EX YU and ALBANIA TOUR

7 Balkan countries for clients who are interested to cover and experience the Ex-Yugoslavia countries plus Albania : EX YU + ALBANIA tour,

7 Balkan countries experiences – EX YU + Albania Tour : SLOVENIA – CROATIA – BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MONTENEGRO – ALBANIA – MACEDONIA – SERBIA

Departure on request

Day 1 Ljubljana
Arrival to Ljubljana Airport and transfer to 4 stars hotel and accommodation. Afternoon free at leisure. Dinner, overnight.

Day 2 Ljubljana & Bled
After breakfast 2 hours Ljubljana city tour with escort local guide – Ljubljana Castle, return funicular ride, National Heroes Square… Excursion to Bled, with escort local guide /3 hours hire/ including entrance fee to Bled Castle, Pletna Boat ride and Church of Assumption fee… Dinner and overnight in Ljubljana hotel.

Day 3 Ljubljana – Postojna Cave – Lipica Stud Farm – Zagreb
After breakfast departure to Croatia. Stopover for touring the Postojna Cave with train ride and escort local guide. Continue to Lipica Stud Farm and sightseeing with escort local guide. Continue to Zagreb and city tour, Zagreb Cathedral and St. Mark’s Church. 4 star hotel accommodation in Zagreb, dinner, overnight.

Day 4 Zagreb – Plitvice Lakes
After breakfast departure to magnificent Plitvice Lakes National Park, UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. Touring the National Park /entrance fee included/. Accommodation in 3+ stars hotel. Traditional dinner with folklore performance. Overnight.

Day 5 Plitvice Lakes – Zadar – Sibenik – Trogir – Split
After breakfast departure to gorgeous Dalmatian coast. Break for sightseeing of Zadar with escort local guide and visit to the Church of St Donat, The Archaeological Museum. Continue to Sibenik and sightseeing of the Cathedral of St James – UNESCO Heritage site with escort local guide. Continue to Trogir and sightseeing of the well preserved Romanesque-Gothic historical city core, Cathedral of St Lovro /St Lawrence Cathedral/ with escort local guide. Arrival to Split and accommodation in 4 stars Hotel. Dinner, overnight.

Day 6 Split city tour + free afternoon
After breakfast Split city tour with escort local guide – Diocletian Palace, The Baptistery, Cathedral of St Dominus, Archaeological Museum /entrance fees included/. Fish lunch. Afternoon free at leisure. Overnight.

Day 7 Split – Medjugorje – Mostar
After breakfast departure to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Visit to Medjugorje Apparition Church and continue to Mostar, one of the most beautiful towns of Herzegovina. Accommodation in 4 stars hotel. Dinner, overnight.

Day 8 Mostar – Sarajevo
After breakfast 1,5 hour Mostar city tour with escort local guide – Mostar Old Bridge with well-preserved historical core and old Bazaar, included in 2005 into UNESCO’s List of World Cultural Heritage, with its towers, oriental shops, smells of various specialties of oriental cuisine, the Turkish House and the Mosque /including entrance fee/. Afternoon drive to Sarajevo, via Jablanica lake. Accommodation in 4 star hotel in Sarajevo, located in the vicinity of the old part, just 250 meters from Bascarsija. Traditional dinner with sevdalinka music, overnight.

Day 9 Sarajevo
After breakfast morning 2 hours Sarajevo city tour with escort local guide – the Latin Bridge, the City Hall, Bascarsija old bazaar, the Bey’s mosque, the old Orthodox church with Icon museum, Catholic church, optional Tunnel of escape Museum visit. Afternoon free at leisure. Traditional dinner with live music. Overnight.

Day 10 Sarajevo – Trebinje – Dubrovnik
After breakfast departure Sutjeska National Park with break for photo shooting of the WWII Monument to the famous Sutjeska Battle. Continue to Trebinje with break for visit to the Museum of Herzegovina. Drive to Dubrovnik, the famous ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ and accommodation in 4 stars hotel. Dinner, overnight.

Day 11 Dubrovnik city tour + free afternoon
After breakfast 2,5 hours Dubrovnik city tour with escort local guide – the Pile Gate, the Old town, the Franciscan Monastery and Museum, Sponza Palace, the harbor, the Rector’s Palace /entrance fee included/. Lunch in the old town. Afternoon free at leisure. Overnight.

