Day 1. Welcome to Serbia
Arrive at “Nikola Tesla” International Airport.
Our guide will meet you in the arrivals hall with your name on the signboard. He will do the following: help you with your money exchange, give you essential information about Belgrade, help you with your check-in, explain to you the location of your accommodation and advise you how to reach the main sights, and give you an overview of current happenings in the city.
In case your flight is delayed, there is no reason to worry. We will monitor your flight, and our guide will meet you accordingly. There are no additional charges for flight delays. After a short ride of 20 minutes, you’ll be in the city’s center. Check-in at the hotel, and take the rest of the day to get more familiar with Belgrade, walk around, or follow your guide’s recommendation for dinner.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are arriving in Belgrade a few days before the tour departure, you can book additional nights with us, at the same hotel, for a surcharge of 55€ (Classic package) or 75€ (Upgraded package. Prices are per person and night in a double or twin room.
Overnight: Belgrade
Day 2. Explore Belgrade
Breakfast. After breakfast, we’ll start with our Belgrade sightseeing tour. Today we will show you almost all the most important sights in the city.
We’ll start at the daunting Belgrade Fortress, dramatically perched above the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. We’ll check the Victor Monument, Monument of Gratitude to France, Zindan Gate, The Chapel of Saint Petka, Clock Gate, and The Clock Tower.
Once we finish with the fortress, we will start our panoramic ride through New Belgrade – Belgrade’s largest municipality, with impressive modern architecture. Here, we will see some remarkable buildings such as the Ex-Central Committee of the Communist Party, Federal Executive Council, also known as the Palace of Federation, Genex Tower or Western Gate of Belgrade, Sava Center, Belgrade Arena, and many more.
After New Belgrade, we’ll reach Zemun, the northern area of Belgrade, which is characteristic of its Central European appearance, charming quarters, cobblestone streets, and fish restaurants on the Danube River banks. Its curvy cobblestone streets and small houses will give you the impression that Zemun is a melting pot of Mediterranean and Middle European cultures.
After Zemun, we’ll drive through Dedinje, Belgrade’s most luxurious residential area, before we reach the imposing Saint Sava Temple, one of the world’s largest Orthodox churches.
After the sightseeing tour, spend this afternoon on your own. Maybe check out Nikola Tesla’s Museum or the National Museum, or wander around the central streets.
In the evening, visit the Old Bohemian Quarter of Skadarlija, frequently compared to Montmartre in Paris, both in appearance and artistic atmosphere. It’s a perfect opportunity to familiarize yourself with traditional Serbian cuisine and the famous Belgrade nightlife. (Optional = 30€ per person)
Overnight: Belgrade
Day 3. North Serbia: Novi Sad & Sremski Karlovci
After breakfast, we shall make a trip to the City of Novi Sad. On our way to the second-largest city in Serbia, we shall stop at the nearby town of Sremski Karlovci, the center of Serbian culture in the 18th century. Strolling through this picturesque town’s cobbled streets will lead us to the first Serbian High School, which gave Serbian people several great writers and poets. Along the way, we shall visit the Old Patriarch’s Court and theological complex – Assembly Church and Theological Lyceum.
Being in the very heart of the famous wine region, why not visit one of the well-respected wine cellars? We’ll try Bermet wine, the most famous product in the area.
Our next stop is the second-largest fortress on the Danube River – Petrovaradin, one of the most important strategic points in the perpetual war between the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires. We shall be introduced to the legends of underground passages before we continue to “Serbian Athens”, as the City of Novi Sad is known.
As we stroll among great cultural institutions and historic buildings, we shall visit the oldest part of Novi Sad, the Zmaj Jovina pedestrian zone. Here, we shall be introduced to the rich history of Novi Sad as we see the monument to Svetozar Miletic, the famous Novi Sad Cathedral, the Episcopal Church… After sightseeing, enjoy your free afternoon and discover Novi Sad independently. Return to Belgrade. Free time.
Overnight: Belgrade
Day 4. Goodbye Serbia, hello Bulgaria
Breakfast. Today, it’s time to leave Serbia behind us and proceed to neighbouring Bulgaria, but only after visiting the third-largest city in Serbia and the birthplace of the famous Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, the city of Nis.
First, we will visit the Niš Fortress, lying on the bank of the Nišava River. It assumed its final shape in 1723, when the Turks built it, facing the end of their reign in this area. We will continue our sightseeing of the most important sights in the city, including the Banovina Building, Niš Liberators Monument at King Milan Square, The Monument of well-known Serbian writer Stevan Sremac, Mediana Archeological Site, and the infamous Skull Tower – the monument unique in the world, erected by the Turks as an example to others of the folly of opposition to their rule.
