24 Day itinerary in Serbia, Europe
The Best of the Balkans
The tour proposes a remarkable variety of history, traditions, picturesque sites - mountains and valleys, rivers, lakes, coastline, colourful villages, ancient sites and fortresses, lively capital cities… You will visit some of the highlights of Serbia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegr... Read More
By Maya
Overview
Physical Difficulty
Light
Recommended Age
Minimum 7
Maximum 85
Operated in
English
GUIDANCE
Driver as a Guide, Driver
starting point
Belgrade
trip type
Private
trip attributes
Rural home stays
Indigenous culture
Visit markets
Meet local people
Food & Drink
Start
Night
End
Highlights
The capital cities of the Balkans- Belgrade, Sofia, Skopje, Tirana, Podgorica, Sarajevo, Ljubljana
UNESCO sites, museum towns and villages, fortresses, castles
Unspoilt nature, picturesque mountains, lakes, the Adriatic coast
Local traditions, folklore, hospitality
The capital cities of the Balkans- Belgrade, Sofia, Skopje, Tirana, Podgorica, Sarajevo, Ljubljana
UNESCO sites, museum towns and villages, fortresses, castles
Unspoilt nature, picturesque mountains, lakes, the Adriatic coast
Local traditions, folklore, hospitality
Itinerary
Hotels and guesthouses
Accommodation Categories
Day 1
Belgrade
Arrival Belgrade airport. Private transfer to your hotel. Check in and overnight.
Day 2
Belgrade - Novi Sad - Petrovaradin - Belgrade
Morning panorama tour of Belgrade – the capital city of Serbia, located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, which name in translation means “White City” - the New Belgrade, Palace of Serbia, Arena, New Ada Bridge, the confluence, St. Sava Cathedral Church, the New and the Old Parliament Building, Republic Square. Departure from Belgrade to Novi Sad. Tour of Novi Sad with some free time for lunch. Visit Petrovaradin fortress - an exceptional work of the 18th-century fortification engineering, one of the largest, most complex and best preserved artillery bastions in this part of Europe. It spreads over the northern slopes of Fruška Gora, on the right bank of the Danube and its monumentality at the rocks and the river contributed that many refer to it as "the Gibraltar of the Danube". Return to Belgrade. Overnight.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3
Belgrade - Nis - Sofia
Departure to Nis - the 3rd largest city in Serbia after Belgrade and Novi Sad. It is as well one of the oldest cities in the Balkans and Europe, and has from ancient times been considered a gateway between the East and the West. Nis is the birthplace of Constantine the Great, the first Christian Emperor and the founder of Constantinople. Free time for lunch. Proceed to Sofia, panoramic tour, check in at the hotel and free evening to rest.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4
Sofia - Veliko Turnovo
After breakfast, transfer from Sofia to Veliko Turnovo. Stop to Arbanassi museum village for a short tour and lunch. Transfer to Veliko Turnovo, check in at your hotel. Afternoon tour of Veliko Turnovo, visit Tsarevets Royal Hill with the medieval fortress, walk along Samovodska Charshia – the old marketplace with its many workshops and Gurko Street. Overnight at your hotel.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5
Veliko Turnovo – Etura - Shipka – Kazanluk – Skobelevo – Plovdiv
Departure south of Veliko Turnovo, with several stops en route before you reach Plovdiv – at Etura Open Air Ethnographic complex, Shipka mountain pass, Shipka memorial Church ( photo stop ). Free time for lunch in Kazanluk, visit Kazanluk Thracian tomb ( UNESCO site, copy ) and departure to Skobelevo village. Visit Damascena complex with its rose distillery, Thracian exposition, gardens with more than 150 different types of roses, and its bio park. Taste some local rose products. Depart to Plovdiv after the visit. Check in at your hotel.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6
Plovdiv
Day dedicated to Plovdiv - the 2nd largest Bulgarian city, once capital city of Philip the 2nd of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great. Time to explore the Old Plovdiv Architecture reserve with the Ethnographic museum, St. St. Constantine and Helena Church, the Ancient Theatre. Walk towards Djumaya Mosque Square, Kapana – the artistic neighbourhood of Plovdiv, The Roman Stadium, the longest pedestrian street in the world, etc. Overnight at the same hotel.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7
Plovdiv - Bachkovo - Bansko
Morning visit of Bachkovo monastery ( appr. 35 min drive from Plovdiv ) – the 2nd largest monastery in Bulgaria, connected with the history of the 3rd Crusade. Departure to Bansko museum town, located at the foothills of Pirin Mountain National Park ( UNESCO site ). Check in at your hotel. Dinner and overnight.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8
Bansko – Melnik – Rojen Monastery – Bansko
Day tour to Melnik ( 1,5 h drive )- the smallest Bulgarian town, located at the foothills of sandstone pyramids, where wine cellars were dug. Visit Kordopulov House - considered the largest residential house of the Balkans from its epoch. Taste some local wines at its wine cellar. Proceed to the nearby Rojen Monastery ( 9th c ) and enjoy the wonderful panoramas towards the Greek border mountains. Return to Bansko for dinner and second night at the hotel.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9
Bansko – Rila Monastery – Sofia
Departure from Bansko to Rila Monastery UNESCO site, located in Rila Mountain National Park ( 1,5 h drive ). Visit the monastery and free time for lunch before departing to Sofia. Visit of the National Museum of History in the suburbs of Sofia. Check in at your hotel and rest.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10
Sofia – Skopje
Morning tour of the central part of Sofia – Alexander Nevski Memorial Cathedral, St. Sofia 6th c basilica, Parliament Square, National Theatre and the Old City Garden, St, George 4th c rotunda ( the oldest building preserved in Sofia ). Departure from Sofia to Skopje – appr. 4 h drive. Change time zone ( -1 h ). Check in at your hotel, overnight.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11
Skopje - Ohrid
Morning walking tour of the central part of Skopje - the memorial house of Mother Teresa, the Macedonia Square with the grand fountain of Alexander the Great, and over the old Stone Bridge into the maze of cobblestoned streets of the old bazaar lined with Ottoman mosques and baths turned into art galleries. Transfer to Ohrid. Overnight at the hotel.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12
Ohrid - Tirana
Morning walking tour of the old part of Ohrid. Both Ohrid and Ohrid Lake are under UNESCO World Heritage protection: the city for its great cultural and historical heritage, and the lake being the oldest lake in Europe with fantastic biodiversity. During the tour you will see the most significant Orthodox churches, the Roman Amphitheatre, the medieval fortress of Tsar Samoil. Departure to Tirana afer lunch, check in at the hotel.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast
Day 13
Tirana
Walking tour of Tirana - the capital city of Albania. Explore with your local guide its colourful architecture. Take a walk along the main boulevard where are found the buildings of Tirana University, Presidential Palace, the main square of the city, named after our National Hero “Skanderbeg”. Visit Bunkart and learn about the communist period in Tirana. Overnight at the same hotel
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast
Day 14
Tirana - Podgorica
On the way from Tirana to Podgorica visit medieval town of Kruja, Kruja Skanderbeg Museum, Kruja Ethnographic Museum, the old bazaar. Stop for independent lunch in city of Shkodra, by the Shkodra lake and arrive in Podgorica in the afternoon. Check in at your hotel.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast
Day 15
Podgorica - Budva - Kotor - Dubrovnik
Transfer to Budva and Kotor - 2 of the pearls of the Adriatic coast - for an independent visit. Budva attracts tourists with its beaches, nightlife and Mediterranean architecture. The area around Budva has been inhabited since ancient times. Located in the southernmost fjord in Europe - the Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska) - Kotor ( UNESCO site ) enjoys contrasting landscapes. The fortified old town is nestled at the foot of the hill of St. Ivan and the mountain massif Lovchen, and the labyrinth-like streets will surprise you with cafes, restaurants, churches and small hidden squares. The mountains provide protection for the entire bay, and the sea is ink blue. Late afternoon check in at the hotel in Dubrovnik area and time to rest.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 16
Dubrovnik - Mostar
Departure to Dubrovnik ( UNESCO site ). "If you want to see heaven on earth, come to Dubrovnik", wrote George Bernard Shaw in 1929. Dubrovnik is full of life all year round. Behind the city walls you can see the amazing beauty of the marble tiles in the Old Town. The squares and small alleys, cafes and bars are always full of people. The clean beaches and crystal clear water surrounding the city grab visitors immediately. Meet your local guide and have a private walking tour of Dubrovnik. Free time before proceeding to Mostar. Check in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 17
Mostar - Sarajevo - Mostar
