12 Days Grand Balkan Tour

Highlights / General details

Visit Croatia, Montenegro, ALbania, & Macedonia!

Itinerary Day 1: Zagreb – Arrival Upon arrival at Zagreb Airport, transfer to hotel. Meet the tour guide, dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Zagreb – Plitvice Morning city tour of Zagreb, including the fortified Upper Town, city's historical center, St Mark's Church with its multicolored roof, the Cathedral, the Croatian National Theatre and the University. Afternoon departure for Plitvice and then tour the Plitvice Lakes National Park on the UNESCO’s List of World Natural Heritage. Sixteen lakes, each at a different level, are connected in a series of cascading waterfalls. Surrounded by dense wood, Plitvice Lakes are a natural phenomenon of a rare and unique beauty. Dinner and overnight in Plitvice.

Day 3: Plitvice – Trogir – Split Morning departure for Trogir, where we visit the Cathedral of St. Lawrence. Continuation to Split; city tour of Split, including the Diocletian’s Palace on the UNESCO’s List of World Cultural Heritage with the Peristyle, the Jupiter's Temple and the Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Split.

Day 4: Split – Dubrovnik After breakfast, departure for Dubrovnik. Sightseeing tour of Dubrovnik, included on the UNESCO’s List of World Cultural Heritage. You will visit the Franciscan Monastery with Europe's third oldest pharmacy, the Rector's Palace and the Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Dubrovnik.

Day 5: Dubrovnik Day at leisure in Dubrovnik. Dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Dubrovnik – Budva / Montenegro – Shkodra / Albania – Tirana Departure for Tirana; we drive inland to Budva known for its Old City encircled by walls from the Venetian period. Continuation to Shkodra, once the capital of the Illyrian Kingdom (3rd century B.C.). Dinner and overnight in Tirana.

Day 7: Tirana – Ohrid / Macedonia Morning sightseeing tour of Tirana, the capital of Albania, including Skender Bey Square, the Mosque of Ethem Bey, and a visit to the National Museum representing the flow of Albanian history, also housing the finds from archeological sites across the country. Afternoon departure for Ohrid, driving via Elbasan and crossing the Macedonian border at Cafasan. Dinner and overnight in Ohrid.

Day 8: Ohrid Full day in the lakeside resort of Ohrid, classified as UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage site. Through the activity of St. Clement and St. Naum of Ohrid, the first pan-Slavic University in Europe, the famous “Ohrid Literary School”, was founded here. Morning sightseeing tour includes the Church of St. Sofia (11th century), the most eminent mediaeval monument in Macedonia with magnificent Byzantine fresco paintings and St. Clement Church with its icon of Annunciation. Afternoon short drive to St. Naum Monastery, built on the shores of Ohrid Lake in 900 A.D. and dedicated to the Slavic missionary and educator St. Naum of Ohrid. Return to hotel for overnight.

Day 9: Ohrid – Skopje Morning departure for Skopje. Sightseeing tour of Skopje, including the Kale Fortress, Church of the Holy Savior with its iconostas, one of the finest samples of traditional walnut woodcarving, Old Bazaar and Stone Bridge. We drive to the slopes of the Vodno Mountain where we visit the Monastery of St. Panteleimon with its 12th century iconostas and frescoes ranking among the highest achievements of Byzantine art of this period. Dinner and overnight in Skopje.

Day 10: Skopje – Kolasin / Montenegro Morning departure for Kolašin, driving via Pec and Berane and along the impressive Moraca River Canyon. Afternoon arrival at Kolašin, the town spreading on the left bank of the river Tara, situated at the altitude of 954m. The whole area is surrounded by the thick pine forest of the Bjelasica Mountain and is a popular skiing and air spa resort. Dinner and overnight in Kolašin.

Day 11: Kolasin – Cetinje – Kotor – Dubrovnik Morning departure for Cetinje where we visit King Nikola’s Museum, once the residence of the Montenegrin King Nikola I Petrovic. Continuation to Kotor, classified as UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage site, where we visit its Romanesque Cathedral dedicated to St Triphon, the city’s patron saint. We continue to Dubrovnik, driving along the picturesque Bay of Kotor. Dinner and overnight in Dubrovnik.

Day 12: Dunbrovnik – Departure Breakfast followed by departure transfer to Dubrovnik Airport.

Hotels: Zagreb: International 4* Plitvice: Macola 3* or Degenija Split: As 3* or Dalmina Dubrovnik: Ivka 3* Tirana: Sky Tower 4* Ohrid: Metropol 4* Skopje: Karpoš 4* Kolašin: Lipka 4*

Inclusion

Arrival transfer from Zagreb Airport to hotel and departure transfer from hotel to Dubrovnik Airport on the first and the last day of the tour Accommodation in 3* and 4* hotels on half board basis, except in Ohrid on Day 8 (bed and breakfast) Local guides for sightseeing tours of Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Tirana, Ohrid and Skopje Entrance fees to the Plitvice Lakes National Park; St. Lawrence Cathedral in Trogir; Diocletian’s Palace and St. Duimus Cathedral in Split; Franciscan Monastery and Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik; National Museum in Tirana, St. Sofia, St. Clement and St. Naum in Ohrid; Church of Holy Savior and Monastery of St. Panteleimon in Skopje; Residence of King Nikola I Petrovic in Cetinje; St. Triphun Cathedral in Kotor Air-conditioned motor coach throughout. Tour escort throughout.

Exclusion

Gratuity.

Hours of operation

Available May 30, July 11, August 8, September 5.

