Special Special Balkan Tour
SPECIAL SPECIAL BALKAN TOUR – the most popular highlights and sites of the Balkans : BULGARIA – ROMANIA – SERBIA – BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – CROATIA – SLOVENIA – ITALY
Day 1 Sofia arrival
Flight to Sofia Airport. Meet at Sofia Airport with your English speaking guide. Transfer to hotel in downtown Sofia. Dinner in a fine restaurant in Sofia. Overnight in Sofia.
Day 2 Sofia – Rila Monastery – Sofia
After breakfast excursion to Rila Monastery – one of the greatest Orthodox Monasteries on the Balkans /UNESCO site/. Visit the Rila Monastery Museum. Return to Sofia for touring all the major sites like the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the ruins of the Roman city Serdica, etc. Dinner in a traditional Bulgarian restaurant in Sofia. Overnight in Sofia.
Day 3 Sofia – Plovdiv – Kazanlak – Veliko Tarnovo
After breakfast departure to Plovdiv /about 2 hours drive/. Walking tour through the old town of Plovdiv and visit the Roman Theater, which is still well preserved. Continue to Kazanlak for tour of the amazing Thracian tomb of Kazanlak /UNESCO site/. In the afternoon head towards Veliko Tarnovo passing through the Balkan Chain at the Shipka historical mountain pass. In Veliko Tarnovo we make a walk through the lovely old town. Dinner in a fine restaurant in Veliko Tarnovo. Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo hotel.
Day 4 Veliko Tarnovo – Ruse – Bucharest
After breakfast 2-hours drive to the border town of Ruse and the Danube Bridge between Bulgaria and Romania. Pass the border and continue on to Bucharest, which is pretty close. Hotel accommodation. Sightseeing tour of Bucharest. Dinner and overnight in Bucharest.
Day 5 Bucharest – Peles Castle – Brasov
After breakfast drive from Bucharest with break for touring the Peles Castle, on the way. Continue to Brasov and hotel accommodation. Dinner and overnight in Brasov.
Day 6 Brasov – Bran Castle – Brasov
After breakfast City tour of Brasov sites, architecture, squares… Drive to the Bran Castle and sightseeing of the notorious Dracula’s place. Return to Brasov for dinner and overnight.
Day 7 Brasov – Sibiu – Timisoara – Belgrade
After breakfast drive from Brasov to Sibiu, for sightseeing of interesting sites and attractions of this important cultural center of Transylvania, the former center of the Transylvanian Saxons. Continue on to Belgrade with stop over on the way in Timisoara for an easy walk along the historical core. Accommodation in centrally located Belgrade hotel, dinner with live music in authentic Skadaralija bohemian quarter restaurant. Overnight. /change of minibus, the Serbian bus takes over/
Day 8 Belgrade
After breakfast half-day Belgrade city tour : the Parliament, Saint Sava Orthodox Cathedral – the second largest Orthodox church in the world, Kalemegdan Fortress from where spreads magic panorama of the Belgrade rivers, Knez Mihajla pedestrian-shopping street… Afternoon visit either to the Nikola Tesla Museum Belgrade or half-day excursion to the Oplenac Royal Mausoleum with the Saint George Church, with wonderful mosaics /one way 1 hr of drive/. Traditional dinner with tasting of smoked delicacies and wine. Overnight.
Day 9 Belgrade – Sarajevo
After breakfast drive via Sabac to Sarajevo – the charming capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Break for homemade refreshment at the nicely appointed Albedo Villa in Sabac, presentation of well-preserved customs and lifestyle. Accommodation in centrally located Sarajevo hotel, traditional dinner /Bosnian kebab, Bey’s soup…/, overnight.
Day 10 Sarajevo – Sutjeska NP – Trebinje
After breakfast tour of Bascarsija – the historical Oriental core of Sarajevo : the Gazi Husref Bey Mosque, Old Orthodox Church with Treasury, Synagogue… Drive to Trebinje/abt 4-5 hrs of drive/ via Tjentiste and Sutjeska National Park, break for visit to the partisan Monument of the Sutjeska Battle of the WWII, within wonderful nature. Easy walking sightseeing tour along the beautiful center of Trebinje. Hotel accommodation in Trebinje, dinner, overnight.
Day 11 Trebinje – Dubrovnik – Trebinje
After breakfast drive to Dubrovnik, the most famous tourist center of the Adriatic, sightseeing tour : the Pile Gates, Fortresses, old walls, Rector’s Palace, Stradun promenade, Old Pharmacy. Short free time for individual program. Return to Trebinje and tour of Tvrdos Monastery, optional wine/figs tasting and presentation of rich wine traditions. Dinner in Trebinje – mountainous trout or Dubrovnik…, overnight.
