Balkan Adventure
ROMANIA – BULGARIA – SERBIA – ALBANIA – MACEDONIA
The most exciting Balkan sites, memorable flavors and unique experiences of the Balkans….
Day 1 Bucharest arrival
Arrival to the Otopeni Airport Bucharest, welcome by professional tourist guide, accommodation in 4 stars Bucharest hotel. Welcome dinner and overnight.
Day 2 Bucharest sightseeing – Village Museum – Sinaia
After breakfast Bucharest city tour – Palace of Parliament, the Romanian Athenaeum, Victoriei Street, the Arch of Triumph, the Cantacuzino Palace which houses the George Enescu Museum, the National Museum of Art of Romania… Drive to Sinaia, accommodation in 4 stars hotel, dinner and overnight.
Day 3 Sinaia – Peles Castle – Bran Castle – Brasov – Sighisoara
After breakfast tour of the Sinaia Train station, Casino and the Sinaia Monastery built in 1695. Continue to the Peles Castle for tour of one of the most impressive and the best preserved royal palaces set in magnificent mountain scenery of the Carpathians. Drive on to Bran Castle famous for Dracula and tour of the fortification used first time in 1378 in defense against the Ottomans. Continue to beautiful Brasov for tour of the amazing historical core – the city gates, the Black Church, the main squares… Accommodation and dinner in Sighisoara 4 stars hotel.
Day 4 Sighisoara – Sibiu – Giurgiu border crossing – Ruse /Bulgaria/
After breakfast tour of Sighisoara – the historical town of Transylvania with medieval colorful houses and the Citadel – UNESCO site. Continue direction south to the town of Ruse in Bulgaria on the right bank of the Danube. Tour of Ruse – the wide boulevards and large squares adorned with the Monument of Freedom and numerous structures of the European look. Dinner and accommodation in 4 stars Ruse hotel.
Day 5 Ruse – Veliko Tarnovo – Etar open air ethnographic complex – Kazanlak tomb – Plovdiv
After breakfast drive to Veliko Tarnovo the town on three hills on the Yantra River that is outstandingly rich in wonderful cultural and historical sites – the Tsarevets Fortress, the Church of the Forty Holy Martyrs, the Samovodska street with numerous old crafts shops… Continue to Gabrovo village and visit to the Etar open air Ethnographic complex. Continue to Kazanluk village and tour of the famous Thracian burial mound with unique frescoes dating from the late 4th and the early 3rd century BC. Drive on to Plovdiv and accommodation and dinner in 4 stars hotel. Overnight.
Day 6 Plovdiv sightseeing – Sofia
After breakfast city tour of Plovdiv – the impressive town of both banks of the Maritsa River and six hills, the ancient Plovdiv with the amphitheater –one of the best preserved ancient theaters in the world, attractive colorful structures of the Bulgarian National Revival…. Drive on to capital of Sofia for dinner and overnight in 4 stars hotel.
Day 7 Sofia sightseeing – Rila Monastery /UNESCO/– Pirot
After breakfast city tour of Sofia – Saint George rotunda, the Serdica ancient complex, Alexander Nevsky cathedral, Sofia city garden…. Continue to the Rila Monastery in gorgeous Rila National Park and tour of the UNESCO medieval complex. Entering Serbia and tour of the Pirot fortress and impressive sites – visit to the unique rug weaving workshop followed with presentation and tasting of original delicious Stara planina Mt pressed sausage. Dinner and overnight in Nisavska dolina tourist complex
Day 8 Pristina/Gracanica Monastery /UNESCO/- Visoki Decani Monastery /UNESCO/- Prizren
After breakfast drive to Pristina/Gracanica and tour of the Gracanica Monastery /UNESCO site/. Continue to Visoki Decani Monastery, UNESCO site and one of the most majestic medieval heritage sites of Serbia. Drive on to Prizren, the most beautiful town in Kosovo and Metohija and tour of the historical core. Dinner and overnight in 4 stars historical Centrum Hotel Prizren.