Depart to Sarajevo after breakfast ( appr. 2.5 h drive ). Meet your local tour guide and walking tour of Sarajevo. Sarajevo – the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, often called "the Jerusalem of Europe", is a symbol of the crossroad between east and west. It is famous for its cultural and religious diversity, with adherents of Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism and Catholicism coexisting here for centuries. The compact city center makes it easy and enjoyable to do most sightseeing on foot. Free time for own discoveries before we return to Mostar for 2nd night. Dinner and overnight.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 18
Mostar - Blagaj - Split
Morning visit of Blagaj Tekke , just 15 km from Mostar. The tekke ( Dervish monastery ) is picturesquely located at the spring of the Buna River and was built around 1520. Proceed to Split. Check in at the hotel. Overnight.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast
Day 19
Split - Plitvice Lakes
Meeting with your local guide, who will show you Split. One of the largest Croatian cities, as well as the largest in Dalmatia , UNESCO site. Built on the remains of a Roman imperial palace, Split is a charming and lively Mediterranean city, with beautiful streets, lively restaurants and cafés and countless archeologicaland architectural delights. Diocletian's Palace remains the main attraction of Split, but of interest is Riva as well - one of the busiest coastal streets in Croatia, Free time and transfer to Plitvice lakes location. Overnight.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast
Day 20
Plitvice Lakes - Rijeka
Morning visit of Plutvice lakes national park. Plitvice Lakes is the oldest and largest national park in the Republic of Croatia, included in UNESCO list. he lake system is comprised of 16 named and several smaller unnamed lakes, cascading one into the next. The Plitvice Lakes National Park offers visitors eight different routes to tour the lake system, and four hiking trails. Departure to Rijeka after the visit. Check in at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 21
Rijeka - Ljubjana
Free time in Rijeka - the 3rd largest Croatian city. You can visit independently the Adriatic square (Jadranski trg), Venetian house, the main square Korzo, the old town, St Vitus cathedral, the city port, etc. Transfer from Rijeka to Ljubljana ( qppr. 2 - 2,5 h ). Free time in the centre of Ljubljana. Overnight at your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 22
Ljubljana - Bled - Ljubljana
Transfer from Ljubljana to the Lake Bled and Bled Castle ( 1 h drive ). The glacial lake is one of Europe`s most picturesque and romantic spots, surrounded by snow-tipped mountains. Bled Castle is situated on a rocky outcrop above the lake. Visit. Visit. Return to Ljubljana, free time in the centre to see the Prešeren Square, Town Hall, the Bishop`s Palace, the Cathedral, Dragon Bridge, Ljubljana Castle, etc. Overnight at your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 23
Ljubljana - Zagreb
Departure from Ljubljana to Zagreb - the capital city of Croatia, located less than 2 h drive. The city is a blend of central European, Mediterranean and the Balkan cultures with landmarks, which include: the central square "Ban Jelacic", the Old Town with the medieval quarters Kaptol and Gradets, Zagreb Cathedral, St. Mark's Church, the Parliament, etc. Overnight at your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 24
Zagreb - departure
Private transfer to the airport. Departure.
Meals: Breakfast
What’s Included
Meals
- Breakfast (23)
- Dinner (4)
Transport
- Private car along the tour, all border and road taxes, parkings
Activities
- Private guide for Novi Sad and Belgrade
- Private guide to be a driver in Bulgaria
- Private guide to be a driver in Macedonia
- Private guide to be a driver in Albania
- Private guide in Dubrovnik ( 3 h )
- Private guide in Split ( 3 h )
- Private guide in Sarajevo ( 3 h )
Extras
- Entrance tickets for the visited sites in Bulgaria
- Entrances tickets for the visited sites in Macedonia
- Entrance tickets for the visited sites in Albania
- Entrance tickets Blagaj
- Entrance tickets Plitvice lakes
- Entrance tickets Bled Castle
Not Included
- Entrance to sites not mentioned above
About Maya
TEAM LEAD
Baboo Certified
5 (3 reviews)
Hiking
Visit markets
Meet local people
Rural home stays
Indigenous culture
Yoga
Meditation
Wellness retreat
Detox
Outdoors & Nature
Food & Drink
Beach & Sea
Born and raised in Sofia, capital of Bulgaria, I’ve always had a passion for travel and adventure. Ever since I graduated with a Master’s degree in Cultural Tourism, I’ve been planning tours in Bulgaria and the Balkan region.
Travel that Makes a Difference
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$7,325.00 USD