Day 12 Trebinje – Stolac – Mostar
After breakfast drive along beautiful Adriatic hinterland to Mostar, along fruitful vast Herzegovina vineyards. Break for visit to the unique Stolac archaeological complex of wonderfully carved Medieval stone tombs – UNESCO site. Continue to Blagaj and tour of the magic Buna River source and the beautiful Tekke. Continue to Mostar and sightseeing walk along the historical core – the Old /reconstructed Bridge-UNESCO/, the towers, the old crafts quarter…. Hotel accommodation, traditional dinner, overnight.
Day 13 Mostar – Kravice waterfalls – Kokorici – Split – Sibenik – Zadar
After breakfast drive along the highway which provides wonderful panorama of the Adriatic coast with break for touring the Kravice Waterfalls. Continue to the Kokorici settlement and refreshment with presentation of well-preserved customs. Continue to Split and tour of the Diocletian Palace and the Roman heritage /UNESCO/. Continue to Sibenik and tour of the St Jacob’s Cathedral /UNESCO heritage site/. Hotel accommodation in Zadar area, fish dinner, overnight.
Day 14 Zadar – Plitvice NP – Zagreb
After breakfast visit to the St Donat Cathedral in Zadar. Drive to Zagreb with break for touring the magic Plitvice National Park – UNESCO site. Hotel accommodation in Zagreb, dinner, overnight.
Day 15 Zagreb – Ljubljana/Bled Lake or Bohinj lake area
After breakfast Zagreb city tour : the St Marc Cathedral, Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jelacic Square. Drive to Ljubljana and city tour : Ljubljana Castle, the Ljubljanica River, the Dragon Bridge. Drive to Bled/Bohinj lakes area and hotel accommodation. Farewell traditional dinner with folklore performance, overnight.
Day 16 Bled/Bohinj – Venice
After breakfast tour of the Bled Castle with optional boat ride to the island or gondola ride up to the Vogel peak from where spreads magic panorama of the Triglav National Park. Transfer to Venice, end of program and services.
PACKAGE PRICE PER PERSON – DBL/TW rooms: minimum 6 participants EUR; 7-10 participants EUR; 11-20 participants EUR ; 21-25 participants EUR; Single Supplement
Included : transportation with modern and comfortable AC minibus by experienced drivers /change of minibus in Serbia which takes over until the end of tour in Venice/; 2 BB in Sofia 4 stars hotel; 1 BB in Veliko Tarnovo 4 stars hotel, 3 dinners, all sightseeing by English speaking professional guide and entry fees – Rila Monastery, Roman Theater in Plovdiv and Thracian Tomb at Kazanlak site; 1 HB in Bucharest 4 stars hotel, sightseeing of Bucharest with local guide; 2 BB in Brasov 4 stars hotel; 2 dinners in Brasov; entrance fees for Peles and Bran Castles; 2 BB in Belgrade 4 stars hotel; 2 dinners in Belgrade /1 with tasting of homemade delicacies/; refreshment at the rustic villa on Day 9; 1 BB in Sarajevo 4 stars hotel; traditional dinner in Sarajavo; entrance fee for the Gazi Husref Bay Mosque and the Orthodox Church; 2 BB in Trebinje 4 stars hotel; Dubrovnik city tour with entrance fee for the walls and the Old Pharmacy; 2 dinners on Days 10 and 11 /one with wine tasting/; entrance fee for Stolac Radimlja necropolis of Medieval tombstones-stecaks, entrance fee for the Tekke in Buna River source in Blagaj; 1 BB in Mostar centrally located 4 stars hotel; dinner on Day 12, entrance fees for the Kravice waterfalls, the Diocletian Palace Split and the St Jacob’s Cathedral in Sibenik and St Donat Church in Zadar; 1 BB in Zadar area 4 stars hotel; dinner in Zadar; entrance fee for Plitvice National Park lakes; 1 BB in Zagreb 4 stars hotel; dinner on Day 14, entrance fee for St Mark’s Cathedral and the Zagreb Cathedral; 1 BB in either Ljubljana or Bled Lake/Bohinj Lake hotel; traditional dinner with folklore performance on Day 15; entrance fee for the Bled Castle; 24 hours support and logistics of Panacomp Wonderland Travel LCC Serbia and chosen associates
