6 Nights 8 Days – 4* Hotels – Dinner Included
NO EXTRA TOUR – ALL INCLUSIVE!!!! KOSOVAR PROGRAM
DUBROVNIK – MATKA CANYON – BLAGAJ TEKKESI – VRELO BOSNA SARAJEVO BOSNIAN MEATBALLS AND LOCAL RESTAURANT PROGRAMS INCLUDED WITH DIFFERENCE
Meeting point for the Journey to the Heart of the Balkans
The Meeting Point of Civilizations, Cultures, and Beliefs.
The Meeting Point of History and Civilizations.
Greece - Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania – Montenegro
Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Serbia – Bulgaria
23 CITIES – 5 CAPITALS
Kavala – Thessaloniki – Bitola–Resne-Ohrid – Struga – Tetovo - Skopje – Pristina – Prizren – Shkodra – Bar – Petrovac – Budva – Kotor – Herceg Novi – Trebinje – Dubrovnik – Mostar – Sarajevo – Belgrade – Sofia
Tour Departure Dates:
January 24 / March 14 / March 18 / April 4 / April 11 / April 18 / April 25 / May 2 / May 9 / May 16 / May 23 / May 24 / June 6 / June 13 / June 20 / June 26 / June 27 / July 3 / July 4 / July 10 / July 11 / July 17 / July 18 / July 24 / July 25 / July 31 / August 1 / August 7 / August 8 / August 14 / August 15 / August 21 / August 22 / August 28 / August 29 / September 4 / September 5 / September 12 / September 19 / September 26 / October 3 / October 10 / October 17 / October 24 / October 31 / November 7 / November 28 / December 12
Special Days:
January Semester: January 25
Ramadan Holiday and April Semester: March 14 / March 18
April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day: April 18
May 19 Atatürk's Memorial Youth and Sports Day: May 16
Kurban Bayramı: May 23 / May 24
July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day: July 10 / July 11
August 30 Victory Day: August 28 / August 29
Republic Day : October 24
November Semester: November 7
Day 1 Ankara – Kavala
On the first day of our trip, we set off from in front of the National Library at 14:30, Ümitköy Bridge at 15:00 and Eryaman Optimum at 15:45 to reach İpsala border gate via Tekirdağ. After completing passport and customs procedures, we proceed to Kavala via Dedeağaç, Gümülcine and İskeçe.
Day 2 Kavala – Thessaloniki – Bitola (Manastır) – Resne – Ohrid
Upon arrival in Kavala, we will have a break to taste the delicious Kavala cookies. After the breakfast break, we take a short photo stop at the beautiful Kavala beaches and head towards Thessaloniki. Upon arrival in Thessaloniki, we start our panoramic city tour. During our panoramic tour, we will see the Kordon, White Tower, Round Tower, Fair, Thessaloniki Fortress, Ottoman and Byzantine artifacts. After visiting the Church of St. Dimitrios, which is the largest church in Greece, and the house of the founding leader Atatürk, which is currently situated in the garden of the Turkish consulate, we head to Bitola. After our arrival, we will visit Shirok Sokak, Bedesten, Ishak Mosque, New Mosque and Atatürk’s alma mater, Military High School. After visiting Bitola, we cross through Resne, the hometown of Resneli Niyazi, and reach Ohrid, the pearl of the Balkans. Transfer to our hotel. Overnight stay at our hotel.
Breakfast: It will be taken at a resting facility in Kavala at an extra cost.
Lunch: It will be taken during free time in the city center of Thessaloniki at an extra cost. - You can taste all local flavors. Guide Tip: Seafood and Mezze.
Dinner: It will be held at our hotel or restaurant and is included in the tour price.
