, the Three Bridges and the Parliament. Afterwards you will be taken on a sightseeing tour of Bled, featuring the charming town with the lakeshore, and Bled Castle.
Day 3 LJUBLJANA – ZAGREB
Walking tour of the important sites of Zabreb. Zrinjevac Park, the Croatian Academy of Science and Arts, theBotanical Gardens, Marulic Square,and Marsal Tito Square with three important landmarks of Zagreb: The Mimara Museum, Croatian National Theatre and Zagreb University. Most of the architecture is from the 10 & 20th century. Enjoy a short funicular ride to Upper Town – a totally different and enchanting Zagreb with architecture from the 15th and 16th century. At the Lotrscak Tower, a cannon is shot at noon every day letting all know lunch time is here! See St. Catherine's Square, St. Mark's Square with the House of Parliament and Government and St. Mark's Church. Walk through the Stone Gate, a remnant of the medieval strong city walls, down to the Radićeva Street and to Dolac, the most picturesque open air market in the city. Continue towards the Tkalciceva Street, a pedestrian zone where locals enjoy their coffee daily in numerous restaurants, cafes and bars.
Day 4 ZAGREB – NATIONAL PARK PLITVICE LAKES - ZADAR
Plitvice Lakes National Park, one of the greatest natural wonders and phenomena in the world. En route, make a short break in the charming small village of Rastoke known for its well preserved mills and picturesque waterfalls along the Slunjčica River. Embraced by mountains, one beneath another, sixteen beautiful lakes of crystal blue-green water are connected to each other by a series of foaming cascades and thundering waterfalls. The Plitvice Lakes are a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.
Day 5 ZADAR
Visit the Church of Saint Donat, the symbol of the city, and the Cathedral of St. Anastasia. Proceed to the main city street – The Wide Street – or Kalelarga for a unique surprise! Hear the unique and modern Sea Organ, an organ built into the esplanade by the sea through which the wind blows and music is created, and the Greeting to the Sun. Enjoy a panoramic and gorgeous view of the sea and the city!
Day 6 ZADAR – ŠIBENIK – TROGIR - SPLIT
Depart Zadar towards Split. The first stop is Sibenik to visit the famous Cathedral of St James, a UNESCO site. Three architects succeeded each another in the construction of the Cathedral. It is built entirely from stone with unique construction techniques for its vaulting and dome. Its’ decorative elements illustrate the successful fusion of Gothic and Renaissance art, such as a remarkable frieze decorated with 71 sculptured faces of men, women, and children. Continue to Sibenik, a historic town located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea. Continue to Trogir, a town museum. The orthogonal street plan of this island settlement dates back to the Hellenistic period and it was embellished by successive rulers with many fine public and domestic buildings and fortifications. The unique historical core, Radovan’s portal, has been arousing excitement among visitors and travelers for centuries. Arrive in Split for overnight.
Day 7 SPLIT
Split is the largest and most important town in Dalmatia. Visit the remains of the Diocletian's Palace (UNESCO site), built between the late 3rd and the early 4th centuries A.D. The cathedral was built in the middle Ages, reusing materials from the ancient mausoleum. Romanesque churches, medieval fortifications, 15th -century Gothic palaces and other palaces in Renaissance and Baroque style make up the rest of the protected area.
Day 8 SPLIT - SARAJEVO
Sightseeing of Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia & Herzegovina. The city is historically famous for its traditional cultural and religious diversity, with adherents of Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Judaism coexisting there for centuries. Due to this long and rich history of religious and cultural variety, Sarajevo is often called the "Jerusalem of Europe". The city is rich in museums, including the Museum of Sarajevo, the Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art, Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina and much more.
Day 9 SARAJEVO – MOSTAR – BLAGAJ – MOSTAR
Sightseeing of Mostar, situated on the Neretva river. Mostar was named after the bridge keepers (natively: mostari) who in the medieval times guarded the Stari Most (Old Bridge) over the Neretva. The Old Bridge, built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's most recognizable landmarks, and is considered one of the most exemplary pieces of Islamic architecture in the Balkans. Transfer to Blagaj, a village town near Mostar situated at the spring of the Buna river. A Dervish Monastery was built around 1520, with elements of Ottoman architecture and Mediterranean style and is considered a national monument.
Day 10 MOSTAR – STON – DUBROVNIK
The Dubrovnik Republic built the town of Ston in the 14th century in the form of a two-fold fortification system (Large and Small Ston), aiming to protect the salt plants, one of its major economic resources. A 12 kilometer long wall (the world’s second longest wall after the Wall of China) connects two fortified cities: the first was built in order to protect the salt plants and the second as the salt export harbour. The oldest in Europe, the Ston salt plants are still in use, and the salt producing technology has not changed for centuries.
