Magnificent Balkan Tour 2024

On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The balance of the day is free. Meet your fellow travellers tonight for a welcome taverna dinner in the Plaka beside the Acropolis. (D)

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. (B)

Your first stop this morning 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 B.C. 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 Kalambaka. (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. The most important is Megalo of Great Meteoro, of peculiar architecture with its tall and intricate dome, twelve sides and fine frescoes. Continue across the border to the Republic of North Macedonia, and to Ohrid. (B, D)

The lakeside resort of Ohrid is an important cultural and spiritual center, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Start your morning sightseeing with a walk through the cobblestone streets of the old town. Visit the Cathedral of St Sofia, containing some magnificent frescoes from the 10th century. This afternoon we travel to Tirana, capital of Albania. (B, D)

During 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 façade portraying Albanian history. Your afternoon is free to continue exploring on your own, shop, or simply just relax. (B)

After breakfast we leave Tirana towards the town of Shkodra, nowadays a major cultural centre. Shkodra was the centre of the Illyrian tribe Labeat and was taken by the Romans in the year 168 B.C. We will see Rozafa Castle, magnificently situated on a rocky outcrop of limestone high above the city, before we cross the border to Montenegro and drive to Tivat. Dinner upon arrival. (B, D)

After breakfast, our journey takes us to Dubrovnik. On the way you will see Kotor Bay, the only South European fiord, and take a tour of old town Kotor, a UNESCO Heritage Site. Continue to Dubrovnik. (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)

Travel north along the spectacular Adriatic coast, past old fishing villages and new resorts, to the city of 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 head to Trogir, the centre of artistic activities. Scholars from around the world gather here to study and paint. Then, turn inland and travel to spectacular Plitvice Lakes National Park. 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. (B, D)

Return to the coast and travel along the beautiful bay of Kvarner to its popular resort, Opatija. After a bit of free time, the journey continues north to Postojna, home to one of the largest caves in Europe. Tour this fantastic subterranean world by miniature electric train. Afterwards continue to Bled, beautifully set in the Julian Alps. (B, D)

An Alpine Lake surrounded by high peaks, Bled was discovered by travellers in the middle of the 19th century. 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 enjoy the enchanting scenery. (B)

Leave the mountains and head to 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 Zagreb, Croatia’s capital city. (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 we will drive you to Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. Dinner, overnight. (B, D)

After breakfast, depart on a full day excursion from 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 we’ll have a quick orientation tour and some free time before returning to Belgrade and your hotel. (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. (B)

Drive towards the Golubac Fortress to visit the fortified ten-tower town located on the hill slope, overlooking the Danube River. On for a cruise through the gorge, seeing the most beautiful sections of the Danube. Afterwards, we cross the border to Romania and heading to Turnu Severin for a dinner and overnight. (B, D)

Continue our journey via Hunedoara where we visit one of the largest European castles, the Corvinesti Castle. Dinner, overnight. (B, D)

Take a sightseeing tour of Sibiu, once the richest town in Transylvania. See the Huet Square, the Great Square, the Evangelical Cathedral, Liar's Bridge and more. On to Sighisoara, the best-preserved medieval city in southeastern Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On a city tour, visit the famous Clock Tower Museum. Continue to Brasov, where a walking tour includes a visit to the First Romanian School Museum with an impressive collection of rare books, documents, and art. (B, D)

Head 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 Bucharest, stopping in Sinaia to visit Peles Castle, built as the summer residence of King Carol I. Afterward, visit the beautiful 17th-century Sinaia Monastery. End the day in Bucharest, known as "Little Paris". (B, 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. Celebrate your Balkan adventure tonight with a farewell dinner and folklore show. (B, D)

Check out from your hotel. (B)