Accommodation: Hotel Aqulina etc. – Ohrid
Currencies: Greece - Euro, Macedonia – Denar ( Average 1 Euro : 60 Denar )
Route: İstanbul-Kavala (445 km), Kavala – Thessaloniki (136 km), Thessaloniki-Bitola (219 km), Bitola – Ohrid (70 km)
Total Distance Travelled: 870 km
Hotel Check-In Time: Estimated: 20:00
Day 3 Ohrid – Sveti Naum – Tetovo (Kalkandelen) – Skopje
After breakfast at the hotel, we begin our tour of Ohrid, a Mediterranean town after crossing the Mavrovo mountains. We start our tour in Ohrid with a visit to the Port Square, where we will talk about the statues and take a walk in the neighborhood where the historical Ohrid houses, which served as the shooting locations for the Elveda Rumeli series, are located, while experiencing the historical Ottoman houses, St. Sophia Church, and the presentation of the famous Ohrid Pearl, which is the symbol of the city. Guests can also participate in the boat activity on Ohrid Lake organized by our guide (15 EUR). After the tour, we will visit St. Naum, born of Ohrid Lake and home to magnificent views. Following the tour, we will start our journey to the capital Skopje. On our route, we will visit Tetovo, the country’s third-largest city with a high Albanian population (Kalkandelen). We will visit the Alaca Mosque and Imaret, built by two sisters. In this city, where two different cultures meet at the Vardar River, we will start our tour from the Macedonian side, known as the land of statues, starting with the Statue of Alexander the Great. After that, we will witness how cultures change at once as we cross the Historic Stone Bridge built over the Vardar River and proceed to the Skopje Turkish Bazaar, one of the most qualified markets of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans. We will start our tour by talking about the statues at the entrance to the Bazaar, then we will visit the historical Davut Paşa Hammam, continue with Kapan Han, one of the most important structures of the Ottoman Bazaar organization, and the Murat Pasha Mosque, which managed to survive despite earthquakes. After the visits, there will be a one-hour free time for shopping in the Turkish Bazaar. Shushka pepper, ustrumca peanuts, and chariks are among the things we can buy. After the tour, we will transfer to our hotel and check into our rooms. Then, at a location designated by the guide, we will experience local dishes and music during the Macedonian Night. (INCLUDED IN THE PRICE!!!). Overnight stay at our hotel.
Breakfast: It will be taken at the hotel as an open buffet and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: Will be taken at unique facilities offering authentic tastes along the Ohrid-Skopje route at an extra cost.
Dinner: It will be held at a location designated by the guide with extra local dishes and music during the Macedonian Night. INCLUDED IN THE PRICE!!!!
Accommodation: Hotel Gold etc. – Skopje
Currencies: Macedonia – Denar ( Average 1 Euro : 60 Denar )
Route: Ohrid – Skopje (175 km)
Total Distance Travelled: 170 km
Hotel Check-In Time: Tentative: 20:00
Day 4 Skopje – Prizren – Shkodra or Podgorica
After breakfast at the hotel, we will perform the Matka Canyon tour, known for its unique beauty (INCLUDED IN THE PRICE!!!). Afterwards, we will start our journey to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. After passing through the Kosovo border, we will have a panoramic view as we pass through the Kosovo Valley, where the Kosovo War took place, and visit the I.Sultan Murat Hüdavendigar Tomb before continuing to Prizren. Arrival in Prizren. In this authentic city with the highest Turkish population in the country, we will have a city tour. During our panoramic tour in Prizren, we will visit the 17th-century Turkish Bath, the Sinan Pasha Mosque built in 1615, and the Prizren Fortress. After the visits, we will have free time for lunch. After regrouping, we will cross into Albania and head towards Podgorica. With a pass through Shkodra city, we will travel to Montenegro, one of the youngest states in Europe. After the border crossing, we continue our journey to the hotel for accommodation. Check in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast: It will be taken at the hotel as an open buffet and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: Can be taken at extra cost at the recommended facilities in the Shadervan Square area in Prizren.
Dinner: It will be held at our hotel or restaurant and is included in the tour price.
