Balkan Guided Tour from Istanbul: Explore 9 Countries in one trip

Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul, Turkey

1. Istanbul
   8h
   Pick-up from airport.
   Check-in and rest at the hotel.
   Welcome dinner and briefing session.

Day 2: Istanbul City Tour

1. Istanbul
   8h
   Visit Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, and Topkapi Palace.
   Bosphorus cruise in the afternoon.
   Free time at Grand Bazaar.

Day 3: Istanbul – Plovdiv, Bulgaria

1. Plovdiv Old Town
   8h · Admission ticket not included
   Depart for Plovdiv (approx. 5 hrs).
   Walking tour in the Old Town, Roman Theatre, and Kapana District.
   Bulgarian folklore dinner option.

Day 4: Plovdiv – Sofia

1. Bachkovo Monastery
   8h · Admission ticket not included
   Morning visit to Bachkovo Monastery.
   Arrive in Sofia. Visit Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, National Theater, and Roman ruins.
   Free time in Vitosha Boulevard.

Day 5: Sofia – Rila Monastery – Veliko Tarnovo

1. Rila Monastery
   8h · Admission ticket not included
   Visit Rila Monastery (UNESCO).
   Transfer to Veliko Tarnovo – Bulgaria’s medieval capital.

Day 6: Veliko Tarnovo – Bucharest, Romania

1. Tsarevets
   8h · Admission ticket not included
   Short city tour and visit Tsarevets Fortress.
   Cross into Romania.
   Panoramic Bucharest city tour.
   Overnight: Bucharest

Day 7: Bucharest – Sibiu – Hunedoara – Timisoara

1. Transylvania
   8h
   Journey through Transylvania.
   Stop in Sibiu and visit Hunedoara Castle.
   Evening in Timisoara.

Day 8: Timisoara – Novi Sad – Belgrade, Serbia

1. Petrovaradin Fortress
   8h · Admission ticket not included
   Enter Serbia. Visit Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad.
   Evening arrival and city tour of Belgrade.

Day 9: Belgrade – Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina

1. Sarajevo
   8h
   Scenic drive through the Drina River valley.
   Guided tour of Sarajevo’s Old Town (Baščaršija), Latin Bridge, and Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque.

Day 10: Sarajevo – Mostar – Dubrovnik, Croatia

1. Dubrovnik
   8h
   Stop in Mostar for the famous Old Bridge and Ottoman quarter.
   Continue to Dubrovnik. Evening free time.

Day 11: Dubrovnik – Kotor – Budva, Montenegro

1. Kotor Old Town
   8h · Admission ticket not included
   Walking tour of Dubrovnik’s city walls.
   Visit Kotor’s Old Town (UNESCO).

Day 12: Budva – Shkodra – Tirana, Albania

1. Rozafa Castle
   8h · Admission ticket not included
   Explore Rozafa Fortress in Shkodra.
   Continue to Tirana: visit Skanderbeg Square and Blloku District.

Day 13: Tirana – Ohrid, North Macedonia

1. Tirana
   8h
   Cross into North Macedonia.
   Visit Lake Ohrid, Church of St. John at Kaneo, and Old Bazaar.

Day 14: Ohrid – Skopje

1. Lake Bled
   8h · Admission ticket not included
   Drive to Skopje. Explore Old Bazaar, Stone Bridge, and Mother Teresa Memorial House.
   Farewell dinner in a traditional restaurant.

Day 15: Departure from Skopje or Return to Istanbul

1. Istanbul
   Pass by
   Transfer to Skopje Airport or optional return leg to Istanbul by road or flight.

Pickup details

Pickup available from Istanbul International Airport or any centrally located hotel in Istanbul.
Please provide your arrival flight details (airline, flight number, arrival time) at least 7 days before the tour.
Your driver/guide will be waiting in the airport arrivals hall holding a sign with your name or group name.
For hotel pickups, please be ready 10 minutes before the scheduled time at the main reception/lobby.
If arriving earlier than Day 1, we can arrange an extra transfer or pre-tour hotel night (on request).

• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels