Constantinople Wine Route ©
(The name and the itinerary are the result of good cooperation between PanaComp Wonderland Travel and Serbian Women and Wine Association)
Constantinople, Carigrad, Istanbul – different names for the same city. Literally, in Serbian, Carigrad means „The Emperor’s city“. So, in Serbian language, we decided to name this route „Carigradski vinski drum“, which means „Constantinople Wine Route“. This road was originally built by Romans in 33 A.D. and named Via Militaris. As the name says it was used mainly for military transport. The ancient Romans had been using this road to bring vines from Persia to Europe and years after, the Turks arrived to conquer Europe. But, in the Middle Ages, during the Ottoman Empire, it was considered an important trade route. As the capital of en empire, Constantinople offered a myriad of products. Some of the traded items included woven goods, metal-ware, silk, herbs and spices, wines of course and many other things. Nowadays, this same road known as „Corridor 10” connects Istanbul in Turkey, Plovdiv and Sofia in Bulgaria to Dimitrovgrad, Niš and Belgrade in Serbia. If you follow this route today, you will discover a lot of great wineries along the route. So, we have decided to revitalize this ancient route by blending history, culture, oenology and gastronomy. We gave it a brand new name “Constantinople Wine Route” and we invite you to start this exciting journey with us. We are convinced that this journey will bring great joy to all of us.
Day 1: Istanbul
Meeting individuals/groups at the Istanbul airport and guiding them to the hotel. Check in. Late afternoon welcome drink than continue to the restaurant for a common welcome dinner. Overnight.
Day 2: Istanbul
Breakfast at the hotel. Istanbul sightseeing with local tourist guide. Lunch break. Walk around Istanbul and visiting local tourist attractions. Afternoon break. Dinner at the boat (Bosphorus cruising tour). Overnight.
Day 3: Istanbul – Alexandrovo Thracian tomb – Plovdiv
Breakfast in the hotel and check out. Visiting one of the most important wineries in Turkey – tasting and rich traditional food. Continue to Alexandrovo (Bulgaria). Tour of the Thracian kings valley and one of the nearby wineries. Accommodation and dinner with wine tasting in the Wine Spa Tourist complex (wellness amenities available).
Day 4: Plovdiv – Sofia – Pirot
Breakfast in hotel. Tour of the complex, including the Wine Museum. Drive to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria and panoramic sightseeing. Lunch with wine tasting. Continue to Pirot in Serbia and accommodation in new luxury tourist complex. Big traditional dinner. Overnight.
Day 5: Pirot – Niš
After breakfast visit to the Saint John the Theologian Monastery in Poganovo, in the wonderful Gorge of the Jerma River. Short drive to Niš and panoramic sightseeing. Lunch in ethno restaurant, wine tasting. Hotel accommodation. Dinner and wine tasting in the local winery. Overnight.
Day 6: Niš – Jagodina
Breakfast in hotel. Check out. Walking around Niš fortress and the Cele Kula site, continue to Jagodina. Visiting one of the local wineries, wine and food tasting. Short drive and visit one more winery with tasting. Check in. Free time. Overnight.
Day 7: Jagodina – Viminacium – Belgrade
Breakfast. Continue traveling to capital of Serbia with two winery stops and visiting Viminacium, the biggest archeological museum in Europe. Short drive to Belgrade. Hotel accommodation. Dinner. Overnight.
Day 8: Belgrade
Breakfast in the hotel. Belgrade panoramic sightseeing, boat cruise along the Danube and Sava rivers. Lunch in nearby restaurant. Traces of the Ottoman Empire in Belgrade area walking tour. Free time. Festive Medieval farewell dinner with wine tasting (Medieval food recipes and modern wines). Overnight.
Day 9: Belgrade departure
Breakfast. Check out. Airport transfers. End of services.
Note: This route is designed as our basic Constantinople Wine Route program and can be changed and tailored upon the client requests and demands. Price will be provided upon request.
Included : 2 BB in 4 stars Istanbul hotel; welcome dinner; Istanbul sightseeing tour; Bosphorus cruise with dinner; wine tasting with traditional food in original winery on Day 3; entrance fee for the Alexandrovo Thracian tomb; 1 HB with wine tasting in one of the most famous Bulgarian wineries with Museum and luxury spa amenities; Sofia sightseeing tour; wine tasting and lunch on Day 4; 1 HB in new luxury appointed traditional tourist complex; donation-entrance fee for the Poganovo Monastery; Nis sightseeing tour; traditional lunch with wine tasting on Day 5; 1 BB in 4 stars Nis hotel; dinner with wine tasting on Day 5; wine tasting and traditional food in 2 wineries on Day 6; 1 BB in 4 stars hotel on Day 6; visit to 2 wineries with wine tasting and traditional brunches on Day 7; entrance fee for the Viminacium archaeological site; 2 BB i 4 stars centrally located Belgrade hotel; dinner on Day 7; Belgrade sightseeing; Belgrade rivers; cruise; big lunch on Day 8; Traces of the Ottoman Empire tour in Belgrade; Festive Medieval farewell dinner with wine tasting; 24 hours professional explanations in all wineries and tourist guidance along the tour and support of Panacomp Wonderland Travel LCC Serbia