Day 11 DUBROVNIK
This ancient city surrounded by ramparts and fortresses abounds in architectural and cultural masterpieces carefully preserved for centuries.
A pleasant walk will take you to the Rector’s Palace, the Dominican Monastery housing a rich collection of medieval paintings, the Franciscan Monastery among other intriguing sites.
After the city tour, the guests are free to continue exploring the Old City and its Walls on their own.
Day 12 DUBROVNIK – BUDVA - KOTOR
Budva is 3,500 years old, which makes it one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic sea coast. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budvanska rivijera, is the centre of Montenegro's tourism, and is well known for its sandy beaches, diverse nightlife, and examples of Mediterranean architecture. The Old Town in Budva has many different tales and stories of its origin. Scholars and historians believe it to have originally been an island, which later joined the shore to form a sand isthmus. Much of the architecture in the Old Town is of Venetian design. Doors, hinges, windows, balconies and many other small but noticeable things seem to hold the Roman style of the Republic of Venice. There are also three main churches in the old town. The first is St. Ivan's which was built in the 7th century; second St. Mary's of Punta dating from 840 and the third, The Holy Trinity, which was built in 1804.. The old Mediterranean port of Kotor is surrounded by fortifications built during the Venetian period. It is located on the Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska), one of the most indented parts of the Adriatic Sea. Kotor has one of the best preserved medieval old towns in the Adriatic and is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is home to numerous sights, such as the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon in the old town (built in 1166), and the ancient walls which stretch for 4.5 km (3 mi) directly above the city.
Day 13 KOTOR - CETINJE & LOVCEN – KOTOR
Cetinje is a town and Old Royal Capital of Montenegro. It is also a historical and the secondary capital of Montenegro with the official residence of the President of Montenegro. The city nestles on a small karst plain surrounded by mountains, including Mt. Lovćen, the Black Mountain from which Montenegro gets its name. Cetinje is a town of immense historical heritage, founded in the 15th century. It became the center of Montenegrin life and both a cradle of Montenegrin culture and a Serbian Orthodox religious center. It is because of its heritage as a long-term Montenegrin capital that it is today the honorary capital of Montenegro. Cetinje has numerous points of interest, among which are Cetinje Monastery, Vlaška church (built in 1450, with its fence made out of barrels of captured enemy rifles), numerous museums, Zetski dom royal theatre and historic foreign embassies.
Day 15 KOTOR – SHKODRA – KRUJE - TIRANA
Departure to Tirana. On the way we will stop at Shkodra, with visit the Rozafa castle , Kole Idromeno pedestrian area. Continue to Kruja medieval town, located on the slope of a mountain. An old bazaar leads you up to the castle of the National Hero Skanderbeg. Visit in the castle of the city, housing the Skanderbeg Museum and the Ethnographic museum.
Day 16 TIRANA
Start exploring the capital city Tirana from the Skanderbeg Square where are found the E`them Bey Mosque , Clock Tower, Palace of Culture etc. Visit the National history Museum . In the midday depart to the medieval town of Kruja. Visit the castle housing the History and Ethnographic Museum. Spent some time in the old bazaar. Return to Tirana in the afternoon.
Day 17 TIRANA – DURRES – APOLLONIA – VLORA
Travelling along Albanian coastal area. The first visit will be in Durres city where is found the biggest Amphitheatre in the Balkan Peninsula (capacity 15.000 spectators) with a rare wall mosaic, which belongs to the 2nd century A.D . Afterwards continue to Apollonia, located 12km from Fier. It is one of the most well known archaeological sites in the country. Visit the amphitheatre, and the courtyard of the Monastery where there is a Byzantine style church built in the 14th century. Here you can see some monuments like the Encircling Wall, the Monument of Agonotheteve, Odeon, Portic, the Mosaics House, Fontana, and the church of Saints Mary. Vlora is one of the major cities of Albania, an important seaport and tourist site. Visit to the Historical Museum of Independence, the building where the independence of Albania proclaimed on November 28, 1912. A monument, which perpetuates this event, raises high at the Flag Square. Overnight in Vlora .
Day 18 VLORA - TIRANA
Transfer to the airport for outbound flight.
