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Grand Balkan Tour from Sofia, Bulgaria

4.75

(13.420 Reviews)

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Highlights

Sofia highlights & Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Belgrade Old Town & Kalemegdan Fortress, Sarajevo Baščaršija & historic landmarks, Mostar Old Bridge & Dubrovnik Old Town, Kotor Bay & Budva coast, Tirana & Albanian heritage sites, Lake Ohrid UNESCO Old Town, Skopje Old Bazaar & Stone Bridge, Thessaloniki highlights & Meteora Monasteries, Delphi & Ancient Greece heritage, Acropolis & Athens historic center, Plovdiv Old Town & Rila Monastery

Destinations

Budva, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Mostar, Ohrid, Plovdiv, Rila Monastery, Sarajevo, Skopje, Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, Aegina, Arbanassi, Athens, Belgrade, Delphi, Elbasan, Hydra, Kalambaka, Kavala, Kruja, Mavrovo National Park, Meteora, Nis, Perast, Poros, Shkodra, Thessaloniki, Tirana, Zvornik

Budget

From €3.620,- p.p excl. flight tickets

Tour Highlights

Ideal for culturally curious travelers, this Balkan travel program includes guided city tours, UNESCO heritage sites, breathtaking coastlines, and local gastronomy experiences, all while staying at carefully selected 4-star hotels. Whether you’re wandering the cobbled streets of Dubrovnik, cruising Lake Ohrid, or exploring the Acropolis in Athens, this itinerary delivers a comprehensive and luxurious Balkan adventure.

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Itinerary

Arrival in Sofia, Bulgaria

Arrival at Sofia Airport. Transfer to hotel. Short panoramic tour (time permitting). Overnight in Sofia. Accommodation: Best Western Plus Bristol Hotel 4* or similar. Meals: –

Sofia City Tour – Nis (Serbia)

Visit Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St. George Rotunda, Boyana Church (UNESCO). Drive to Nis, Serbia. Free time in Nis Fortress and pedestrian area. Accommodation: Tami Residence 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Nis – Belgrade

Depart for Belgrade. Panoramic tour: New Belgrade, Temple of St. Sava. Kalemegdan Fortress and pedestrian Knez Mihailova Street. Accommodation: Hotel Moskva 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Belgrade – Sarajevo (Bosnia & Herzegovina)

Scenic drive via Zvornik and the Drina River valley. Evening arrival in Sarajevo. Accommodation: Hotel President 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Sarajevo Sightseeing

Explore Bascarsija Old Town, Gazi Husrev-bey Mosque, Latin Bridge, Tunnel Museum. Traditional Bosnian lunch option. Accommodation: Same as previous night. Meals: Breakfast

Sarajevo – Mostar – Dubrovnik (Croatia)

Stop in Mostar: Old Bridge (UNESCO), Turkish house, bazaar. Evening arrival in Dubrovnik. Accommodation: Hotel Lapad 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Dubrovnik Old Town Tour

City walls, Rector’s Palace, Franciscan Monastery. Optional: boat trip to Lokrum Island. Accommodation: Same as previous night. Meals: Breakfast

Free Day in Dubrovnik or Optional Montenegro Tour

Optional: Full-day trip to Kotor Bay (Kotor & Perast). Accommodation: Same as previous night. Meals: Breakfast

Dubrovnik – Kotor – Budva – Shkodra (Albania)

Scenic Adriatic coastal route. Short stops in Kotor and Budva. Cross into Albania and overnight in Shkodra. Accommodation: Hotel Colosseo 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Shkodra – Kruja – Tirana

Explore Rozafa Fortress. Visit Kruja Castle & Skanderbeg Museum. Arrival in Tirana, walking tour of city center. Accommodation: Sky Hotel Tirana 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Tirana – Elbasan – Ohrid (North Macedonia)

Drive via Elbasan to Ohrid (UNESCO). Evening walking tour by the lake. Accommodation: Hotel Su 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Ohrid Full Day Tour

Visit St. Sophia, St. Clement, Plaoshnik, Samuel’s Fortress. Optional: boat cruise on Lake Ohrid. Accommodation: Same as previous night. Meals: Breakfast

Ohrid – Skopje

Drive through Mavrovo National Park. Afternoon city tour: Stone Bridge, Old Bazaar, Memorial House of Mother Teresa. Accommodation: Bushi Resort 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Skopje – Thessaloniki (Greece)

Cross border into Greece. Panoramic Thessaloniki tour: Rotunda, White Tower, Aristotelous Square. Accommodation: Capsis Hotel 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Thessaloniki – Kalambaka – Meteora Monasteries

Visit 2 Meteora Monasteries (UNESCO). Free evening in Kalambaka. Accommodation: Famissi Eden 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Kalambaka – Delphi

Drive through scenic Thessaly and visit Delphi (UNESCO). Tour of Apollo Temple and Museum. Accommodation: Amalia Delphi 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Delphi – Athens

Arrive in Athens. City tour: Acropolis, Parthenon, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Syntagma Square. Accommodation: Titania Hotel 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Free Day in Athens / Optional Saronic Cruise

Optional: Aegina – Poros – Hydra day cruise. Accommodation: Same as previous night. Meals: Breakfast

Athens – Kavala

Drive north to Kavala, via Thessaloniki. Explore old town & port. Accommodation: Lucy Hotel 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Kavala – Plovdiv (Bulgaria)

Cross border into Bulgaria. City tour of Plovdiv: Roman Theatre, Old Town, Ethnographic Museum. Accommodation: Ramada Plovdiv Trimontium 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Plovdiv – Rila Monastery – Sofia

Visit Rila Monastery (UNESCO). Return to Sofia. Accommodation: Best Western Plus Bristol Hotel 4* or similar. Meals: Breakfast

Free Day in Sofia or Optional Day Tour to Veliko Tarnovo

Optional full-day tour: Veliko Tarnovo & Arbanassi. Accommodation: Same as previous night. Meals: Breakfast

Departure from Sofia

Transfer to airport. End of tour. Meals: Breakfast

Services

Included

  • 22 nights accommodation in selected 3★ or 4★ hotels
  • Daily breakfast
  • Private guide/driver for 23 days
  • Rent-a-car for the entire itinerary
  • Airport arrival & departure transfers
  • All land transportation across Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, and Greece
  • Border assistance
  • Tour planning and operational coordination

Excluded

  • Flights
  • Lunches and dinners
  • Entrance fees (monuments, museums, monasteries, UNESCO sites)
  • Optional excursions (Montenegro tour, Saronic cruise, Veliko Tarnovo)
  • Local specialist guides where required
  • Tips and personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Visa fees (if applicable)
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