Day 9 Prizren – Kruja /Scanderbey Museum and the old bazaar/ – Tirana
After breakfast drive to Albania and tour of the Skanderbey Museum and the Old bazaar in Kruja. Continue to the capital of Tirana and sightseeing of the historical core – Ethem Bey Mosque, the Scanderbey Square… Dinner and overnight in Theranda Hotel or Capital Hotel in Tirana.
Day 10 Tirana – Elbasan – entering into Macedonia – Ohrid
After breakfast drive to Ohrid in Macedonia. Break for tour of the fortified part of Elbasan on the Skhumbin River that once existed on the Via Egnatia trading route. Accommodation and dinner in 4 stars Ohrid hotel on the wonderful Ohrid Lake.
Day 11 Ohrid
After breakfast sightseeing of Ohrid sites – UNESCO Heritage – the Saint Sophia Cathedral, Saint Panteleimon Church, Saint John Kaneo church, visit to the printing shop and Ohrid pearl workshop, the market…. Free time…. Visit to the Saint Naum Monastery which features wonderful frescoes… Dinner and overnight in Ohrid hotel.
Day 12 Ohrid – Bitola – Heraclea Lyncestis archaeological site – Popova Kula Winery-hotel
After breakfast drive to Bitola – the city of consuls in fertile Pelagonija Valley and tour of the impressive historical core – the Shirok Sokak Street, the Old bazaar market, the Clock tower… Drive to the nearby Heraclea Lyncestis archaeological site and sightseeing of the once capital of the ancient Macedonian Empire named after the Greek hero Heracles founded in the 4th century BC. Drive on to the famous Popova kula Winery – comfortable hotel for farewell dinner with tasting of excellent Macedonian wines. Overnight.
Day 13 Popova Kula Winery-Hotel departure
After breakfast transfer either to Skopje or other departure airport and end of the escorted tour
/possible extension of the tour as per our recommendation – visit to the Skopje green market after sightseeing tour of the town, a local drink and supply of ingredients needed for the private culinary course under joyful supervision of cordial hosts who will make you learn secrets of preparation of tasty traditional food of the Balkans. Please ask for details/
Package price per person – double-twin room sharing Minimum 6 persons
Included: transportation with high-tourist class van/minibus/bus; 1 HB in 4 stars Bucharest hotel; sightseeing and entrance fees for Bucharest sites; 1 HB in 4 stars Sinaia hotel; entrance fees for the sites in Sinaia, and the Peles and Bran Castles and Brasov sites; 1 HB in Sighisoara 4 stars hotel; sightseeing and entrance fees for Sighisoara sites; sightseeing of Ruse with entrance fees; 1 HB in 4 stars Ruse hotel; sightseeing of Veliko Tarnovo with entrance fees; entrance fee for the Etar Ethnographic complex and the Kazanluk Thracian tomb; 1 HB in Plovdiv 4 stars hotel; sightseeing of Plovdiv with entrance fees for the sites; 1 HB in 4 stars Sofia hotel; sightseeing of Sofia and entrance fees for sites; entrance fee-donation for the Rila Monastery; entrance fees for the Pirot sites; 1 HB in 4 stars Pirot tourist complex of Nisavska dolina; entrance fees-donations for the Gracanica and Visoki Decani Monastery; 1 HB in 4 stars Prizren Centrum Hotel; sightseeing of Kruja and entrance fee for the Skanderbey Museum; 1 HB in 4 stars Tirana hotel; sightseeing of Tirana with entrance fees for the sites; sightseeing of Elbasan with entrance fees; 2 HB in 4 stars Ohrid hotel; sightseeing of Ohrid sites with entrance fees; sightseeing of Bitola with entrance fees; entrance fee for the Heraclea Lyncestis site; 1 HB in Popova Kula Winery-hotel with wine tasting; 24 hours support, logistics and professional guidance of Panacomp Wonderland Travel Serbia
APPLICATION DEADLINE 120 DAYS PRIOR DEPARTURE