Arrival at Ljubljana. Meet & greet followed by a private transfer to your hotel
Day 2 LJUBLJANA – BLED - LJUBLJANA
Tour of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Here you will view the Central open-air Market, Baroque Town Hall, Robba’s Fountain, the Three Bridges and the Parliament. Afterwards you will be taken on a sightseeing tour of Bled, featuring the charming town with the lakeshore, and Bled Castle.
Day 3 LJUBLJANA – ZAGREB
Walking tour of the important sites of Zabreb. Zrinjevac Park, the Croatian Academy of Science and Arts, theBotanical Gardens, Marulic Square,and Marsal Tito Square with three important landmarks of Zagreb: The Mimara Museum, Croatian National Theatre and Zagreb University. Most of the architecture is from the 10 & 20th century. Enjoy a short funicular ride to Upper Town – a totally different and enchanting Zagreb with architecture from the 15th and 16th century. At the Lotrscak Tower, a cannon is shot at noon every day letting all know lunch time is here! See St. Catherine's Square, St. Mark's Square with the House of Parliament and Government and St. Mark's Church. Walk through the Stone Gate, a remnant of the medieval strong city walls, down to the Radićeva Street and to Dolac, the most picturesque open air market in the city. Continue towards the Tkalciceva Street, a pedestrian zone where locals enjoy their coffee daily in numerous restaurants, cafes and bars.
Day 4 ZAGREB – NATIONAL PARK PLITVICE LAKES - ZADAR
Plitvice Lakes National Park, one of the greatest natural wonders and phenomena in the world. En route, make a short break in the charming small village of Rastoke known for its well preserved mills and picturesque waterfalls along the Slunjčica River. Embraced by mountains, one beneath another, sixteen beautiful lakes of crystal blue-green water are connected to each other by a series of foaming cascades and thundering waterfalls. The Plitvice Lakes are a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.
Day 5 ZADAR
Visit the Church of Saint Donat, the symbol of the city, and the Cathedral of St. Anastasia. Proceed to the main city street – The Wide Street – or Kalelarga for a unique surprise! Hear the unique and modern Sea Organ, an organ built into the esplanade by the sea through which the wind blows and music is created, and the Greeting to the Sun. Enjoy a panoramic and gorgeous view of the sea and the city!
Day 6 ZADAR – ŠIBENIK – TROGIR - SPLIT
Depart Zadar towards Split. The first stop is Sibenik to visit the famous Cathedral of St James, a UNESCO site. Three architects succeeded each another in the construction of the Cathedral. It is built entirely from stone with unique construction techniques for its vaulting and dome. Its’ decorative elements illustrate the successful fusion of Gothic and Renaissance art, such as a remarkable frieze decorated with 71 sculptured faces of men, women, and children. Continue to Sibenik, a historic town located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea. Continue to Trogir, a town museum. The orthogonal street plan of this island settlement dates back to the Hellenistic period and it was embellished by successive rulers with many fine public and domestic buildings and fortifications. The unique historical core, Radovan’s portal, has been arousing excitement among visitors and travelers for centuries. Arrive in Split for overnight.
Day 7 SPLIT
Split is the largest and most important town in Dalmatia. Visit the remains of the Diocletian's Palace (UNESCO site), built between the late 3rd and the early 4th centuries A.D. The cathedral was built in the middle Ages, reusing materials from the ancient mausoleum. Romanesque churches, medieval fortifications, 15th -century Gothic palaces and other palaces in Renaissance and Baroque style make up the rest of the protected area.
Day 8 SPLIT - SARAJEVO
Sightseeing of Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia & Herzegovina. The city is historically famous for its traditional cultural and religious diversity, with adherents of Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Judaism coexisting there for centuries. Due to this long and rich history of religious and cultural variety, Sarajevo is often called the "Jerusalem of Europe". The city is rich in museums, including the Museum of Sarajevo, the Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art, Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina and much more.
Day 9 SARAJEVO – MOSTAR – BLAGAJ – MOSTAR
Sightseeing of Mostar, situated on the Neretva river. Mostar was named after the bridge keepers (natively: mostari) who in the medieval times guarded the Stari Most (Old Bridge) over the Neretva. The Old Bridge, built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's most recognizable landmarks, and is considered one of the most exemplary pieces of Islamic architecture in the Balkans. Transfer to Blagaj, a village town near Mostar situated at the spring of the Buna river. A Dervish Monastery was built around 1520, with elements of Ottoman architecture and Mediterranean style and is considered a national monument.
