Exploring Balkan Grand Tour 2024

Welcome to Bucharest, known as "Little Paris”. Time to relax before meeting your fellow travellers and Tour Director for a welcome dinner. (D)

Get acquainted with the Romanian capital on a sightseeing tour. Visit the Parliament Palace, one of the largest buildings in the world and a national treasure. Learn how the Romanian people finally succeeded in toppling the last communist dictator in Eastern Europe at the Revolution Square. The tour will also bring you to the Romanian Athenaeum, the Opera House, the National Military Club, the Military Academy, Triumphal Arch, and the Village Museum. The rest of the day is free. (B)

Depart Bucharest to visit the beautiful 17th-century Sinaia Monastery and view the Peles Castle, built as the summer residence of King Carol I. On to Bran for a visit to Bran Castle, made famous by Bram Stoker's novel as the residence of the sinister vampire, Count Dracula. Continue toward Brasov for the night. (B, D)

Walking tour of Brasov includes a visit to the First Romanian School Museum with an impressive collection of rare books, documents, and art. On to Sighisoara, to visit the best-preserved medieval city in southeastern Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the visit the famous Clock Tower Museum. We will end the day in Sibiu, once the richest town in Transylvania. See the Huet Square, the Great Square, the Evangelical Cathedral, Liar's Bridge and more. Transfer for dinner at a local farmhouse in the village of Sibiel. Return to Sibiu for the night. (B, D)

Continue our journey via Hunedoara, where we visit one of the largest European castles, the Corvinesti Castle. On to Turnu Severin. Orientation tour before we check in to our hotel. Dinner, overnight. (B, D)

Drive towards the Djerdap and cross the border of Serbia. On for a cruise through the gorge, seeing the most beautiful sections of the Danube River. Continue to Golubac Fortress to visit the fortified ten- tower town located on the hill slope, overlooking the Danube River. We end the day in Belgrade, capital of Serbia. (B, D)

After breakfast, depart on a full day excursion out of Belgrade. Our first stop is Krusedol monastery, founded in the beginning of the 16th century and considered one of Serbia's most significant monasteries. Continue to Sremski Karlovci, a picturesque town with its baroque and neoclassical houses and buildings. After the orientation tour, we will depart to one of the famous local wineries for lunch and wine tasting. Afterwards, we visit the intriguing Petrovaradin fortress, with its underground trenches and tunnels. The last stop is the city of Novi Sad, where will have a quick orientation tour and some free time before returning to Belgrade and your hotel. Lunch in a local restaurant. (B, L)

Your morning sightseeing tour includes a visit to the imposing Kalemegdan Fortress, dramatically set at the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers. You’ll also see Republic Square and Knez Mihailova Street, Saint Sava Temple, the largest Orthodox Church in the city, and Tito’s Memorial. Continue to Avala. The rest of the day is free. In the afternoon, there is an optional excursion to Topola, where George Petrovic, better known by his sobriquet Karadjordje, was chosen as the leader of the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1804. A very short drive away is the local St George's Church, also known as Oplenac, the burial place of the Ducal and Royal Family of Serbia and Yugoslavia. After a lunch break (on your own), we are going back to Belgrade. Evening is at leisure. Dinner in a local restaurant. (B, D)

Leave Belgrade towards Zagreb, capital of Croatia. Dinner, overnight. (B, D)

This morning, enjoy a city tour featuring the historic Upper Town, St Mark’s Church, St Catherine’s Church, the Cathedral, Parliament, and Government Palace. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the winding streets of the old town or take an optional excursion to see the countryside. (B)

After breakfast head towards Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. See the most significant sights of the old city centre on a walking tour. Highlights include the picturesque open-air Central Market, the Three Bridges, Baroque Town Hall, and Robba's Fountain. Then continue to Bled. (B, D)

An Alpine Lake surrounded by high peaks, Bled was discovered by travellers in the middle of the 19th century. Since then, a small town of hotels, villas, and restaurants has developed around the lake, turning Bled into a lively, all-seasons resort. A sightseeing tour features the charming town and the lakeshore, and visits the imposing Bled Castle, perched on a cliff high above the lake. The balance of the day is at leisure. Perhaps join an optional excursion visiting the small island in the middle of the lake, browse through the shops and boutiques, or simply relax and enjoy the enchanting scenery. (B)