Day 12 Dubrovnik – Kotor – Cetinje – Budva/Bečići
After breakfast drive along the wonderful coast along tiny fishing villages and beaches to Kotor, UNESCO World Heritage site. 1,5 hour Kotor City tour – the old town, Clock tower, St Typhon Cathedral, palaces, squares /entrance fees/. Continue to Cetinje and tour of the Royal Palace and the Cetinje Monastery dedicated to St Peter /entrance fees/. Optional visit to the Njegos Mausoleum at Lovcen Mt /climbing 461 stairs/. Drive along the scenic road to Budva/Becici area and accommodation in 4 stars hotel. Dinner, overnight.

Day 13 Budva – Podgorica – Shkodra – Kruja – Tirana
After breakfast drive to Podgorica and further to Albania and Shkodra. Tour of the Rozafa Castle, overlooking the whole historical area. Continue to Kruja and visit to the Skanderbeg Museum – entrance fee included, and the Old Bazaar. Drive to Tirana and accommodation in the 4 stars hotel. Dinner in traditional restaurant. Overnight.

Day 14 Tirana – Durres – Berat
After breakfast Tirana City tour with escort local guide – the Skanderbey Square, Et’hem Bey Mosque, the Clock tower, National Museum of History – entrance fees included. Continue to Durres and sightseeing tour – the Roman amphitheater with mosaics, the Archaeological Museum, the Roman Baths, the Aleksandër Moisiu Theatre – entrance fee. Drive on to Berat, the UNESCO Heritage town-museum and accommodation in the 3 stars hotel. Traditional dinner, overnight.

Day 15 Berat – Ohrid
After breakfast walking tour of Berat with local escort guide – the Kalaja Citadel, the Onufri Iconography Museum and the Ethnographic Museum – entrance fees included. Drive along the scenic road to Macedonia. Tour of Saint Naum Monastery – entrance fee. Accommodation in the Ohrid 4 stars Hotel. Dinner, overnight.

Day 16 Ohrid city tour + free afternoon
After breakfast 3 hours Ohrid city tour with escort local guide – Saint Sophia Cathedral, Saint Painteleimon Church, The Holy Virgin of Peribleptos Church – Saint Kliment Church, Icon Gallery /entrance fees/, Tsar Samuil Fortress Upper gate, old Bazaar. Traditional lunch in the old town. Afternoon free at leisure. Overnight.

Day 17 Ohrid – Jovan Bigorski Monastery – Skopje
After breakfast departure to Skopje with break for touring the Saint Jovan Bigorski Monastery – entrance fee. Skopje sightseeing tour with escort local guide – Sveti Spas Church, the Stone Bridge, the Old Bazaar, Daut Pasha Baths, Cathedral of St. Kliment Ohridski, Icon Museum, Museum of Macedonia, Mother Theresa Museum – entrance fee. Accommodation in 4 stars hotels. Traditional dinner with folklore performance, overnight.

Day 18 Skopje – Pristina – Gračanica Monastery – Studenica Monastery
After breakfast drive to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo and Metohija. Tour of Gračanica Monastery, the UNESCO site dating from the 14th century, one of the most beautiful Byzantine churches in the Balkans. Continue to Novi Pazar and tour of Sopoćani Monastery, featuring magnificent ensemble of frescoes that are painted in bright colors and decorated with golden leaves, and part of UNESCO World Heritage. Tour of Saint Peters Church in Ras, UNESCO Heritage site and one of the oldest churches in the Balkans. Drive along the Ibar River Valley to Studenica Monastery, the UNESCO Heritage site housing wonderful well preserved frescoes. Sightseeing of the Studenica Medieval complex, including the Treasury. Accommodation in Studenica Monastery Dormitory – quality of good 3 stars hotel accommodation. Traditional or monastic dinner, overnight.

Day 19 Studenica Monastery – Sargan steam train ride + Mokra Gora Nature Park
After breakfast drive along the intact nature of the Studenica-Golija Biosphere Nature Reserve, UNESCO Natural Heritage site to Mokra Gora Nature Park. 2,5 hours Sargan Steam train ride along breathtaking scenery of the Nature Park. Visit to the Mecavnik Wooden Town, a Film Academy and traditional settlement established by famous Film Director Emir Kusturica /entrance fee/. Drive to the Staro Selo Sirogojno Open air Museum and accommodation in traditional wooden cottages – good 3+ stars quality. Traditional dinner, overnight.