Day 10 MOSTAR – STON – DUBROVNIK
The Dubrovnik Republic built the town of Ston in the 14th century in the form of a two-fold fortification system (Large and Small Ston), aiming to protect the salt plants, one of its major economic resources. A 12 kilometer long wall (the world’s second longest wall after the Wall of China) connects two fortified cities: the first was built in order to protect the salt plants and the second as the salt export harbour. The oldest in Europe, the Ston salt plants are still in use, and the salt producing technology has not changed for centuries.
Day 11 DUBROVNIK
This ancient city surrounded by ramparts and fortresses abounds in architectural and cultural masterpieces carefully preserved for centuries.
A pleasant walk will take you to the Rector’s Palace, the Dominican Monastery housing a rich collection of medieval paintings, the Franciscan Monastery among other intriguing sites.
After the city tour, the guests are free to continue exploring the Old City and its Walls on their own.
Day 12 DUBROVNIK – BUDVA - KOTOR
Budva is 3,500 years old, which makes it one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic sea coast. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budvanska rivijera, is the centre of Montenegro's tourism, and is well known for its sandy beaches, diverse nightlife, and examples of Mediterranean architecture. The Old Town in Budva has many different tales and stories of its origin. Scholars and historians believe it to have originally been an island, which later joined the shore to form a sand isthmus. Much of the architecture in the Old Town is of Venetian design. Doors, hinges, windows, balconies and many other small but noticeable things seem to hold the Roman style of the Republic of Venice. There are also three main churches in the old town. The first is St. Ivan's which was built in the 7th century; second St. Mary's of Punta dating from 840 and the third, The Holy Trinity, which was built in 1804.. The old Mediterranean port of Kotor is surrounded by fortifications built during the Venetian period. It is located on the Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska), one of the most indented parts of the Adriatic Sea. Kotor has one of the best preserved medieval old towns in the Adriatic and is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is home to numerous sights, such as the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon in the old town (built in 1166), and the ancient walls which stretch for 4.5 km (3 mi) directly above the city.
Day 13 KOTOR - CETINJE & LOVCEN – KOTOR
Cetinje is a town and Old Royal Capital of Montenegro. It is also a historical and the secondary capital of Montenegro with the official residence of the President of Montenegro. The city nestles on a small karst plain surrounded by mountains, including Mt. Lovćen, the Black Mountain from which Montenegro gets its name. Cetinje is a town of immense historical heritage, founded in the 15th century. It became the center of Montenegrin life and both a cradle of Montenegrin culture and a Serbian Orthodox religious center. It is because of its heritage as a long-term Montenegrin capital that it is today the honorary capital of Montenegro. Cetinje has numerous points of interest, among which are Cetinje Monastery, Vlaška church (built in 1450, with its fence made out of barrels of captured enemy rifles), numerous museums, Zetski dom royal theatre and historic foreign embassies.
Day 15 KOTOR – SHKODRA – KRUJE - TIRANA
Departure to Tirana. On the way we will stop at Shkodra, with visit the Rozafa castle , Kole Idromeno pedestrian area. Continue to Kruja medieval town, located on the slope of a mountain. An old bazaar leads you up to the castle of the National Hero Skanderbeg. Visit in the castle of the city, housing the Skanderbeg Museum and the Ethnographic museum.
Day 16 TIRANA
Start exploring the capital city Tirana from the Skanderbeg Square where are found the E`them Bey Mosque , Clock Tower, Palace of Culture etc. Visit the National history Museum . In the midday depart to the medieval town of Kruja. Visit the castle housing the History and Ethnographic Museum. Spent some time in the old bazaar. Return to Tirana in the afternoon.
Day 17 TIRANA – DURRES – APOLLONIA – VLORA
Travelling along Albanian coastal area. The first visit will be in Durres city where is found the biggest Amphitheatre in the Balkan Peninsula (capacity 15.000 spectators) with a rare wall mosaic, which belongs to the 2nd century A.D . Afterwards continue to Apollonia, located 12km from Fier. It is one of the most well known archaeological sites in the country. Visit the amphitheatre, and the courtyard of the Monastery where there is a Byzantine style church built in the 14th century. Here you can see some monuments like the Encircling Wall, the Monument of Agonotheteve, Odeon, Portic, the Mosaics House, Fontana, and the church of Saints Mary. Vlora is one of the major cities of Albania, an important seaport and tourist site. Visit to the Historical Museum of Independence, the building where the independence of Albania proclaimed on November 28, 1912. A monument, which perpetuates this event, raises high at the Flag Square. Overnight in Vlora .
Day 18 VLORA - TIRANA
Transfer to the airport for outbound flight.