The journey continues to Postojna, home to one of the largest caves in Europe. Tour this fantastic subterranean world by miniature electric train. Afterwards continue to the coast, with a stop in Opatija.  Enjoy the walking tour of this fashionable resort in the 19th century, dotted with Habsburg era villas. After some free time, continue towards Plitvice Lakes. (B, D)

After breakfast, have your camera ready as you take a walking tour around the lower lakes. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery of this natural wonder of sixteen terraced lakes surrounded by thickly wooded mountains and lush vegetation. After the tour, head to Split. Overnight in Split. (B, D)

In the morning enjoy a sightseeing tour featuring the historic inner city, built around the Roman Emperor Diocletian's Palace, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Then see the remnants of Split's Roman heritage, its Renaissance and Gothic structures, Jupiter's Temple, the Peristyle, and the Cathedral. The rest of the day at leisure to stroll through the beautiful streets of Split, enjoy the beach or join us on an optional excursion to the jet set spot of the rich and famous, the Island of Hvar. (B)

After breakfast, travel to Dubrovnik. Day at leisure (B, D)

After breakfast, take a walking tour of Old Dubrovnik. Visit the Rector's Palace, see the Bell Tower Clock, Orlando's Column, Sponza Palace, the Dominican Monastery, and Franciscan Monastery with its Pharmacy, one of the oldest in the world. The rest of the day is free or join us for optional excursion to Dubelj Olive Mill including dinner. (B)

After breakfast, our journey takes us to Montenegro. View Kotor Bay, the only South European fiord, and take a tour of old town Kotor, a UNESCO Heritage Site. On to Tivat for the night. (B, D)

After breakfast we leave Tivat and drive via Budva and Bar towards town of Shkodra, nowadays a major Albanian cultural centre. Shkodra was the centre of the Illyrian tribe Labeat and was taken by the Romans in the year 168 BC. We will see Rozafa Castle, magnificently situated on a rocky outcrop of limestone high above the city. Continue drive to Tirana. (B, D)

On a morning sightseeing tour see Sheshi Skenderbej (Skanderbeg Square), the Mosque of Ethem Bey, the Clock Tower, and the statue of G K Skanderbeg, Albania’s national hero; the Palace of Culture, built with Soviet assistance, and the National History Museum with a mosaic on its facade portraying Albanian history. Your afternoon is free to continue exploring on your own, shop, or simply just relax. (B)

Drive to the lakeside resort of Ohrid, an important cultural and spiritual centre, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A sightseeing tour will take you strolling through the cobblestone streets of the old town. Visit the Cathedral of St Sofia, containing some magnificent frescoes from the 10th century. (B, D)

After breakfast, admire the fantastic landscapes of Meteora, known as “the rocks that fell from the sky”, where monks built their rock-top monasteries far away from civilization. Out of the 13 large and 20 small monasteries and hermit’s cells, only four are now active. We will visit either Roussanou or the Great Meteoro. On to Kalambaka for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

Your first stop is Delphi, where the famous Oracle once foretold the destiny of men. The temple of Apollo, in which the Oracle functioned, was built in the 6th century BC. Also see the Sacred Way, the Stadium, and the Castilian Fountain where pilgrims cleansed themselves in preparation for consulting the Oracle. Visit the Archaeological Museum of Delphi, which contains an impressive collection of finds from the site, including the beautiful ‘Bronze Charioteer’, before continuing to Athens. (B)

See the highlights of Athens this morning on a sightseeing tour. This cosmopolitan and bustling capital city is set amid reminders of a long and glorious past including graceful temples, centuries old monasteries and ornate Byzantine churches. Visit the immortal Acropolis, the Parthenon, said to be the most perfectly proportioned building of all time. You will also view the Erectheion with the Porch of the Maidens, and the Temple of Athena Nike and the Wingless Victory. Below the Acropolis lies the Ancient Agora and the Theaters of Dionysus and Herodus Atticus. Your afternoon and evening are free. Join us for a farewell taverna dinner in the Plaka beside the Acropolis. (B, D)

After breakfast you will be transferred to Athens Airport for your departure flight. (B)