Day 20 Staro selo Sirogojno – Zlakusa village – Belgrade
After breakfast tour of the Staro Selo Sirogojno Open air Museum /entrance fee/ representing authentic architecture and family lifestyle in the mountainous region of the Southwest Serbia and the vast woodland of the Dinara Mountain area of the 19th century /black smith workshop, bakery, dairy, granary, forge, animal compound, copper’s workshop…/. Drive to Zlatibor, the most prominent mountainous tourist center of Serbia and short walk along the beautiful lake and the local market. Drive to Belgrade with stop over in tiny Zlakusa village for visit to the Terzica avlija traditional settlement – Ethno Park /entrance fee/. Presentation of pottery hand manufacture and folklore performance. Arrival to Belgrade and accommodation in 4 stars hotel. Dinner, overnight.

Day 21 Belgrade
After breakfast half-day Belgrade city tour – the Republic Square, National Theater, Saint Sava Orthodox Cathedral /second largest Orthodox church in the world/, Ethnographic Museum, Fresco Gallery, Princess Ljubica Manor, Kalemegdan Fortress, Ruzica Church /entrance fee/. Free afternoon. Big farewell dinner with live tamburitza music. Overnight.

Day 22 Belgrade – departure
After breakfast transfer to Belgrade Airport, departure flight and end of program and services.

PACKAGE PRICE per person – DBL/TW occupancy : EUR Minimum 12 participants; EUR 8-11 participants; EUR 6-7 participants; EUR 4-5 participants; Single supplement 760 EUR

Included : luxurious, fully equipped AC Car, van or 19+1-seater coach transportation with experienced driver; 2 nights in 4 stars Ljubljana hotel with half-board services, entrance fee and escort guidance in Ljubljana, excursion to Bled, Pletna boat ride, entrance fees and escort guidance, 1 H/B in 4 stars Zagreb hotel, Postojna Cave entrance with train ride and escort guidance, Lipica Stud Farm entrance fee and escort guidance, 1 H/B in 3+ stars hotel in Plitvice National Park, entrance fee for Plitvice NP and escort guidance, 2 B/B and 1 lunch in 4 stars Split Hotel, entrance fees in Zadar, Trogir and Sibenik, escort local guidance, Medjugorje entrance fee, 1 night in 4 stars Mostar hotel, entrance fee and escort guidance in Mostar, 1 H/B and 1 B/B in 4 stars Sarajevo hotel, traditional dinner in Sarajevo, entrance fees and escort guidance in Sarajevo, entrance fee for Museum of Herzegovina, 1 H/B and 1 B/B in 4 stars hotel in Dubrovnik, entrance fees and escort guidance in Dubrovnik, lunch in Dubrovnik old town, entrance fee and escort guidance in Kotor, entrance fees and escort guidance in Cetinje, escort guidance in Shkoder, 1 B/B in Tirana 4 stars hotel, traditional dinner in Tirana Sarayet Restaurant, entrance fees and escort guidance in Tirana, entrance fees and escort guidance in Durres,1 H/B in 3+ stars hotel in Berat, entrance fees and escort guidance in Berat, entrance fees Ohrid churches and St Naum Monastery, 1 H/B and 1 B/B in 4 stars Ohrid hotel, entrance fees and escort guidance in Ohrid, traditional lunch in Ohrid, entrance fee for St Jovan Bigorski Monastery, 1 H/B in 4 stars Skopje hotel, entrance fees and escort guidance in Skopje, 1 H/B in Studenica Monastery Dormitory, Sargan 8 Train Ride, 1 H/B in Staro Selo Sirogojno traditional chalets, presentation of pottery manufacture and folklore performance in Terzica avlija Ethno Park, 2 B/B in 4 stars hotel in Belgrade, entrance fees and escort guidance in Belgrade, farewell dinner in Belgrade, English speaking professional tour conductor throughout, PANACOMP Wonderland Travel 24 hrs Logistics and support