We will conclude our sightseeing with a visit to Red Cross Nazi Concentration Camp, today a museum. The German Gestapo operated the camp and held captured Jews, Serbians, and Romas during the Second World War. We’ll enjoy some of the food that Niš is famous for before we continue our trip to Sofia.
After around 2 hours, we will arrive in Sofia. Quick check-in at your hotel, and that’s it for the day. Use this afternoon to walk around Sofia independently or go for dinner following your guide’s recommendation.
Overnight: Sofia
Day 5. Explore Sofia and move to North Macedonia
Breakfast and check out. After that, we will start with our Sofia walking tour. Bulgaria’s capital and largest city is built on the ruins of the Roman settlement known as Serdica. During our 90-minute walking tour, we will check the city’s most important sights and must-see places, such as the St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the National Theatre, St. George Rotunda, the Bulgarian Presidency, St. Sofia Monument, the Ruins of Serdica, and many others. A quick coffee, and we’ll hit the road again.
Two hours later, we will enter one more Balkan state – Northern Macedonia. This beautiful country represents a unique mix of cultural influences, including Turkish, Slavic, Albanian, and Mediterranean. We’ll quickly reach Skopje, the country’s capital. They say that you will either love this city, rarely in between.
After the check-in and a short break for refreshing, we’ll start with our Skopje walking tour. During the 90-minute walking tour, we will walk around the city’s main squares and streets and cross the Stone Bridge over the Vardar River to reach Skopje Fortress and Čaršija (Ottoman Old Town). Surely, we will not miss the gigantic Macedonia Square and the birthplace of Mother Theresa.
Use the afternoon on your own. North Macedonia is famous for its warm and hospital people, yummy food, and good wines, so this evening is your perfect opportunity to experience all that. You’ll be positively surprised, both by the quality of the food and service and the amount on the check.
Overnight: Skopje
Day 6. Matka Canyon cruise and UNESCO World Heritage site – Ohrid Lake
Breakfast and check-out. On our way to Ohird, we’ll stop at Matka Canyon. Only 20 kilometers west of Skopje, this hidden gem of nature is probably one of the most beautiful places to visit in North Macedonia. Here, we will have a one-hour boat ride and a chance to admire the stunning beauty of the scenery, with the high mountains rolling steeply to the deep gorge filled with green water.
After a short refreshment, we’ll continue towards Ohrid. Nicknamed “The Jerusalem of the Balkans,” Ohrid was once the center of Slavic culture and religion. The natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid region is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, more precisely, one of the few places that are both on the Cultural and Natural list. We’re sure that this place’s beauty and charm will impress you.
After the check-in and a short break for refreshment, we will start with our walking tour. We will walk the Old Town’s cobbled streets and feel this unique place’s atmosphere. We will walk to the hilltop Church of St John at Kaneo to get the most incredible view over the lake, mountains, and Galicica National Park. We’ll check out sights such as the Church of St. Sophia, the Roman amphitheater, and the Samuel Fortress.
After the walking tour, spend the evening on your own. Walk around the lake and the Old Town, or maybe go on a boat tour.
Overnight: Ohrid
Day 7. Welcome to Albania
Breakfast and check-out. After a short ride of 30 minutes, it’s time to enter one of the perhaps most mysterious and yet-to-be-discovered countries of The Balkans – Albania. The country’s geographical position, political history, and unique language made Albania one of Europe’s least visited countries, which has rapidly changed in the past 10 years.
On our way to Tirana, we’ll make a short stop at Elbasan, the third-largest city in the country, right in the middle of Albania. We’ll check the Castle of Elbasan, the King’s Mosque, St Mary Orthodox Church, and the Clock Tower.
After a short refreshment, we’ll continue towards Tirana. Check-in at the hotel, and off we go, to explore this vibrant city, famous for its non-stop energy and motion. During our tour, we’ll see the Mosque of Et’hem Bey and the 35 m high Kulla e Sahatit or the Watch Tower.
Moreover, we will visit the famous Mosaic uncovered on the floor of an old Roman lodge. Its center configures the walls of the castle of the Roman emperor Justinian (A.D. 520). The monumental Tomb of Kaplan Pasha and the Ura e Tabakëve (a bridge constructed at the beginning of the 19th century, located on Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard) are a few other interesting places we will visit.
Enjoy your free afternoon discovering Tirana on your own. Perhaps visit the Bunk’Art 1, a former anti-nuclear bunker now turned into a very interesting historical and art center, or check out the Dajti Cable Car and enjoy the breathtaking city views.
Overnight: Tirana
Day 8. Transfer to the airport
Breakfast. Free time until your flight. Transfer to the airport. End of services. Have a safe flight!
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you depart from Tirana a few days after the tour ends, you can book additional nights with us, at the same hotel, for a surcharge of 55€ (Classic package) or 75€ (Upgraded package. Prices are per person and night in a double or twin room.