Itinerary

Day 1: Zagreb – Arrival Upon arrival at Zagreb Airport, transfer to hotel. Meet the tour guide, dinner and overnight.

Day 2:

Zagreb – Plitvice Morning city tour of Zagreb, including the fortified Upper Town, city's historical center, St Mark's Church with its multicolored roof, the Cathedral, the Croatian National Theatre and the University. Afternoon departure for Plitvice and then tour the Plitvice Lakes National Park on the UNESCO’s List of World Natural Heritage. Sixteen lakes, each at a different level, are connected in a series of cascading waterfalls. Surrounded by dense wood, Plitvice Lakes are a natural phenomenon of a rare and unique beauty. Dinner and overnight in Plitvice.

Day 3:

Plitvice – Trogir – Split Morning departure for Trogir, where we visit the Cathedral of St. Lawrence. Continuation to Split; city tour of Split, including the Diocletian’s Palace on the UNESCO’s List of World Cultural Heritage with the Peristyle, the Jupiter's Temple and the Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Split.

Day 4:

Split – Dubrovnik After breakfast, departure for Dubrovnik. Sightseeing tour of Dubrovnik, included on the UNESCO’s List of World Cultural Heritage. You will visit the Franciscan Monastery with Europe's third oldest pharmacy, the Rector's Palace and the Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Dubrovnik.

Day 5:

Dubrovnik Day at leisure in Dubrovnik. Dinner and overnight.

Day 6:

Dubrovnik – Budva / Montenegro – Shkodra / Albania – Tirana Departure for Tirana; we drive inland to Budva known for its Old City encircled by walls from the Venetian period. Continuation to Shkodra, once the capital of the Illyrian Kingdom (3rd century B.C.). Dinner and overnight in Tirana.

Day 7:

Tirana – Ohrid / Macedonia Morning sightseeing tour of Tirana, the capital of Albania, including Skender Bey Square, the Mosque of Ethem Bey, and a visit to the National Museum representing the flow of Albanian history, also housing the finds from archeological sites across the country. Afternoon departure for Ohrid, driving via Elbasan and crossing the Macedonian border at Cafasan. Dinner and overnight in Ohrid.

Day 8:

Ohrid Full day in the lakeside resort of Ohrid, classified as UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage site. Through the activity of St. Clement and St. Naum of Ohrid, the first pan-Slavic University in Europe, the famous “Ohrid Literary School”, was founded here. Morning sightseeing tour includes the Church of St. Sofia (11th century), the most eminent mediaeval monument in Macedonia with magnificent Byzantine fresco paintings and St. Clement Church with its icon of Annunciation. Afternoon short drive to St. Naum Monastery, built on the shores of Ohrid Lake in 900 A.D. and dedicated to the Slavic missionary and educator St. Naum of Ohrid. Return to hotel for overnight.

Day 9:

Ohrid – Skopje Morning departure for Skopje. Sightseeing tour of Skopje, including the Kale Fortress, Church of the Holy Savior with its iconostas, one of the finest samples of traditional walnut woodcarving, Old Bazaar and Stone Bridge. We drive to the slopes of the Vodno Mountain where we visit the Monastery of St. Panteleimon with its 12th century iconostas and frescoes ranking among the highest achievements of Byzantine art of this period. Dinner and overnight in Skopje.

Day 10:

Skopje – Kolasin / Montenegro Morning departure for Kolašin, driving via Pec and Berane and along the impressive Moraca River Canyon. Afternoon arrival at Kolašin, the town spreading on the left bank of the river Tara, situated at the altitude of 954m. The whole area is surrounded by the thick pine forest of the Bjelasica Mountain and is a popular skiing and air spa resort. Dinner and overnight in Kolašin.

Day 11: Kolasin – Cetinje – Kotor – Dubrovnik Morning departure for Cetinje where we visit King Nikola’s Museum, once the residence of the Montenegrin King Nikola I Petrovic. Continuation to Kotor, classified as UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage site, where we visit its Romanesque Cathedral dedicated to St Triphon, the city’s patron saint. We continue to Dubrovnik, driving along the picturesque Bay of Kotor. Dinner and overnight in Dubrovnik.

Day 12: Dunbrovnik – Departure Breakfast followed by departure transfer to Dubrovnik Airport.

Hotels: Zagreb: International 4* Plitvice: Macola 3* or Degenija Split: As 3* or Dalmina Dubrovnik: Ivka 3* Tirana: Sky Tower 4* Ohrid: Metropol 4* Skopje: Karpoš 4* Kolašin: Lipka 4*

Inclusion Arrival transfer from Zagreb Airport to hotel and departure transfer from hotel to Dubrovnik Airport on the first and the last day of the tour Accommodation in 3* and 4* hotels on half board basis, except in Ohrid on Day 8 (bed and breakfast) Local guides for sightseeing tours of Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Tirana, Ohrid and Skopje Entrance fees to the Plitvice Lakes National Park; St. Lawrence Cathedral in Trogir; Diocletian’s Palace and St. Duimus Cathedral in Split; Franciscan Monastery and Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik; National Museum in Tirana, St. Sofia, St. Clement and St. Naum in Ohrid; Church of Holy Savior and Monastery of St. Panteleimon in Skopje; Residence of King Nikola I Petrovic in Cetinje; St. Triphun Cathedral in Kotor Air-conditioned motor coach throughout. Tour escort throughout.

Exclusion Gratuity.

Hours of operation Available May 30, July 11, August 8, September 5.

Policies Hotels listed will be used on almost all departures. If changes become necessary for any reason, substitute hotels will be similar to those listed.

All information requested must be supplied or booking is subject to automatic cancellation