Accommodation: Hotel Oasis etc. – Podgorica
Currencies: Kosovo - Euro, Montenegro - Euro
Route: Skopje – Pristina (92 km), Prizren – Podgorica (238 km)
Total Distance Travelled: 415 km
Hotel Check-In Time: Estimated: 20:00
Day 5 Podgorica - Budva – Kotor – Dubrovnik – Trebinje or Surroundings
After breakfast, our first stop will be a panoramic view of St. Stefan, a place known for its beauty, which was once a fishing village that was later expropriated and sold to a Singaporean billionaire and is now a vacation spot for the Jet Set. (Subject to parking space availability) We will continue our journey along the extraordinary scenic roads of the Adriatic. After a panoramic passage through Budva, we will arrive in Kotor, located in the Bay of Kotor. In Kotor, we will see the Old Town, Saint Tripun and Nikola Churches, and the Historical Clock Tower. After our visit to Kotor, in the afternoon, we will transition to Croatia, which is one of the three main states that formed the former Yugoslavia, known for being Catholic due to its geographic location predominantly along the Adriatic Coast, thus being closer to Italian-Mediterranean culture. We will arrive in Dubrovnik after a scenic and picturesque journey (INCLUDED IN THE PRICE!!!). First, we will start our tour of this beautiful city at the Old Town Square, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. We will see the City Walls and Towers, the Church of St. Blaise, the Kneze's Palace, the statue of the famous poet Gundulic, the historic Fountain and the 14th-century Pharmacy, which are some of the other places we will visit. After that, we will have free time to enjoy the enchanting atmosphere of this beautiful city.
After the tour, we will transfer to our hotel. Accommodation will be at our hotel in Trebinje or its surroundings. (The city of accommodation may change depending on the seasonal intensity).
Breakfast: It will be taken at the hotel as an open buffet and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: It will be taken during free time in Kotor at an extra cost. - You can taste all local flavors. Guide Tip: Seafood, Mezze, Grills, Local Drinks.
Dinner: It will be held at our hotel or restaurant and is included in the tour price.
Accommodation: Hotel Leotar etc.
Currencies:Montenegro – Euro, Croatia – Euro, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Convertible Marka ( Average Rate: 1 Euro : 1.95 KM)
Route:Shkodra-Budva (86 km), Budva – Kotor (23 km), Kotor - Dubrovnik (90 km), Dubrovnik – Trebinje (31 km)
Total Distance Travelled: 230 km
Hotel Check-In Time: Estimated: 21:00
Day 6 Trebinje or (Neum) - Blagay – Mostar – Sarajevo
After our breakfast, we will head to Mostar. Before arriving in Mostar, we will conduct the Blagay tour, a visit to the Blagai Tekke (INCLUDED IN THE PRICE!!!). Upon arrival in Mostar, we will have a walking city tour where we will first see the Mostar Bridge. (The bridge was built by architect Hayreddin in 1557 and is a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture.) The bridge was destroyed by Croatian artillery during the war in 1992, but thanks to the significant contributions of the Republic of Turkey, it was reopened in 2004. We will stroll through the old town market. After shopping at the local markets of Mostar, we will head to Sarajevo. Following our arrival, we will conduct a panoramic city tour of Sarajevo, which has been the cultural capital of the Balkans for centuries, the place where the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary took place in 1914, leading to the outbreak of World War I, and was devastated by the destructive wars among Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks in 1992. Despite this, Sarajevo has preserved much of its beauty, and we will have a city tour of this cultural city. We will explore the famous Baščaršija, the most distinguished bazaar in Europe. In this cultural city tour, we will start at the Sebilj Fountain, which symbolizes the bazaar, and proceed to see the Morica Han, one of the most authentic points of the city. Then we will visit the Husrev Bey Mosque, relative of Suleiman the Magnificent. During our tour, we will see the Clock Tower, the famous fountain turned into a ritual, and the meeting point of cultures, which is also the location of the Eternal Flame monument. After this tour, we will have free time, and those who wish may take photos of the Latin Bridge, where World War I broke out. After our tours and free time, we will transfer to our hotel. Afterwards, at a local restaurant designated by the guide, we will have Boršak Meatballs. (INCLUDED IN THE PRICE!!!!)
Accommodation will be at our hotel in Sarajevo.
Breakfast: It will be taken at the hotel as an open buffet and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: It will be taken during free time in Mostar at an extra cost. - You can taste all local flavors. Guide Tip: Bosnian Pastry, Onion Stuffed, Meatball, Bosnian Coffee.
Dinner: At a local restaurant, we will have Bosnian Meatballs. Included in the tour price.
Accommodation: Hotel Holiday etc. – Sarajevo
Currencies: Bosnia and Herzegovina – Convertible Marka ( Average Rate: 1 Euro : 1.95 KM)
Route:Trebinje-Poçitel (108 km), Poçitel – Blagay (23 km), Blagay - Mostar (12 km), Mostar– Sarajevo (126 km)
Total Distance Travelled: 269 km
Hotel Check-In Time: The estimated time depends on the customs crossing: 20:00
Day 7 Sarajevo – Belgrade
After breakfast, we will set off for Belgrade. Before the journey, we will perform the Vrelo Bosna tour, which is the largest national park in Bosnia, located at the foot of the Igman mountain, known as the water source of Sarajevo. After this tour, we will continue our journey to Belgrade, the new symbol of liveliness and activity, one of the oldest cities in Europe. Our city tour will start with Knez Mihailova Street, the most elegant street in the city. Next, we will visit the Belgrade Fortress, where Fatih Sultan Mehmet was wounded, but his conquest was ultimately achieved by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Here, we will see the Key Monument, the French Statue, the Istanbul Gate, the Military Museum, the Tomb of Damat Ali Pasha, Sokullu Fountain, and the terrace area that offers the best view of the point where the Danube and Sava rivers meet. Guests wishing to take part in the boat activity on the Danube and Sava rivers may do so, organized by our guide (20 EUR). After this tour, we will have some free time. Accommodation will be at our hotel in Belgrade.
Breakfast: It will be taken at the hotel as an open buffet and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: On the route from Sarajevo to Belgrade, there will be free time at a resting facility determined by the guide at extra cost.
Dinner: It will be held at our hotel or restaurant and is included in the tour price.
Accommodation: Hotel B etc. - Belgrade
Currencies: Bosnia and Herzegovina – Convertible Marka ( Average Rate: 1 Euro : 1.95 KM), Serbia – Dinar ( Average Rate: 1 Euro : 115 Dinar)
Route: Sarajevo – Belgrade (284 km)
Total Distance Travelled: 284 km
Hotel Check-In Time: The estimated time depends on the customs crossing: 20:00
Day 8 Belgrade – Sofia – Ankara
After breakfast, we will set off for Sofia. Upon arrival, we will begin our panoramic city tour of Sofia. During this tour, we will see the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the National Library, Sofia University, the Old Royal Palace, the National Bulgarian Theatre built in Neo-Classical style, the Archaeology Museum, the Old Sofia - Syndicate City, and the Rotunda Church. After that, we will have a panoramic view of Sofia from the side of the Parliament building and take a photo break at the Sofia Statue, and visit the Banya Başı Mosque, which is a symbol of the city. After these visits and free time, we will begin our journey back to Turkey. We will arrive at the Kapıkule border gate in the evening, where we will complete passport, customs procedures and have a break for shopping at the free shop before entering Turkey. We will proceed towards Ankara starting points, marking the end of our program.
Breakfast: It will be taken at the hotel as an open buffet and is included in the tour price.
Lunch: It will be taken during free time in Sofia at an extra cost.
Dinner: It will be taken at a resting facility on the Edirne-Istanbul highway at an extra cost.
Currencies: Bulgaria – Lev ( Average Rate: 1 Euro : 1.95 Lev )
Route: Belgrade - Sofia (393 km) Sofia-Istanbul ( 553 km)
Estimated Arrival Time in Istanbul: Based on customs crossing: 02:00